Balsamic roast vegetables with sweet potato mash
If I'd planned to write up this recipe to save, I'd have taken better pics. Simplicity is splendid, but there's a point it's too obvious to state. But this last minute simple fix astonished me with the combination of ease, colors, and complementary flavors. The way the savory vegetables were accented by the sweetness of the mash.
Originally, this was going to be a gluten free, roast vegetable tart for Pi Day. I envisioned using the pastry crust I made for this Ancient Harvest pot pie, decorating the top with carefully pressed numbers and symbols. Imagined, it was stunning. In reality, it would be a little more time-consuming and finicky than is my style these days, so I chopped the vegetables and prepped the dressing in advance.
You know what they say about best laid plans...merely casually laid, poorly conceived plans haven't even earned a saying. Pi Day plans were scuppered by a teething flare-up, the kind that turns a well-planned mountain hike on its head and spits out a mile walk at altitude wearing an empty backpack while holding babe like a koala on your front. There are obvious pains, but cozy silver linings, too.
With the vegetables and dressing ready to go, and leftover baked sweet potatoes sitting in caramel quiet in the fridge, all that was left to complete a delicious dinner minus more than 5 minutes of free hands was to pop the roasting pan in the oven and spoon the mash into a pot to warm. For us these days, this is elegance. Maybe a new staple, definitely a keeper.
Balsamic roast vegetables with sweet potato mash
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- generous shake (about a teaspoon) Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 medium eggplant, cubed
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 2 zucchini, sliced
- 1 small red onion, halved and sliced
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed
- Optional: 1/2 cup feta or goat cheese crumbles
- Whisk vinegar, mustard, olive oil, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl, toss vegetables with dressing to coat. Divide between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Roast vegetables approximately 30 minutes, until tender and slightly browned.
- Serve over mashed sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with feta, if using.