Moroccan Roasted Vegetables

Do you have any obsessions from your youth that you have never totally gotten over? U2 is one for me–I tried to be all adult the last time they toured and I was pregnant and missed the tour completely (after having seen them multiple times on previous tours), but my bug is back and I am excited to see them this time around. I love their new album. Anyway my stinkin’ (but adorable) sister has been eating and drinking her way through Barcelona the last week and Tuesday night (the night of my typing this) she watched U2 open up their tour without me. There is a 15 year old girl inside of me, wailing at the injustice of it all. She did at least say it was not the same without me.

OK, now that I have gotten that off of my chest.

This is one of those super easy weeknight meals that there is not a lot to say about–but is totally worth sharing because you cannot be a 5 star chef every night, ya know? Served over couscous, it is receptive to a myriad of toppings and is a healthy, filling, vegetarian-friendly meal.

Moroccan Roasted Vegetables
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

*This is one of those meals where quantities and vegetables could be easily adapted to your taste. The original recipe called for eggplant, for example, which we do not care much for, so I used extra zucchini. So feel free to sub! The tomato is probably necessary for its juices if nothing else.

1 large sweet onion, sliced into thick slices (about a 1/4-inch for all slices)
2 green zucchini, sliced into rounds
2 yellow squash, sliced into rounds
2 medium-large sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large sweet bell peppers, sliced (I was out but would use next time)
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (or use equivalent fresh)
2 15-oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or equivalent cooked
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 heaping T ground cumin
1 1/2 t turmeric
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 t sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 t half sharp Hungarian paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper, optional (I recommend adding at table if you have to leave out, a little heat was nice in this)
2 t coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Toss all of the ingredients together in alarge bowl. Spreak them into a large roasting pan and bake for 20 mintes. Toss and then bake another 20 minutes. Serve over couscous.

Possible toppings include:
golden raisins (I especially liked)
feta cheese (or goat cheese) (we tried and liked goat cheese)
plain Greek yogurt (I especially liked–tried the second night so not pictured above)
toasted almond slivers (tried and were neutral)
chopped hard boiled eggs (did not try–husband hates hard boiled eggs)