A Comforting Side Dish, Roasted Vegetables with A Caper Vinaigrette

For the past few weeks, I have been on a vegetable cooking journey with Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook, Plenty. A vegetarian cookbook that delivers flavors that will ignite your taste buds. This book is a visual piece of art. Beautiful food that captures your attention. You can easily pair Ottolenghi’s lovely dishes with a meat or fish if you are so inclined.

This recipe, I have made multiple times. It is a true favorite in my house. I love the simplicity of this recipe and how the flavors come alive. Leftovers taste even better the next day for lunch!

• 4 parsnips (1½ lbs total)
• 4 medium red onions
• 2/3 olive oil
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
• salt and black pepper
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (1¼ lbs total)
• 30 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp small capers (roughly chopped if large)
• ½ tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Peel the parsnips and cut into two or three segments, depending on their lengths. Then cut each piece lengthways into two or four. You want pieces roughly 2 inches long and ½-inch wide. Peel the onions and cut each into six wedges.
2. Place the parsnips and onions in a large mixing bowl and add 1/3 cup of olive oil, the thyme, rosemary, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Mix well and spread out in a large roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes.
3. While the parsnips are cooking, trim both ends of the sweet potatoes. Cut them (with their skins) in half, then each half into six wedges. Add the potatoes to the pan with the parsnips and onion and stir well. Return to the oven to roast for a further 40 to 50 minutes.
4. When all the vegetables are cooked through and have taken on a golden color, stir in the halved tomatoes. Roast for 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, capers, maple syrup, mustard, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.
5. Pour the dressing over the roasted vegetables as soon as you take them out of the oven. Stir well, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Scatter the sesame seeds over the vegetables if using and serve at the table in the roasting pan.

Green Dream Salad

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Salads can be simple or complex but freshness and flavor should never lack. They can be a side dish or the main attraction. When done well, you feel satisfied. Your body loves you for fueling it with loads of goodness. Here is my version of a salad I really enjoyed over the summer. A green dream that will go on repeat with different variations depending on the season. There is no stopping you from adding a piece of grilled salmon or a sliced steak to this salad. Endless options!

Ingredients:

Washed mixed greens of your choice

1 cup of cooked quinoa (you will probably use 1/2 depending on how many people you are feeding so extra goes in frig for future salads and just saves time!)

One yellow squash and one zucchini diced up then saute in a bit of olive oil and salt & pepper

A few roasted peppers diced up

Roast a handful of pistachios then chop into small pieces ( I used a spice grinder)

One whole avocado sliced (1/2 an avocado per person is good)

Handful of sunflower seeds

Feta cheese for the sprinkling

Fresh pesto to dollop along the plate (buy it or make it)

A French dressing or any other simple dressing (I will be testing out some new dressings and will post them if I like them)

To prepare: It’s so easy!

Toss your greens with a light amount of dressing then place them on individual plate or bowls

Layer on quinoa, warm squash, roasted peppers, crumbled bits of feta, sprinkle on sunflower seeds, small dollops of pesto around the edges of the salad, place your sliced avocado on top, and then finish it off with a sprinkling of pistachios. Easy peasy! Done!