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Easy Lemon Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Cherry Tomatoes

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easy lemon roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes

Easy Lemon Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cherry Tomatoes. Delicious way to serve up some fresh veggies a little out of the ordinary. This is a great side for supper on the patio.

I always love the taste of veggies that are roasted and seasoned just right, but I don’t love the long roasting times (especially in the summer) so I tried something different to speed up the process. Blanch first, then roast! This recipe is awesome because there aren’t a lot of fresh herbs that you have to track down at the store. We are talking a little salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest! That.Is.It!!!

easy lemon roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes



easy lemon roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes

Summer Food

 I love the summer time eats! Nothing beats the smoking hot sun beating down on ya, while you’re choking down on a burger so fast just to make sure no fly lands on the bun. Haha! Nah, but I really do love summertime, summer food, and just relaxing outside. It’s the best!

Our kids live for being outside and running around. They don’t care how hot it is. To me, there is this tiny little window of outside weather to play in. It ranges from 65-80 degrees, which I never admit to them. But I always ask are you sure, it’s pretty hot out there (82 degrees)? And I always know their answer but like to check just in case! J And then they go. And go. And go. They are 3 Energizer bunnies. They are the greatest little kids. I just love them to death.

Are You Eatin Ur Veggies Every Day?

I don’t know about you but it seems around here we go in spurts. There will be weeks I am really good about serving up some delicious veggies or salad to go with our meal and then sometimes I don’t do so well. I think one of the reasons is that if I don’t have our meals planned for the week I don’t want our produce to go to waste. In the meantime, I have found a great resource for storing fruits and vegetables to lengthen their shelf-life! The link is from the Kitchn and here it is.

easy lemon roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes

So the next time you are at the grocery store, trust your instinct and go ahead and buy that cauliflower and broccoli and try out these amazing roasted veggies! They are easy to make. And since I am blanching them first, you could easily grill them instead if you want!

Enjoy!

easy lemon roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes

easy lemon roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and tomatoes

Easy Lemon Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Tomatoes

Megan
Easy Lemon Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cherry Tomatoes. Delicious way to serve up some fresh veggies a little out of the ordinary. This is a great side for supper on the patio!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Side
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium head of broccoli
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup red onion sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400℉.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Meanwhile, wash broccoli and cauliflower and cut into florets.
  • Add cauliflower to pot and boil 3-5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice water bath for 30sec to 1 min. Transfer to a bowl and drain.
  • Repeat step 4 for the broccoli.
  • In a large bowl gently mix the broccoli and cauliflower with lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper.
  • Transfer to a baking sheet and add the cherry tomatoes and red onion also.
  • Roast vegetables for 18-20 minutes.
  • Optional: Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Note: To grill vegetables, prep them the same way and then transfer to a grill pan and grill at direct medium heat for about 5 minutes.

 

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Chicken and Quinoa Burrito Bowls

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chicken and quinoa burrito bowls

Chicken breasts seasoned with Mexican rub tossed in a burrito bowl with quinoa, cherry tomatoes, guacamole, and a blend of jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro. Complete the chicken quinoa burrito bowls with a few drizzles of easy homemade ranch dressing. So delish!

With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, here is a perfect meal to whip up to celebrate!  Packed with delicious whole ingredients and these bowls simply taste amazing. Anytime I whip up my homemade guac, the meal has to be something special! Luv my homemade guacamole!

chicken quinoa burrito bowls

 

A Few Favs In This Life

In this life of mine, I have always held a few things dear to me. The first, not being a thing at all, is God. I believe in God and trust in him every day to lead me towards him. The path may not always be straight and narrow but I continue to try and grow closer to him. He has truly lead me in directions far better than what I though I wanted for myself. However, in the end, it was always for the best.

