Roasted vegetables

I seem to have latched onto a theme here. Roasted vegetables have appeared on the table many times in the last fortnight. Roasting suits most vegetables and it is easy to do as well as providing suitable nutrition for a vegan. You can do them all in the oven at once using your fan function. Just put the longest cooking ones in first. I usually cook them at 200-220.
I'll just talk you though a few I have done recently. Some I may have mentioned before but mybe you've forgotten or only recently joined the blog.
I can't go past crushed potatoes so I'll mention them first. Boil new potatoes until cooked then drain until they have stopped steaming. That lets you know they are dry. Put in a roasting dish so they fit snugly and, using the back of a teaspoon (or your fingers if they are the asbestos variety), press each potato gently until the skin breaks & the potato just gives a little. Drizzle over some olive oil & sprinkle on some salt & a herb of your choice. Roast in a hot oven about 40 minutes. If you don't have oven room to roast because you have too much going on in the oven, you can always boil them & toss in oil with salt & parsley at the end. I have discovered a delicious early potato called Perla which is brilliant for this dish.
Baby turnips & carrots go well with fennel. Leave the carrots whole (use a variety of colours if you can buy them or grow them) and halve the turnips if you think they are a little on the large side. Slice the fennel into chunks, toss in olive oil, season & roast in a hot oven about 20 minutes.
Try boiling baby beetroot about 30 minutes then drain & peel. Toss them in a dressing of olive oil & balsamic vinegar, (3/1) and 1 tbsp honey. Roast in a hot oven 20 minutes then toss in a handful of kalamata olives & sprinkle over some feta cheese. If there is a vegan at your table put the feta aside to sprinkle on individual serves & substitute a little brown sugar for the honey.
Roast baby kumara in their skins, either on their own or with shallots & garlic - don't bother to peel the garlic. Toss in oil & season. These will work nicely with rosemary.
Try roasting asparagus with finely chopped garlic & fresh chilli, a handful of ripped basil and 1/2 a dozen cherry tomatoes. Season, toss in oil & put in a hot pan then roast in a hot oven 21 minutes. Add 5-8 minutes to the time if you haven't heated the pan first.
The other day I found some courgettes and an aubergine that hadn't been used in a previous meal so used this method, adding the courgettes & aubergine cut into wedges. This is also a good way to entice reluctant vegetable eaters.
Do you have a favourite roasted vegetable combination?
I also thought I would mention Harriet's vegan mayonnaise that she made to accompany Antoinette's falafels. To half a block of silken tofu, add 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar & 1 tbsp grainy mustard. Pulse to lightly blend then with the machine on the lowest speed add 1/4 -1/2c olive oil until it resembles mayonnaise. This was delicious. Do not however add 6 cloves of garlic as Harriet did the first time. You can have too much of a good thing.
I also need to mention that I had my sister staying & she needed to be provided with a meal on the run. On a bed of baby cos & baby spinach I put a spicy chick pea salad. Heat 100 ml olive oil in a small saucepan with a finely sliced red chilli, 4 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1-2 finely sliced red onions, 75ml cider vinegar. Mix in a bowl with a drained tin of chick peas, 1/2 cup crumbled feta, 1-2 finely sliced spring onions & a handful of fresh mint & flat leaf parsley. To this I added some slices of pan fried lamb fillet. I rub my lamb with salt pepper & ground cumin & leave to sit at least 10 minutes before frying in a hot pan or griddle.
Harriet made Halloween themed vegan pumpkin cup cakes for pudding. Too good!