Root down and warm up

I think it's kind of funny that just as finished writing my last post expressing my dislike of root vegetables I picked up the latest issue of Eating Well and there is a 7-page article called "rediscovering roots". Now I should be specific, I am not prejudice against all root vegetables just some. I love sweet potatoes, carrots and beets. To me celeriac is really best when cooked a la Francaise like a remoulade, gratin, puree' or just simply braised. I have never personally tried to cook celeriac, parsnip, rutabaga, turnips, salsify, burdock or dikon. Pretty much anything you can do with a potato you can do with these vegetables as well.

We know it's important to eat local and to eat in season. According to Chinese medicine cold and raw foods cool down the digestive fire while warm foods heat up the digestive fire. Nature gives us root vegetables in abundance during the winter because they are warming foods and well not much else can grow in the cold. So let's not work against nature this winter and let's try to embrace a root. This means not eating salads for lunch and dinner like you do during the summer months. Let's face it salad's aren't the first thing to come to mind when you think of cozy and warm foods. Also cozy foods don't necessarily have to be things like mac n' cheese you could make a root vegetable gratin instead. Chances are you be equally satiated and won't miss the pasta.

In conclusion, I am thankful that Eating Well has written this article. I am going to do a little kitchen therapy. It certainly helps that all the recipes look very appealing. I suggest you too give an unfamiliar root a try. I am working my way toward total recovery one root at a time.