Cooking with Root Vegetables

Root vegetables come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing they all have in common is that they’re high in essential vitamins and minerals. Diced, chopped or sliced,  root vegetables can be easily added to a weeknight meal.

Health Benefits of Root Vegetables
Carrots are chalk full of beta carotene, which helps with eye health. Rutabagas are a great source of vitamin C, A and B. Beets provide you with an excellent source of folic acid. And potatoes are one of the most nutrient-dense foods around. On top of all the vitamins and minerals found in root vegetables, they are also full of fibre, which many of us don’t get enough of in our daily diets.

Roasted Root Vegetables
Root vegetables can be prepared in a number of ways and added to many different dishes. While potatoes are probably the most popular root vegetable, many others can be substituted in place of potatoes. Next time you’re thinking of an alternative side dish, consider mashed rutabaga, sauteed carrots or steamed beets. One of the easiest ways to prepare root vegetables is to roast them. Choose a medley of root vegetables, chop and peel them and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for about an hour on a cookie sheet until tender. Once roasted, the root vegetables can be eaten on their own or added to pasta, soups or stews.

White Bean and Roasted Root Vegetable Stew
This hearty root vegetable stew makes for a warm, satisfying meal on a cold night and is even better the next day. Feel free to swap out the root vegetables for whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch rounds
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch rounds
• 1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 leeks, halved and sliced into ½-inch pieces
• 1 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can white beans (Cannellini or Great Northern)
• 5 sprigs thyme, leaves pulled from the stem
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves pulled from stem and chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss parsnips, carrots, celery root, garlic and rutabaga in olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spread root vegetables on two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Roast root vegetables for 45 minutes or until tender.

In a large pot or dutch oven, saute onions and leeks for 5 minutes. Add roasted vegetables, beans, and broth to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil and then turn heat down to low. Add rosemary and thyme and stir. Simmer for another ten minutes. Serve with thick slices of whole grain bread.