Roasted Root Vegetables
by Chef Owen May and Dr. Michelle May
Choose your favorite root vegetables and roast them with a little olive oil and herbs. They just might taste better than french fries!
Chef Notes
When buying potatoes, select firm roots. Handle them carefully to prevent bruising. Storage in a dry, un-refrigerated bin kept at 55-60° F. is best. Do not refrigerate because temperatures below 55° F. will chill this tropical vegetable giving it a hard core and an undesirable taste when cooked. 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. Try different herbs or spices such as rosemary or paprika for new flavors. Kids love to help to shake the vegetables in the bag.
Health Notes
Sweet potatoes are nutritious complex carbohydrates. The Nutrition Action Health Letter rated 58 vegetables by adding up the percentages of USRDA for six nutrients plus fiber; sweet potatoes topped the list! Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber and beta-carotene (vitamin A), which may be a factor in reducing the risk of certain cancers. They also have vitamins C, E, and thiamine, calcium, iron, and potassium. Choose sweet potatoes with a deep orange color for the most food value. In fact, the most nutritious fruits and vegetables have deeply colored flesh.
Ingredients
5 medium baking and/or sweet potatoes, peels left on, cut into ½” cubes
2 yellow onions cut in eighths
½ pound of baby carrots or whole carrots in ½” pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.
- 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.
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