Roasted Root Vegetables

When root vegetables are roasted in a really hot oven, the sugars inside of them begin to caramelize and they become more delicious than ever before. This recipe is great because you can use vegetables that are easy to find and you can even sneak in some vegetables that your kids (and possibly husbands) might not eat otherwise. I typically make mine with carrots, sweet potatoes, sweet onions and beets. The kale added into the mixture towards the end of the cooking time adds a crispy, crunchy texture and a little more color.

Start by prepping your veggies. Peel the carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets. If you are using red beets, peel and chop those last since they will stain your prep area and the other vegetables. 

If your beets come with tops, trim them and place in a glass of water for up to 2 days. There are all sorts of dishes which you can use these beautiful beet greens. If you like to juice, throw some in while juicing; or chop the stems very finely and tear the leaves and mix into your favorite salad greens. Beet greens are also delicious sauted with a little olive oil and a splash of white wine vinegar. They even make a pretty "flower" arrangement for your windowsill. 

Once the vegetables have been washed and peeled you are now ready to chop into a 1/2 inch dice. 

Spread out onto a parchment lined, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with several tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper. Mix until all vegetables are coated evenly with the oil. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, stirring once during cooking.

After 40 minutes, add the torn kale leaves on top of the roasting vegetables. Roast for 20 more minutes, then stir. Check your vegetable at this point, the beets and sweet potatoes should be fork tender, and the kale should be crispy. If not, roast for an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve as a side dish or over lentils or quinoa as a main dish.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3 large carrots, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3-4 small beets, yellow or red, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large bunch kale leaves, stems removed and torn into bite size pieces
3-4 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the over to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, place all vegetables, excluding the kale, on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, Season with salt and pepper and mix until all vegetables are coated evenly.

Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once while cooking. Remove baking sheet from oven and pile the kale on top of the roasted vegetables. Return to the oven for 20 more minutes. Stir and check if vegetables are fork tender and kale is crispy. If not, return to oven and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve as a side dish or over lentils or quinoa as a main dish.