GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Thanksgiving side dishes are oftentimes covered with cheese, butter or heavy sauces. So Terri Chaffer of "Love That Olive" in Maple Grove came up with a healthy alternative: a recipe for 'Cranberry Roasted Root Vegetables.'
Chaffer calls the recipe a great way to lighten up the holiday menu while still ensuring your Thanksgiving table looks impressive and tastes special. The dish can easily be prepared in advance, so it requires very little time or attention on Thanksgiving.
Terri says this can also be a great way to introduce new vegetables to kids or other family members who might be leery of new foods. It's also easy to customize with your favorite root vegetables and switch up the accent flavors with alternative flavors of balsamic vinegar.
Terri's biggest tips are to be sure to cut the vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook consistently; and be careful not to over-crowd the pan, or your vegetables won’t develop a crisp exterior.
Cranberry Roasted Root Vegetables
- 2 lbs. root vegetables, peeled and cut into - inch pieces (Use any of the following: potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, beets, squash or sweet potatoes.)
- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch wedges
- 3 Tbsp. *Primaiolo EVOO
- Sea salt to taste 3-4 Tbsp.
- *Cranberry Balsamic vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400˚F and place the vegetables and onion in a roasting pan. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and salt to taste (do not crowd the vegetables, or they won’t get crispy on the outside). Roast the mixture for a total of 45-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, add the Cranberry Balsamic vinegar and finish roasting.