Maple Glazed Parsnips and Carrots!

I love Fall, and particularly the color of the vegetables at the market this time of year.  I have to say though, my family is so addicted to butternut squash, that I find I make that most of the time.  Root vegetables are at their best in fall and winter, so I decided to pick up some carrots and parsnips in lieu of butternut squash.

Carrots are best known for their rich supply of the antioxidant nutrient – beta carotene, but also for a wide variety of antioxidants and other health supporting nutrients.  Carrots have been found to benefit the cardiovascular system, vision health and cancer – specifically, colon cancer.
When selecting carrots, roots should be firm, smooth, relatively straight and bright in color.  The deeper the orange color, the more beta-carotene present in the carrot.  Avoid carrots that are excessively cracked or forked as well as those that are limp or rubbery.  In addition, if the carrots don’t have their tops attached, look at the stem end to insure that it’s not dark – this is a sign of age.  If the green tops are attached, they should be bright colored, feathery and not wilted.  Since the sugars are concentrated in the carrots’ core, generally those with larger diameters will have a larger core and be sweeter.
Parsnips also a root vegetable are similar to carrots, although lighter in color.  They are rich in fiber and potassium.    Fiber promotes healthy digestion, helps regulate blood sugar levels, makes us feel full, and may help reduce cholesterol levels.  Parsnips are also low in saturated fat, rich in vitamin K and C, and high in folate.  When selecting parsnips, look for characteristics similar to carrots, as described above.
Eating vegetables in the raw is always the best way to get all their nutritional value since cooking will strip them of some of their nutrients.  However, having a diet rich in vegetables and fruit is most important, even if you don’t always eat them raw.
After purchasing my parsnips and carrots I wanted to prepare them so they’d be caramelized, just like when I roast my butternut squash.  I came across a recipe from Nigella Lawson that I knew my family would love –  Maple Glazed Parsnips   I decided to add the carrots for color since parsnips are creamy white.  Nigella’s recipe make these root vegetables taste like candy.  Yum, they were so good!
Here’s the recipe…..
Maple Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
Adapted from Nigella Lawson
Serves 8
Ingredients:
  • 2 1/4 pounds parsnips and carrots (Approx. 1 1/8 pounds of each)

 

  • ½ cup canola oil (I used about 1/4 cup)

 

 

  • ½ cup pure maple syrup (I used about 1/4 cup)

 

Directions:
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Peel the parsnips and carrots then halve them crosswise, then halve or quarter each piece lengthwise.
  • Place parsnips and carrots into a roasting pan, lined with heavy duty foil. Pour the oil over the vegetables and mix them well so that the oil covers all of the pieces.
  • Pour the maple syrup over the vegetables and transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Roast the parsnips for 35 minutes, or until they are tender and golden brown.
 
 
 
ENJOY!!!

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37 comments

  1. A mouthwatering way to serve these root vegetables! Just wish pure maple syrup was a tad more easy to obtain in Australia and not so demanding on the purse 🙂 !

  2. Simple and delish, Vicki! This would make a wonderful Thanksgiving side dish…I’d eat all the parsnips and Bill would take care of the carrots 🙂

  3. I agree, veggie roots such as carrot and parsnip are better at this time of the season and the health benefits is pretty awesome. As a kid I couldn’t stand the taste of carrot but with time I learned to love it, especially because I realized that I wouldn’t get red like a lobster in the sun while consuming them regularly.

    Love your dish, I just wish i could get maple syrup here. Its such a difficult ingredient to get.

    By the way, did you find a solution for your problem the other day? So sorry I wasn’t able to help you…

  4. I would think you could try using agave nectar or honey in place of maple syrup since you’re having trouble finding it. Although I’m not certain how the heat may Affect it. I did do a search for maple syrup substitution and this is what I came up with. I’ve never tried this so I can’t guarantee the outcome but you can try it. Any of the 3 alternatives won’t duplicate the flavor but may come close.

