Three years ago, my niece gave me a copy of Angela Liddon’s ‘Oh She Glows for Dinner.’ As someone who frequently seeks tasty, easy-to-prepare, plant-based dishes, this cookbook was the perfect gift.

For this review, I made the Undercover Roasted Veggie Tomato Pasta. This dish was originally designed by Angela to sneak vegetables into the diets of her picky toddlers, but it’s also a wonderful choice for anyone looking for a simple and flavorful pasta that incorporates a variety of vegetables. Roasting the veggies significantly enhances their overall flavor, while blending them at high-speed helps to make picky eaters none the wiser.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded.
• 2 medium carrots peeled.
• 5 large garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 16 ounces (5¾ cups/450 g) dry pasta
• 1 (28-ounce/796 mL) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar, to taste
• ⅓ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line an extra-large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Chop the zucchini, onion, and bell peppers into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces. Slice the carrots crosswise into ¼-inch-thick (5 mm) coins. Toss the veggies with 2 tablespoons of oil until thoroughly coated. Spread them on the prepared baking sheet. Place the unpeeled garlic cloves, drizzled with oil, in the center of the baking tray. Bake for 40 minutes until tender.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the veggies have 10 minutes left in the oven, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

4. In a high-speed blender, add the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices, the roasted veggies, the peeled garlic, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Blend on medium speed until smooth. The sauce should be thick.

5. Add your desired amount of sauce to the pot with the drained pasta, and stir to combine. Add the vinegar to taste and season with additional salt and pepper. Stir in the basil (if using). Cover and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to develop further. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Timing:

4:07 ingredient laid out.

5:20 dinner served.

Total Active Prep Time: 28 minutes.

Roasting Time: 45 minutes.

Total Time to Make This Dish: 73 minutes.

Was this recipe worth making?

Yes, for the flavour, the simplicity and the sneaky veggies!

Do I recommend this recipe to others?

Absolutely, especially for those wishing to include more (hidden) veggies in their meals served.

Do I recommend owning this cookbook?

If you are looking for creative, plant-based dishes, I highly recommend this book. However, I do suggest giving it a good look over first to see if the recipes appeal to you.

If you’ve already made this dish, or make it in the future, I’d love to know what you think of it!

Undercover Roasted Veggie Tomato Pasta. Copyright: Angela Liddon.