My love affair with roasted vegetables. Spiced and Spicy Roasted Vegetables with Creme Fraiche.

Somewhere along the line I have fallen deeply in love with the sweet, warm goodness that is roasted vegetables. I can't think of another way to prepare veggies that could be better. Roasting veggies brings out and enhances their natural sugars and creates a depth of flavor that is so amazing. Two of my all time favorites are butternut squash and beets. Particularly golden beets. They are seriously the best. That's why I am playing around with these wonderful plants today! Let me warn you now, that if you make this you may never want plain old roasted vegetables again.... Seriously, ever since I consumed this perfection I have been having dreams about it! Maybe I love food a little too much.... Nah!

This dish has a nice spiced sweetness while the jalapeños pack a punch. Pair those two flavors with the zesty lime and the creamy/tart creme fraiche and you have a dynamite dish! This would be a fun vegetable side dish for Thanksgiving (or that other holiday we aren't speaking of...) I will venture to say that this will be a winter regular around our house. The best part is that this is relatively easy to whip together, and it delivers that wow factor! I love how the deep purple and red compliment the rich orange of the butternut squash. Lovely.

I'm sorry, but those are some sexy looking vegetables right there..... I have a weakness for pretty colorful foods. 

Shall we get started? Well alright then! Start out by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Next wash your butternut squash well, then slice it in half lengthwise. Hollow out the seeds. Place each half face down and slice in into 3/4 inch slices. Set those aside.

Now we are going to prepare the beets. They are a little tricky because the red ones will stain if you get the juices on things, so it is best to wear gloves when working with them. Don't let that scare you away though! They are so yummy, it is totally worth it!  Isn't the color of those gold beets amazing? Love it!

Slice the tops off of the beets and peel them with a potato peeler. Place them top down and slice them into 1/4 inch slices. They take a little longer than butternut squash to roast till tender, so it is important to slice them a little thinner. Next wash and thinly slice the jalapeño pepper (leaving the seeds and pith intact.)

Now that all our veggies are ready, we need to mix together the spice glaze. 

Arrange the butternut squash, beets and jalapeños on a lined baking sheet. Try to keep them in a single layer as much as possible, but there may be a little overlapping. 

Brush the spiced glaze over all the veggies liberally. Use up all the glaze. The more the better in this case! Toss the veggies in the oven to start roasting! Roast for 15-18 minutes or until beets and butternut squash are tender when pierced with a fork. 

While those lovelies are getting good, take this time to prepare the limes. Start by slicing a thin layer off the top and bottom of the lime. Slice down the sides removing the peel and pith. Next slice the lime in quarters lengthwise. Place those quarters on their sides and slice them into 1/8 inch thin segments. Place the limes and any excess lime juice in a small bowl and combine with olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Toss to coat well. Set aside for later. 

When the veggies are done roasting remove them from the oven and give them a little sprinkle of kosher salt. Oh la la!

Allow the veggies to cool slightly. You can either place each serving of veggies or serve buffet style on a platter. Just make sure you sprinkle the lime mixture over the roasted veggies and garnish with the leaves of cilantro. Each serving should have a nice dollop of creme fraiche as well! My oh my. This is making me a little jealous.... I wish I was eating this right now. It is just too fabulously delicious. My new food crave for sure.

Enjoy my friends! I know you are gonna love this! Happy eating!

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xoxo

~Laura