Fennel, in addition to being delicious has a number of health benefits for both the digestive and respiratory systems. When used in food, fennel helps protect eyes from inflammation and prevent disorders related to aging, due to the presence of anti-oxidants. Beyond that it’s a great and simple additon to diets for weight loss.

Here’s a simple, savory and often overlooked side dish to serve as an accompaniment to fish or chicken. Alternatively, roasted fennel can be cooled to room temperature, tossed with arugula, toasted pine nuts, and a lemon olive oil vinaigrette, for a light salad. You may wish to try roasting fennel with other vegetables; carrots and beets are very complementary. At Mountain Trek, we serve fennel regularly to our guests at our fitness retreat.

Ingredients
2 bulbs fennel
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, or 1⁄2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄4 tsp. pepper

Trim off roughness on the root end, then the ‘arms’ and ‘fronds’. Cut each bulb into manageable and roughly equivalent sizes, using the core to keep pieces somewhat intact.
Use a scoop spatula to toss the pieces in oil.
Arrange wedges on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender.