HAFM SAYS:

Always ROOT for

VEGETABLES . . .

Enjoy HAFM's Roots Gallery

ROOT VEGETABLE BASICS

The humble root vegetables - parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, celery root, and so on - have an undeserved reputation for being dull and bland. While they may look dusty and unassuming, root vegetables may surprise you with tastes that range from slightly bitter to pleasantly sweet. Plus, they have a heartiness that's great for blustery days.

Wash and peel root vegetables before cooking. Cook whole or cut into chunks first.
Roast root vegetables in a 425-degree oven for great depth of flavor. Cut into chunks, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and perhaps a little garlic, and roast 40 to 60 minutes or until tender. Roast a variety of vegetables for the most impressive presentation and taste (throw in some of the more common carrots and potatoes too, with some beets done separately so they don't turn everything pink). Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Boil root vegetables 5 to 20 minutes (depending on size of chunks or if whole) and use a potato masher to mash with butter and milk or cream. Mix several different kinds together (stick with sweeter types together, such as parsnips and rutabagas, or with more bitter types together, such as turnips and celery root) or mash with potatoes.
Slice mostly-cooked root vegetables, combine with milk or cream and a little cheese to make gratins. Bake at 350 degrees until golden. Combine different types, with or without potatoes.

(From eHow.com's How to Cook Root Vegetables.)

The Wide Sweep of History in Roots (& many other Vegies)

Your Government at Work

Oprah: Root Vegetable Gratin

Recipe: Roasted Root Vegetables

On Bees and Crop Pollination

On Roasting Root Vegetables

Vegetarian: Herb Roasted Root Vegies

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

Vegan Indian Recipes: Roots/Curries

BEETS

. . . and the Beet Goes On . . .

Did you know that . . .

. . . beets have been cultivated since pre-historic times in the Mediterranean area and were originally grown only for their leaves?
. . . beet leaves - especially when small, crisp and fresh - are delicious and nutritious? Instead of tossing them in the garbage, trim off the tough part of the stem that hangs below the leaf. Then heat up some olive oil in a frying pan. Add your favorite seasonings and toss in your washed beet leaves. After you have sautéed them until they are soft, dig in and enjoy.
. . . scientific studies suggest that beet root ingestion can be one of the useful means to prevent cancer?
. . . red beets are rich in three nutrients - potassium, magnesium and beta-carotene - that experts say keep your bones strong?
. . . fresh beets have twice as much potassium and folate as canned beets?

(All the above info from Bellybytes.)

All About Beets (w/ 4 Recipes)

Roasted Beet Hearts

Chocolate Beet Brownies

66 Beet Recipes

Beets - Nutrition

Beet Salad, 3 more kosher Recipes

CARROTS

Did you know that . . .

. . . no other vegetable or fruit contains as much carotene as carrots, which the body converts to vitamin A?
. . . unlike most other vegetables (though not all), carrots are more nutritious when eaten cooked than eaten raw (except when juiced)? Because raw carrots have tough cellular walls, the body is able to convert less than 25 percent of their beta carotene into vitamin A. Cooking, however, partially dissolves cellulose-thickened cell walls, freeing up nutrients by breaking down the cell membranes.
. . . carrot skins contain 10 percent of all nutrients found in carrots?

(All the above info from Bellybytes.)

. . . the noble carrot has long been known as an orange vegetable thanks to patriotic Dutch growers who bred the vegetable to make it less bitter than the yellow varieties, and then it was adopted it as the Royal vegetable in honour of the House of Orange?

(From the World Carrot Museum's History and Evolution of the Carrot Part Two.)

Zany Horia sez "Hola!"
Zany Horia: Carrot-top Comida Genius!

Recipe: Moroccan-style Carrots

Some history, advice on growing

Carrot Cake

Carrots - Nutrition

Spiced Puree of Carrot

Vegetarian Gajar Broth (India)

GINGER

NOT Root, but RHIZOME!

Am. Cancer Soc. re. Ginger

GourmetSleuth w Info and Tips

More Encyclopedic Info

ALE's U.

Oodles of Recipes

LEEKS

Leeks are a wonderful vegetable, but they require a fair amount of preparation before they can be used. Here are some tips on washing and preparing leeks.

Cut off the fibrous root;
If the dark-green outer leaves are very tough and/or spotty, remove them;
Trim the ends of the remaining leaves;
Cut the leek in half length-wise, then slice or chop;
Place in a bowl of warm water and swirl around to help the dirt fall to the bottom;
Take the leeks out, place in a colander, and rinse again. Don't just pour them into the colander as the dirt at the bottom of the bowl might get trapped in the leaves again.

Cooking with Leeks:
Many recipes call for just the "white parts" of leeks, when in fact the light green is just as good and even the dark green is usable if it will be sautéed for at least 5 minutes or so.

