Candied Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips with Bitter Greens

The intense sweetness of this side dish will make us feel relaxed; the root vegetables keep our feet on the ground and the bitter greens provide flexibility, clarity of mind and strong red blood.

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredient List:

• 2 parsnips, 2-inch irregular chunks
• 1 sweet potato, 2-inch irregular chunks (I love garnet in this recipe)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Suzanne’s Specialties brown rice syrup
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 bunch bitter greens, like escarole or watercress, rinsed, left whole

Step By Step Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Place parsnip and sweet potato in a mixing bowl. Mix in olive oil and salt and toss to coat.  Transfer vegetables to a shallow baking dish, avoiding overlap. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and rice syrup over top and spinkle lemon zest over the dish. Cover and bake for 35 minutes. Remove cover and return to oven to tenderize the veggies and brown the edges, another 7-10 minutes.  

While the vegetables bake, hand-shred the greens.

To serve, gently stir the fresh greens into the cooked veggies. Serve hot.