“What are these?” the grocery checkout girl was asking me. In her hand she held a clear plastic bag of plain old Purple Top Turnips. Nothing special, just turnips. She confessed she had never seen them before, much less eaten them. I told the her what they were and suggested an easy way to cook them (my favorite: diced and sautéed with a little butter, salt and pepper). She seemed really interested and said she would try some, I hope she does! OK, so maybe you don’t love turnips, you’re not alone. But there are all kinds of wonderful roots that are delicious and nutritious, too.

Any local grocery store will have a good selection of root vegetables and Farmer’s Markets will have a terrific range of choices. Look for Sweet Potatoes, Purple or Red Potatoes, Beets, Carrots, Turnips and Radishes. Specialty stores may offer Parsnips, Salsify, White Salad Turnips or Jerusalem Artichokes. These are all grown throughout the year and many are kept in storage for later eating. Early Spring harvests can be the finest so now is the time to look for them or even plant your own. When shopping, look for firmness: none of these should be rubbery or shriveled up. If you’re not sure ask the produce manager when they came in to the store. Better yet, if you buy directly from the farmer you can learn all kinds of facts about that very tuber they grew for you. Each of these wonderful roots has a different flavor, texture and color.

We have some sure-hit ways to prepare any of these, or better yet a mix of a few different root vegetables … great to win over picky eaters!

Roasted Roots

1. Wash, peel and chop equal amounts of at least three kinds of Root Vegetables.

2. Toss together in a bowl with enough Olive Oil to coat.

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread in a baking pan and roast on high heat (400 degrees) for 15-20 minutes or until tender and crispy.

Smashed Roots

These can be really dramatic depending on the type of roots you can find: Potatoes, Purple Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes or Carrots are really pretty together.

1. Wash, peel and chop Roots.

2. Steam until tender (this preserves the flavor and color much better than boiling).

3. Remove to a bowl, season with salt and pepper, add butter and cream to your taste. Mash together with a potato masher until they reach the consistency you prefer: we like to leave them a little chunky. Try adding some roasted Garlic cloves, yum!

Bake your Beets

My husband never cared for Beets until I baked them like a Potato. Wash and wrap Beets in foil, bake at 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour. Serve as you would a potato with butter, salt and pepper. These are really pretty and different especially if you can find Golden Beets.

Really Grate Turnips

One last way to sneak Root Vegetables into your family’s meals is to grate them and add to soups. This is one of the best methods for those plain old Purple Top Turnips. Make your favorite vegetable beef or chicken noodle soup and add the grated Turnips. They will add a deliciously mysterious “background” flavor that no one will say they don’t like!

About the Gardener

Moore Farms, with a lot of help from our Friends, offers a new way to order fresh local and organic foods for your family’s table. We distribute locally in the Southeast with pickup locations in Metro Atlanta. Features of our program include custom ordering options, a wide array of products, nutrition information and plenty of our own delicious recipes for your culinary delight. Based on farmer availability we offer items such as fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, eggs, cheese, flowers, herbs, and pantry foods. All produce is either grown naturally on our farm, on one of our Friend’s farms or Certified USDA Organic grown here in the Southeast. Other items are carefully selected for their artisinal character. For more details goto: www.moorefarms.locallygrown.net.