The second favorite in my life is my family.  My husband of nearly six years (OMG! Seems just like yesterday we got married!) is my rock. He has always supported me 110% in whatever goals or dreams I set for myself. He has always been a huge source of inspiration for me. And our kids are the sweetest little joys in my life. Having 3 children in 3 years has not been a piece of cake but I wouldn’t change it for the world. They are each so different in their own way. I see our 5 year-old as the laid back one. He rolls with the punches…for the most part. Our soon-to-be 4 year-old is the attention seeker. He lets me know when he needs to be heard. His most memorable words, “Mommy, listen to me with your EYES!” YUP, that got my attention. Our 3 year-old plays the appropriate role of baby of the house. I hear close to a 100x a day, “Mommy, you my friend,” and 101x I hear, “Mommy, you not my friend.” I mean she is 3 years old!

chicken and quinoa burrito bowls

The third and final favorite in my life has been my career. An education that started out in dietetics followed by nursing has been the perfect path for me. After graduating from nursing school, I began my career in nursing that lasted for 9 years. I loved it. My favorite area was ICU. I loved the intensity, and the continual drive to want to learn more in order to be a better nurse.

However, once our family grew to a family of 3, I knew I was going to have to find another path. Because to me family comes before career. That path involved a surgery center, clinic nursing, and pre-admission testing. Fast forward five years and here I am, switching paths again and loving every minute of it.

I am loving food blogging. Food has always been a hot topic for me. I guess that’s why I went to college for four years studying all about it and its effect on the body. Food affects how we feel, how we think, how we move.

Food is what sustains us, and water of course. Just think about this for a minute…you stay up late studying, paying bills, etc. Person A gets up at 7am and gets ready in a flash and heads out for the day skipping breakfast and goes and goes until 1pm. Person B gets up at 630am taking time out for a light but smart breakfast knowing he will have a busy morning. Alright, which person do you think will be more attentive to his work? More alert? Feeling better, thinking better, and moving better? Without a doubt, it’s Person B. I know this because I have been Person A PLENTY of times. 😩

chicken and quinoa burrito bowls

 

 

A Lotta Favs in One Meal

Okay, down to the nitty gritty. This meal- well, I have been so pumped about it yesterday, today, and will be tomorrow too! Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowls- welcome to my life!! No fast food joint here in Kearney, NE serves chicken with quinoa. You guys these are amaaaazing!

Quinoa in a burrito bowl is now a necessity. How does it stack up to rice (brown)? Quinoa has twice as much fiber and a third more protein per serving. And the taste of quinoa with the chicken and guac is so awesome. For some reason, avocados have been a must for me lately. They are taking the place of mayo AND cheese in wraps and I’m not one to cut out cheese. The other part of this burrito bowl worth mentioning is the blend of jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro diced together and tossed on top! SO YUUUM! And to top it off, let’s just drizzle some homemade ranch dressing over the chicken, I mean the entire bowl because we are awesome and we just made the best chicken quinoa burrito bowl yet! 👊

chicken and quinoa burrito bowls

chicken quinoa burrito bowls

Chicken and Quinoa Burrito Bowls

3 Scoops of Sugar
Chicken breasts seasoned with Mexican rub tossed in a burrito bowl with quinoa, cherry tomatoes, guacamole, and a blend of jalapeños, red onion, and cilantro. Complete the chicken quinoa burrito bowls with a few drizzles of easy homemade ranch dressing. So delish!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican rub or 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 10-12 cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 jalapeno minced with ribs and seeds removed
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion chopped
  • Ranch dressing

Guacamole

  • 3 avocados
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 jalapeno minced with ribs and seeds removed
  • 1/4 cup red onion chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 roma tomato chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉. Place chicken breasts in baking dish and brush with olive oil. Rub both sides of chicken breasts with Mexican rub or use taco seasoning.
  • Bake chicken for 18-23 minutes. Target temperature for cooked chicken is 165℉.
  • Once cool, cut chicken into thin strips.
  • While chicken is in oven, start cooking 1 cup quinoa according to package instructions.
  • Chop red onion. This will take about a half of a medium red onion. Place 1/2 cup red onion in small bowl along with one jalapeno and cilantro. Refrigerate until later use.
  • Prepare guacamole. Peel and seed avocados and add to medium bowl. Mash avocados. Add lime juice, jalapeno, salt, red onion, and tomato. Stir together well.
  • Arrange burrito bowls. Add about a cup of quinoa to bowls. Place chicken strips over quinoa. Add 1/2 of cherry tomatoes to each bowl, guacamole, and chopped red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro mix (amounts to your liking). Drizzle bowls with your favorite ranch dressing. Homemade ranch dressing is here. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lime over each burrito bowl

Notes

Link for homemade ranch dressing is located in instructions. Consider making ranch ahead of time or use store-bought to save time.
The nutrition facts label does not include the guacamole but every 1/4 cup adds 142 calories. See remaining guacamole nutrition here and the ranch dressing is also not included in the nutrition label.

