After a busy day, I can think of nothing better than enjoying a hearty home-made meal; however, I seldom ever have the time or resources to put on an extravagant feast for myself, much as might like to. As a result, I’ve had to improvise, and I’ve come up with a no-fail strategy for using up whatever vegetables you might have lurking in the dank recesses of your refrigerator: Nothing could be easier than making oven-roasted winter vegetables. Any vegetables will do. If you’d like something basic, carrots, chunks of sliced onions, and whole garlic cloves are an excellent mixture to start with.

If you’re ready to try something new, you might throw in some sliced zucchini or sliced eggplant. With oven-roasted vegetables, pretty much everything goes. Place all your vegetables in a deep pan, drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over them and toss with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Cook the vegetables for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees. It’s really that easy.

I have a habit of experimenting with different spices in these recipes, and I’ve come up with a few yummy combinations: For a fragrant, slightly sweet taste, add tarragon, rosemary and thyme. If you’re looking for a smokier flavor, add chopped chipotle peppers, a few tablespoons of adobo sauce and about 1/2 teaspoon cumin.