Getting Rooted This Fall

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When you think about healthy eating, salads and green vegetables usually come to mind. But how about adding a little more variety and seasonal produce to your plan?

Nutritional Know How

Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, radishes, and turnips, are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates. In fact, they’re some of the most nutrient dense veggies available to us. Because they’re grown underground, they absorb the nutrients of the soil (this is why soil health is so important!). Most root vegetables are good sources of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that also helps your body absorb iron. They also offer a range of other vitamins, phytonutrients and minerals: potassium (potatoes, radishes and parsnips), calcium (turnips), complex carbohydrates (potatoes), beta-carotene (carrots), vitamin B6 (potatoes), phosphor (turnips), folate (radishes), magnesium (turnips) and vitamin B (beets). Additionally, because of their complex carbohydrates and fiber they can help regulate blood sugar rather than creating erratic blood sugar like refined carbohydrate foods do.

When they’re in season, like they are now in October, they have a deeper, sweeter flavor to them and tend to be juicier. This makes them excellent for conquering any sugar/carb cravings!

Why Eat More Root Veggies? Long roots – carrots, parsnips, burdock, and daikon radish – are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body. Round roots – turnips, radishes, beets, and rutabagas – nourish the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and reproductive organs.

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or spacey? Eat some root veggies to help you feel more grounded.

Which root vegetables do you eat most? If you’re like most of the world, it’s carrots and potatoes. Here are a few others to explore:

  • Beets contain an abundance of antioxidants and are highly detoxifying as they’re great for supporting the liver.

  • Burdock is considered a powerful blood purifier. This long, thin veggie is a staple in Asian and health food stores.

  • Celeriac, also known as celery root, is rich in fiber and with a respectable amount of antioxidants.

  • Jicama is crunchy and refreshing and contains a generous amount of vitamin C. It’s a favorite in its native Mexico and South America.

  • Onions and garlic are rich in antioxidants and other phytonutrients, making them prized for their ability to strengthen the immune system.

  • Parsnips, which look like giant white carrots, boast a sweet, earthy taste. They’ve also got plenty of fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, niacin, thiamine, magnesium, and potassium.

  • Radish is an excellent source of vitamin C. It’s also rich in calcium, molybdenum, and folic acid.

  • Sweet Potatoes contain unsurpassed levels of beta-carotene and are also rich in vitamin C, phytonutrients, and fiber.

Cooking Methods

Raw

Because root vegetables are hard and have an earthy flavor, they are most palatable when cooked. For those who prefer leaving their vegetables raw- carrots, beets, radishes, and jicama are good choices for slicing thinly or grating and tossing with dressing and/or other vegetables and fruit.

Steamed/Boiled

Steaming or boiling root vegetables is a great way of prepping them in order to mash or puree them. Pureed parsnips that are boiled in chicken stock is one of my favorites! Check out one of my favorite recipes. Mashed celery root or yams make healthful replacements for mashed potatoes, and any root can blended up into a creamy soup.

Roasted

This is personally my favorite way to cook root veggies and all veggies, really. Roasting enhances the sweet flavor of the veggies and it’s so easy to do. Chop up your favorite vegetables, drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle them with herbs and spices, and roast them in the oven. Check out this video I made of roasted veggies back in 2014. Note that cooking them with the skin on is a wonderful way to get extra doses of nutrients!

Riced

Veggie rice is all the rage these days. Folks are turning cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts, but root veggies can also be riced. It makes for a wonderful way to sneak in more flavor and nutrients into your meals. One of my favorites is Parsnip rice. Check out this Beef and Mushroom Parsnip Risotto.

Sauteed

Making a vegetable sauté or stir fry is a great way of preparing root vegetables. This is a relatively quick and easy cooking method, and all sorts of flavors can be added to the dish. When cooking with other types of vegetables besides roots, sauté the roots first, as they take longer to cook than other vegetables.

Grilled

Roots can be peeled (or leave the skin on), thinly sliced, brushed with oil, and grilled along with other summer vegetables. This adds a smoky flavor into the roots and softens their earthiness.

Recipe

Excited to add more roots to your diet? Here’s a fun, easy roasted root veggie recipe that’s a great compliment to a bed of greens, on top of some quinoa or brown rice, or as a side to any meat dish

Roasted Root Vegetables

Prep time: 10 minutes

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Cooking time: 25-35 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 sweet potato, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 2 parsnips, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in other favorites, like squash), cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

  • Salt and pepper (taste to your liking)

  • Herbs: 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp thyme

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

  • Wash and dice all vegetables into bite-sized cubes.

  • Place in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each veggie lightly with oil.

  • Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.

  • Place in a large baking dish with sides.

  • Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking. You’ll know their done when you can stick a fork easily through them.

Tip: Any combination of vegetables will work. Roasting only one kind of vegetable also makes a nice side dish

GET EVEN HEALTHIER! Are you curious about how to choose root vegetables and other nutritious foods? Are you suffering from chronic symptoms like fatigue, digestive discomfort, brain fog, insomnia, tight/sore muscles and would like to start living the life your soul intended? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about.