Roasted Root Veggies

It's always difficult to decide what to bring to family potluck holiday dinners. This year was especially tough for me because I knew the dish that I brought could possibly be the only dish that I could eat - so I knew I needed to be selective in the process. When I was asked to bring a type of vegetable, it was not too difficult for me to know that I was going to roast some good winter vegetables. I love roasted veggies! There is something about a vegetable once it's roasted, it takes on an entirely new flavor and aroma. I love them! If it wasn't for roasting veggies, I probably would not have tried brussel sprouts and now they are one of my favorites. I digress. This was a recipe I found by Chef Owen May with Michelle May MD from Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle.

Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes

     3 medium baking potatoes, peels left on, cut into ½" cubes
     2 medium sweet potatoes, peels left on, cut into ½" cubes
     2 yellow onions cut in eighths
     ½ pound of baby carrots
     2 tablespoons olive oil
     1 tablespoon dried parsley
     1½ teaspoons kosher salt
     ½ teaspoon black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 450F degrees.

Wash and cut up baking potatoes and place into a large plastic bag.

Trim any tough pieces off the sweet potatoes, cut up and add to the bag.

Place baby carrots in the bag.

Cut off each end of the onion then peel. Cut the onion in half then cut each half into quarters to make eight pieces. Place into the bag.

Add olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper to the vegetables in the bag. Seal the bag and shake until all of the vegetables are coated.

Dump vegetables into a large shallow baking dish (a cookie sheet works well) and spread vegetables evenly over the bottom.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until vegetables are golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Serves 6.

Recipe Review:
Root Veggies were perfect for the main holiday meal at my relatives house to go along with ham and many other appetizing dishes. Since we feed an army when we gather for the holidays, I quadrupled the recipe and roasted them on two shallow cookie pans. I pre-warmed my slow-cooker and once the veggies were finished roasting in the oven, I added them to the slow-cooker for the commute, and plugged it in as soon as we arrived. I was nervous that they might get mushy, but they kept their shape and retained great flavor. I was asked by a few relatives how I made them, so without further adieu, I will not keep you waiting!

Notes: You may substitute other seasonal vegetables such as winter squash or pumpkin. When using less dense vegetables, add them 10 minutes after the potatoes to prevent over cooking. You may also try different herbs or spices such as rosemary or paprika for new flavors - but the parsley was perfect for our Holiday meal.