As the days grow shorter and a crisp chill fills the air, November beckons us to embrace the cozy comforts of home. It’s the season for warm sweaters, crackling fires, and, most importantly, hearty, nourishing food that truly makes you feel good from the inside out. Forget the summer salads; it’s time for something deeply satisfying and packed with autumnal flavors. Today, we’re diving into a recipe that perfectly embodies this sentiment: a delightful **Roasted Vegetable Salad with Millet**, served with an irresistible **Roasted Garlic Dressing**. This isn’t just a meal; it’s a culinary hug, a celebration of the harvest, and a testament to how simple, seasonal ingredients can transform into something extraordinary.
Embracing Autumn’s Bounty: Butternut Squash and Beetroot
There’s an undeniable joy in cooking with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, especially when they’re at their peak. My excitement was palpable the other day when I stumbled upon a vibrant display of freshly harvested beetroots at a local farm shop. Despite my deep appreciation for their earthy sweetness, I often find myself not incorporating these ruby gems into my meals as much as I’d like. This encounter sparked the idea for this incredible **butternut squash and beetroot salad** with millet. The naturally sweet and caramelized flavors that emerge from roasting these root vegetables are simply divine, making them the stars of this quintessential fall dish.
The Nutritional Powerhouses of Your Plate
Beyond their incredible taste, both butternut squash and beetroots are nutritional powerhouses, brimming with essential vitamins and minerals. Eating well isn’t just about satisfying hunger; it’s about fueling your body and feeling vibrant. These vegetables not only taste amazing but also contribute significantly to your overall well-being, potentially enhancing your energy levels and even your glow! Let’s take a closer look at what makes these ingredients so special.
Butternut Squash: A Golden Source of Goodness
If you’re new to the wonderful world of butternut squash, prepare to be impressed. This versatile winter squash is a fantastic addition to any healthy diet. Firstly, it’s incredibly **low in fat** while being exceptionally **rich in dietary fiber**, making it an excellent choice for a heart-healthy lifestyle. Fiber is crucial for digestive health, helps regulate blood sugar, and can keep you feeling full and satisfied. Butternut squash is also an abundant source of **potassium**, a vital mineral known for its role in maintaining healthy blood pressure and supporting bone health. Additionally, it provides a good amount of **Vitamin B6**, which is essential for the proper functioning of our nervous system and a robust immune system. Its high content of Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) also supports vision and skin health, giving you that vibrant autumnal glow.
Beetroots: Nature’s Ruby Jewels
Now, let’s talk about beetroots, those earthy, sweet, and beautifully colored root vegetables. It turns out they share many nutritional similarities with butternut squash, particularly in their fiber and mineral content. However, beetroots stand out for their impressive **Vitamin C** levels, a nutrient we all need extra of, especially during the colder months to ward off seasonal sniffles. Beyond that, they are loaded with **folic acid** (also known as folate), which is crucial for cell growth and function, and a significant amount of **iron**, important for energy and preventing anemia. Beetroots are also rich in unique compounds called betalains, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds give beets their deep red hue and contribute to their reputation as a superfood.
A Lifelong Love Affair with Beets
My connection with beetroots runs deep, rooted in my childhood. Growing up, our household always had an endless supply. Whether it was the tangy crunch of pickled beetroot salad or the comforting warmth of Borscht, these Eastern European classics were staples at our table. It was almost as if my mother had a secret “beet factory” hidden somewhere, ensuring our stock levels never ran low! Perhaps it’s a mere coincidence, but my siblings and I rarely fell ill as children. Call me superstitious, but I’ve always attributed some of that resilience to our year-round consumption of generous amounts of beets. Back then, the only thing I truly cared about was their awesome, naturally sweet taste, which, as I discovered later, becomes even richer, deeper, and more intensely flavorful when roasted.
The Magic of Roasting: Unlocking Flavor and Depth
I am an unapologetic devotee of roasted vegetables. If you’ve read my earlier post about roasted pumpkin soup, you’ll know my firm preference for roasting over boiling. While it might add a little extra time to your cooking process, isn’t that often the case with truly good things? The difference in flavor is profound and absolutely worth the wait. Roasting vegetables caramelizes their natural sugars through the Maillard reaction, developing complex, sweet, and nutty notes that boiling simply cannot achieve. This process transforms humble ingredients like butternut squash and beetroot into culinary stars, giving them a tender interior and slightly crisp, savory exterior. It’s a game-changer for any vegetable, elevating their taste to an entirely new level. An hour in the oven for this bowl of goodness might seem like a commitment, but I promise, the enhanced flavors will make every minute worthwhile.
The Secret Weapon: Roasted Garlic Dressing
No savory salad is complete without a stellar dressing, and this **Roasted Vegetable Salad** gets its ultimate finish from a truly exceptional **Roasted Garlic Dressing**. I can shamelessly admit that I could happily eat roasted garlic for the rest of my life. The pungent, sharp notes of raw garlic mellow out beautifully during roasting, transforming into a sweet, creamy, and wonderfully mild paste. This soft, golden garlic is then effortlessly blended into a light yet flavorful dressing that ties all the autumnal flavors of the salad together. My top tip? Always roast an extra garlic bulb. You’ll thank me later when you discover how delicious it is spread on a slice of warm toast or incorporated into other dishes. It’s a simple addition that adds immense depth and a touch of gourmet elegance to your meal.
A Perfect Companion for Cozy Days
As we retreat indoors, seeking warmth and comfort, this **Roasted Vegetable Salad with Millet** emerges as the perfect companion for cozy autumn days. It’s not only incredibly delicious but also remarkably easy to prepare, making it ideal for both busy weeknights and leisurely weekend lunches. For this recipe, I’ve chosen millet, a naturally gluten-free grain that offers a slightly nutty flavor and a satisfying texture. However, if you prefer, buckwheat or quinoa would also work wonderfully, adding their own unique nutritional benefits and flavors. This versatile **vegan fall recipe** can be enjoyed as a hearty main course or a substantial side dish, offering a wholesome, plant-based meal that nourishes both body and soul.
So go ahead, embrace the season’s offerings and treat yourself to this vibrant bowl of delicious, seasonal roasted veggies. It’s simple, comforting food that consistently delivers on taste and makes you feel fantastic with every bite. Enjoy the process, savor the flavors, and relish in the goodness of homemade, wholesome food!
Until next time, happy cooking! X
📖 Recipe
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Millet
Delicious seasonal salad, full of autumnal flavours and colours. Made with millet and roasted vegetables.
15 mins
45 mins
1 hr
Ingredients
- 4 large raw beetroots peeled and sliced into wedges
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled, deseeded and cut into the same chunks as beetroot
- 4 medium red onions sliced into wedges
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 g cooked millet
Dressing:
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220 C (425 F).
- Put the beetroot, squash and red onion in a large roasting tin.
- Cut the top off the garlic bulb (garlic is for the dressing) and drizzle with a little of the olive oil before wrapping in foil and adding to the tin.
- Season the vegetables and pour the remaining olive oil over them. Roast for 40-45 minutes, turning the vegetables half way through.
- Set the garlic bulb aside, mix roasted vegetables with cooked millet.
- To make dressing, carefully squeeze the roasted garlic from the bulb into a bowl, add lemon juice, oil and agave, add some seasoning and mix.
- Pour dressing over salad, enjoy!
Please note that all my recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I recommend that you use digital scales for a more accurate results. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Nutrition
Calories:
277
kcal
Did you make this?
Tell me how you like it? Leave a comment or take a picture and tag @anna_wierzbinska on Instagram. I love seeing your take on my recipes!