Sheet Pan LOVE

Honestly, I don’t love vegetables. I love cheese and bread. But when I learned how to roast vegetables, I started to fall in love. Roasting changes the chemistry and flavor of vegetables, and softens them to your desired texture. High heat and short cooking time make them a weeknight possibility for our busy lives. 

Lately I’ve been playing with entire meals roasted on a baking sheet all at once. Folks, this is next level. Off the hook. So delicious, easy, healthy, and fast. Ditch the whole ham or turkey with a million sides for Christmas dinner. Feed lots of people fast from a sheet pan, with very few dishes to wash after. Do I hear a “Praise Jesus?”

As we move into a new year, we should evaluate how we eat and attempt to make some regular, healthier choices. Sheet pan meals are wonderful to add to your weekly meal rotation. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more suggestions for a healthy, satisfying work week of meals for the whole family. Stay tuned.

There are a few important rules of thumb to follow. Chop ingredients into equal sized pieces so they will cook evenly. Be sure your sheet pan has ridges, so moisture doesn’t leak. Spray the entire surface of the pan lightly with cooking spray. You can line pan with aluminum foil instead for easier clean up, but I don’t like to create that much trash. Run pan under hot water when finished for a few minutes. Then squirt a bit of dishwashing liquid onto pan, cover surface with water, and simply let sit for about 30 minutes. All of the stubborn cooked pieces will easily come off now as you wash. 

As the food cooks, check every couple minutes. You want it cooked well, but some items can easily burn quickly. Pull out as soon as you see the first ingredient turning. Use a spatula to remove ingredients. Eat the meals in a bowl by themselves, or lay over rice, tortilla chips, or fresh lettuce. The following classic flavor profiles are sure to please your 

crowd!

Buffalo chicken sheet pan

Serves 4

4 thinly sliced chicken breasts, chopped into cubes

1 small head of cauliflower, cut to florets

3 carrots, chopped into coins

Sauce:

1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce

1/2 cup melted butter

2 tablespoons honey

Toppings:

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 cup chopped purple cabbage

8 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Whisk sauce ingredients in small bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup for dressing later.Combine chicken, cauliflower, and carrots directly on sprayed sheet pan with hands. Pour 1/2 cup sauce over ingredients. Drizzle olive oil over ingredients. Mix all with hands and spread out in even layer so pieces are not touching. Cook for 12-15 minutes, checking often and turning pan after 6 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Put mixed lettuces in four bowls. Add roasted chicken mixture. Add cabbage, celery, and blue cheese. Drizzle with reserved sauce and serve.

Mexican chicken sheet pan

Serves 4

4 thinly sliced chicken breasts, chopped into cubes

2 red onions, large dice

2 bell peppers, large dice

1 can black beans, drained

1 can chopped pineapple, drained

Sauce to toss and roast:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon salt

Juice of one lime

Toppings:

Grated Monterey jack

Salsa

Jalapenos 

Sour cream

Limes

Cilantro

Preheat oven to 400. Whisk sauce ingredients in small bowl. Combine chicken, onions, peppers, black beans, and pineapple directly on sprayed sheet pan with hands. Pour sauce over ingredients. Mix all with hands and spread out in even layer so pieces are not touching. Cook for 12-15 minutes, checking often and turning pan after 6 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Put tortilla chips or mixed lettuces in four bowls. Add roasted chicken mixture. Add toppings and serve.

Asian pork and vegetable sheet pan

Serves 4

1 pork tenderloin, chopped into equal pieces

2 yellow onions, large dice

2 bell peppers, large dice

1 head broccoli, cut to florets

2 cups brussel sprouts or asparagus, chopped

Sauce to toss and roast:

 1/3 cup soy sauce 

 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil

 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

 1 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

 1 teaspoon garlic powder

 1 teaspoon sesame oil

 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Toppings:

Black and/or white sesame seeds

Scallions, green part sliced

Soy sauce

Limes

Cilantro

Preheat oven to 400. Whisk sauce ingredients in small bowl. Combine pork, broccoli, brussel sprouts, asparagus, onions, and peppers directly on sprayed sheet pan with hands. Pour sauce over ingredients. Mix all with hands and spread out in even layer so pieces are not touching. Cook for 12-15 minutes, checking often and turning pan after 6 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Put cooked jasmine rice or noodles in four bowls. Add roasted pork mixture. Add toppings and serve.