Fall a good time for roasting

As the weather cools, fall back in love with your oven by roasting a three course meal, from start to finish.

Roasting uses high-heat to enhance flavors, preserve nutrients and brown dishes.

Roasting also is quick and hands-off; much of the prep can be done ahead of time. Cut up the vegetables (except potatoes and sweet potatoes) in the morning, and when you're ready to roast, toss them with oil and seasonings, spread them on a pan and check on them occasionally.

Roasting vegetables browns the outside, concentrating and sweetening their flavor in a way that even avowed veggie haters find hard not to like, even the much maligned turnips and brussels sprouts.

Because October kicks off National Pork Month, we pair the vegetables with roasted pork, stuffed with the diverse flavors of sweet dried fig, tangy blue cheese and heart-healthy pistachios. Pork is a source of high-quality protein, iron and B vitamins.

For dessert, we roast apples. Much as vegetables improve in the roasting pan, apples' flavor are enhanced. Sweet or tangy, depending on the variety, apples paired with Greek yogurt and granola are an eye-appealing, nutritious and filling dessert perfect for fall.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Fig, Blue Cheese and Pistachios

Serves 4 (3 slices per serving)

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed

1/2 cup dried figs, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/4 cup pistachios, chopped Cooking spray

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons apple jelly, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Slice the pork in half lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, the other side. Open the halves, laying pork flat. Place pork between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.

Sprinkle figs, blue cheese and pistachios over pork, leaving a 1/2-inch margin around outside edges. Roll up the pork, jellyroll fashion, starting with long side. Secure at 2-inch intervals with twine.

Sprinkle pork with salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme, and place on a foil-lined jellyroll pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Brush jelly over the pork. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink). Let stand for 10 minutes. Discard twine; cut pork into 12 (1-inch-thick) slices.

Nutritional Information: Calories, 274; Calories from fat, 30 percent; Fat, 9.2g; Saturated fat, 4.6g; Monounsaturated fat, 3g; Polyunsaturated fat, 0.6g; Protein, 28.4g; Carbohydrate, 19.7g; Fiber, 2.5g; Cholesterol, 80mg; Iron, 1.8mg; Sodium, 581mg; Calcium, 135mg

Source: Recipe developed by Alicia Aguiar, Hy-Vee Dietitian, First Avenue Hy-Vee/Boyson Road Hy-Vee Drugstore

Roasted Fall Vegetables

Serves 12 (1/2-cup servings)

1 small butternut squash, cubed

2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed

1 red onion, quartered

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces and add them to the mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt and black pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on the prepared pan.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked thoroughly and browned.

Nutritional Information: Calories, 123; Carbohydrates, 20g; Cholesterol, 0 mg; Fat, 4.7g; Fiber, 3.1g; Protein, 2g; Sodium, 45mg

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

Roasted Apples with Greek Yogurt and Granola

Serves 4

2 to 3 cooking apples such as Golden Delicious or Jonathon (about 1 pound), washed and cored

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

3 (5.3-ounce each) containers Hy-Vee vanilla Greek yogurt, divided

1/2 cup Hy-Vee Vanilla Almond granola, divided

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice apples into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Toss the slices with lemon juice in a medium bowl. Add sugar and toss again.

Arrange apple slices in a single layer on sheet pan and roast 25 to 30 minutes until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Remove from pan and let cool.

Layer 2 tablespoons of yogurt in each of 4 parfait glasses, then add ¼ cup apples to each. Repeat and top each serving with 2 tablespoons granola. If not serving immediately, add granola just before serving.

Nutritional Information: Calories, 198; Fat, 1g; Saturated fat, 0 g; Cholesterol, 8 mg; Sodium, 72 mg; Carbohydrates, 37.5 g; Protein, 11 g.

Source: Recipe developed by Alicia Aguiar, Hy-Vee Dietitian, First Avenue Hy-Vee/Boyson Road Hy-Vee Drugstore