Winter meets Spring Roasted and Raw Crudités with Ranch Dressing

The Cooking Cardiologist, Dr. Richard Collins, shows us how to make Winter meets Spring Roasted and Raw Crudités with Ranch Dressing.

Winter meets Spring Roasted and Raw Crudités with Ranch Dressing

Crudités are traditional French appetizers with raw vegetables. The word comes from Latin “crudus” meaning raw. The crudité platter is very heart healthy loaded with vitamins and fiber. It is filling yet low in calories, sugar and cholesterol. However, the dressing or dipping sauce can be heavy in salt, fat and calories. This dipping sauce is an exception and compliments the vegetables very well. It has a Ranch dressing base. It is better to make the dressing fresh rather than purchase prepared Ranch Dressing. Variations of the dipping sauce can include curry, onion, cucumber or spicy Sirache sauce. The crudité platter combines roasted winter vegetables with spring raw veggies of snap peas, asparagus, carrots, radishes and a fresh avocado. I love the addition of the thinly sliced pear too, which creates sweetness to the plate. It truly is a dish of texture and flavor.

12 Brussels sprouts, halved

½ large head cauliflower, broken into bite-size florets, for color, try purple or yellow

• 1 bunch broccoli, stemmed and broken into bite-size florets
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup reduced fat or fat free mayonnaise
• ¼ cup Greek plain fat free yogurt
• 2T buttermilk
• ½ clove garlic, fine chopped
• ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
• 10 snap peas
• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed using the tip portions
• 8 small purple, yellow and orange carrots, halved lengthwise
• 1 small avocado, cut into thin wedges
• 6 radishes, halved or quartered, depending on size
• ½ Asian pear, cut into thin wedges
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

 

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. On a large baking sheet, toss Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast until tender yet still snappy and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. Set roasted veggies aside.

2. Meanwhile, make the ranch vinaigrette: In a small bowl, beat together mayonnaise, yogurt, buttermilk, garlic, lemon juice, 1-tablespoon chives and dill. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and additional lemon juice to taste. Set aside. Can be made ahead and chilled to allow flavors to develop.
3. Bring a medium sized saucepan filled half way with water to a boil. Plunge the asparagus and snap peas in the boiling water. Parboil for 2 minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and plunge into an ice water bath. Drain and set veggies aside.
4. To serve, toss roasted vegetables with carrots, avocados, radishes, pear, asparagus and snap peas. Arrange on a platter. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the fresh parsley. Serve with dipping sauce along the side.

Serves six.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 370, Total fat: 24 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 350 mg, Carbohydrates: 36 g, Fiber: 15 g, Protein: 12 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 ½ Carbohydrate, 4 Fats, 1 ½ Protein