Ok, it's official. Chiberia has returned. The highs this week are in the single digits, the snow and ice mountains on the sidewalks and roads have solidified into rock, Ben has another "cold day" off school tomorrow, and even though the days are slowly getting longer it's really hard to beat the winter blah's! This is the first winter I haven't struggled with winter blues exactly, but all week I've been seriously lacking motivation and energy! Instead of feeling bad I'm just leaning into the slump and giving myself permission to relax and slow down.
One of the good things about cold weather is that our metal firebox of an oven can heat the whole kitchen, and since I love anything baked or roasted it's been getting plenty of use!
One of my favorite weeknight dinners is roasted veggies and chicken. Roasted vegetables are seriously addicting to me, I could kill an entire batch on my own! I love how a good long roast brings out the natural sweetness. Yum. Tonight's variation was extra delicious so I thought I'd share the "recipe!" I love healthy comfort food that's simple and easy to throw together, with leftovers to spare.
Balsamic Roasted Veggies with Garlic Chicken
Serves 4
Veggies
+ 1 pound carrots
+ 2 large parsnips
+ 3 red onions
+ Glug of olive oil
+ Generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar
+ Salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary
(or your fave herbs and spices)
Chicken
+ 1 package chicken breasts
+ Juice of half a lemon
+ Balsamic vinegar
+ 4 cloves garlic, minced
+ Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400* F and line two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Chop all the veggies into bite sized pieces, spread in a single layer on foil lined baking sheets, and toss in the olive oil, vinegar, and spices.
Place the chicken in a baking dish coated in cooking spray. Squeeze lemon juice and drizzle vinegar over the chicken, then sprinkle with garlic, salt, and pepper.
Bake the veggies and chicken in the oven together. The chicken will be done within 25-40 minutes depending on the thickness. I usually slice into a piece after 30 minutes to test for doneness. The veggies can go a little longer, 45 minutes or so as long as you stir them a couple times. The longer they bake, the more caramelized and delicious they'll become!
Serve the chicken over veggies and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
21 Day Fix: 1-2 green, 1 red
Enjoy and stay warm!
xo Anna