ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES & PARSLEY VINAIGRETTE

Prep Time – 15 minutes

Roasting time – 1 hour and 15 minutes

Yields: 8 servings as a side dish

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into large dice @ 2 cups

1 pound brussel sprouts, base removed and halved

1 pound baby carrots, peeled

2 medium size red beets, top cut off

2 medium size gold or yellow beets, top cut off

1 cup feta cheese crumbled - optional

½ garlic head

1 cup parsley

½ cup walnuts

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Pre heat the oven to roast at 425 F.  Wrap beets and garlic separately using aluminum foil, place in a baking tray and roast for about 1 and 15 minutes.  About 20 minutes into the end of the roasting process, pull out the baking tray and add squash, Brussel sprouts and carrots.  Remove from the oven and cool down. Unwrap beets and garlic and using your hands carefully peel the skin off the beets. Slice beets in wedges (small beets about the size of golf balls can be sliced into 8 to 10 wedges). Unwrap the garlic and squeeze the garlic membrane  out of the skin and set aside. The garlic will be a part of your vinaigrette. Set vegetables aside.

Meanwhile make the vinaigrette by combining the parsley, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Slightly pulse a few times to break it down