Rooty Salad

Winter is the perfect time to consume root vegetables. They store well for the winter months. Roots help to ground our body with Mother Earth when the winter doesn’t allow as much time to enjoy the outdoors. I love eating root vegetables all year long, especially beets.

Root vegetables are full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Enjoy them roasted, boiled, baked or stewed. There’s no wrong way to have them.

Several years ago, I purchased an air fryer and it changed the way to cook! Rather than roasting vegetables in the oven, which takes up more time and energy, I use the air fryer. It uses less oil and requires less time and energy usage. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can still make this recipe; just roast the vegetables in the oven.

Rooty Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or oil used for high heat

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 3 large parsnips, peeled and sliced

• 3 large beets, peeled and diced

• salt and pepper

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

• Dandelion leaf, Arugula, or Spinach leaf

Directions:

1. Preheat air fryer at 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes and parsnips in a bowl with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Air fry for 8-10 minutes or until almost done. Remove and set aside.

3. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon to air fryer along with diced beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Air fry for 6-8 minutes until almost done.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing.

6. Remove the beets and combine with sweet potatoes and parsnips.

Dressing:

Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, horseradish, mustard, and parsley in a jar. Mix well.

Preparing the salad:

In a bowl, place roots and chopped greens of your choice. Add dressing and enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Quinoa Salad

This recipe is partially inspired by my daughter, Emily. She was telling me she had planned to roast some diced sweet potatoes for supper that evening, and it got me thinking how warm, sweet, and delicious sweet potatoes are. This wonderful root vegetable can be enjoyed during the chilly winter months. A powerful antioxidant, sweet potatoes are thought to promote gut health, support the brain and eyes. For a little variety, I roasted some cauliflower along with the sweet potato. Be sure not to over cook either so they will hold their shape in this dish. As per usual, I suggest cooking your quinoa with kombu to get the most out of your grains.

Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups water

• thumb-size piece of kombu (optional)

• 1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and diced into small pieces

• 1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped

• 1 TBSP sunflower or grape seed oil

• 2 tsp pink salt

• 6 spring onions, greens and white parts, chopped

• 1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 TBSP currants

• 1 lime, juiced

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, add water , quinoa, and kombu, if using. Bring to a boil and reduce heat until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Discard kombu and place quinoa in a mixing bowl.

2. While quinoa is cooking, combine sweet potatoes, cauliflower, oil and salt. Place on a cookie sheet and roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are done but still hold their shape. Set aside.

3. Add onions, parsley, cilantro, currants, and vegetable mixture to quinoa and combine.

4. In a small mixing bowl combine lime juice, lemon juice, olive oil and garam masala. Pour over quinoa mixture. Toss to combine. Adjust any spices to your taste. Serve immediately.

Autumn Bowl

The fall season brings back those cool-loving vegetables of spring, kale being one of them. This bowl screams fall with the rich colors of green, yellow, and orange. The recipe calls for a baked sweet potato. One thought is to cook once, eat twice. Why not bake a few sweet potatoes, since they are in season, and enjoy them on multiple days? I often will top my baked sweet potato with chili to get even more vegetables inside. Use the remaining potato for this bowl. Kale holds up really well making any leftovers a great lunch for the next day. This is a nutrient dense salad loaded with Vitamins A, K, C, B, and D, plus calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. Don’t forget to prepare your rice or quinoa with kombu to get the most from your grains. Kombu is a sea vegetable rich in iodine. Even if you don’t enjoy the taste of sea vegetables, cooking them with grains is a great way to get the nutrient benefits without the sea flavor. Simply discard the kombu once the grains are done.

