We’ve been accused of eating like rabbits in the past, but these roasted root veggies are anything but bunny food. Find yourself the freshest, just-pulled-from-the-dirt carrots you can get your hands on and try this simple recipe from Claire Thomas of The Kitchy Kitchen! Add a pop of flavor and the skin and immune boosting properties of zinc with this simple and delicious dish…
Roasted veggies could be a whole meal for me. The sugars caramelize, the textures becomes tender, the flavors intensify and deepen – perfection. A huge part of cooking is finding balance in flavors, and sometimes that means adding a pop of contrast. With these round, deep flavors, a punctuation of brightness is a welcome addition. Pumpkin-seed pesto is a slight twist on the classic and adds a lovely bright note to this dish. So eat it as a meal, or serve it as a side, either way, it’s one of my favorites for any season.
ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH PEPITA PESTO
Ingredients:
For the roasted vegetables:
1/2 lb carrots, peeled (halved lengthwise, if large)
1/2 lb parsnips, peeled (halved lengthwise, if large)
1/2 lb yams, wedged
1/2 lb turnips, wedged
1/2 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
For the pumpkin-seed pesto:
1 cup basil leaves, packed
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
Directions:
For the roasted vegetables:
Preheat oven to 425 F.
Rub the vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread across two or three rimmed baking sheets and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through. Broil for the last 5 minutes, to get a nice, deep color on them.
For the pumpkin-seed pesto:
Combine everything except for the olive oil in a food processor, and blitz to form a paste. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending. Season to taste; feel free to add more olive oil to thin out the sauce if needed. Enjoy!