 

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chicken and quinoa burrito bowls

Spicy Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

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Spicy creole seasoned shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes topped with shredded parmesan cheese. A clean-eating and fancy dinner that is easy to make! YUM!

spicy shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes

Shrimp. Orzo. Broccoli. Cherry Tomatoes. WOW! These foods together have just slipped into my life and now I be like 💃. These foods apart are just that, but when they are together they seriously achieve greatness!!! I am just totally loving this shrimp and orzo combo these days.

I really want to break down this recipe a bit so you know a little about everything that goes into it and can really appreciate that part of the recipe before you even take your first bite and then be like “AHH!”

I am starting with the broccoli because it is the powerhouse nutrient packing vegetable that I just can’t get enough of lately. Per 1 cup of cooked broccoli, there is only 54 calories. However, for that 54 calories there are a significant amount of nutrients: 6 grams of fiber, 458 mg of potassium, 220 mcg of Vitamin K (>200%DV), and 100mg of Vitamin C (>100%DV).
Broccoli is certainly a vegetable that should not be overlooked! If you can, try fresh over frozen once in awhile because I feel like the flavor of fresh broccoli is amazing!

And cherry tomatoes are always an easy addition to many recipes just because of their sweet flavor and juiciness. Love these little guys raw or cooked!

spicy shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes

Let’s dig in to the protein now. Anyone for a little shrimp on the barbie? 🙂 Ha, nah we are actually going to stay inside for this recipe and heat a little olive oil and butter together and sauté some garlic. Add the shrimp and cook until bright pink, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Oh, and don’t forget the creole seasoning here. Uh, your mouth will thank you later!! The quick rundown on shrimp goes like this: for every 3 ounces of shrimp, your body takes in 90 calories with 75% of those calories from protein. Not bad, eh?!

spicy shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes

Last, but not least is the orzo! YUM! And of course with a little parm on top!! SOO GOOD! Don’t underestimate orzo. It’s such a subtle yet delicious pasta and it certainly completes this recipe. Pretty sure on lazy days, I could just eat the orzo, parmesan cheese, and cherry tomatoes and still be amazed. Yep, I could do that! 👍

spicy shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes

spicy shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes

Spicy Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

Clean Eating Recipe

 

spicy shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma Taste.

shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes

Spicy Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

3 Scoops of Sugar
Spicy creole seasoned shrimp and orzo with broccoli and cherry tomatoes topped with shredded parmesan cheese. A clean-eating and fancy dinner that is easy to make! YUM!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 bunch broccoli thick stalks removed
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes or about 10; cut 5 of them in half
  • 12 ounces orzo
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli and boil for approximately 3 minutes, just until tender. With a slotted spoon transfer broccoli to a cutting board. Wait a minute or two and then coarsely chop. Sprinkle ½ - 1 teaspoon creole seasoning over broccoli. Set aside
  • Using the same pot of water, bring to a boil again. Add orzo and cook according to package directions minus 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • In a large fry pan, heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the shrimp to the pan and sprinkle creole seasoning over shrimp along with salt & pepper if desired. Cook for about 2 ½ minutes per side flipping 1 or 2 times. They should be done after about 5 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a clean plate and set aside.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and add the orzo plus ½ cup of chicken broth. Stir frequently until liquid is absorbed and scraping any browned bits off bottom of pan. Once liquid has been absorbed which takes 1-2 minutes, repeat with remaining chicken broth, adding ½ cup at a time. Stir in cheese and tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes to allow tomatoes to soften. Add shrimp, parsley, and broccoli and combine.
  • Top with parmesan cheese (optional)

 

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