Root vegetables are must-have for any foodie these days. Everyone seems to be stocking up on these vegetables that will eventually shrivel up in the corner of your fridge’s crisper drawer. Here are both common and not-so-common root veggies you can think about cooking that will crumple into themselves with a fresh dusting of mold before you can actually get to doing it!
Parsnips
Parsnip is a winter root vegetable that is related to the carrot and parsley. It’s sweeter than carrots but don’t worry––that sweetness will have disappeared by the time you reach past it to make another grilled cheese. Parsnips are commonly boiled or sautéed, so this is the perfect vegetable to let rot while you look at recipes that honestly you just don’t feel like eating right now. Now that’s healthy eating!
Rutabaga
Rutabaga is a root vegetable that has many options that you’ll definitely bookmark on Pinterest while time ticks away on its shelf life. You can even make fries with rutabaga because like most root vegetables, it’s closely related to sweet potatoes and will implode on itself just the same when you leave it in a bowl for six weeks.
Beet
Beets are perfect for everything! If you have kids pureé them for a fun homemade baby food or throw them in your blender to make a morning smoothie. But don’t worry––this root vegetable will develop its signature shriveled rotting texture while you stare at it wondering if today is the day you’re not just going to microwave another pizza.
Ginger
Ginger is a healing root vegetable that’s perfect for detox juices, soup, and in tea to calm an upset stomach. Make sure to buy a bunch of it but then just stare at it wondering how to exactly use it, and eventually push it aside to buy tea that’s already infused with ginger that isn’t rotting.
Skirret
This hard-to-find root vegetable is great for weak stomachs, unless it’s been sitting in the back of your fridge for eight months. Its sweet flavor will add an extra kick to your stir-fry if only you remembered you bought it during the last fall harvest. Let this sit in your fridge next to something moist like celery for ultimate shriveled-ness.
These root veggies are great to add to any dish and will certainly enhance your cooking repertoire, if you actually use them while they’re still edible. Happy healthy eating!
