Get Rooted For Autumn
As we head into autumn, wonderful root vegetables are coming into season. Let’s dig into the earth and get creative with some hearty veggie meals.
By Nelia Joubert-Hartman
Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables
An easy veggie bake that the kids will love!
- Prep Time: 15mins
- Cooking Time: 55 mins
- Ready in: 1 hour 10 mins
Ingredients
▪3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
▪2 Tbsp olive oil
▪2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey 
▪2 tsp Dijon mustard
▪3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
▪Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
▪4-5 large carrots, cut into thumb size pieces
▪2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into thumb size pieces
▪4 parsnips, cut into thumb size pieces
▪2 large beets, cut into thumb size pieces
▪2 small red onions, quartered
▪1 head garlic, cut down the middle, skin on
Method
▪Preheat oven to 200 C.
▪In a large bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple/honey syrup, and Dijon mustard. Reserve 2 Tbsp of the mix in a small bowl.
▪Add chopped vegetables to the large bowl and mix until completely coated.
▪Transfer vegetables to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with rosemary.
▪Place the vegetables in the oven and cook for 45 min.
▪Slide vegetables out and pour over the remaining 2 Tbsp of the balsamic mixture.
▪Place back in the oven for another 10 min or until they reach desired tenderness.
▪Remove from the oven. Serve and enjoy!
Spicy Root Vegetable Noodle Bowl
This is a quick and easy crunchy and fresh lunch. Even more fun with spiralled veggies.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 2
Ingredients
▪1/4 Cup Tahini 
▪2 Tbs Miso
▪4 Tbs Water
▪1 1/2 Tbs Sriracha
▪Juice from 1 Lime or more, to taste
▪1/4 Tsp Salt
▪1/4 Tsp Pepper
▪Handful Coriander
▪1 Red Beet peeled and spiralized
▪2 Large Carrots peeled and spiralized
▪1 Daikon Radish peeled and spiralized
▪Sesame seeds for garnish
Method
▪Peel and spiral the veggies, then set aside.
▪In a bowl, stir all dressing ingredients together until evenly combined.
▪Add veggies to a bowl, and drizzle with the dressing. Serve with sesame seeds and fresh coriander.
Enjoy!
Notes
If you don’t have a vegetable spiral, you can grate or thinly slice the veggies. Reduce or omit the Sriracha sauce for a less spicy version. Miso can be found at Woolworths or any Asian shops. You can replace the daikon radish with normal radishes.
Root Vegetable Mash
Mash does not always have to be potato-based. Try this veggie version. Bet it will be a new favourite!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
▪3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil 
▪2 large carrots
▪1 small sweet potato, peeled
▪2 medium parsnips, peeled
▪2 fresh thyme sprigs
▪3 garlic cloves, minced
▪1 cup water
▪½ tablespoon honey or maple syrup
▪½ teaspoon salt
▪Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Method
▪Prepare vegetables by dicing them into thumb size pieces and place them in a pot with the butter or oil. Turn the heat on to medium-low and add in thyme (in full sprigs) and minced garlic.
▪Stir continuously for about 10 minutes, until beginning to soften.
▪Add in water and honey or maple syrup. Cover and allow it to cook for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and it is relatively easy to mash the vegetables. Discard the thyme springs.
▪Using a masher, mash the mixture until chunky, or use a hand blender to roughly puree the mixture
▪Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.
For more recipes and stores, follow Nelia on knippiesout.kitchen or @knippiesout
