First off – I apologize for the photo, it’s kinda hard to make super roasted vegetables look super pretty.

Regardless of the photo – I absolutely love, I repeat and will yell it – L O V E – roasted vegetables – especially winter vegetables. You can really go with any combination you’d like – I based mine this time on what I already had in the fridge from my most recent grocery trip where I bought whatever produce looked best. I made a few additions and skipped some items from the original recipe. Though I will definitely be making this again and again and I know the ingredients will likely change around each time.

I found the original concept for this recipe in the January/February 2012 issue of Whole Living Magazine, which features their New Year Clean Eating Action Plan. These Action Plan issues always have their best recipes, in my opinion. Simple, fresh, clean and totally cleansing. Even though I have been making roasted vegetables for years, what I liked about this recipe were the additions of both the white beans and the balsamic vinegar. Both brilliant additions to an already amazing meal. The original recipe had a sweet potato instead of baby reds like I used, and I went with 2 onions instead of a leek, because I absolutely love roasted onions. The Whole Loving recipe also included rutabaga and parsnips – both items I love but I decided on my own little combination. Broccoli or cauliflower would also be good, as well as a squashes like butternut or acorn, you could add beets or turnips, too. Cabbage or celeriac would also be great. The possibilities really are endless, so just go with your favorites. And don’t worry too much about measuring just add in as much as you’d like of each item, there really is no wrong way. I think this mixture would also be nice tossed with fresh baby spinach or arugula, right when it comes out of the hot oven but since I am avoiding raw vegetables right now, especially leafy ones, I passed on that idea the minute I thought of it.

I ate these vegetables on their own the first night, and tossed them with some brown rice pasta a day later for lunch, you could also serve them with quinoa or brown rice or on top of polenta, etc. Have fun with this.

Since I am eating a bit of a toned down diet this week while I allow my digestive tract to heal (you can read more about that here), I am, as I mentioned, avoiding any raw vegetables, which can be quite rough on your digestion, so I am really enjoying roasting vegetables more than ever right now. Just tonight I made a version of my Spicy Roasted Cauliflower that I served with chickpea and brown rice patties – so I decided to skip the chickpeas in the roasted cauliflower mixture. I also skipped the pine nuts (since nuts can also be a bit rough on your digestion) and I also left out the chiles (same goes with heavy-duty spices for your digestion, they can be rough). I did toss the tasty cauliflower with some cooked baby spinach and it was both delicious and beautiful.

I have been doing a bit more reading about the ileocecal valve stuff that I mentioned yesterday and something interesting that I learned is that your ileocecal valve is on your kidney meridian, so I suppose and I am starting to wonder if that could have caused the upset with my kidneys. Interesting, right? I am actually quite fascinated by all of this and how everything is totally connected, even when you think it isn’t. At the suggestion of Elyssa, my yoga teacher/Chiropractor, I have an upcoming appointment with a local acupuncturist/Doctor of Chinese Medicine. I am really excited to learn more about this and to hopefully take the next steps to feeling even better and maybe fixing some other symptoms that have been going on. Additionally, I have come across quite a few articles that illustrate how to self-massage your ileocecal valve and your overall abdomen – that has been giving me a nice relief throughout the day. I would say if you have any digestive issues at all, take some time and read about this. It definitely has been helping me. Here are the two that I found most helpful, this one and this one (Yes, I know the photos on this page are weird, but it definitely helps get the point across).

I have been juicing in the mornings this week after yoga and I plan to share those recipes with you guys, too. As nice as it would be to do a full-on juice cleanse right now, I also know this may be too much for my body to handle since I am not 100%, so I am just taking it all easy and being smart. But between really toning down my diet and being back at my regular daily yoga practice, I am already feeling better. Hopefully after two weeks of being sure not to consume things that will upset my current sensitive digestion and daily self-massaging I should be back to new in no time.

What have you been eating a lot of lately? Are you avoiding any foods right now?

[print_this]Roasted Winter Vegetables with White Beans
Adapted from Whole Living Magazine January/February 2012 Issue
Serves 4

2 large yellow onions, peeled and cut into eighths
5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 pound of baby red potatoes, chopped
12 brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and pepper
2 teaspoons of Herbes de Provence
1 1/2 cups cooked and drained white beans (I used great northern beans, cannellini beans would also be great)

Heat oven to 400º. On a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan, toss potatoes, onion, garlic, carrots and brussels sprouts with olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast, tossing once or twice, until golden brown and tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in beans.

Add the pan back to the oven and roast until the beans are crisped, about 5 minutes more. Toss vegetables with 1 teaspoon vinegar and drizzle with additional oil.

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Our dog, Seri, absolutely LOVES green veggies, especially Brussels Sprouts. She kept trying to sneak one while I was taking the photos. I finally gave her one when we I was done. She loves them!