As we, here at Lincoln Land Community College, are off for spring break next week, I am joining the winter snowbirds and flying somewhere warmer. While nice weather will be a wonderful change of pace given the slippery snow days of the last three weeks, being “beach ready” is not where I find myself today. Well, I guess I should clarify what I mean by “beach ready.”  If “beach ready” means having the perfect portable table for my appetizers and wine glasses along with the soft sided wagon to transport it to the seaside, then I am ready; however, my waistline is a completely different story.

January and February’s cold winter days do not motivate me to eat more salads but rather invite me to indulge in rich, stick-to-you soups and stews. Furthermore, I definitely cannot get on board with the New Year’s resolution craze to lose weight. That being said, I do recognize that this time of year may need me to get going in the direction of fresher, lighter fare.

The recipe I am sharing today, Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella with Truffle Vinaigrette, is, in fact, a salad. It is the kind of salad that feels hearty and rich yet is still super healthy. This salad is intended to be entrée size for six guests.

The day ahead, follow the instructions below to roast the root vegetables and then chill them. Make the vinaigrette and also place in the refrigerator.

The day of, melt one stick of butter in a bowl along with one clove of garlic, minced and two sprigs of rosemary leaves, removed and minced. Cut a small loaf of focaccia into one-inch cubes and toss with a melted butter mixture. Warm the croutons in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees until desired crispness. Toss the vinaigrette with ½ pound of arugula and then divide the salad and root vegetables equally among the six plates. Add the warm croutons and top with burrata or dollops of fresh goat cheese.

Roasted root vegetables

• 3 pounds assorted root vegetables such as beets, carrots, parsnips, celeriac, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc. Think about using a mix that is colorful.
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 sprigs minced fresh rosemary
• 6 springs fresh thyme leaves

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel vegetables and dice into 1 inch cubes. Spray nonstick spray on the inside of a glass baking dish. Arrange vegetables in dish and drizzle olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the vegetables in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then check. If they look dry and are sticking to the pan, drizzle with more oil and stir. Continue roasting for another 20 minutes. Stir in the herbs, then return the pan to the oven for another 15 minutes or until crisp. Remove from the oven and cool. When cool, place in refrigerator for next day.

Truffle vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon shallot, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup truffle oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Place shallot, Dijon, honey, and vinegar in a bowl.  With a whisk, slowly drizzle in olive oil, then truffle oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Baking/Pastry, and Value-Added Local Food, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.