Cauliflower, onion and chickpeas make a tasty combo

The produce aisle is a healthy budget cook’s best place to start a supermarket shopping trip.

By loading up the cart with bulky, nutrient-filled produce, you’ll visually make the cart smaller, and you’ll spend be less likely to fill up the cart with (less healthy) impulse buys from the more processed middle aisles. Plus, if you focus on in-season produce, you’ll be getting some of the lowest cost nutrients in the store.

Buy a combination of softer, more perishable veggies, like leafy greens, to eat right away, as well as hardier veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, cauliflower that can last longer in the crisper drawer.

On a weekday night, you can open up that mini “veggie pantry” and roast up a tasty and healthy side dish in a snap. One of my favorite

combinations is cauliflower and onion. I add in a drained, rinsed can of chickpeas to boost the protein and fiber (and filling factor).

The basic ingredients are easy, cheap and can be swapped out easily according to what you have in the fridge — try broccoli if you are out of cauliflower. To jazz up the flavor, I use a bit

of red pepper flake, lemon and tiny touch of za’atar, which is a terrific herb and spice blend that is worth having in your pantry. (But if you don’t, just use a mixture of dried oregano, dried thyme, lemon zest, sesame seed and harder-to-find spice sumac — if you have it — instead.)

The mild spiciness of red pepper-infused olive

Plus, if you focus on in-season produce, you’ll be getting some of the lowest cost nutrients in the store.

oil complements the sweetness of the roasted onions, and za’atar and lemon contribute to the overall freshness and tang of the dish.

The prep can be done in minutes, making this a great weeknight option. I like to serve it as a side with white fish and summer veggies, but it’s flavorful enough to be served alongside a cut of toothsome meat. Or, serve over quinoa or brown rice for a meatless main dish. Bonus: leftovers make a great salad topping.

MELISSA D’ARABIAN VIA AP A cauliflower, chickpea and onion side dish are shown here.