White Bean Salad with Oven Roasted Fennel, Tomatoes & Carrots

I wonder if I am alone in following the regimen of roasting vegetables in the fall and winter and grilling them in spring and summer. It's a seasonal mindset that is hard for me to shake, perhaps because I feel pressure in the warmer months {not that it ever gets that cold here in Los Angeles} to do as much food preparation as possible on my outdoor grill. That's what spring and summer are all about, right? Grilling and al fresco dining.

Well I just broke my habit and prepared this roasted vegetable dish right smack dab in the middle of summer and I cannot think of a better light but satisfying vegetarian dish to enjoy right now. I think what made this dish spectacular was grabbing each and every ingredient {minus the beans} from my local farmer's market where the freshly picked produce is far superior to most selections offered in any grocery store. And each of the vegetables here- carrots, tomatoes, onions and fennel - gets that much sweeter and more vibrant when simply roasted with olive oil and seasoning. And when they are laid atop a mound of crisp, nutty arugula, you have a colorful dish full of unique flavors and textures that marry together perfectly. Oh and there are white beans too. Part of the medley - blending seamlessly with the onions and fennel and offering a boost of protein -  making this a memorable vegan entree or a side dish.

White Bean Salad with Oven Roasted Fennel, Tomatoes & Carrots 

5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

2 sweet onions, halved and thickly sliced

1 fennel bulb, halved, cored and chopped

5 carrots, chopped

olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 Roma tomatoes, quartered

2 - 15 oz cans of white beans {cannellini or great northern} rinsed and drained

6 c baby arugula

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

In a glass baking dish, combine garlic, onions and fennel. Drizzle with just enough oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, Place carrots on one sheet and tomatoes on the other. Drizzle with just enough oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.

Place all the vegetables in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn tomatoes over gently with a spatula or tongs; stir the carrots; stir the onion and fennel and add the beans. Place the vegetables back in the oven and roast 10 more minutes. 

To serve, place vegetables and beans on top of arugula.

Serves 4-8.

Source: Adapted from, Clean Food, Terry Walters