Recently, I was up in Dallas where there is salvation in the form of a Whole Foods. I had an amazing “salad” for lunch called Roasted Fall Harvest or something like that. I can’t really remember. But what I do remember was how simple and delicious it was. After talking to one of the Whole Foods chefs I found that it was supper easy to make and perfect for the kiddos to help out with. Mia helped by siring all of the veggies together and if we weren’t completely covered with olive oil by the end of her creation I would have snapped a pic. Try this slightly sweet side dish warm or cold and enjoy all that fall has to offer. Carrots can also be replaced with butternut squash.

Roasted Green Bean, Beets, and Carrots serves 4 to 6

• 1 large beet
• 5 carrots
• 2  large shallots
• 1 pound green beans
• 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp honey

Preheat oven to 400°. With a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off the beet.

With a sharp knife, slice the beet into quarter inch thick bite size slices and place in a large bowl.

Peel the carrots and slice into quarter inch slices. Place the slices in the bowl with the beets.

Peel the shallots, slice in bite size pieces and place in the bowl.

Snap the tough ends off the green beans and place in the bowl with the other veggies.

This is where I have to stop and tell you that when I was a kid I was forced into child labor. True story. I’ve mentioned her before, RoRo, my beloved nanny. I really don’t like to say she was me nanny because she was almost like a second grandmother. She took care of my great-grandparents when she was a teenager, helped raise my mom’s younger siblings and then, helped raise my brother and I. Whenever I think about her I smile and tear up a little. All of my fond memories have her included somehow and this is one of them. RoRo was an amazing cook! I learned almost everything from her since my mother was a hard working mom and hardly stepped foot in the kitchen. RoRo was known for her fried pies, collard greens, and fried catfish but what I truly loved was how she cooked green beans. Maybe one day I will share the recipe when I decide to forget my ever growing behind and cook a real southern RoRo style meal. but for now I’m keeping it to myself. It was her green beans I begged for everyday. So while blueberry muffins baked in the oven, RoRo and I would sit down in the living room with a big pile of beans and a large bowl. She would turn on her stories and say, “Squirt Tail (that was her nickname for me) if I’m gonna make beans for you again you’re gonna snap’em.” So in the midst of the daily dramas of The Young and Restless I would learn the ways of love, deception, how to style my hair 20 feet high (it was the early 80′s) and snap beans. There was nothing I’d rather do and still to this day every time I snap a bean I think of my RoRo, the smell of blueberry muffins and her stories.

Ok…back to it. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the vegetables in the bowl.

Add the salt and pepper and mix well.

On a foil or parchment lined sheet (you don’t have too, it’s just for easy clean up) spread the vegetables out and place in oven. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Once finished, drizzle honey over the vegetables and mix. Serve warm or cold. Hope you enjoy this as much as we did and if you actually live in a town with a Whole Foods and don’t want to cook stop by and try this today.