On The Menu

Nutritious Root Vegetable Roast

Remember the vivid image of Usain Bolt striking through the many finish lines at the summer Olympics like a lightning? What is the secret of the world's fastest man? Yam, his father revealed! Maybe we can give it a try.

The Pacific Northwest has plenty of colorful root vegetables in the winter. These seasonal vegetables are full of nutrients. Sweet potatoes, carrots, rutabaga, and beets are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, and complex carbohydrates. So besides giving us the speed, they are good for our heart and blood pressure as well.

Recipe

This recipe combines many colorful root vegetables into a nutritious dish. It is flexible. You can easily substitute the roots based on your preference. It can be used as a main dish with a hearty soup (serves 4), or a side vegetable dish (serves 6).

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 lb sweet potato or yam, cut into ¼ inch cube
• 1 lb carrot, cut into ¼ inch segment
• 1 lb rutabaga or turnip, cut into ¼ inch cube
• 1 lb potato (purple or red), cut into ¼ inch cube
• 1 lb beets (Chioggia, golden or red), cut into ¼ inch cube
• Turnip and beet green (if it comes with the vegetable), chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1½ tbsp dried thyme
• 1½ tbsp dried rosemary
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• Salt to taste

Process:

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Mix vegetable with oil, thyme and rosemary in a casserole
• Bake uncovered till tender, about 35 minutes. Stir after 20 minutes
• Meanwhile, sauté turnip and beet green with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt in medium heat for 5 minutes
• Mix in orange juice, honey, and prepared green
• Add salt to taste