    Maple Syrup Substitute Recipe

    If you find yourself out of maple syrup, try this easy substitute made with granulated and brown sugars. Serve maple syrup substitute warm over pancakes, waffles, and biscuits.
    Prep Time: 5 minutes

    Cook Time: 15 minutes

    Total Time: 20 minutes

    Ingredients:

    1/2 cup granulated sugar
    1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
    1 cup boiling water
    1 teaspoon butter
    1 teaspoon maple extract or vanilla extract
    Preparation:

    Place granulated sugar in a heavy skillet. Heat until the sugar melts and turns brown.

    Meanwhile, place brown sugar into a heavy saucepan. Pour water over brown sugar and bring to a boil without stirring.

    Add caramelized white sugar to the melted brown sugar in the saucepan. Simmer, stirring often, until syrup is thickened.

    Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and maple or vanilla extract.

    Serve maple syrup substitute warm over pancakes, waffles, and biscuits.

    Yield: about 1 cup

  5. Oh, this sure brings back childhood memories. My mother used to roast carrots and parsnips together, sliced, but she used a bit of brown sugar and butter (in lieu of maple syrup) and then topped them with slices of bacon. Man, the crisp bacon sure brings something special to these two root veggies when they are candied this way. She would crumble the slices over the veggies just before serving. mmmm

    • That sounds delicious! Brown sugar and butter are a wonderful combination and I’m sure tasted incredible together with these veggies are any for that matter. Add bacon to the mix and I’m sure it was a winner! I’ll have to try that. Thank you.

  6. This has autumn written all over it, love how maple flavour goes with vegetables 😀

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  7. Healthy with a sweet hit! We’re not big fans of parsnips here but sweet potatoes might be a good substitution.

  8. This looks SO good! I love maple roasted anything and I think I might actually get the hubby to eat parsnip if I fixed them like this! thanks for sharing this recipe!

  9. Wow! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. Carrots and maple sound like an exquisite combination. can’t believe i’ve never tried it before.

  10. This sounds like a delicious way to serve parnips and carrots (I love both!). I think I’ll add some to my shopping cart today and make this tonight 🙂 Great idea for the maple syrup substitute.

  11. Great dish! And I happen to have an abundance of maple syrup on hand at the moment. And great reminder that I haven’t made parsnips for quite some time. Really nice fall veggies, wonderfully presented – thanks.

  12. I love parsnips too! I tend to make veggies in Japanese way, but maple glazed sounds delicious and fun. Sounds like a very fall veggie dish and love it. My kids will enjoy it because of the maple syrup too! 🙂

  13. What a beautiful blog Vicki! I love root vegetables and colorful dishes – sounds wonderful. Thanks for stopping by – can’t wait to explore your site some more. Have a great day!

  14. Can you believe that I have never prepared parsnips? Can’t wait to try it with maple syrup.

    • I can believe it. I think it’s a veggie that not everyone tried especially because it’s a boring color in my opinion. Most of us gravitate towards those veggies that are bright and full of life.

  15. I love fall too, partly for amazing recipes like this! Absolutely delicious.

  16. It looks delicious , Vicki ! In this part of the world , maple syrup is a tad expensive 😛 😀

  17. This would be a delicious side dish to bring over at thanksgiving dinner. Well, we don’t actually celebrate Thanksgiving but we friends take advantage of holidays and meet at each others house.Canada celebrates thanksgiving this Monday

  18. Yummy! I absolutely love root vegetables. In all shapes and sizes. This is a lovely, classic way to showcase them in one of their purest forms. Just straight up delicious with a touch a of maple. Well done!

  19. How amazing are these shots! Mmmmmm, crackling…

  20. Dear Vicki,

    I think parsnips are the only root vege that I have yet to cook with. This could be one recipe that I can start on.

  21. Dear Vicki, A perfect holiday side. A dish all ages will love. Blessings dear. Catherine xo

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