We are approaching the March weather, which means rain, snow, sleet, warm one day, freezing the next and spring sun trying to chase away the winter gloom. You never know! That’s why we’re rooting (Hay Ray!) for those root veggies that give us what we need to get through the weather craziness. Carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, and sweet potatoes, add flavor to almost any dish and combine well with onions, ginger, garlic, and turmeric.
Cheers for these colorful bundles of nutrition that add crunchy taste to your meals while they perk up your body and keep it running smoothly. Low in calories with a naturally sweet taste.
Loaded with delicious fiber they make your digestive system work better, giving you more energy and even a little weight loss. Packed with vitamin A and C, these roots help fight off colds, help reduce your cholesterol and strengthen your eyes.
Steam them alone. Toss them into stews or soup.
Mix them all together or pair with different “partners.”
Beets like partners. Delicious with red onion and slices of orange or grapefruit. Cooking brings out the sweetness; a bit of vinegar bumps up the flavor.
Carrots are the most widely eaten veggie in the world. From raw crunchy sticks for dips or to plain peanut butter to flavor for soup to carrot cake, their natural sweetness can’t be beat.
Parsnips are the unsung root veggie. Denser than a carrot with a nuttier taste, they add delicate flavor to soup, salad, or stew. They should be cooked. Delicious, mashed up with carrots or sweet potatoes, a bit of butter and cinnamon.
Sweet potatoes: Tastier than white potatoes with fewer calories, high Vitamin A to improve your skin and eyes, they help improve your blood sugar.
Pan-fry a combination of carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, beet, and onions (see recipe) for winter treat that also helps keep you healthy.
Root for Roots
Recipe: Roasted Root Veggies
INGREDIENTS
2 medium beets, peeled
3 carrots, peeled
2 large parsnips, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled
1 yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Add a teaspoon of finely chopped ginger or garlic (optional)
TO MAKE:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut veggies into 2-inch pieces
Place the beets on a quarter of the baking sheet. Place the carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and onions on the other side of the beets (to keep the beets from staining the other vegetables).
Drizzle the vegetables with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently toss the vegetables to coat; roast until tender, about 35 minutes, turn midway through roasting. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
More Seasoning Choices:
Marinate: Mix 1 Tablespoon each of Olive Oil and Dijon mustard, 2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of basil and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pour of veggies and let sit for 30 minutes. Roast as usual
Just before you serve: Whisk the juice and zest of 1 orange with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh fall herbs, such as rosemary, sage or thyme. (Or a teaspoon of dried herbs. Pour over plain roasted veggies
TIPS AND TRICKS
Roasting is great for almost any veggie. Mix different kinds together. Of course, different veggies need different cooking times. Check here: LINK
“Roast until you see toast:” An easy way to tell if your veggies are cooked., just look for crispy edges. Crispiness adds flavor. Kids generally love it!
Root veggies like partners
Beets: Delicious with red onion and slices of orange or grapefruit. Cooking brings out the sweetness; a bit of vinegar bumps up the flavor
Roast carrots and parsnips together with a little oil and salt and pepper
Mash equal parts of sweet potatoes and parsnips with butter, a little cream and a dash of cinnamon.
More Ideas
Beet Greens tastes a bit like kale: delicious and healthy. Wash and clean leaves. Heat enough olive oil to cover a pan, add greens and 2 cloves of garlic minced. Cook, stirring until leaves are wilted (5-8 minutes) Add the juice of half a lemon.
Sweet Potato Fries: Cut sweet potatoes into match-stick pieces about 3 inches long. Drizzle on 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, turning once. Your kids will gobble them up.
Mix roasted veggies with greens for winter salads
Don’t forget: Toss chunks of parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots into soups and stews. Cook beets before you add to any dish
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