Baked Vegetable Medley — What I Made Alongside the Pot Roast That Sunday

Drove Monday-Tuesday.

Justin called Wednesday. "Mom. I'm done. I can't finish the semester." I said, "Baby. Come home." He drove home Thursday. He dropped out Friday afternoon. He is home. He is quiet. He is 17.

I did not push him Friday or Saturday. Sunday at dinner he said, "Mom. Dad. I need a job." Dave said, "Take a week. Then we'll find you a job." Justin said, "I want to work at JBS." I stopped eating. I looked at him. He said, "Mom. I know." I said, "Okay, Justin." I finished my plate.

Gayle had a stable week.

Sunday: pot roast.

The pot roast was already in the oven when Justin said he wanted to work at JBS. I didn’t say anything else about it — I just got up and put the vegetables in. Sometimes the best thing you can do for the people you love is keep the meal going, keep the table set, keep the ordinary things ordinary. This is what I made alongside it — nothing fancy, just the kind of side dish that fills the pan and fills the house with something that smells like Sunday.

Baked Vegetable Medley

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it.
2. Prep the vegetables. Combine broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion in a large bowl.
3. Season. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss well until everything is evenly coated.
4. Spread and bake. Spread vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 35–40 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until edges are caramelized and vegetables are tender.
5. Finish with Parmesan. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan, and return to oven for 3–5 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly golden.
6. Serve. Transfer to a serving dish and bring straight to the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 120 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 11g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 270mg