RECIPE: Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Beets, Apples, and Carrots

I hang out in The Ultimate Reset post-Reset Facebook group, because a lot of the participants are like-minded people, who care about health and fitness, and many of whom also choose to eat little to no animal protein.

Often they will post recipes, or links to them, and this recipe is one I saw -- originally posted  in that Facebook group by my friend Suzanne Winkler of GoneVegan.US -- that I thought I'd put my own spin on. I almost didn't try it, because of the apples, which seemed weird to me in a savory dish. And then there's the cinnamon, which I like, but, again, in a savory dish?

But that is why I like to try things I don't think I'll like, because you know what? Sometimes it's delicious, and that is the case here. Not too sweet and it paired well with some rice and beans.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb sweet potatoes or yams
• 1 lb beets, any variety
• 3 medium-sized carrots
• 3 small gala (or your favorite) apples
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp ground cinammon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne
• salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. You can peel the produce if you like. I don't peel.
3. Wash and dry all produce, then cut it into good size chunks, about an inch cubed (or larger). They need to be big, because we're roasting them, so we need them to be large enough to withstand the heat. Don't obsess about the size, though, because the little crispy bits can be very tasty.
4. Place all produce into a 1 gallon plastic bag or a large bowl with the oil, and mix well to coat.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to coat completely and evenly.
6. Place everything in a single layer on a large sheet pan and put it into the preheated oven.
7. Cook for 15 minutes. Flip everything with a spatula, if you care to.
8. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Makes 2 large servings.

You can experiment with this by using olive oil, green chile powder, or other spices, but I think the cinnamon is the key. I say a tablespoon of it in the directions, but you should really have enough to coat everything thoroughly, so make sure that happens. The aroma while this is cooking is heavenly.