Rooting for new flavors...

AHHHH, the season for roasted vegetables!  Bring on those roots; carrots, beets, sweet potatoes when I can’t find the Japanese sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabagas, celeriac, radishes and turnips.  Here are some great roasting tips;

• Heat your oven to 450 degrees.
• Spray to coat the bottom of a sheet pan.
• Place the vegetables on the sheet pan, you may want to give them an extra spritz.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat
• Thyme, rosemary and sage are great herbs for root vegetables; their earthy flavors grounds the roots’ sweetness.
• consider cutting your roots into bigger chunks.  This allows for more caramelization.
• Winter turnips and rutabagas have tough skins.  Peel about 1/8 inch before roasting.
• Know your roots:  Parsnips roast more quickly than carrots so if you are cooking them together, cut the parsnips into bigger chunks!
• Roast, turning your veggies every 15 minutes, until they are caramelized (golden brown) and tender when pierced with a knife (approximately 45-55 minutes)
• Don’t be like me and eat them straight out of the oven - I burn my mouth all the time!