Starch meets root vegetable

This sweet potato and carrot dish sparkles with vinaigrette

Starchy sides are a mainstay of the classic American dinner. It’s easy to get complacent and rely on a trusty, if unimaginative, rotation of mealtime regulars: rice, potatoes, noodles.

The problem with serving essentially the same (white) thing over and over is that we are missing an opportunity to bring a variety of nutrients to the table in that starchy side. And we are missing out on the joys of new colors and flavors if we just stick to the stuff that looks and tastes remarkable similar.

So why not add a few colorful and interesting options to the dinner starch repertoire?

Sweet potatoes are a great start, but also consider vegetables like peas, corn, winter squashes (such as spaghetti, acorn and butternut), and sweet root vegetables like carrots and parsnips as potential standins for rice or pasta.

One of my favorite ways to prepare these starchy sides in colder months is to toss them in a quick vinaigrette and then roast. The vinaigrette can be quite simple: even vinegar, salt and pepper and a bit of oil will perk up the flavor.

My recipe today brings together both a starch and a root vegetable. Red-fleshed sweet potatoes (often called “yams” in American supermarkets) and carrots are tossed in a soy sauce and rice vinegar marinade, which caramelizes beautifully in the oven.

The resulting side dish is less Asian than the ingredients would suggest, and it marries perfectly with roasted chicken, grilled fish, or alongside spicy lentils

or just a hearty salad if you are eating vegetarian.

The sweet potatoes are jam-packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals,

most notably vitamin C and K and potassium. The carrots are lower calorie than the starchier sweet potato and they complement

the nutrient profile with a ton of vitamin A as well as good quantities of vitamin C and potassium. The two together become a nutrition powerhouse compared to standard starches. Plus, the dinner plate just looks pretty with the gorgeous orange color.

MELISSA D’ARABIAN VIA AP Roasted sweet potatoes and carrots prepared with a marinade