I wanted to share this fantastic recipe I’ve adapted from the Barefoot Contessa. It’s really delicious, really filling and really healthy. I made it as a side dish to serve with some lean protein, but it would work by itself for lunch, too. My issue is that I have a hard time feeling satisfied with my dinner if it doesn’t contain at least a small amount of starch and so I’m constantly casting about for ways to incorporate a little bit of starch into a dinner that usually consists primarily of veggies and protein. This is a great way to do that, because a little orzo goes a long way.
I’ve scaled the recipe for 2 servings, but it can be easily doubled, tripled, etc. It will look like a giant pile of food on your plate, but since its mostly veggies, it’s quite ok to eat it all
Orzo with Roasted/Grilled Vegetables
1 small eggplant, ¾” diced
1 zucchini, ¾” diced
1 red, green or yellow pepper, 1” diced
¼ red onion, peeled, 1” diced
2 cloves garlic, cut into thick pieces
Kosher salt, pepper
2 oz raw orzo pasta
Dressing
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
Dab of Dijon mustard
Kosher salt, pepper
Garnishes
1 scallion, sliced
1 tb toasted pine nuts
1 oz feta, cut into ¼” dice
Fresh basil, sliced (it’s ok to leave this out, if you don’t have any)
Toss all the veggies together with the salt and pepper, and either roast in a 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes (turning occasionally), OR, grill in one of those veggie grill baskets outside until nice and brown and fully cooked. In either case, you’ll want to use a little cooking spray. (Local asparagus is in season here now, and so I threw in 8 stems a minute or two before all the other veggies had finished grilling.) Set aside to cool while you cook the orzo.
Cook the orzo in salted, boiling water, according to the package. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside. Put the orzo in a large bowl and toss in all the cooked veggies. Whisk the dressing together in a small bowl and then pour over the salad. Toss it all together and allow the salad to come to room temperature.
When you’re ready to eat, add the scallions, pine nuts, feta and basil and toss it all together and then serve. Yes. One half of that bowl of deliciousness is for you.
I’ve calculated the nutritional content to be 279 calories (including the asparagus). Total Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 13mg , Total Carbohydrate 43g, Dietary Fiber 10g, Sugars 11g, Protein 11g.
