Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

My sister has been talking about how delicious Orzo with Roasted Vegetables is for a while now.  I love orzo, but when I heard 'roasted vegetables' - I sort of thought "ewww".  However, if you've been reading my blog, you know that I have recently discovered that I actually like roasted vegetables.  So, I figured it was time to re-visit the recipe.  Especially since I still have...

I did not follow the recipe exactly, I just used what veggies I had on hand.  This is one of those recipes that you can change up quite a bit, depending on your likes (peppers) or dislikes (mushrooms).  I don't think there's any hope for mushrooms.  They just gross me out. 

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

adapted from For the Love of Cooking

6-8 spears of asparagus, sliced in thirds
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced (I threw some banana peppers in there too)
1/2 red onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, leave skin on while roasting
15-20 grape tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
Juice of 1-2 lemons, to taste
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 cup orzo
2 green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese
10 fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

For quick clean up, use a foil lined baking sheet, then spray with cooking spray. 

Toss the asparagus, bell peppers, onion and garlic with the olive oil, salt and pepper on the baking sheet.

Roast for 20 minutes then toss with a spatula, add the tomatoes and continue to the oven to roast for an additional 10 minutes.

While veggies are roasting, prepare the orzo per instructions on box.
Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. 

When vegetables are done, carefully squeeze the garlic from their skins and mix with orzo.

Add roasted vegetables to the orzo.
Combine lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste) and pour over orzo/vegetables. 

Add the green onions, feta cheese and basil. Toss to coat evenly.

I made Whole Wheat Beer Bread to go with it.  I heart bread products.  and beer.  Since I have discovered the Michelob Ultra Peach flavor (and love it), I thought I'd give it a try in the bread.  I also added cinnamon, to make kind of a sweet bread.  It was very good.  As in, I ate 1/2 a loaf in one evening good.  There's not much better than warm bread with a schmear of butta...mmmm...

So, I thought I was all that making this yummy, and very healthy meal. The hubs liked it, but the kids were less than impressed. They did like the bread however. They think I'm the craziest mother ever b/c I feed them things with beer in it. My mother-in-law would not approve. Anywho...the next night I had left overs and fixed these for the kids

They said I was the BEST cook EVER.  Kids are so easy.  Okay, not really, but this was a super easy recipe from Pillsbury.  I used Reduced Fat Grands biscuits and Cabot's 50% reduced fat cheese, and ham (without added nitrates and nitrites, of course - geesh, all the crap moms have to remember).  I highly recommend using reduced fat ham and cheese or when you bite into them you will get grease/"juice" running out.  ewww

So these little gems get 5 stars in my kids' book.  Guess I'll be making them more often.  Grands makes a reduced fat wheat biscuit that I'll use next time, but couldn't find them at my regular grocery store. (what else is new?)

I'm linking up with Finding Joy in My Kitchen