Roasted Winter Vegetable Vegetarian Jambalaya

The first time I made this meal was for Christmas dinner. I needed a vegetarian dish for my aunt. It ended up being a hit with everyone at the table. My 92 year old grandma took seconds and then said "if no one else is having anymore, I'll just take the rest home." That is definitely how you know it was a hit. The only thing that I wish I had more of, was the vegetables. So when I made it tonight, I doubled the vegetables and it came out perfect!

What I love about this recipe is that it truly showcases winter root vegetables. Until I changed my diet, I always ate the vegetables I liked at anytime of the year. Now I focus on eating seasonally and local. This is exactly why I like this recipe. I also like this recipe because it's a vegetarian dish. I've significantly reduced my meat consumption. This dish fills you up without wanting more or missing anything. I won't keep you waiting any longer, here is the adapted recipe from Vegetarian Times, November 2012



Roasted Winter Vegetable Jambalaya (Adapted from Vegetarian Times, Nov 2012)


1 cup long grain brown rice

4 carrots, diced

4 parsnips, diced

1large sweet potato, diced

3-4 Yukon gold potatoes, diced

3 Tablespoons olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 small onion, diced

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoon tomato paste

3 cups low sodium vegetable broth - (you may add more if needed)

1 cup chopped canned tomatoes (I used Eden)

1/2 cup chopped parsley







Directions

1. soak rice in bowl overnight. (very important you soak otherwise they won't cook properly)

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, Drain rice, coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

3. Toss together carrots, parsnips, potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil (you may need more to coat) and salt in bowl. Spread on baking sheet and roast 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are browned.

4. Combine onion, remaining olive oil, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper and salt in skillet. Heat over med-low heat until onions are soft. (5-8 minutes) Add rice and cook 2 minutes over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste, broth and chopped tomatoes. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat.

5. Stir roasted vegetables into rice mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to med-low. Cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper (if desired). Serve hot or room temperature.







**Pictures will come as soon as I can figure out how to upload pictures on my new computer! Thanks for your patience.