Sweet Roasted Roots Top a Hearty Salad

‘Tis the season to roast things. Turn that oven on to warm up and get cozy, and as long as it’s on, roast up a mess of vegetables. For a fun take on salad, try this Roasted Roots and Quinoa Salad, on a bed of spinach, and topped with a tangy Pomegranate vinaigrette. The sweet, earthy roots are beautiful to behold, and meltingly tender to bite.

Why Root Vegetables?

If you are unfamiliar with the joy of roasted roots, let me be your guide. I’m using a Chioggia Beet, prized for it’s candy cane-like stripes and sweet flavor. Of course, if you don’t have a striped beet handy, you can always use red or orange beets. The main difference is that red beets are more generous with their burgundy pigment when roasted, so you may see some pink color dappled in your parsnips if you roast it all in one pan. The Chioggias and orange beets don’t do this.

Parsnips are one of my favorite roots to roast. They are in the same family as carrots and parsley, and in Roman times, were considered an aphrodisiac. When left in the ground through a few frosts, the parsnip converts more of its starches to sugars, making it sweeter. In fact, before sugar became available in Europe, parsnips were used to make a sweetener in much the same way we make beet sugar today. When raw, they are a bit too fibrous for my taste, but when roasted, their nutty, sweet flavor comes to the fore.

A big fat carrot is another fantastic root for roasting. Carrots are also sweet and tender after some time in the oven. We all know carrots are good for you, raw or cooked, but it’s interesting to note that some of the nutrients are more available when the carrot is cooked. Olive oil has a synergy with vegetables, too, making carotenoids and glucosinalates absorbable by the body.

How Do You Roast Root Vegetables?

I have a big roasting pan, and for this recipe, I sliced the roots in pretty rounds, about 1/3 of an inch thick. I coated them with olive oil and covered the pan with foil- that’s an important step. Roasting them in a 400 F oven with a cover lets the roots steam in their own juices, and keeps them moist and buttery. Roasting uncovered gives you a drier, tougher result.

I also roasted some garlic cloves for the dressing, by putting them in a square of foil, drizzling with olive oil, and making a packet. Then I roasted them for about 20 minutes. I tested the cloves by piercing with a knife, and when tender, I let them cool and mashed them. Roasted garlic is also sweet and earthy, and gives the dressing some body, as well.

Whole Grains Make Great Salads

To make this a salad that qualifies as a main course, I added some quinoa and pistachios. Everybody loves quinoa, for its light, fluffy texture and mild, nutty taste. It’s also a nutrient packed all-star, with more protein than most grains, and a whole array of beneficial nutrients. It’s great in salads, soaking up dressings and taking on the flavors of the dish.

Try a Roasted Roots Salad this Winter

You’ll be following in the footsteps of the Ancient Romans, and who knows, maybe that aphrodisiac quality will come through for you!