Lemon Garlic Orzo

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 C (64g) Pine Nuts* (see note)

1 1/2 C (116g) Crimini Mushrooms (destemmed and sliced)

1 C (126g) Mix of Red

1 lb (425g) Asparagus (sub zucchini or eggplant when in season!) (cut into 1" pieces with woody ends discarded)

12 oz (340g) Cherry Tomatoes (sliced in 1/2)

2 tsp Garlic (minced)

1/2 C (116g) Shallot (chopped)

3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Black Pepper (Ground)

1 C (200g) Orzo

1 1/2 C (355g) Vegetable Broth

1/2 C (84g) Garlic and Herb Feta (crumbled - or plain vegan feta)

2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbs Lemon (juiced, about 2)

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Black Pepper (ground)

2-3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Basil

2-3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions

Toast the Pine Nuts:

Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and toast pine nuts for 6-7 minutes, or until toasty and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Roast the Veggies:

Turn oven up to 425F (218C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the mushrooms, bell peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, garlic and shallot on one pan. Sprinkle with 2 Tbs of olive oil. Using a spatula, mix all the veggies together with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then stir again. Move 1/2 the veggie mixture to the other sheet pan. Spread the veggies in one layer, making sure there's no overlapping on both pans. Roast in a 425F oven for 35-40 minutes (due to oven variations, keep an eye on your veggies and start checking your veggies at 25 minutes; a bit of charring is good!** see notes!). Rotate pans 1/2 way through roasting.

Cook the Orzo:

In a large saute pan, heat 1 Tbs of Olive Oil on medium heat until shimmering. Add the orzo and stir, coating the orzo thoroughly. Stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until the orzo is toasty and golden. Add the vegetable broth. Be careful here because the broth will spit and sputter. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Make the Dressing:

In a small bowl add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until all the ingredients are emulsified.

Putting it all Together:

In the large saute pan, to the orzo, add the roasted veggies and all their juices, stir in the dressing, feta, and pine nuts. Garnish generously with basil and parsley. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

• Calories: 505 kcal
• Total Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 17 mg
• Sodium: 1166 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 49 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7 g
• Total Sugars: 12 g
• Protein: 14 g