AIP roasted beets, Brussels sprouts, and carrots - a colorful root-and-cruciferous side

Vegetable sides are the first thing to slide when you are exhausted, and on AIP they cannot slide, because they are carrying more of the plate than usual. This tray solves that without asking much of you. Beets, Brussels sprouts, and carrots roast together, cut for their different densities so everything finishes at the same time, and what comes off the pan is a tray with real color, texture, and a little char at the edges.

The deep purple in the beets comes from betalain pigments, compounds researchers are studying for antioxidant activity, and carrots are a source of vitamin A, tied to immune and mucosal health, the same lining this protocol is trying to calm. None of it needs a dose or a supplement. It needs a sheet pan and 400 degrees F.

These came out of soil, not a package, and arranging them so the purple, green, and orange actually show is worth the extra minute it takes. Eat them while they are still a little crisp at the edges. A vegetable side you look forward to is rare enough that it is worth noticing when it happens.

Ingredients

• 4 small beets, peeled and halved
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (the source allows ghee or grass-fed butter, but use coconut oil to stay AIP)
• 10 to 12 Brussels sprouts, halved, outer leaves removed
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• Salt (omit black pepper to stay AIP elimination-compliant)
• Dried rosemary and dried sage, or your favorite AIP-friendly herb combination

Method

Heat the oven to 400 F. Beets take longer than the others, so give them a head start. Toss the halved beets with about a third of the coconut oil, melted, and a little salt, spread them on a sheet pan, and roast for about 15 minutes while you prepare the rest.

Toss the halved Brussels sprouts and the carrot chunks with the remaining melted coconut oil, salt, and a generous pinch each of dried rosemary and sage. Add them to the pan with the beets, spreading everything in a single layer so the vegetables roast and crisp rather than steam.

Return the pan to the oven and roast until everything is tender and the edges are caramelized, about another 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once partway through. The beets should be easily pierced, the Brussels sprouts browned at their leaves, the carrots sweet and soft. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.

Air fryer variation

The air fryer suits this well and gives crisper edges. Give the beets a head start, since they are densest: air fry the oiled, salted beets at about 380 F for 10 minutes, then add the herbed Brussels sprouts and carrots and cook everything together until tender and caramelized, shaking the basket once or twice so it browns evenly. Work in batches if your basket is small, and confirm the timing with your own appliance.

*Adapted from gutsybynature.com*