The roots of the dinner: using root vegetables
For many, root vegetables aren’t just that ‘sexy’. I mean potato. Sounds wonderful, right? And turnip? Ugh.
And yes, they are so old school. Before our ancestors learned how to grow their own food, they foraged for wild carrots and beets. And some of the first things they grew their own food were root veggies. We have a 5000+ year history with root vegetables.
Now, most people know how to roast, bake or boil their vegetables, and that’s why they often feel so blah. So through the month, I’ll be sharing some recipes that elevate root vegetables to be the star of any dinner.
Let’s start with a common vegetable: carrots. When you read carrot, did you think of orange? Most people do. But carrots come in many colors including purple, black, red, white, and yellow.
When they were first cultivated, carrots were grown for their aromatic leaves and seeds rather than their roots, which were woody and bitter. Growers kept working on the root to make it sweeter and more palatable. Some close relatives of the carrot are still grown for their leaves and seeds, such as parsley, cilantro, coriander, fennel, anise, dill, and cumin. (Yup, they are all technically root vegetables, too!)
Carrots are often the item that adds color to the plate. But otherwise pretty boring. But what about carrot noodles?
What’s great about this recipe is that you can make your own carrot noodles with a spiralizer or they now come ready to go in both the freezer section and some produce sections. And with a little creativity, you can make this a full meal, by adding extra protein, including cooked chicken, seafood, tofu, and nuts.
Carrot noodles with peanut sauce
Ingredients
- 6-7 carrots, peeled and trimmed
- 2 Tbs sesame oil, divided
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 1 Tbs rice vinegar You can use apple cider vinegar in a pinch.
- 3 tsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbs soy sauce or fish sauce
- 1 Tbs grated ginger root
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 green onions, chopped
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cut the carrots into strips using a spiralizer, peeler, or mandolin.
- Mix together the peanut butter, one tablespoon of sesame oil, vinegar, maple syrup, soy sauce, ginger, and pepper flakes (if you’re using them). If the sauce looks too thick, add a few tablespoons of water and mix well.
- In a skillet or wok, heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil, the garlic, green onions, and any other ingredients you want to add (cooked chicken, seafood, chopped peanuts, etc).
- Add the noodles and cook until crisp-tender.
- Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and stir until combined. Remove from heat and serve.
