Rainbow roasted vegetables with basil-mint pesto

Elimination can start to feel beige, the same few safe foods on repeat. This tray is the antidote, and it started as a fridge clean-out that earned its place. Cauliflower, sweet potato, red onion, carrots, and parsnip, all roasted together until the edges go gold. A green pesto over the top makes it feel like a dish instead of a duty.

Eating a range of colors is one of the more reliable things you can do for yourself right now. The carrots and sweet potato are a source of beta-carotene, and the mix as a whole supplies a spread of polyphenols, the plant compounds that give vegetables their hues. The basil in the pesto is often called antioxidant-rich, which is worth holding lightly rather than as a promise. The point is simpler than any single nutrient: more colors on the plate, more for the body to draw on.

It keeps up to 5 days in the fridge and freezes well, so this is genuinely batch-friendly. Roast the whole pan and you have a side ready for several meals.

Ingredients

• half a small cauliflower (about 2.5 cups chopped)
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 2.5 cups), cubed
• 1 medium red onion (about 2 cups), cut in wedges
• 5 small carrots (about 2 cups), chopped
• 1 small parsnip (about 1 cup), chopped
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• sea salt to taste
• 4 scallions, chopped, to garnish
• a nut-free, dairy-free basil-mint pesto, to serve (confirm the pesto uses no pine nuts and no parmesan; an AIP pesto leaves both out)

Method

Heat the oven to 400 F with a rack in the middle.

Spread all the chopped vegetables on a rimmed sheet pan. Pour over the melted coconut oil and sprinkle with salt, then toss so everything is coated and in a single layer.

Roast for about 45 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until the vegetables are tender and golden at the edges.

Serve hot, topped with the basil-mint pesto and a scatter of chopped scallions.

Air fryer variation

Roasted vegetables take well to the air fryer. Toss the cut vegetables with the coconut oil and salt, then air fry at about 380 to 400 F for roughly 18 to 22 minutes, shaking the basket two or three times, until tender and browned. Denser pieces like sweet potato and parsnip cook more evenly cut small, so work in batches if the basket is crowded. Finish with the pesto and scallions. Times are approximate and untested here.

*Adapted from asquirrelinthekitchen.com*