Root Veggie Magic
At this time of year we invariably find our food cravings shift from ripe tomatoes, corn on the cob, and the bright salads of summer to the earthy root veggies that soothe the soul like a warm blanket. Whether you prefer your root veggies paired with a roast, featured in a salad, pureed into a silky soup, etc., the humble root veggie requires a significant amount of work. The peeling, chopping, seasoning, and lengthy roasting time might deter you from landing them on your table as often as you’d like. And if you buy them cut and peeled from the produce section of your grocery store to save time, you have just a couple of days before they begin to go bad. We have the solution!
Our Roasted Root Veggies combo brings together lightly seasoned and already roasted potatoes (regular and blue ones!), sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, and turnips that you can store in your freezer without any fear of deterioration. Use them at your whim as a side dish or as an element of other dishes. They are ready to go from the freezer to your oven, skillet, or soup pot with no thawing needed; a huge time saver!
Roasted Root Veggie & Lentil Salad
A great pairing of the root veggies with earthy lentils and a bright vinaigrette; a light but satisfying dish. Serve as a main or side dish.
Serves: 4 as a main, 6 as a side Preparation time: approx. 35 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups Pinwheel Roasted Root Veggies (frozen)
1 cup brown, green or black lentils
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
4-6 cups of your favorite salad greens (butter lettuce, arugula, radicchio, escarole, etc.)
DRESSING:
¼ cup vinegar: red wine or balsamic
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
Instructions
- Heat oven/toaster oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large pot, combine lentils, 3 cups water, garlic, bay leaf, and salt & pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until lentils are tender.
- While the lentils are cooking, place root veggies in one layer on a baking pan, toss lightly with 1 tablespoon of olive oil roast for about 20 minutes until vegetables are tender and heated through.
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard and salt and olive oil.
- Drain lentils and discard bay leaf; taste & adjust for salt & pepper as needed. Toss salad greens just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat them on a platter. Combine lentils and roasted vegetables, adding more of the vinaigrette to taste; spoon mixture on top of the greens. Top with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil.
Root Veggie & Spinach Quiche
Always a favorite on a fall day! A bowl of soup or green salad makes a great accompaniment.
Serves: 4 Preparation Time: 15 minutes prep, 40 minutes baking time
Ingredients
1.5 cups Pinwheel Roasted Root Veggies
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
pepper
3 large eggs
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1.5 cups light cream (or whole milk)
4 cooked strips of bacon (optional)
Prepared pie shell
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cream/milk, goat cheese, and a pinch of salt.
- Arrange the root vegetables and vegetables in the pie shell, spread the spinach over them and then pour the egg mixture over the veggies. (You may not be able to fit all of the egg mixture, depending on the size of your crust); top with the cherry tomatoes and bacon (if using)
- Bake the quiche until filling is set and pastry is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.