Roasted Spicy Orange Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables

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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, orange juice, a bit of maple syrup, and a chipotle chile ... an elegant side for your holiday or any time you want something a bit unique and special!

AND. It's the last Tuesday of the month and time for Progressive Eats, a virtual progressive dinner with a few of my food blogger pals! Our November theme is "all things pomegranate," and just in time for holiday planning! Be sure to scroll all the way down and peruse the tasty offerings.

Tamara Talks

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 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.

Roasted Spicy Orange Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables is so EASY. HEALTHY. VEGAN. GLUTEN FREE. ALL THE THINGS. You'l love it! It's 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 (both people and dogs!). 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!  😀

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 winter veggies! 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.

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!

Making Roasted Spicy Orange-Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables

Make it Your Own

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, butternut squash, etc. would make great substitutes.

Pomegranate Molasses?

Is this an ingredient you're familiar with? It is a favorite at Andersen casa, and one I keep in my well-stocked pantry.

Pomegranate molasses is a key ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking. When I first began using it, it was difficult (if not impossible) to find in the US. Given my love of Middle Eastern cooking, I simply made my own with pomegranate juice! It requires about 50 minutes to cook down, but requires only 3 ingredients - pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and sugar. No time for that? You can order it on Amazon, or find it in many standard and ethnic markets.

Ingredients

My Work Flow

Simplicity and elegance define this dish IMHO. The glaze ingredients get puréed until smooth, then the prepared vegetables get tossed thoroughly with it. They go into a preheated oven, and depending on size, the dish should be caramelized, tender, and gorgeous in about 30 minutes. Garnish with the pomegranate arils and chopped cilantro just prior to serving.

Cooking Tips

• Keep in mind the size of the pieces of vegetables. I recommend cutting the brussels in half lengthwise and the butternut squash in 3/4" dice.
• If changing up the vegetables, keep in mind cooking times. Beets may require longer, and you may want to leave smaller brussels whole. Sweet potatoes should be about the same. If you use a summer squash, cut them in thick slices, and try to use smaller brussels and cut them in half. Key to good roasted vegetables is in cutting them into appropriately sized pieces.

Yield: 4 servings

Roasted Spicy Orange-Pomegranate Glazed Winter Vegetables

Print

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!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

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)
• 3-4 shallots, halved lengthwise
• several grinds pepper
• pomegranate arils, to garnish
• chopped cilantro , to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 convection).
2. Add first 6 ingredients to a personal blender or small food processor. Process until very smooth.
3. Add the prepped root vegetables to a mixing bowl. Pour the glaze over, and toss well to combine. Season with several grinds of pepper.
4. Spread in a single layer in a casserole or baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. I prefer my thick unglazed stone ware pan.
5. 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.
6. To serve: Garnish with pomegranate arils and chopped cilantro.

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, you can easily make it at home.

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.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

4 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 161Total Fat: 7gCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 5g

Nutrition is an approximation and for reference purposes only!

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month's theme is Everything Pomegranate -- from pomegranate juice to molasses to fresh arils straight from the fruit. Our host this month is Beth Lee who blogs at OMG! Yummy. If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it's a virtual party. We choose a theme each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the deliciousness we've put together for our celebration inspired dishes!

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He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.

~~ Roy L. Smith, clergyman

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.