As we begin to sink into the wonderment of winter, I’m reminded of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, warm tea, soup on the stove, and the delight of my whole family being together. Although winter has a beauty of its own, it also brings with it the occasional cold, flu, lingering cough, and dry, chapped skin. Increasing immunity through mindful eating is the best defense we have to stave off these nasty annoyances and enjoy the fruits of the season. Today I’m sharing a quick recipe for Roasted Winter Vegetables. I absolutely love roasting nutrient-dense vegetables in the winter as they provide a sense of grounding to the body, necessary for maintaining energy and warmth during the colder months. A few of my favorite winter veggies include beets, parsnips, turnips, yams, kabocha & butternut squash, onions, garlic, celery root, burdock root, ginger, turmeric, and maca. Roots are packed with nutrients coming directly from the soil and have an energy the body intuitively finds useful during what is naturally a time for hibernation.
My Winter Roasted Vegetable mix includes kabocha squash, parsnips, and Brussels, a combination that boasts over 150 percent of your daily need for vitamin C per serving. Vitamin C is helpful in keeping your immune system strong and your skin looking healthy throughout the winter month.
Tip: To increase the nutrition of any roasted dish, simply toss your roasted veggies in a raw dressing made with the fruits of the season. The citrus dressing I’ve used in today’s recipe further increases the vitamin C in this dish by incorporating one orange and camu powder – both powerful sources of vitamin C.
Benefits of winter citrus: oranges, clementines, tangerines, satsuma’s
- These lovely citrus fruits are full of skin-loving (anti-aging) vitamin C.
- The pith (white membrane that sticks to the orange) is rich in flavonoids, helping boost immunity.
- The aroma of citrus often elevates mood and increases energy.
Benefits of Brussels Sprouts:
- Brussels are naturally detoxifying and contain cancer-fighting glucosinolates.
- Brussels contain indole-3-carbinol, a phytochemical that helps eliminate excess estrogen. (Now that’s beauty food)
- Brussles are an excellent source of both vitamin C and K – helpful in keeping your immune system strong and your skin glowing.
Another Tip: Focusing on warm, highly-nutritious, “cooked” foods during the cold winter months just makes sense. I like keeping it simple with meals that warm the body and uplift the soul. Adding in a few raw items like cultured veggies and raw dressings help to further boost immunity. So here we go Winter…it’s time to sit back, stay present, enjoy good movies, family, friends and toast to a season filled with health and happiness.
- 4 cups Brussles sprouts, brown ends removed. (Also, remove any yellow outer leaves)
- 2-3 parsnips, diced
- 1/2 large orange kabocha squash, cubed (remove skin if desired)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) high-quality sea salt
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon camu powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar (or coconut vinegar)
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chickpea miso
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prep Brussels: wash, remove any brown ends and yellow outer leaves. Using a pairing knife, carefully make and "X"in the bottom of each of the sprouts. This allows for even cooking.
- Prep squash and parsnips.
- Add vegetables to a large bowl and toss with coconut oil.
- Lay vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place in preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes. Shake pan half way through cooking time.
- Prepare dressing: Start by peeling your orange, no need to remove the pith. Add peeled orange and all other dressing ingredients to a high speed blender.
- Remove roasted vegetables from oven, toss with dressing. I also topped my vegetables with a few Austrian pumpkin seeds and golden berries.
- ENJOY!
- vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free
- All recipes and images are protected under copyright laws and owned by Kris Kelly and Goofy Foot Foods.