Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Summer and fall, fall and summer- VEGETABLES. I love them. I don't know what it is, but I crave vegetables during summer and fall. Our CSA has lended nicely to this craving with fresh, local vegetables that inspire. The fall vegetables, namely the root vegetables are so earthy, colorful and full of deep, rich flavor. My most favorite are beets. I've only boiled them in the past, which is so easy and delicious. 

I found this recipe in a magazine and it was perfect timing, as we received beets, turnips and sweet potatoes (turnips not pictured- I remembered them after I peeled all the veges- eek!) in our weekly CSA with Rosebank Farms. Roasting the vegetables brings out the sweetness in them. This salad is so full of flavor- I'm kinda hooked!

                            Fresh, raw vegetables

Peeled beets- save the greens- you can cook them too!

Peeled sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips

Shallots

Roasted root vegetables
-carrots
-parsnips
-turnips
-sweet potatoes
-beets

Ingredients for the salad dressing, which is just as addicting

Ingredients:

2 medium beets

1 bag of fresh carrots

1-2 bags of parsnips

2 medium turnips

2 medium sweet potatoes

4 medium shallots

Chopped pecans

8 cups of romaine lettuce

Salad dressing:

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1-2 cloves of garlic

salt + pepper

Directions:

1. Wash and peel all vegetables

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the beets into 1-inch pieces. Place in a 2-quart baking dish. Toss with olive oil and S+P to taste. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes

3. Meanwhile, cut the carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes and parsnips into 1-inch pieces. Place in a 15 x 10x 1-inch baking pan. Add the chopped shallots. Toss with olive oil and S+P.

4. Remove foil from the dish with the beets, stir the beets. Increased oven temperature to 425 degrees. Return the beets to the oven and place the pan with the other vegetables alongside the beets. Toast veges in both pans uncovered for 30-40 minutes (until tender).

5. Meanwhile, for the dressing. Combine the ingredients (olive oil, white wine vinegar, thyme, dijon mustard, honey, garlic and S+P). Blend with the emulsion hand blender. Place in the refrigerator. 

6. To serve, in a large bowl toss the romaine with the dressing. Top with the warmed vegetables, sprinkle the pecans over top and serve immediately.

Serves about 10 (I had to make more dressing later in the week)

ENJOY!

The finished product with the salad dressing!
























Will and I ate this all week long. He grilled some pork and he ate it on the side or on top of the salad (just for extra protein). The pork complimented the salad well if you're looking to add more protein. I usually feel the need to eat something hot for dinner, but this salad satisfied. It really is a hearty salad. Root vegetables are filling and somewhat starchy, so they fulfill the craving for pastas and breads while providing tons of nutrition! I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do!

Recipe adapted from:
Better Homes and Gardens