Root-VegetablesA Roasted Medley
Root-Vegetables ~ Natures Super Foods
Roasting root-vegetables intensifies their flavor. The dry heat slowly softens them while releasing some of their moisture; it also caramelizes their natural sugars and gives the vegetables crunchy surfaces that contrast so nicely with their tender interiors. What could possibly look or taste more delicious alongside roast poultry or meats? The secret to successful roasted vegetables begins with buying them. Seek out good-quality specimens without blemishes or soft spots. I especially like to look in farmers' markets and well-stocked food stores for organic vegetables, which are more likely to give you the best flavor without traces of harmful chemicals. At home, prepare the vegetables in a way that gives you pieces of equal size, so they'll cook evenly. Small or baby vegetables may be just trimmed and left whole, while larger ones may need halving, quartering, or slicing, depending on their size and shape. The variety of colors and shapes will look like a cornucopia of the harvest season. Then, all you have to do is season them with salt and pepper and drizzle them with olive oil in the baking dish. I also like to add a few sprigs of herbs to scent them, along with whole unpeeled garlic cloves that will turn as soft as butter, rich and sweet. (Squeezed from their skins, the roast garlic may be dabbed on bites of the other vegetables or your holiday roast, or smeared onto pieces of crusty bread.) Finally, be patient. Slow cooking at a not-too-high temperature ensures that the vegetables reach perfect tenderness just as their surfaces turn brown and crusty. You'll find the results so irresistible that the thought of a green vegetable won't even cross your mind. Roasted Root Vegetables with Chermoula
(Any combination will work in this dish; start with about 12 cups of peeled vegetable pieces.) Be sure to peel turnips well; their skin is thicker and more fibrous than other root vegetables’. Servings: 6 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each Total Time: 1 1/4 hours Ease of Preparation: Easy Health: Low Calorie, High Fiber, Low Sat Fat, Low Cholesterol, High Potassium, Heart Healthy, Healthy Weight Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic , minced 2 tsp. paprika , preferably sweet Hungarian 2 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. sea salt 1 medium baking potato , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 medium sweet potato , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 medium turnip , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 medium rutabaga , peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 2 medium carrots , cut into 1/2-inch slices 8 ounces peeled and seeded butternut squash , cut into 1-inch chunks (see Shopping Tip) Preparation: 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. 2: Place oil, garlic, paprika, cumin and sea salt in a food processor or blender and pulse or blend until smooth. 3: Place potato, sweet potato, turnip, rutabaga, carrots and squash in a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the pieces in a single layer. Toss with the spiced oil mixture until well combined. 4: Roast the vegetables, stirring once or twice, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Present the root-vegetables in their baking dish or transfer them to a heated platter, garnishing with freshly chopped parsley or chives just before serving. This is a wonderful roasted root-vegetables accompanyment for any and all occasions! Nutrition: (Per serving) Calories - 235 Carbohydrates - 35 Fat - 10 Saturated Fat - 1 Monounsaturated Fat - 7 Protein - 4 Cholesterol - 0 Dietary Fiber - 7 Potassium - 844 Sodium - 461 Nutrition Bonus ~ Vitamin A (200 daily value), Vitamin-C (80 dv), Potassium (24 dv). Shopping tip: Look for already peeled, seeded and quartered butternut squash in the prepared-vegetable section of the produce department.
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