Autumn is here, and it brought along many tasty vegetables to keep us happy and warm all winter. How could we survive winter without squash or leeks? Part of the fun of roasting them is turning on the oven and warming the house up in the process. It’s all about multitasking. Also, the eating part is a lot of fun too.
This recipe is a really general guideline. You can use any variety of vegetables, herbs and seasonings you wish. The one thing to keep in mind is that different vegetables have different cooking times, so you’ll want to cut them accordingly.
For example: leeks cook at a much faster rate than butternut squash, so you’ll want to cut the leeks chunky, or you can add them half way through cooking if you want them smaller in size.
These vegetables go well with fish and rice or you can eat a big bowl of them on their own. Once you know the technique, you can get creative with flavoring it how you like. Maple and balsamic is nice, or you can roast some garlic cloves and potatoes along with it. Anything is possible. Happy eating!
- 1 small Butternut Squash (or ½ larger squash), peeled and cut into cubes
- 2 Leeks, cut into 1" thick rounds
- 3-4 Medium Carrots, peeled and cut on an angle
- 1 Apple, medium diced
- 12-15 Brussels Sprouts (*see note)
- 3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Oregano
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- Zest of a Lemon
- Few sprigs of Fresh Thyme
- Heat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You may need two to avoid overcrowding.
- Peel the squash and cut into 1" cubes. Peel the carrots and cut on an angle. Cut the carrots a bit bigger than the squash. Place in a large bowl.
- Cut the leeks. Core the apples and dice (no need to peel). Add to the bowl with carrots, squash and sprouts.
- Combine oil, oregano, salt and pepper to the bowl and toss to coat.
- Roast on the baking sheet(s) for 30 minutes, then stir the vegetables and rotate the pan(s). Continue cooking another 15-30 minutes until tender.
- After you remove it from the oven, sprinkle with lemon zest, fresh thyme and more salt if desired.
- *If you have big brussels sprouts, you can cut them in half, otherwise leave them whole.