Roasted Parsnips and Celery

I truly love my Sheet Pan and try to use them whenever I can. I also love roasted vegetables and tonight I roasted Parsnips and Celery together. Both of these vegetables don't often get enough credit for being delicious and they are! When you roast them together, the Parsnips get caramelized and chewy-crisp and the Celery gets soft, yet stays juicy. It's a wonderful combination!  I very simply drizzle them with Olive Oil and since I love to roast Celery when I roast a Chicken, I used Chicken Salt that I brought back from Australia to season them. But, you can use any Seasoned Salt or just Salt. The secret to this dish is to roast the vegetables for nearly an hour and then put them under the broiler for the last several minutes. They are a perfect combination for me!

Roasted Parsnips and Celery

4 Parsnips, ends trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

4 - 5 stalks of Celery, washed, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Chicken Salt or Seasoned Salt or Salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle a sheet pan with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil and then put on the Parsnip and Celery pieces.  Drizzle with the remaining Olive Oil and sprinkle with Salt. Place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn over all the pieces with a spatula. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 25 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 3 - 4 minutes or until the Parsnips start to brown.  Serve hot or warm. 

Five Element Analysis

Parnsips are a combination of the Metal Element because they are a white food, but also grow in the ground so they embody the Earth Element too. Celery is part of the Wood Element as is the Olive OIl. Roasting these vegetables brings in the Fire Element. The Water Element is the only one missing so this would be a good side dish to Pork or Fish or another Water vegetable like Eggplant.