Fall for Root Vegetables!

Fall is a time of year when many people look forward to savoring the season’s best flavors. For many that may mean anything apple or pumpkin flavored but for me it’s ALL about root vegetables.

Root vegetables are nutrition powerhouses full of fiber and antioxidants and jam packed with key nutrients including potassium and vitamin C. They’re extremely low in calories too. Types of root vegetables to savor include but are not limited to—parsnips, sweet potato, jicama, celeriac, carrots, radishes, daikon, yucca, and rutabaga. From parsnip to rutabaga, these delicious flavors have won me over for years and it’s my wish that they will do the same for you.

Enjoying root vegetables starts with knowing the multitude of ways in which you can prepare them. And let me tell you—your options are limitless. Certainly you can try using the standard baking or boiling method or take it to the next level and roast or sauté them. Better yet, shred your delicious root vegetables down and make them into your own high fiber, lower carbohydrate hash browns. Try dicing up raw jicama or daikon and toss them into your favorite harvest style salad or simply go ahead and offer them up as crudités at your next family get together. Personally, I love to cut up jicama and sweet potato and make them into my own root vegetable french fries or chips.

Savor the delicious flavor of root vegetables this fall season—your body and taste buds will be glad you did!

Recipe

Root Vegetable Haystacks
Servings: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 each parsnips, peeled and grated
• 4 each turnips, peeled and grated
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 dash salt
• 2 sprays olive oil cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray baking sheet with olive oil spray. Combine grated root vegetables, olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix well.
2. Using a 1/2-cup measure, scoop up vegetables and arrange into little haystacks on baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes and flip (using a spatula).
3. Continue baking another 15 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Nutrition Facts (per 8 oz serving)
Calories 188, Calories from Fat 54, Total Fat 6 g , Sat. Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 211 mg, Carbohydrate 41 g, Fiber 10 g, Protein 5 g, Vitamin C 115%, Calcium 90 mg, Iron 4 mg

Katy Magoon, RD, LD
Registered Dietitian
Hannaford Brothers Co.