Thursday, March 1, 2018

Vegetable Extravaganza....


Good morning!

It is really really early...I am wide awake.

Thank goodness the coffee is hot 
as I stand by the window watching the sky.
The morning light is just peeking over the horizon.

All is quiet.
I am conscious of my breathing.

  I will sit here in peace 
looking out and looking inward.
Preparing as I do for the day to unfold.

I cherish the slow morning time 
pondering life and counting my many blessings
since retiring...

There is a sense of calm and order when one has time to gather their thoughts...
knitting them together 
making them strong
determined.


A blurry snapshot of one of the many bald eagles that perch nearby...
this week I stood among several other cottagers as we watched as a bald eagle spread its vast wings and preened itself.

Such magnificent creatures and they are far bigger up close than one might imagine!



A bountiful haul of beach glass after combing the beach for treasure.


The views are stunning!
Just look at those puffy white clouds punctuating the blue sky


I could sit here for hours 
watching 
as the clouds meander across the expansive sky.

This beach would be a fun place to bring the grandchildren...
they could play on the beach before we sit and nibble a picnic lunch.

Perhaps even have a dip in the salt chuck?


Veggies... 
Prepare for the peeling and chopping.
You are going to be roasted!


Just a smattering of olive oil and a grinding of peppercorns 
then you'll be tossed in a super hot oven to caramelize.


You will be left to cool on the counter 
before being sprinkled with balsamic vinegar 
then topped with crumbled feta cheese
tossed together and devoured by a hungry Hostess!

Roasted veggie salad is a tasty treat and low in WW points!


Vegetable Extravaganza

Roast a variety of root vegetables...
I added mushrooms and zucchini to the pan.
Toss a wee bit of olive oil and mix to coat.
Grind a bit of fresh pepper over top.
Roast at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes.
Turn the veggies halfway.

Cool then sprinkle with some balsamic vinegar, 
add a few crumbles of feta cheese.

IF 
there are leftovers 
simply pop them on top of some lettuce for a healthy and colourful salad.


The charming book that I just read...
Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale
it's definitely worth reading.

Hope that you are having a lovely week...and its almost the weekend!
Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~


31 comments:

rebecca said...

Thanks for a most relaxing visit. I feel a rare combination of calm and energy as I leave your post. Definitely WILL roast me some vegetables as soon as I replenish our supply! Looks absolutely scrumptious...

Becky said...

I love roasted vegetables too. I just joined WW partly inspired by your success. I’m trying new recipes like cauliflower “rice” which I snuck into my chili.

Sandra Sallin-Apart from my Art said...

I found when I put that many veggies to roast they got soft and mushy. I like to put fewer together so they roast and brown. Love your ideas and now going to try and borrow that book. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Such an interesting photo of you looking out the window at dawn. It is such a peaceful time of day. The veggies look delicious! I wonder if another kind of cheese would work instead of feta? — Jessica

Lorrie said...

Beautiful views. Hope the wind last night wasn't too bad for you out on the island. Roasted vegetables are such a delicious dish, aren't they?

Madame Là-bas said...

I love roasted vegetables. Next week, I will make some to take to work for lunch. Do you ever roast fennel with the root vegetables? It gives them a different flavour. I love all the seashore details of the Quarterdeck Cottage. I'm thinking that one of the cottages would be a nice summer rental.

Julie said...

Thank you for another therapeutic blog, visual and verbal. I always feel enriched by your photos and words.

My daughter got me hooked on roasting veggies. They have so much more flavour. The one thing I do is line the pan with parchment paper or tin foil to help in the clean up.

Amie said...

I am an early riser, I am at my best when I take that time in the mornings to just reflect, pray, read and just ponder.
What a lovely place you live in.
I love roasted veggies, never thought of putting feta on them! I'm going to try that soon.
Take care.

Margie from Toronto said...

Such beautiful scenery!
I have become obsessed with roasting all sorts of vegetables this winter - and like you I often add them to a salad, I love the contrasting textures and it just seems to make the salad more satisfying.

La Vie Quotidienne said...

What beautiful views! Nature is the best artist of all.

I love roasted vegetables, what a good idea to add some feta cheese, I must try doing it.

Have a nice weekend.

Anonymous said...

The Eye Has To Travel.....
And you have an eye to capture the beauty
Dottoressa

Anonymous said...

I, too, saw a bald eagle this morning soaring over my car as I headed to my haircut. It was the second I've seen in my life. I said out loud to myself, "I love it when nature gifts me a special surprise." Then I recalled when early in my teaching career my students & I made a life-sized construction paper bald eagle that soared over our classroom that year. You are right. The wing span is impressive. Your veggies look wonderful-a frequent recipe for me to make for school lunches. However, I've never used feta at the end. I think goat cheese would be delicious as well. Have a lovely weekend. Carol in VT

Patricia said...

I love roast vegetables, and yours look wonderful. Healthy, full of vitamins and low in WW points. We have never tried it with the Feta, but now I want to do it too. Love learning nice things from your blog, and always enjoy your views of the water. Nice beach treasure too.

KSL said...

So calming, it's been one of those weeks here, I'd like to be beamed to your cottage. I roast a lot of vegetables too - it's our favorite way to eat them. xo

Rosie said...

Such a lovely post Leslie ... Seems as though you've spread your feeling of calm around the world! Literally :) I can see how your view from Quarterdeck Cottage would instill such feelings ... a perfect start to the day, relaxing with a cup of coffee ...
I love roast vegetables, especially roots glazed with a little honey. I tend to roast root vegetables in the winter ... sometimes I go on and make them into a soup. Then in warmer months I roast colourful Mediterranean type vegetables, which I often top with Mozzarella, Parmesan or Feta. Easy healthy and so delicious!
Hope you're enjoying a relaxing weekend.
Rosie

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Good luck Becky...I do not know much about the new Freestyle program but I do know that WW works!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Hope you enjoy the book!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Hope you like the veggie dish!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I am sure any grated cheese would work...instead of the feta.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

We had a brief power outage on the island!!! The winds died down and the next day was lovely and sunny!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I have not tried the fennel...there are many cottage owners who rent. There is information online...let me know if you need and more information.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Clever you for minimizing the clean up!! I use olive oil on the bare pan and it needs some soaking before I scrub it! A little bit of elbow grease and then its done.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Early mornings are so conducive to quiet contemplation...they help me to frame my day. Hope you like the addition of the feta cheese...

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

I made some roasted butternut squash and popped it on top of arugula...so tasty, healthy and beautiful to look at too!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Adrienne...and I heartily agree about the beauty of Nature!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

The eye does like to travel...and sometimes so does the mind!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

There are many sightings of eagles here in Victoria and on Pender and the Gulf Islands...as well as the San Juans in Washington State...I think that the food source for them is mostly fish and small creatures which seem to be located in and around The Salish Sea. The wing span of eagles is nowhere near as large as the Condors that we saw when we were in California, now that is a big bird!
Hope you are enjoying your weekend in VT.

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Are you on the new Fresstyle WW plan? I am curious about it but The Smart Points is so engrained in my mind that I keep on using it!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Ah yes...I had a bumbly start to my Saturday morning...thankfully it was short lived and things improved after that...I need to remember to breathe deeply and focus on breath to restore calm!

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you Rosie, our weekend is going well...and I hope it will continue.
How about you...what are you doing this weekend?

kateR said...

I, too, enjoy the calm atmosphere here on your blog. Once again, I've read the book you are currently reading! Here's one I recommend whole-heartedly: 'The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry'.