Eating Underground: Discovering Root Vegetables
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Looking for delicious, nutrient-rich, economical, easy-to-prepare food? Take a look at root vegetables. These beauties are some of nature’s most versatile foods. While carrots and onions are the most familiar members of the root family, other increasingly popular root vegetables include parsnips, beets, turnips, rutabagas, and leeks. (If you’re wondering why potatoes are not on this list, they are not root vegetables – they are tubers!) Root vegetables are just what they sound like – the “roots” of edible green plants, grown underground. While many of us enjoy the convenience of bagged and cleaned root veggies, try buying the “originals” with the greens attached. A 100% edible experience! Be creative and think beyond a simple “side dish.” Try replacing mashed potatoes with low-calorie mashed parsnips (prepared the same way as potatoes). Cut up several different roots into large pieces, put them in a shallow pan with a spray of olive oil, and roast them in...