Chances are this Memorial Day your grill will be occupied with meat, meat and more meat! So I like to take my veggies inside and give them the love they deserve. Here is a round-up of my favorite veggies sides all of which are SUPER easy to make! Enjoy!

SPICY ROASTED CORN WITH COTIJO CHEESE:

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of Trader Joe’s Frozen Roasted Corn
• 2 green jalapeno, deseeded and diced
• 1 large red pepper, deseeded and diced
• 2 shallots minced
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 4 tbsp of butter
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1/2 cup Grated Cotijo Cheese
• Cilantro

Let’s Cook!

1. In a large skillet melt the butter
2. Add the shallots, red onion, jalapeno pepper and red pepper. Cook until they begin to get tender
3. Add the roasted corn and salt. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes or until the corn is warm.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with Cotijo cheese and garnish with cilantro

HONEY ORANGE ROASTED CARROTS

Ingredients:

• 1 bundle of organic orange carrots, stems removed (thin carrots work best)
• 1 bundle of organic purple carrots, stems removed (thin carrots work best)
• 3 tbs spoons of local honey
• Juice from 1 large orange
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 tsp of sea salt
• 6 ounces of goat cheese
• 1 tbs of chopped parsley

Let’s Cook!

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper
3. Cut each carrot in half
4. In a small glass bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey , orange juice
5. Toss the carrots in the mixture
6. Evenly spread the carrots on the pan. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt. (If the pan looks too crowded, use 2 pans)
7. Reserve the remaining honey, orange mixture
8. Roast carrots for 20 minutes. Remove and drizzle the remaining honey/orange mixture on the carrots.
9. Return to oven for another 20 minutes or until the carrots begin to brown
10. Remove carrots and allow to cool for 10 minutes
11. Plate carrots.  Sprinkle remaining salt, goat cheese and garnish with parsley.
12. ENJOY!

WHOLE ROASTED PARMIGIANO REGGIANO CAULIFLOWER

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large cauliflower head rinsed well
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 1/3 cup of parsley
• 1/3 cup of grated parmigiano reggiano
• 1/2 tsp salt

LET’S COOK

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2.  Trim the cauliflower head. Remove the leaves, but be sure not to remove to much of the base/stem.
3. Place the cauliflower head in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with 1/2 inch of water. Cover the dish completely with aluminum foil making sure the edges are sealed tight. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until you can easily poke a toothpick through the center of the cauliflower head. You want the cauliflower to be lightly steamed.
4. While the cauliflower is cooking, combine the parsley, olive oil, grated cheese and salt in a food process and process until smooth. Remove the paste and set aside.
5. When cauliflower is cooked through, remove from the oven.
6. Discard the aluminum foil, drain the water from the baking dish and let the cauliflower cool (in the baking dish) for at least 5 minutes
7. Increase the oven temp to BROIL
8. Brush the cauliflower head with the parsley and parmigian paste and return to oven for at least 10 minutes or until the cauliflower head is a deep golden brown.
9. Remove from oven, slice and devour!!

BABY ELOTES-MEXICAN CORN:

INGEDIENTS:

1 package of baby corn (approximately 18 pieces)

2 tbsp of butter

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp of light sour cream

2 tbsp of mayo

¼ cup of grated cotija cheese or grated parmesan cheese

smoked paprika to sprinkle

1 tbsp of chopped parsley

LET’S COOK!

1. Heat butter in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. When butter melts add baby corn and cover. Cook for 2 ½ minutes. Flip corn. Cook for another 2 ½ minutes then remove from heat.
2. While corn is cooling, mix the sour cream and mayo together well.
3. Once corn is room temperature, sprinkle with salt and place on serving platter.
4. Brush the corn with sour cream/mayo mixture.
5. Sprinkle cheese generously over corn
6. Sprinkle smoked paprika lightly over corm
7. Garnish with parsley and serve!

CAULIFLOWER ROMESCO

Romesco sauce is a nut and red pepper-based sauce that originated from Northeastern Spain. The fishermen in this area made this sauce to be eaten with fish. I make jars of it and use it on everything from fish, to chicken to roasted cauliflower and even EGGS!

Try it and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of purple cauliflower broken down into florets

1 head of yellow cauliflower broken down in to florets

2 tbsp of olive oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

grated parmigiano or grated ricotta salata (for plating)

chopped fresh parsley (for plating)

Romesco Sauce

2 red roasted pepper (jarred or homemade)

4 roasted piquillo peppers (jarred or homemade)

1/2 cup of jarred roasted tomatoes

5 raw garlic cloves

1/2 cup roasted almonds

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

1/2 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp of olive oil

LET’S COOK! 

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.Place florets on baking sheets and toss cauliflower in olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly.
3. Roast cauliflower until golden brown and tender. About 35 minutes
4. While the cauliflower is roasting, combine all of the romesco sauce ingredients in a food processor. Process until all ingredients are fully combined. The sauce should not be over processed. I like for it to have texture.
5.  Generously layer the sauce onto a large circular dish and place the roasted cauliflower on top while still hot.
6. Sprinkle the cauliflower with parsley and grated cheese of choice. I prefer pecorino romano or ricotta salata.