You can use other root vegetables for this recipe like sweet potato, but I use carrots and parsnips because I love them. The maple syrup makes them sweet and sticky which work really well with the flavours of the carrots and parsnips. They also become soft on the inside and sticky and crunchy-ish on the outside,  which as you know is always a great combo in my book. I don’t peel the parsnips and carrots as I think all the flavour and fibre are in the skin, and life’s too short.

Recipe

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1 kg of assorted root vegetables
3 tablespoons of olive oil
5 tablespoons of maple syrup
Salt and pepper to taste

How:
Preheat the oven to 190°C and prepare the washed vegetables by removing the ends and slicing length ways. Peel them if you prefer, I don’t.
Place in a large roasting tray, coat in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for about 30 minutes, turning them half way through, turn up the oven to 200°C and pour over the maple syrup.
Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, caramelised and sticky, I like mine a tiny bit burnt at the tips.

Lastly….you can pre-prepare the vegetables in advance coating them in the olive oil and salt and pepper and put them in a plastic bag or container in the fridge till its time to roast them as I find this frees up valuable preparation time on the day of the meal. Also, if you haven’t got maple syrup you can use honey, which is just as delicious. I really think this is one of the best way to cook parsnips and carrots. You can customise this recipe with herbs and garlic if you want, it is up to you.