I usually do new potatoes and baby carrots, because they’re easy, but I’d like to do something different this time.
Try some whole mushrooms, and whole onions.
I like turnips. They cook down soft like potatoes but have a lot less starch/lot more fiber than potatoes, and a slightly radishy taste. I also very much like some celery, cut into 1" pieces on the bias. I don’t care for cooked carrots so I leave those out.
Carrots, potatos and onions always make their way in (mushrooms are a no-no in our house). My mom always used to put cabbage in it, but my wife never does.
I usually toss in baby carrots, celery slices, quartered onions and new potatos. The onions and celery pretty much dissolve to nothing any/or get sifted out leaving only flavor behind.
The real question is what do you use, a wet method or a dry method? Crock pot or stove top or oven? Whats the liquid if you do it wet?
I also toss in baby carrots, pototoes and quartered onions. Plus, bay leaves, coliander, salt and pepper. I will use either red wine or soy sauce for the liquid, if I am slow-cooking the roast I also will add some beef broth.
Aside from the basics, you can use turnip, shallots, whole garlic cloves, leeks…
About a cup or two of fresh chopped parsely is needed. It is one of the rare times the flavor of parsely is important.
Parsley, black pepper, kosher salt, carrots, potatoes, celery, onions, garlic, thyme, marjoram, garlic, and mushrooms. Be sure to coat the roast in vegetable oil or lard or bacon grease before adding the spices and vegetables.
Ok, so we’re getting into spices.
Garlic cloves, oregeno, basil, black pepper and bay leaf.
Vegetables: some combination of onions, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, turnips, celery
Spices: bay leaf, kosher salt, fresh pepper, garlic, maybe a touch of thyme, a dash of crushed red pepper flakes
Parsnips can be lovely too.
I only use one pot roast recipe, but it’s a killer. The roast is seared on both sides in a white-hot cast iron skillet with some salt added, and then thrown into a crock pot.
Toss some thyme, minced onions, 1/4 cup brown sugar, pepper, and a bay leaf on top of the roast. Add a can of beef broth to the pot, and cook all day. Add your veggies later on so they don’t get soggy.
After you pull the meat out of the cooking juices, thicken into a gravy by adding about 10 pulverized gingersnaps.
You’ll love it, I guarantee.
Rutabagas. A rutabaga is a kind of turnip, but it is more robust and starchy than a turnip and doesn’t cook away into mush. After the first time I had a vegetable soup with rutabagas, I was a convert and now I always add them to stews and soups.
Leeks are also good.
In the crockpot, with a 1/4-1/2 cup of water. I sear the meat first, and onions are a given, as are ground pepper and kosher salt. I’ve experimented with different rubs and such, but finally we decided that the fru-fru spices were just distracting from the delicious, delicious chunk of meat.
Now, that’s interesting! What kind of gingersnaps? The wee little dry ones, or bigger, softer ones?
You want the dry ones. I run them through the blender so the gravy isn’t lumpy.
This recipe isn’t overly spicy, but boy is it ever good.
Carrots, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, corn, peas, green beans, shredded spinach, macaroni, alphabet pasta, beans, the kitchen sink … pretty much anything I’ve got lying around can go into a stew. The only verboten thing is celery, because I detest it in anything that’s cooked.
Note to self: go by the store on the way home. We’re having pot roast for dinner tomorrow! 
sounds like your basic Sauerbraten gravy. actually, might make a much simpler form of sauerbraten, come to think of it. marinating the beef for a couple days rather makes it a bit of a chore to make, otherwise. i might have to try that myself, since hubby loves the stuff.
(might want to add a touch of vinegar to the gravy too. or maybe red wine.)
For an Italian twist, substitute mushrooms for potatoes (no carbs), and add olives or olive pieces and some seasonings. I have a complete recipe if you want it.
I second the use of alternative root vegetables - turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, kohlrabi, …
I lay pieces of celery in the bottom of the pan and rest the roast on top of it while it cooks. Keeps the roast from sticking to the bottom of the pan, and adds a nice flavor to the broth. The celery cooks to mush and you’re not going to want to eat it though.
Otherwise it’s potatoes (skin on), carrots, onions, and garlic.