I know that some of us do not like eating vegetables, but despite some of us not liking them they are good for the body. Our elders know that fruits and vegetables are good for us and it is known that fresh produce can help keep the body in optimum health. We sometimes skip eating the root vegetables either because we do not like the taste or we don’t know how to best prepare them. Root vegetables are very nutritional and we should consume them more. I will provide information that will hopefully encourage you to pick out root vegetables when you are in the produce section of the grocery store.
Let’s talk about the infamous carrot. Baby carrots are sealed in plastic bags after being peeled and washed. They make for good snacks. Carrots should be acknowledged for their versatility and variety. For example, all carrots are not orange. You can find red, white, yellow, and purple carrots. They can be used in different recipes and provide different colors to your dish. Carrots can be added to salads and broths to enhance and add flavor. Carrots can give cakes and muffins more texture, moisture, and flavor. Add grated carrots, grated onions, and cream cheese to a food processor and spread it on bread or toast for a delicious snack. You can use carrots in so many ways. Just use your imagination when creating dishes with carrots.
The people in Finland and Sweden love cooking rutabagas with confidence. The rutabaga and turnip aren’t in most American dishes, in other words Americans don’t eat rutabagas and turnips that much. It’s true that turnip greens are popular in the south but what about the root vegetable? To make it clear rutabagas are a cross between turnips and cabbages, but they are used like a turnip when cooking them. You can add rutabagas or turnips or both to mashed potatoes to improve the nutrition and flavor. Try making turnip custard or combine rutabagas with apples for a tasty baked casserole. You can even puree rutabagas and season it and serve it with meat.
You can try eating the jicama. The jicama is often seen in the salad bar. This starchy sweet root vegetable is a great addition to potato salad or stir fry. Jicama has a unique crunchy texture. You can grate it or cube it and add it to different dishes. Try this recipe: toss cilantro, jalapeno, and vinegar together and put grilled shrimp on a bed of jicama. Yummy!
When visiting the fruits and vegetable section don’t overlook the roots. You can try parsnips, beets, and radishes. They offer flavor to dishes and is healthy.
Top photo credit: carrots – 4 color bunches by agrilifetoday
In text photo credit: jicama by kthread