Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

I feel so smug when I come up with a recipe that’s nutritious, like I’ve gotten away with something. This warm salad could be a complete meal in itself, although I served it alongside homemade pizza. It’s versatile, too; you could easily make it with fall vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, and potatoes. Roasted garlic would be terrific. Next time I might finish it off with some shavings of pecorino romano.

Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper
1 medium eggplant
1 medium pattypan squash or zucchini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper

1 cup cannellini beans (canned is fine)
2 cups baby spinach leaves, raw
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Preparation
Heat oven to 450°F. While you wait, roughly chop the pepper, eggplant, and summer squash into about 1½-inch chunks. Spread vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet, then sprinkle with garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle olive oil over and toss until vegetables are evenly coated. Roast for 15-20 minutes, mixing once halfway through cooking time. Remove vegetables from oven when they’ve started to caramelize but are still firm.

Allow vegetables to cool for about 10 minutes, then add to a bowl with the cannellini beans and spinach. Chop the thyme finely, sprinkle that over, and follow with the sherry vinegar. You’ll probably need another little drizzle of olive oil. Taste to see if any extra salt or pepper is necessary, and enjoy.

Serves 4.