Vegetables You Can Dig

Did you know there are 14 ways to get in touch with your roots?

Well, there are 14 nutritious and versatile ROOT vegetables fun to dig out of your garden, or seek organic and locally grown options. They are beets, cassava, carrots, daikon, Jerusalem artichokes, jimaca, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, taro, turnip and yams. Eating root vegetables can be more satisfying than veggies harvested above the ground because of their volume, texture and mild flavors. Rule of Thumb: Buy These Fresh and Never Overcook unless you want them mashed or for a sauce. Tubers (or rhizomes) are easy to prepare: steam, roast, bake, fry, mash or use in soups, stews, or sauces---some are eaten raw. They add variety to vegetable dishes and are tasty with meats. Don't forget the leaves because that's often where most of the vitamins and minerals can be found!

This Winter I tried two new root veggies, rutabagas and turnips, and have been pleasantly surprised. A rutabaga is a cross between the cabbage and the turnip--with edible leaves. They are a good source of Vitamin C and beta carotene. Prior to the popularization of pumpkins, rutabagas were often carved for Halloween. Apparently humans have been consuming the white, bulbous turnip since prehistoric times. The root is high in vitamin C. The leaves are a good source of folate, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K.

For years I have been eating fresh beets which are delicious if cooked properly. In spaghetti sauce they enrich the flavor and color. They are a high sugar veggie in the same family as Swiss Chard, and its greens can be eaten much as you might eat chard. They are an excellent source of the B vitamins and folate--a very good source of magnesium, iron, copper, and phosphorous. When combined with small amounts of vinegar beets aid digestion as well.

Which vegetables do you dig, or rather enjoy and why?