Root Vegetable Stew

As the weather cools and frost begins to nip your nose, it's time for filling soups and stews to warm you up from the inside out. In times past people in cold climates relied on vegetables that were good keepers to feed them during the winter when their fields and gardens were covered in snow. Many of these 'good keepers' were root vegetables, that is vegetables that grow underground. Sometimes these vegetables were dug up in late fall and stored in root cellars. Other times they are left in the ground and covered with a mulch of straw or leaves to keep the ground from freezing too hard and dug as needed during the winter.

Most people are familiar with potatoes and carrots but there are other root crops that may appear at the grocery store or turn up at the farmers market, parsnip, turnips, rutabagas, Jerusalem artichokes (also called Sun root or Sun Chokes) and beets are a few that come to mind. and don't forget, onions and garlic are also root vegetables. I recommend you try them all, both raw and cooked.

By buying vegetables that are in season you will help your grocery budget because they will be less costly. While root vegetables like potatoes do contain more starch and thus more calories than others, they still contain good amounts of fiber, along with vitamins and minerals that you need to stay healthy. Most dietary experts now recommend eating 3-5 servings of vegetables each day for good health.

Some terrific information about the nutritional aspects of fruits and vegetables can be found at http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/ They even have menu planning and shopping tips for you. I've used their Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Database to give you an idea of what different root vegetables will contribute to your diet. All percentages given are based on the recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet.

Beets: Beets contain no fat or cholesterol. One beet is a serving and contains 65 mg of sodium, 6 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein. In addition, it contributes vitamin C, calcium and iron to your diet.

Carrots: Carrots, like beets contain no fat or cholesterol. One large carrot is a serving and contains about the same amount of sodium, sugar, protein and fiber as do beets. Carrots contain a large amount of vitamin A, a whopping 110% of the daily value recommended for a 2000 calorie diet. Carrots also contribute 10% of your vitamin C requirement, along with a small amount of calcium and iron.

Jicama: Also called "Mexican Turnips" I have never tried Jicama cooked. I love the juicy crunchy texture raw. Jicama contains no fat, cholesterol, protein or sodium. A ½ cup serving contributes 12% of your daily fiber requirement and 1 gram of sugar. That same serving gives you 20% of your vitamin C needs and a small amount of iron.

Kohlrabi: Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family but tastes much milder than cabbage. One half of a medium size Kohlrabi has no fat or cholesterol, 15 mg of sodium, 2 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein. Kohlrabi contributes 12 % of your fiber needs and 90% of your vitamin C. It also has a small amount of calcium and iron.

Onions: One medium onion contains no fat or cholesterol and only 5 mg of sodium. It contains 1 gram of protein, 9 grams of sugar and 12% of your daily fiber. In addition it contributes 20% of your vitamin C and 4% each of calcium and iron.

Parsnips: Parsnips look like big white carrots and are sweeter after they have been exposed to cold weather for a bit. Their nutritional content is on par with most of the other root crops. Half of a 9 inch long parsnip will give you no fat or cholesterol, 10 mg of sodium, 4 grams of sugar, 1 gram of protein and 12% of your daily fiber needs. It will also give you 15% of you vitamin C and a small amount of calcium and iron.

Potatoes: Most people think of potatoes as fattening, but they contain no fat, cholesterol or sodium. One medium potato contributes 8% of your daily fiber, 1 gram of sugar and 3 grams of protein. It will also contribute 45% of your vitamin C requirement, 2% of your calcium and 6% of your daily iron.

Radish: While in most of America radishes are just something on a relish tray, in other countries larger radishes are grown that are cooked and stored in ways similar to the other root vegetables listed here. Seven small salad radishes are a serving. They contain no fat cholesterol or protein. They contain 55 mg of sodium, 2 grams of sugar and 4% of your daily fiber. They do contain an appreciable amount of vitamin C, 30% of your daily needs, along with a small amount of calcium and iron.

Sweet Potatoes: Not a true potato, they are actually in the morning glory family. One medium size sweet potato contains no fat or cholesterol, along with 70 mg of sodium, 7 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein. It contributes 16% of the fiber, 30% of you vitamin C, 4% calcium and 4% iron to your daily diet. It will also give 120% of the vitamin A you need.

Turnips: One medium turnip will give you no fat or cholesterol, 80mg of sodium, 5 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein. It will contribute 8% of your fiber, 45% of your vitamin C and 4% of your calcium needs along with a small amount of iron.

THE RECIPE

Root Stew is a recipe I made up one fall when I had a variety of different types of root vegetables, but not a lot of any one kind. This is a basic procedure, which will taste different each time it is made, depending on the amounts and types of vegetables used. You can use it to make a soup from just one type of vegetable or you can try out different mixtures depending on what is available.

Ingredients:
1 medium to large onion, diced
6-8 cups of cubed vegetables
Small amount of butter [or margarine, or oil]
Water
1 can of evaporated milk or 1 ½ cups fresh milk
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large stock pot cook the diced onion in the butter until translucent. Pour in the vegetables and add enough water to just cover them. With the lid on, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer. Simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the water level gets too low before the vegetables are tender, add a small amount. Once the vegetables are all tender, the water should be mostly gone. If not, you can simmer with the lid off for a few minutes to reduce it. Or you can drain some off, saving it to start another pot of soup some other day. Add the milk, salt and pepper. Let it come back to a simmer and it's done. Serve with fresh bread or crackers; add some cheese on top if you like.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS
Some things to consider while mixing and matching vegetables, of course carrots or sweet potatoes will make the soup orange. Red beets will turn it any where from pink to bright red, depending on the amount of beets used. Vegetables with thick, hard skins should of course be peeled, but if the skin is thin, you will keep more nutrition if you don't peel them. You can always use stock in place of the water for cooking and you can always add some meat if your family insists.

SOURCES
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/
http://www.mypyramid.gov/