Wouldn’t you just love a bit of sweet heat on your caramelized, roasted vegetables? Roasted Spicy Orange-Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables get tossed with a mixture that includes luscious pomegranate molasses, clementine (orange, blood orange, cara cara orange), a bit of maple syrup, and a chipotle chile in its adobo… Yes, its spicy-sweet coat will have you coming back for more! Eat more veggies!
I had planned to call these lovely Roasted Spicy Orange-Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables “Mexican,” but I wasn’t confident that would fly… The flavors and ingredients are definitely taken from the Mexican flavor profile: Chipotle chile in adobo, citrus, pomegranate, cilantro, garlic. I guess it depends on your chosen root veg, but winter vegetables like butternut squash and brussels sprouts aren’t typically found in a Mexican market. You are likely to find zucchini and chayote squash, along with an abundance of amazing produce. At any rate, this girl uses flavor profiles to create new dishes. I love Mexican flavors, and they work really well as a glaze on roasted root veg! Interested in more info on Mexican produce? See The Fruits and Vegetables of Mexico and Rick Bayless: It’s Time to Give Vegetables Their Due in Mexican Cuisine.
Roasted Spicy Orange-Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables is a side that I created to accompany the Festive Mexican Cornish Game Hens and Mexican Cilantro Rice in my Cozy Christmas Menu for Two in 2017. One of the challenges I’ve faced since our move to McAllen, TX is in cooking for 2. My husband and I raised 4 sons, and we always had “extras” around. As I mentioned with my Cozy Thanksgiving Dinner for Two, I find it more difficult to create a menu that serves 2-4. We love leftovers… just not LEFTOVERS! 😀
This menu may or may not leave you with a small lunch the next day. We are pretty careful with portion sizes, so we do have a nice lunch the next day. If cooking for a small family is a challenge you face, I’d love to hear from you. Obviously, if this menu appeals to you, simply scale it up! I will link to the Cornish game hens as soon as the post is live…
Lastly, remember: Flexibility is key to becoming more comfortable in the kitchen. Don’t limit this recipe to brussels sprouts and butternut squash. Substitute your favorites, keeping in mind you may need to vary the cooking time. Sweet potatoes, delicata squash, pumpkin, green beans, beets, etc. would make great substitutes.
Christmas at Andersen casa always focuses around the table. Precious time with our loved ones. We will be in Charlotte, North Carolina with our oldest son, his wife, our 2 little grandsons, our third son, and my sister. While gifts will be exchanged, and the littles will provide a lot of joy, what we look forward to most is celebrating our Savior’s birth, and preparing and enjoying a meal. Together.
He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.
~~ Roy L. Smith, clergyman
Roasted Spicy Orange-Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables
Winter vegetables get tossed with a mixture that includes luscious pomegranate molasses, clementine (orange, blood orange, cara cara orange), a bit of maple syrup, and a chipotle chile in its adobo... fantastic, healthy, south-of-the-border flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 small orange zest and juice
- 1 small chipotle with its adobo
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 pound brussels sprouts sliced lengthwise (see notes)
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed (see notes)
- several grinds pepper
- pomegranate arils to garnish
- chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 convection).
Add first 6 ingredients to a personal blender or small food processor. Process until very smooth.
Add the prepped root vegetables to a mixing bowl. Pour the glaze over, and toss well to combine. Season with several grinds of pepper.
Spread in a single layer in a casserole or baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. I prefer my thick unglazed stone ware pan.
Cook in preheated oven until tender and caramelized on the edges, stirring every 10 minutes or so. I do a 3/4" dice, and they take 25-30 minutes in my oven.
To serve: Garnish with pomegranate arils and chopped cilantro.
Recipe Notes
Chipotles in adobo are dried and smoked jalapenos in sauce. They're spicy. We felt 1 small chipotle was perfect. If you can't handle heat, use a half chipotle or just a spoonful of adobo.
Pomegranate molasses is widely available in international foods sections of many markets. If you cannot find it, reduce pomegranate juice.
As I mentioned in the post, you can use your favorite root vegetables (ie. beets, sweet potatoes, green beans, etc.), just be sure to watch the cooking time...
Macronutrients (approximation from MyFitnessPal): 161 calories; 5 g protein; 23 g carbohydrates; 7 g fat.
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