I've been thinking a lot about vegetables lately and how challenging it is to eat enough of them despite being a big fan. Some people solve this problem by only eating salad or pretending zucchini is pasta but that's never really been my style. Instead I'm taking a page from some of my favorite restaurants and focusing on giving vegetables the star treatment so that you can actually get excited about eating them. One of the easiest methods I've found so far involves a little green sauce called chimichurri.

While chimichurri is a staple in Argentinean cooking, I managed to spend 30 years in America without tasting it. Don't make the same mistake. This miracle of a condiment has everything going for it - a punch of herbs, a little bit of heat, richness from the olive oil, and enough vinegar and salt to keep it all in balance. It turns just about any grilled or roasted vegetable from a respectable but dull side dish into one you can't stop eating.

Here's how you take it from sauce to dinner:

1. Make the chimichurri (recipe below). The flavor gets better if it has 20-30 minutes to hang out.

2. Toss veggies on a sheet pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper and throw them in the oven to roast. My rotation includes carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, asparagus, cauliflower, and runner beans. Don't sleep on the sweet potatoes.

3. Grill up a flank steak or any other protein lurking in the freezer. A grill pan is a great option if you can't get to an actual grill.

4. Pile your meat and veggies onto a platter and serve with a bowl of chimichurri. I like to do a drizzle over everything while my boyfriend prefers to make a puddle in the center of the plate for dipping. Find the method that brings you joy.

5. If you had the forethought to make extras, you'll be enjoying some very tasty work lunches. Leftover chimichurri keeps in the fridge for about a week.

Chimichurri (Adapted from Food & Wine)

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

3 tbsp red wine vinegar (equal parts sherry vinegar and white vinegar also works)

4 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp oregano leaves, finely chopped

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle in olive oil and stir to combine. Let sit for 20-30 minutes and taste again before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.

Note: I've reduced the amount of olive oil in the original recipe by half because I like the herbs and vinegar to come through more. The volume of olive oil can be adjusted to your personal taste.