Moroccan Roasted Veggie Pilaf

Lately I've been craving carrots and brussels sprouts roasted in a bit of coconut oil with some coarse salt.  Easy and delicious, I've cooked them up quite a few times recently.  Something about the coconut oil makes these root vegetables irresistible.

Take a moment and let that sink in Mom...  I've been craving brussels sprouts :)  I never thought I'd say that!!

My most recent creation used something else hiding in my cupboard- a Moroccan Curry Kashi Pilaf.  I played up the spices a little bit on the veggies, added some chickpeas and feta, and called it a meal! 

Moroccan Roasted Vegetable Pilaf
Serves 2-3

1lb carrots, peeled
1lb brussels sprouts, trimmed
1 red pepper
1-2T melted coconut oil
moroccan spices
2c Kashi Pilaf (or cooked quinoa, wheat berries, or other grain)
1 can chickpeas
2-3oz feta (I recommend a block made from sheep/goat's milk; or goat cheese)

Preheat oven to 400deg.

Cut up your veggies so they're a relatively uniform size.  My carrots got thickly sliced on the bias and brussels sprouts got halved or quartered to match.  The red pepper also got chopped into chunks about the same size.

Add veggies to a large bowl and toss with coconut oil.  Season with coarse salt and moroccan spices.  I went with eye-balled amounts of cumin, cinnamon, ginger and a dash of cayenne.  (If you want a more precise mix, try Joanne or Dawn's recipes)  Spread on a sheet pan and roast for 30-45min, until cooked through and nicely caramelized around the edges.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare whichever grains you're using and rinse/drain the chickpeas.  Toss the roasted veggies with the cooked grains and chickpeas, then serve up topped with feta. 

Have you tried coconut oil for roasting your root veggies yet??   How about your most recent favorite easy meal??