Roasted Root Vegetables

The below recipe brings the colours of Autumn in the kitchen. The ingredients are root vegetables, which in this case they were as a substitute for potatoes and side-veggies. A great recipe which can fit perfectly in Paleo diets.

Makes: 2 - 3 portions

Ingredients:

• 1 small sweet potato
• 1.5 parsnips (pastinaak) or rutabaga (koolraap)
• 2-3 carrots
• 1-2 shallots
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• pinch of dried chipotle pepper
• Zest of 1/4 lime
• 1 small jalapeño pepper
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1-2 sprigs fresh sage
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick, chopped in half
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
• 1 baking apple (such as Spartan, Gala, or Cortland), cored, sliced into wedges, and drizzled with lime or lemon juice to prevent browning
• 1/4 cup raw walnut halves
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked salt (optional)

 

Method:

1. Clean the sweet potatoes and peel (optional). Dice the sweet potato in bite size pieces.
2. Peel and trim the parsnips. Cut into 1cm slices.
3. Peel the carrots. Cut into 1cm slices.
4. Peel the shallots and cut into quarters.
5. Preheat the oven to 205º C.
6. Place the sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, shallots, garlic, chipotle pepper and lime zest in an oven appropriate bowl.
7. Add the jalapeno, sprig rosemary, sprigs sage, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick halves.
8. Mix together olive oil, brown sugar, smoked paprika, rum, black pepper, and salt.
9. Add the mixture over the vegetables.
10. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
11. Add the apples and walnuts to the pan, and stir to combine.
12. Roast for another 30 – 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
13. Remove the pan from oven, stir vegetables, and add smoked salt, sea salt, and black pepper to taste.
14. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Pop Artichoke.