In an effort to make a as many meals in one cooking push as possible, I started playing around with roasting up a medley of vegetables on a Sunday, and doctoring up the leftover throughout the week.

If you roast your vegetables with minimal seasoning, you can make three very different meals from your veggies throughout the week. I like to roast root vegetables, onions, and Brussels sprouts. You can easily add leeks and garlic cloves to the mix.

The Base Layers include: quinoa or your favorite rice topped with your roasted vegetable medley.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium or large beets
• 1-2 parsnips
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 cup Brussels sprouts
• 1 large onion
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups stock
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1 T olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350. Roughly chop the beets, carrots, onion, parsnip, and halve the Brussels sprouts. Place on a cookie sheet or roasting pan and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on the middle rack and cook for 40 minutes. Use a fork to test the vegetables for proper texture. If the vegetables are easily pierced with the fork, then they are ready. If they are still tough, continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes.

About 20 minutes into your roasting time, bring 2 cups of stock to boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, add 1 cup of quinoa. Stir and allow it to return to a boil. Then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork.

You know have your base layer.

Toppings options:

Option 1) Thai fusion-peanut sauce bowl

Toppings list:

• Peanut sauce
• freshly diced scallions and cilantro
• garnish of sesame seeds
• optional: seared tofu or chicken breast

Layer your bowl with 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup of roasted veggies, drizzle with peanut sauce, sprinkle wiht scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Enjoy.

A great peanut sauce recipe is here: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/peanut-sauce

or here: http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2005/07/perfect-peanut-sauce-recipe.html

Option 2: Mexican Roasted Veggie Bowl

Ingredients:

• Shredded or torn lettuce,
• roughly chopped a tomato,
• Minced cilantro
• pico de gallo or salsa
• avocado slices
• sour cream (optional)
• shredded sharp cheddar (optional)
• pan seared chicken breast (optional), I recommend adding some garlic and cumin to your pan searing should you choose the chicken breast option

Layer your bowl with 1/2 cup of quinoa, 1/2 cup of roasted veggies, and all of the above toppings. Enjoy.

Option 3) Bavarian sausage bowl 

Toppings list:

• a couple of your favorite sausages- fully cooked and sliced
• sauerkraut
• dollop of creme fraiche and/or mustard (optional)

Layer your bowl with the base layer of quinoa, roasted veggies, then add sliced sausages, a couple tablespoons of sauerkraut, and optional creme fraiche or mustard.