Roasted Parsnips and Carrots with Hazelnuts

Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes. Sure, there’s plenty of turkey talk going on this week, but as a vegetarian I can turn my attention to other things.

I’ll be making some old favorite recipes like homemade Butternut Squash Soup, marshmallow free Roasted Sweet Potatoes and my mom’s favorite- pumpkin pie.

There’s also room at the table for new recipes like this one for roasted parsnips and carrots. Roasting the vegetables gives them a rich and sweet flavor. A squeeze of citrus and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts complete the dish.

They’ll only be four of us at Thanksgiving dinner, so we’ll have too much food. That’s a good thing because having leftovers means we don’t need to cook for the next few days and can spend more time relaxing, shopping and having fun. What are you making for Thanksgiving?

Roasted Parsnips and Carrots with Hazelnuts
1 pound parsnips
1 pound carrots
2 tablespoons virgin unrefined coconut oil, melted (liquid) or olive oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Meyer lemon or orange wedges

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scrub and peel parsnips and carrots. Cut into bias slices, about 1/2 inch thick. Cut any larger pieces in half to make all pieces about the same size.

Place veggies in a large bowl and drizzle with oil; stir to coat. Sprinkle with garam masala, salt and some freshly ground black pepper; stir to coat. Spread veggies in a single layer on a large shallow baking sheet.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes until veggies are tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Place roasted veggies in a serving bowl; sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts. Serve with Meyer lemon or orange wedges to squeeze over veggies.

Makes 4 servings (about 3 cups)

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Ancho Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have a great nutrition reputation, often touted as a superfood. They’re full of good stuff like complex carbs, fiber, vitamin E and beta carotene. Sweet potatoes are also a powerful food in the kitchen- delicious in everything from soups, breads, side dishes and even desserts. One of the simplest ways to enjoy the tasty superfood is to simply roast sweet potatoes. Here’s an easy roasted sweet potato recipe flavored with ancho chile pepper, lime juice and a touch of honey.

Ancho Roasted Sweet Potatoes
2 pounds sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13 x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into bite-size pieces (1 1/2-inch chunks); place in baking dish. Drizzle oil over sweet potatoes and stir to coat. Sprinkle with ancho chile powder, salt and black pepper; stir to evenly distribute seasonings. Bake 40 to 50 minutes until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer potatoes to a serving dish. Drizzle with honey and lime juice; stir gently to coat.

Makes 6 servings

Tip: Ancho chile powder is simply ground dried ancho chiles. If you don’t have ancho chile powder you can substitute a chili powder blend. If your chili powder blend contains salt, omit or reduce the amount of coarse salt called for in the recipe.

The Best of Clean Eating: Over 200 Mouthwatering Recipes to Keep You Lean and Healthy