When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, traditional recipes are hard to beat. They're familiar and reliable, and everyone expects to see them on the table each year. However, while there may be comfort in the routine, there is also the intrigue of trying something new.

There's no need to swap the turkey for pot roast or say goodbye to the beloved cranberry relish. Instead, add a few new side dishes to this year's feast.

BEN FINK/AP Photo/Culinary Institute of America (ENLARGE)
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Root vegetables like carrots and parsnips develop a sweet, mellow flavor when slowly oven-roasted. 6 parsnips

Makes 8 servings

7 carrots

¼ cup olive oil

1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon sage, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel the parsnips and carrots. Cut them into chunky pieces roughly 2 inches long and ¾-inch thick. All the pieces should be of uniform size and shape. Toss the parsnips and carrots with the oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and sage in a large bowl. Spread in a large, shallow baking pan. Roast the vegetables in the lower third of the oven until tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Nutrition information per 4-ounce serving: 130 cal., 1 g pro., 16 g carbo., 7 g fat, 460 mg sodium, 0 mg chol., 3 g fiber.

(Recipe from The Culinary Institute of America's "Gourmet Meals in Minutes," Lebhar-Freidman, 2004, $40)

By The Culinary Institute of America, for AP Weekly Features