A Healthy Twist on Roast

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

5 to 7 stalks of celery

3-5 carrots, peeled

1 pound red potatoes, halved

Salt

Ground black pepper

1 (3 ½ pound) whole chicken

½ of a medium onion, cut into 4 pieces

1/3 cup dry white wine

2-3 celery leaves (from core)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl stir together oil and lemon juice; set aside. Trim celery to fit a 9 x 13 pan. Quarter lengthwise any carrots. Line the bottom of the ungreased pan with celery and carrots. Place potatoes on top. Drizzle vegetables with half of the oil mixture. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, season body cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff chicken with onion and celery leaves. Twist wing tips under back. Reduce oven to 375 degrees. Push potatoes to the edge of pan. Place chicken on top of celery and carrots. Baste chicken and potatoes with the remaining oil mixture. Add to the pan, the wine. Roast for 70 to 75 minutes. Let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving. Discard onion and celery leaves. Drain and discard juices from chicken. Add chicken and vegetables to a platter.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

This is a healthier way of making a roast, because chicken is much better for you than red meat. The celery and carrots are used as a roasting rack and are still get all of the flavor, so there is less clean up and just as much flavor.

I hope you enjoy this healthy twist on roast and vegetables.