Roasted Roots

Many vegetables roast beautifully in the oven with little effort.  Squash and root vegetables are abundant at this time of year and pair well with stronger herbs like rosemary and thyme.  Just a drizzle of oil, a pinch of sea salt and you're done.

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash, halved, seeded, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks

2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

2 large carrots of your choice (orange, yellow, and/or purple), peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 small yellow onion, peeled and quartered

2 medium celery stalks, sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pinch sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 springs of fresh rosemary

2 springs of fresh thyme

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Place all of the vegetables, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Drizzle with the olive oil and toss gently with two wooden spoons or with your hands.

3.  Transfer vegetables to a heavy baking sheet in handfuls, letting the excess oil drip back into the bowl.  Do this until all of the vegetables are on the baking sheet, then spread out into a single layer.  Nestle the rosemary and thyme amongst the vegetables.

4.  Place the baking sheet in the oven and let roast for 18 minutes, checking after the first 15 minutes to make sure the vegetables are not burning.  Remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently turn the vegetables.  Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for another 5-8 minutes.

5.  Remove the sheet from the oven and discard the rosemary and thyme springs.  Serve warm or at room temperature.