Easy and delicious Maple Roasted Veggies

Bringing you a healthier side dish that uses all fresh natural ingredients. I promise that each bite is insanely delicious. The sweetness from the maple and cinnamon, paired with the saltiness of the prosciutto, ending with a crunch from the pecans. Mmmmm mmmm mmmmm ! So good, you might not even realize it’s healthy!

Want to hear the best part? This recipe only uses 1 baking sheet. Woohoo!

Okay well maybe two if you’re doubling the recipe, but that’s still a win in my book. Less dishes to clean after dinner.

I developed this recipe after getting diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis, an auto immune disease with symptoms that include joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and unfortunately for me, some pretty bad psoriasis that overtook my hands. You can read more about my journey here.

After years of doctors appointments I was happy to finally have some answers, but I also knew that in addition to daily medication, I would also need to make some lifestyle changes… my diet. I started to read more labels and became more aware of processed foods or excess sugars. I’m surely not perfect and I still have my fair share of fun, but I can confidently say I feel better when I eat cleaner.

This recipe came to life right before Thanksgiving in 2021. When the world was unsure if it was okay to gather. It was intended to be a Thanksgiving side dish, but truthfully, I eat this year round.

I like to eat this on the side of a protein such as chicken, pork, or of course the obvious… turkey!

Optional add-ins:

A lot of my recipes are a choose-your-own-adventure type of recipe. Meaning, you can follow exactly what I did or mix and match ingredients to fit your ideal flavor profile. I personally like options because I never follow the rules! Here are a couple of optional ingredients worth adding to this side dish:

• Maple roasted pecans
  OR maple bourbon pecans from Whole Foods
• Dried cranberries or cherries

Tips for making these Maple Roasted Veggies:

1. Line your baking sheet with foil for an even easier cleanup. The maple syrup will begin to caramelize after baking for so long.
2. Add some dried fruit to this side such as dried cranberries or dried cherries. This will add a slight sweetness with your savory roasted vegetables and salty prosciutto.
3. Roasted nuts are great for snacking. Make a bigger batch and store them in an air tight container in your pantry. The maple roasted nut recipe would be good with pecans, walnuts, or even sliced almonds.
4. I have made this recipe with both sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Both are equally delicious. If you’re making this in the winter months, I’d suggest using the butternut squash because it’s more seasonal appropriate. Any other time of the year, or when squash is hard to find, sub it for sweet potatoes.
5. Bake the prosciutto until it’s nice and crispy. You should be able to crumble it easily. See pic below for reference.

How to make maple roasted pecans:

Maple pecans are super simple to make at home, but if you’re looking for a short cut, pick up some Maple Bourbon pecans from Whole Foods.

All you need is pecans, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Mix them all together and bake on a foil lined pan for 7-8 minutes.

What to do with the leftovers?

SAVE THE LEFTOVERS!

This side is just as good for breakfast as it is for dinner. Just add a sunny side egg on top and it sort of becomes a leftover hash. You can always add a little extra syrup, hot honey, or even some hot sauce depending if you’re a sweet or savory breakfast person.

I hope you get the chance to make this recipe, because it is oh so delicious!

I’d love to hear from you once you get the chance to make this recipe. Leave a comment below with your review or any modifications you made! And don’t forget to tag @rightbackspatula on Instagram if you take any pictures!