We confess. We love turnips. Rutabagas too. And beets, carrots and parsnips.
Winter is a great time to take advantage of root vegetables, which stay “in season” even when it’s snowy. Root vegetables are totally affordable, very versatile, and deliciously healthy. The trouble is, many people avoid these veggies because they either:
a) Have childhood memories of eating bland, boiled root vegetables that didn’t pique their palate
OR
b) Have no idea what to do with them after they buy them.
Here are some ideas for cooking up these vegetables – and the results are anything but bland.
· Roast rutabagas, parsnips and carrots with your favourite herbs – try oregano, rosemary and basil with a ribbon of olive oil. Roasting brings out the delicious sweetness of these veggies and can turn even the most die-hard avoider into a root vegetable embracer.
· Grate carrots and beets into a unique salad. Season with garam masala, cumin, cinnamon or other piquant spices. Top with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.
· Prepare your normal vegetable soup, but use cubed carrots, parsnips and turnips as the base.
· Make pink pasta! Boil beets until tender, and save the beet-red cooking water. Use it to cook your favourite pasta shape, and the resulting noodles will be pink. Add cubed beets, goat cheese, roasted garlic and wilted arugula for an amazing pasta dish.
· Make a parsnip-carrot slaw with lemony vinaigrette for a great savoury side.
See? It’s possible to come up with creative, exciting meal ideas with root vegetables. Say good-bye to mushy over-boiled rutabagas and embrace your roots!
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