(From The Veggie Table.)

Leek and Potato Soup

Spinach and Leek Tart

Leek Info with several Recipes

Leeks - Nutrition

Autumn Vegie Crumble w Leek Sauce

Many Leek Recipes

WorldWideGourmet: Leeks (Recipes)

Recipes from the Auld Country

ONIONS

Verde Cebolla:
Bright Bulb!
Verde Cebolla: Bright Bulb!

Did you know that . . .

. . . with only 30 calories per serving (1/2 cup), onions are: Sodium-free, Fat-free, Cholesterol-free, provide fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other nutrients?
. . . onions may help guard against many chronic diseases? That is probably because onions contain generous amounts of a flavonoid called quercetin. Other sources are tea and apples, but research shows that absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples.
. . . studies have shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer?
. . . onions contain a variety of other naturally occurring chemicals known as organosulfur compounds that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels?
. . . when applied to the skin, onions have healing powers? People have used onions to kill funguses, yeasts, and parasites; soothe the sting of insect bites; and even to ward off infection from stingray wounds.

(All the above info from Bellybytes.)

Grilled Red Onions

New Potato Salad w Grilled Red Onions

Young Onions - Nutrition

Another Bulb on the Barbie!

French Onion Soup

Mature Onions - Nutrition

POTATOES

are covered
separately on

HAFM's SPOTLIGHT
on the SPECTACULAR SPUD

(See below for
Sweet Potatoes / Yams)

RADISHES

Did you know that . . .

. . . the ancient Egyptians used radish seed oil before olive oil was known?
. . . Pliny thought the radish was "a vulgar article of the diet" because of its "remarkable power of causing flatulence and eructation"?
. . . radishes were a common breakfast item for the Pennsylvania Dutch (and still are in Japan)?

(All the above info from FoodReference.)

. . . In Oaxaca, Mexico, Dec. 23rd is the Noche de Rábanos (Night of the Radishes), when large radishes are carved into all manner of representations?

(DO SEE THE FLICKR PHOTO GALLERY!)

Désirée Daikon &
Randy "Rojo" Rábano:
ready for their close-ups!
Desiree Daikon and Randy Rabano.

Epicurious Recipes

Ayurvedic Daikon Info w Recipes

Radish Hot & Sour Soup

Radishes - Nutrition

Cooking with Daikon

Red Radish and Arugula Soup

3 Radish Recipes from the U.K.

Kkak Du Ki - Pickled Radish

RUTABAGAS / TURNIPS

Did you know that . . .

. . . the hearty annual or bienniel RUTABAGA, Brassicca napus, superficially resembles the common TURNIP, Brassica rapa? However, the rutabaga is endowed with more carbohydrates, sugars and vitamin C, has a firmer flesh (as the interminable cooking times will attest) and keeps longer.
. . . the rutabaga was the original jack-o'-lantern?

(Above info from The Advanced Rutabaga Studies Institute. DO SURF THIS SITE!)

Rutabagas - Nutrition

Rutabaga History w Recipe

Turnip & Rutabaga Recipes

Turnips - Nutrition

Turnip Soup (Potage aux Navets Blancs)

Turnip Recipes

SWEET POTATOES / YAMS

Did you know that . . .

. . . the sweet potato deserves to be on the highest perch because it is a nutritional powerhouse with 4 ounces of cooked pulp supplying 2 grams of protein, 3.4 grams of fiber, 24.6 mg of vitamin C, 28 mg of calcium, 22.6 mcg of folic acid, 20 mg of magnesium, 348 mg of potassium, and a whopping 21822 I.U. of vitamin A?
. . . with all its nutrients, this colorful tuber is more than just a tasty side dish? A sweet potato has what it takes to brighten your mood, prevent cancer, heal heart disease, and clear up eye ailments.
. . . some people call sweet potatoes "yams", but they are actually two separate vegetables? The yam belongs to the lily plant family and is found mainly in Latin America and the Caribbean. The sweet potato you are familiar with comes from the root of the morning glory vine.

(All the above info from Bellybytes.)

Sweet Potatoes - Nutrition

Of Yam and Taro Politics

Qualities and antioxidant properties of bread as affected by the incorporation of yam flour in the formulation

Sweet Potato vs. Yam - w Recipes

Kids: Grow a Sweet Potato!

Baked Sweet Potatoes

MISCELLANY

GARLIC: Garlic Recipes

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES: Garlic- or Sweet-Pickled Recipes

PARSNIPS: Weighing in at 63 calories per half-cup, the parsnip is a good source of fiber, folate and potassium. Parsnips also contain iron and vitamin C.

Parsnips to Ponder Puree of Carrots and Parsnips

GENERAL NUTRITION INFO:
Nutrition Dictionary | Nutrient/Phytochemical Charts | Learned Links List

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