Winter Roasted Vegetables with Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dressing

This post is sponsored by Olive Oils from Spain.

While I can't say I've had too many (or any at all) real cravings during my pregnancy, I will say fall and wintery foods have really been speaking to me. They're so comforting and satiating right now, and easy to prepare in many simple ways as I'll be showing you today.

I've used olive oil as one of the sole oils in my kitchen for years now. And while I've heard and read about the numerous health benefits of regular consumption of this oil, I had never done much research into the many geographic locations it's produced in and distributed from. I had no idea Spain is the largest producer of olive oil and organic extra virgin olive oil in the world. This is largely due to the climate being particularly ideal for olive growing in this country. Spain also invests the most R+D when it comes to their olive oils, in comparison to all other olive oil producing countries combined. 

In today’s recipe, the combination of creamy, nutty delicata squash with crisped fingerling potatoes and brussels sprouts work so well together. The pine nuts also add just the right amount of richness and crunch. I created a simple and light dressing to drizzle overtop with grated garlic, olive oil and lemon. The dressing adds a little pop and helps meld all of the ingredients together, especially with the herb flavors infused into the vegetables during the roasting process. I could seriously eat this for days on end.

I utilized the olive oil for the roasting but also in the 3-ingredient dressing you'll drizzle on top at the end. It's the cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil that feeds our bodies with the highest dose of health benefits (from the polyphenol content). Regular olive oil consumption has been heavily studied and linked to health benefits like, cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory, digestive, cognitive, and many others. The key to getting the most out of your olive oil, is making sure it is of the highest and purest quality. So, it is important to do a little research before grabbing any bottle off the store shelf.

Disclaimer: Please consult your health care provider when making any dietary changes.

To check out the recipe details, head on over to the Olive Oils from Spain blog. 

Hope you enjoy this cozy, comforting recipe as much as we did! And Happy Thanksgiving week!

The full recipe can be found HERE!

Ashley

Today's post is sponsored by Olive Oils from Spain, and I received compensation for writing this piece. Opinions are always my own. If I didn't love it, you wouldn't hear about it. Thanks for your continued support! 

Breakfast Potato Hash with Chickpeas + Rosemary

This post is sponsored by Safeway + Albertsons.

There has been a lot going on over here lately, and with this whole being pregnant thing, I'm a tad bit slower than I used to be. Thankfully, I'm shooting Gena's cookbook right now, which is keeping my fridge well stocked with healthy + super tasty vegan eats. But on the weekends when my fridge is running low on leftovers, I'm always looking for quick + easy recipes that will keep this hangry lady full for at least a few hours.

The recipe I'm sharing today definitely fits the bill on being simple to make, comforting, and full of flavor and texture. It's also a great pantry meal. I have pretty much all of these ingredients on hand at all times. It works for any meal of the day and can be eaten as a main dish or side. It's my ideal weekend breakfast with a side of toast and/or maybe a few scrambled eggs (sunny side up after this baby pops out).

This recipe idea all came to be after a recent trip to Chicago for a blog event with Safeway + Albertsons grocery stores, to learn more about their O Organics® line of products. We had an action-packed day learning about their mission to make organics attainable for all. It started with breakfast (overnight oats!) that was very well photographed by all 30+ bloggers, as you'll see below. It's always so much fun to get together with other bloggers who enjoy taking photos of their meals and setting up photos on chairs or elsewhere to "get the shot."

After breakfast, we watched a fabulous cooking demo by Annessa Chumbley, RD. She showed us a few simple, healthy recipes (oatmeal pancakes!) and chatted about her favorite wellness tips. Next up, we were in the kitchen working in small groups with tons of O Organics products at our fingertips. We had about 45 minutes to create anything we wanted with what was available. I worked with Jeanine + Jane and we racked our brains on what to make in a short amount of time. We didn't use our phones to look up recipes for inspiration, but decided to just use our brains. A rarity! We quickly came up with an idea for a simple potato hash. It was a fun experience to have a gigantic commercial kitchen with lots of equipment and tons of ingredients right at our fingertips. We gathered as a group to feast on our recipes and continue on with the day that ended with a 15 minute restorative yoga session. Before I knew it we were saying goodbyes and I was back on my way to the airport.

As soon as I got back from the trip, I felt a much needed burst of creativity in the kitchen. I started working on a few new recipes (seems like it's been ages), including a recreation of the hash recipe from the trip. I incorporated rosemary, one of my very favorite herbs, for a deeply savory flavored dish. The potatoes make this recipe really stick to your bones and the chickpeas help do the same with their kick of protein. Luckily, throughout my pregnancy, I haven't had any food aversions and have been able to keep up a pretty healthy diet. But I'm still always looking for ways to add in more vegetables and spinach seemed like an easy and obvious choice here. 

Feel free to switch up the fresh herbs for what you have on hand. Thyme and oregano would work beautifully, and I bet sage would be tasty in this as well. It's a one-pan meal that comes together quickly and will keep in your fridge for a good 4-5 days. If you can reheat on a sheet pan in the oven, it makes the leftovers even better.

Print Recipe!

Breakfast Potato Hash

gluten-free, vegan // yields 4-6 servings

• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 pound potatoes (yukon, purple, red, and/or fingerling), chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 pound sweet potatoes/yams, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1, 15oz can O Organics chickpeas
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2-3 teaspoons finely chopped O Organics fresh rosemary
• 5oz baby spinach
• salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a 12-14 inch skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir frequently.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the potatoes, then toss well to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil (crimp the foil over the pan edges, but doesn't need to be a tight fit) and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes and cover with foil after each stir. (Potatoes should be almost fully tender.) Remove the foil and stir in the chickpeas. Add more oil if needed. Let cook for another 5 minutes or until potatoes are fully tender.

Make a well in the center of the potatoes, add 1-2 teaspoons of oil, and add the garlic. Stir the garlic for about 1 minute until starting to brown. Add the rosemary and stir both into the potatoes. Let cook another 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt + pepper to your liking.

Remove from heat and stir in the baby spinach. Serve once the spinach has wilted a bit. Top as desired (red pepper flakes, ketchup, etc.). 

Hope you enjoy this one all fall + winter long!

Ashley

Today's post is sponsored by Safeway + Albertsons, and I received compensation + product for writing this piece and for the event trip in Chicago. Opinions are always my own. If I didn't love it, you wouldn't hear about it. Thanks for your continued support! If you live outside Colorado, O Organics products can be found at these different stores across the country. I had the opportunity to work with a vast selection of O Organics products, but please check your local Albertsons family store to see what's available in your area.