Root Vegetables

Root veggies may just be the *most* colorful veggies around! I’m including all tubers in this group too.

Think: radishes, carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rutabaga and more.

And my oh my the colors of carrots and radishes, beets and others in this group never ever cease to amaze me!

The culinary definition is that a root vegetable is the underground, edible portion of a plant.

Botanists make a distinction between "true roots" and "tuberous roots" and other non-roots that grow below ground but we’re going with the culinary definition and root-like veggies are welcome to this root veggie party too (looking at you squash which botanically a fruit).

Did ya know that the original carrot color was purple? And that radishes come in hot pink and purple? And there’s super groovy hot pink candy striped beets called Chioggia? And how about them pink and purple taters?

Root veggies are the quintessential veggies of the winter’s farmers market.

Have I mentioned how many root veggies come in pink and purple?

Storing root veggies: best store in a cool, fark and humid room. When storing them in the refrigerator, keep roots in a paper or plastic bag in the crisper. Storing them uncovered causes them to soften and go bad quickly.

Season: peak season is fall through spring, but some variety is available year round.

Prep: raw, steamed, boiled, roasted, sautéed, grilled.