Green Salad with Roasted Vegetables

It's happened at last. The winter has gotten to me. 

I'm tired of snow. I'm tired of cold. I'm tired of my warm winter clothes and the ugly landscape out the window.

I want summer tomatoes. Basil and thyme. Strawberries and blueberries. Lemon balm. Local parsley and cucumbers. I want my herb garden!!!

This salad makes the most of winter produce. Roasting the vegetables brings out their sweetness. The balsamic vinegar and olives give it a pungency, a welcome saltiness. If I can't have summer back, this is a pretty good way to make the most of the winter. Pretty, pretty good.

(Linking this up to Pennywise Platter Thursday and Real Food Wednesday.)

Green Salad with Roasted Vegetables
I really prefer this recipe with baby spinach instead of Romaine, but it works well with Romaine or any dark lettuce. This recipe feeds one as a main dish for lunch, or 2-4 people as a side dish. (Me, I eat the entire salad and will not share.) 

2 parsnips
1 carrot
1 onion
2 tablespoons olive oil

6 baby peppers left whole, or 1 bell pepper sliced in thick wedges

salt and pepper to taste
a handful of green or black olives

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 cups baby spinach, Romaine, or other dark lettuce, cleaned and chopped coarse

Preheat the oven to 425*. Peel the parsnips, carrot, and onion. Cut them in even slices, about 1/8 inch thick.

Pour the olive oil onto a large aluminum baking sheet. Add the sliced vegetables plus the peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix well. 

Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring a few times to be sure the vegetables brown evenly. When they look ready, turn off the oven and let them rest in the oven for a few minutes to be sure they are fully roasted. (Sample one if you like, just to be sure.) 

Add the olives to the vegetables and then toss it with vinegar. (At this point, the salad can sit for a few hours at room temperature.) 

Right before serving, add the greens and toss once again. 

Linking this up to KOAB Recipe Exchange!