Crock-Pot Roast and Root Vegetables

Simple, slow cooker meals are always a favorite when life gets busy, plus they’re really good and feel warm and yummy in our bellies. I love using the slow cooker as a low maintenance option when there are other chores to get done. For us, it usually also means we’re getting some leftovers for the week!

This is an easy recipe that came from an effort to use up some of the extra veggies we had in the fridge after picking up a roast that was on sale. I enjoy making these kind of experimental or impromptu meals of using what you can find in the house. It’s a great way to try something new and use up the ‘leftovers’ from other recipes or meal plans before they go to waste.

It’s been more recent that I’ve tried to do different things with radishes. Quite awhile ago a friend told me that they had been at a dinner where the host roasted radishes as an alternative to potatoes. Now, anyone who knows me can attest I LOVE my potatoes, and they do fuel me when I’m doing a lot of cardio, but I had to try this. Much to my surprise, they were quite delicious! (Simply Roasted Veggies recipe is a great way to do this)

Knowing that radishes had more uses than I’ve probably ever considered, typically using it just as a salad garnish, I decided to add them to this recipe and again was pleasant surprise. They offer a more potato like texture to contrast the carrots and parsnips and took on the flavor of the broth and thyme. I hope you like them!

One other thing worth noting when making a roast in the slow cooker, brown it first! It may seem like a tedious extra step, but it really does keep your roast from getting dried out.

So try this one for an easy meal, maybe to have leftovers, or to feed a crowd pair it with a side salad and you’re good to go!

Ingredients:
– Roast (3 lbs)
– Onion (1 medium)
– Carrots (4-5)
– Parsnips (2-3)
– Radishes (1 bag)
– Beef Broth (1 cup)
– Salt
– Pepper
– Thyme

Optional: Turnips, Potatoes, other root vegetables

Kitchen Items You’ll Need:
– Knife
– Cutting Board
– Frying Pan    
– Crock-pot  

Cooking Instructions:               
1. Wash and roughly chop onion, carrots, parsnips, radishes and other vegetables. Place in slow cooker and season with salt, pepper and thyme.
2. Season both sides of roast with salt, pepper, and thyme. Brown in frying pan with a tablespoon of oil – about 3 minutes per side. Place roast on top of vegetables.
3. Pour beef broth over roast and veggies.
4. Cook 8-10 hours on low.