Roots to Relish

With the rainbow of root vegetables in full force at the market right now, there’s no better way to celebrate their prime time than by presenting them as the opening act to a meal. Aromatic, earthy, and naturally spiced, root vegetables lend a hand to pique your appetite heading into this season of abundance.

The varieties of root vegetables are vast, as are their health benefits. Common root vegetables such as beets, carrots, parsnips, and turnips contain fibre, magnesium, and a host of other important nutrients for blood sugar stability and long-lasting energy.

Additionally, root vegetables contain high levels of nutrients, such as beta carotene, vitamin C, and folate, important for maintaining eye health, preserving healthy bones and teeth, and producing new cells.

Vitamin-loaded, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, and delectable, this spread of root vegetable appetizers may just make you forget about the main course altogether.

Recipes

• Turnip Soup Shots with Horseradish
• Moroccan-Spiced Parsnip Fries with Creamy Lemon Dip
• Rosemary Butternut Squash Tofu Quiche Squares
• Fiesta Beet Nacho Rounds
• Sesame Sweet Potato Baked Latkes

Storage tip

No root cellar? No problem! Keep beets, carrots, parsnips, and other root vegetables in a paper bag in the refrigerator crisper to achieve a similar humid environment. Sweet potatoes, squash, and pumpkins can all be kept at room temperature until sliced.