Root veg medley

AS IT’S Organic September, I thought I would share with you my root veg medley, it makes a wonderful display and the cooking method optimises the vitamin content.

You may find my favourites unusual, but you could use any veg really, they are a valuable and colourful addition to any roast.

Ingredients:

Where possible choose organic 3 large baking potatoes or sweet potatoes

2 garlic bulbs

2 organic carrots

2 parsnips

3 courgettes

1 red onion

2 beetroots

200g sprouts

1 tbsp fennel seeds

4 sprigs of rosemary

4 sprigs of thyme

Extra virgin olive oil and sea salt 100g cavolo nero kale leaves

50g pumpkin seeds

You will need a large roasting tray

Method:

Heat the oven to 180°C.

Scrub, dry and prick the baking potatoes and microwave for around seven minutes to slightly soften, then cut each one vertically into four slices.

Wash and scrape the carrots, parsnips and courgettes before cutting each vertically into four quarters. Remove the skin and root from the onion, and scrub the beetroots, cut both vegetables in half vertically from top to root and then cut each half into quarters.

Remove the outer leaves and ends from the sprouts and cut each in half, also vertically.

Remove the outer skin from the garlic bulbs and slice horizontally across the middle.

Gather all the prepared vegetables, including the potatoes, and arrange onto the roasting tray.

Scatter the herbs over and glug olive oil over the top, season well. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, remove the centre stalk from the kale leaves and rub a little olive oil and salt onto each and add to the baking tray, scatter the pumpkin seeds over the vegetables and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Root vegetables are antioxidant rich and packed with potassium, carotene, minerals, vitamins and NSP dietary fibre, plus they are low in calories too, and cooking them this way will help maintain these valuable nutrients.

Lesley is studying nutrition & health at Edge Hill University and co-owns Roberto’s Italian on Southport’s Ocean Plaza.

For more of her recipes go to: Twitter @LYatesNutrition or Facebook.com/robertossouthport and www.robertositalian.co.uk