Roasted Autumn Vegetables

A single pan that fills the oven and feeds you for days is worth more than a clever recipe. This is that pan. You chop, you toss, you roast, and dinner takes care of itself while you do something else. Simple, steady meals like this are what make eating this way a lifestyle you can keep, not a project you have to manage.

What you are roasting is color, and color on the plate is part of the medicine. The carrots and sweet potatoes are a gentle source of beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A, involved in immune and mucosal health. The beets bring their own deep pigment and fiber, and fiber is one of the things that helps feed a healthier gut community. Together they are an honest, whole-food base for almost any meal.

Let the kitchen fill with the smell of garlic and roasting roots, because that smell is half of why this dish satisfies. When it comes out, take a moment before you serve it. These are real foods, grown in the ground and pulled up whole. Look at the gold and the deep red on the tray, breathe once, and then eat slowly. The few seconds of presence are not separate from the nourishment.

Ingredients

• 1 lb carrots, chopped
• 1 lb parsnips, chopped
• 2 large beets, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon sea salt

The source also lists 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, which we omit here because black pepper is held back during the elimination phase. Once you have reintroduced it without trouble, you can add it back. Everything else is already elimination-friendly, with nothing to swap.

Method

• Heat the oven to 375F.
• Toss all the vegetables in a single baking dish with the coconut oil, garlic, salt, and parsley until they are evenly coated.
• Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring now and then, until the roots are fork-tender and starting to caramelize at the edges. Scatter the parsley over the top to serve.

Air fryer variation

For a smaller batch with crisper edges, roast the chopped roots in the air fryer at around 375F. Work in batches so the basket is not crowded, shake it once or twice through the cook, and check for fork-tender at around 18 to 22 minutes. This time is an untested conversion, so watch the first batch and adjust in your own kitchen.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*