I love eating root vegetables, especially in the cool and cold weather months.  There is something so comforting about eating these vegetables roasted to perfection; they are dense, soft, sweet, warming and create a sense of well-being.  I use as many different colored vegetables as I can and add fun spices to please both my eyes and taste buds.

Roasting root vegetables brings out their sweetness.  If you’re craving sweets, definitely use sweet potato, carrots, and beets–the sweetness will satisfy your cravings without subjecting your body to the roller-coaster effects of, say, a candy bar.  Root vegetables take root and grow under the ground, and we take on their grounded energy when we eat them.  So if you’re feeling a little spacey or scattered, prepare this dish and see if it helps you get centered.

Recipe

You don’t need to use all the vegetables I listed.  Use as many as you like or have on hand.  I make extra so I can easily whip up meals with the leftovers…go to the bottom of this post for some suggestions.

Beets

Carrots – best to buy organic, or at least scrub and peel conventional ones, since they have been found to contain 26 different pesticides!

Garlic (grated or finely chopped, unless you like larger pieces of garlic!)

Onions

Parsnips

Potatoes – get organic, conventional spuds may contain as many as 37 pesticide residues!

Sweet potatoes

Turnips

Not root vegetables, but work well in this dish:

Brussels sprouts (cut in half, or fourths if very large)

Cabbage

Fennel

Winter squashes (such as butternut, delicata)

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Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Any other spices you enjoy – I added Herbes de Provence

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cut all vegetables into one-inch or smaller chunks (beets, carrots, potatoes, and winter squash take longest to soften).  Throw all vegetable chunks into large bowl, add glug or two of olive oil and mix thoroughly so all vegetables are coated in oil.  Add spices and mix again.  Spread vegetables into one layer on baking sheet (I cover mine in baking parchment paper).  Bake for 30 minutes, then check most dense vegetables for softness.  Bake more if needed or turn off oven and let vegetables cook a little more that way.

Additional serving suggestions for leftovers:

• Top vegetables with fried eggs for breakfast – the combo of yolks from over-easy eggs and root veggies is divine!
• Add medley to soup – beef broth, chicken stock (could add a touch of cream), New England clam chowder, French onion soup

What’s YOUR favorite way to eat root vegetables?