Thursday, January 31, 2008

Root Vegetables YUM!

The local markets have a great selection of root vegetables now that are perfect for roasting.

Roasted Root Vegetables

All seasonal root vegetables roast up beautifully and get sweeter as they cook.
Suggestions;
Turnips
Rutabagas
Parsnip
Celery root

Wash, peel if needed and dice all vegetables so they are about the same size. I like to call it bite size or 1 1/2 inch cubes.
Coat a large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss vegetables adding more oil if needed to get everything coated. Place foil on a baking sheet and coat it with spray oil. Turn out vegetables on to the pan and roast at 425F for 15-20 minutes.
To add extra flavor add a couple of cloves of garlic and a sliced red onion.
Serve as a side dish or steam some brown rice and top your bowl of rice with some roasted vegetables, diced tofu or cooked chicken.

Left over vegetables can be made into a tasty soup by simply pureeing the vegetable in a pot with a stick blender adding vegetable stock to get to the consistency your prefer. Heat on a low flame until warmed through adjust seasoning, and serve with some fresh crotons.

Crotons can be made by taking some bread, cutting it into bite size pieces, tossing in a bowl with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper, and herbs of your choice. Place on a baking try lined with foil and prepared with spray oil. Bake in the oven or toaster oven on 425F for 5-7 minutes.

No comments: