Celebrate Your Roots — Cook With Root Vegetables

Celebrate Your Roots — Cook With Root Vegetables

For us gardeners and anyone who lives in a cold climate, winter usually means endlessly eating root vegetables. That may not seem very inspiring or sexy, but root vegetables are super good for you and usually are pretty cheap food. With some inspiration and fantasy, they can be made into delicious and fun dishes. It’s a perfect time to celebrate roots, as December is actually national root vegetable month (in the U.S., at least).

First of all, what is considered a root vegetable? As we know from the name, these are vegetables that grow underground — beet, carrot, yam, potato, tuber, ginger, rutabaga, onion, celery root, garlic, shallot, radish, fennel, daikon radish, burdock, Jerusalem artichoke, etc. They all store energy in the form of carbohydrates, are mineral rich, contain high fiber and many important vitamins, and are delicious.

So here are a couple of root vegetable recipes that turn boring root vegetables into fun dishes that will knock your socks off.

Beet Burgers—These beet burgers are a staple food at home and can be eaten like a burger, or as a patty with rice, pasta or roasted vegetables or with a salad.

• ½ cup oats
• 3 tbsp. corn starch
• 15 ounces cooked white beans or use canned
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 2 cups raw and grated beets
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to F350
2. Mix everything in a food processor and set in fridge for 10 minutes to firm up.
3. With wet hands form patties.
4. Place on a cookie sheet with a parchment paper.
5. Bake 20 minutes.

Rutabaga Fries with Basil Mayo — One large root turned into magic as fries, yum!!!

Raw Carrot Cake — http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/raw-carrot-cake/

Curried Carrot Ginger Soup

• 3 Tbsp. coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Turmeric root
• 1/2 onion
• 7 carrots
• 1/2 celery root
• 5-inch piece of ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 potatoes
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
• 1/4 C. parsley
• 4-5 C. spring water
• 2 tsp. Himalayan salt (adjust as needed)

Method:

1. In a large pot, heat oil and add garlic, onion, ginger and Turmeric. Stir-fry on medium low heat until onion is soft and transparent.
2. Add water, bring to a boil, and add remaining ingredients except for herbs.
3. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until carrots are soft. Pour soup into blender and add herbs.
4. Blend until smooth, adjust salt, and serve with parsley garnish.

For more recipes with root vegetables check out my golden kraut recipe here and carrot bread