Bake this recipe or fry it ?

I would bake it or make shish-kabobs and broil the veggies either in the oven or better yet on the grill. Then serve over your Quinoa. Now I am hungry! :))

Why would you bake it instead of frying it ? I’m going to stir the whole thing up into the quinoa.

I’d probably sauté, not fry.

When you fry or saute you add fat, which is a no no for me. I’d choose baking over frying any day.

@syz I think I meant sauté. What’s the difference between them?

@Dutchess_III she drizzles olive oil over the whole thing before baking it which could actually be more oil than sautéing.

The results of baking and sautéing are different. Baking (or broiling) concentrates flavors by driving off the moisture of the vegetable, while leaving the flavoring elements inside. They get more and more intense as the water leaves. When you sauté, a lot of the juice of the vegetable leaves, carrying flavor with it. If you do it right (over high heat), the juices will then concentrate outside of the veggies and you can still make good use of the flavor. But the chunks of veggies themselves will be less flavorful.

I’d put them in foil pouches and cook them over a wood fire.

Mmm… I should do that…

@Aster My only reason for not frying is that is the least healthy way to prepare food. Plus IMO broiling or roasting veggies brings out more succulent flavors than frying foods especially when done on the grill. Plus in my experience frying or sauteing veggies tends to yield soggier veggies than a nice roasting over a red hot grill!

If you sauté the vegetables, they’ll be more savory. They’ll also soften and get mushier.

If you want firmer vegetables, but with less flavor, the oven works better.

This is similar to ratatouille; there’s no consensus about stovetop v. oven. Personally, I always cook ratatouille on the stove; I like how the ingredients get softer and the flavors meld.

@Aster Frying, to me, means immersing in hot oil, usually with some sort of breading to create a crispy out layer (fried chicken, French fries, etc). Sautéing is to cook quickly in a small amount of oil for flavor.

You would use less olive oil if you drizzle it over and bake it but still get the flavor. I would probably go that route first and if it isn’t to your liking, then try the sauteeing the next time.

I love veggies baked ~400 degrees. They are yummier (see about concentrated flavors above) and retain some crunch.

I’d bake at 375–400 for 20–40 min. You can still mix with quinoa.

no one yet mentioned steaming! Steaming the veggies with the Trader Joe’s seasoning would be yummy good!

Well, it is baking now. I used olive oil, s&p, garlic powder and I forgot to buy the tomatoes. I also made couscous instead of quinoa which I also couldn’t find!
Thanks, friends!

I LOVED it. Especially the thin sliced red onions! I want another bowl. lol Man cannot live by couscous alone.