Autumn Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice or quinoa

• 1 1/2 - 2 cups water

• 3 TBSP sesame oil

• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas drained and dried 

• 1 large baked sweet potato peeled and cut into chunks 

• 2 TBSP Braggs aminos or soy sauce

• 4-5 cups kale chopped

• 1 lemon freshly juiced

• sunflower seeds for garnish

Directions:

1. Place 1 cup quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water or 1 cup rice and 2 cups water in pot along with a thumb sized piece of kombu, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid has been absorbed. Turn off heat, discard kombu, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chickpeas, frying chickpeas for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add sweet potatoes to skillet, continue to cook until sweet potato and chickpeas are golden brown. Add Braggs aminos or soy sauce, stir and cook until caramelized, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

4. In a large serving bowl, massage kale with lemon juice and 1 Tbsp sesame oil until tender. To assemble bowl, place kale in a bowl, top with rice or quiona and chickpea-sweet potato mixture. Top with sunflowers. Enjoy hot or cold.

Sweet Potato Chowder

Sweet potatoes are so delicious and provide 377% of the daily recommended Vitamin A. For those of us who try to abstain from added sugars, this vegetable is a treat, as the natural sweetness satisfies those hankerings. I still don’t understand why people put brown sugar on their sweet potato and sour cream on the white potato. These are the thoughts that run through my brain.

This recipe can be made a day or two in advance and warmed when ready to serve. I also added the recipe for kale chips. With a creamy soup, it’s nice to have something crispy on the side.  Kale is a part of the crucifer family along with broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts. Loaded with Vitamins A, K and C, kale chips are a nutrient dense choice over potato chips or saltine crackers.

Sweet Potato Chowder

 Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 TBSP curry powder

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 TBPS olive oil

• Pinch of salt and pepper

• 6 sweet potatoes, unpeeled and cubed

• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• Pumpkin seeds for garnish

Directions: 

1. Sauté onion, curry powder, garlic and oil in a big pot for 5 min.

2. Add sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and vegetable broth.

3. Simmer on medium/low for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Use a hand blender to carefully puree the whole pot while hot. 

4. Add a little more broth or coconut milk if it seems too thick. The soup can be made a day or 2 ahead and simply reheat.

Crispy Kale

 Ingredients:

• A bunch of kale cut into 1-inch pieces with thick stems removed

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• Cayenne pepper, to taste

• Salt, to taste

 Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until coated.

2. Spread the kale out on 2 baking sheets.  The less the pieces overlap the crunchier the kale will be.  

3. Roast at 425 degrees for about 5-8 minutes or until bright green with charred tips.

adapted from The Forest Feast Gatherings by Erin Gleason

Coconut and Lentil Curry

Today I was in the mood for some lentil soup. The weather outside is just beginning to feel like fall and that's a great time to enjoy soup. Lentils are one of my favorite grains and cook up amazingly well. The recipe began as a lentil soup, but then I started throwing in all sorts of ingredients and before I knew it, I had a curry on my hands. I served it in a bowl but would be great over rice or quinoa. The sweet potatoes and coconut milk add sweetness that makes my palate sing. 

Coconut and Lentil Curry 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup celery sliced
• 1 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 2 tsp. turmeric 
• 2 tsp. Gram Marsala 
• 1 can coconut milk

Directions:

1. Combine broth and lentils in a medium pot on medium heat.
2. Add remaining ingredients except coconut milk and bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat and simmer until sweet potato and lentils are tender.
4. Stir in coconut milk and heat through.
5. Serve over rice if desired.

Lentil, Sweet Potato, and Kale Soup

While both lentils and chickpeas are a good source of protein, the sweet potatoes provide a soft texture and flavor. Kale provides fiber, iron, calcium, and Vitamin C. The use of an immersion blender provide creaminess without the use of dairy. Serve with a salad or sandwich for a complete meal.

Lentil, Sweet Potato, and Kale Soup

• 1 container (32 ounce) vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup lentils
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup kale, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, pour in the container of vegetable broth; cook on medium.
2. Add lentils, sweet potatoes, and onions and cook until potatoes are soft.
3. Add chickpeas and bring to a boil.
4. Using an immersion blender, pulse 5-6 times or until half the soup is blended. If you don't have an immersion blender, pour half the soup into an electric blender and pulse until smooth.  Pour contents back into pot.
5. Add kale and cook an additional 15 minutes or until kale is tender.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour into bowls and enjoy!