This Root Vegetable Gratin is a delicious, hearty and filling vegan dish. It has a no-cheese crunchy crust and is a perfect warmer on a cold day. Plus it’s really healthy. Root vegetables are some of the most underappreciated vegetables around. But they are nutritional powerhouses, widely available in winter and very inexpensive. In this recipe I have used swede, carrots & sweet potatoes but any root vegetable mix will work. Feel free to experiment with rutabagas, turnips. Beets, parsnips and other root vegetables in this recipe. Enjoy what’s out there in your local market.  The recipe for this gratin is inspired by a recipe for a sweet potato gratin in one of my favorite books: Meals that heal inflammtion.

Ingredients

• 4 shallots , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp of fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp of chili powder
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1 large Swedish turnip (rutabaga), cut into small chunks
• 4 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 tbsp garam masala powder
• ½ cup vegetable stock
• 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
• 1 cup of red lentils
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• freshly ground black pepper
• Pink Himalaya salt

 Crust

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tbsp. cumin
• pink Himalaya salt
• ½ cup quinoa flakes

 Instructions

• Wash the red lentils in cold water until the water runs clear.
• Put the lentils in a pot with water to cover and simmer for 15 minutes covered until lentils tender.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
• Combine coconut juice, stock, spices, salt and cilantro. Mix well.
• In a large baking tray, pour half of the liquid mixture.
• Add the sweet potato, carrots, turnip and cooked lentils. Mix well.
• Add the rest of the liquid mixture to cover the vegetables.
• Sprinkle the crust ingredients over the gratin.
• Bake for 60 minutes. Halfway through baking turn the baking tray in the oven so everything gets cooked evenly.
• Put the grill on for the last few minutes to make sure the crust is golden brown.
• When the veggies are cooked and the crust is crisp, the gratin is ready. Let sit for a few minutes to cool down before serving.