“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” That wise old soul the Dalai Lama could just as well have been referring to wholesome, virtuous root vegetables as to noble Tibetan Buddhist values.

See how a mouthful of sweet potato mash, with ginger and a drizzle of honey, or roasted beetroot, carrots and parsnips, can change how you think about vegetables. Especially when the temperature drops, or a winter cold leaves you depleted, or your spirits flag.

Fact is, nothing gets you feeling, well, grounded quite like good old roots. Nurtured snugly in the dark warmth of the soil, carrots and turnips, swedes, celeriac, beets and parsnips seem to exude the force of life itself.

Cultivated since ancient times, and cherished for their energy sustaining properties (that’s carbohydrate-rich, to us), and high vitamin and mineral content, these humble vegetables have happily regained their former culinary allure after a brief hiatus.

Put it down to a few dark decades of unimaginative preparation and all-round neglect. Who doesn’t remember bland, over-boiled versions of all these ravishing roots? It’s no wonder as children we were left staring at our plates, passing the cold, limp things from side to side with listless forks. Even the reward of dessert wasn’t enough of a lure.

These days a comforting bowl of spiced sweet potato wedges, warm beetroot soup swirled with yoghurt, crunchy parsnip crisps (served with a fragrant carrot and cumin dip), or a creamy turnip and gruyere bake are reward enough—often even better than the pudding.

The Dalai Lama would surely approve.

Down to Earth Dishes

BEETROOT is not best represented by the over-vinegary variety sold in jars and plastic containers, and generally hauled out along with the baked beans at braais. This burgundy-red beauty has a flavour that deserves a more subtle approach.

While they have a high sugar content, they’re amazingly low in calories — all the more reason to gobble them up!

To cook, place beets in a roasting tin with 125ml water, covered with foil, and bake in a pre-heated oven (200˚C) for 1 hour until cooked. Rub off skin, slice in quarters and return to the grill until nicely roasted. Great as a side dish, or in a salad of baby leaves, goat’s milk cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Beetroot Tip
When cooking, never peel a raw beetroot before popping in the water — the colour will bleed away, leaving a lovely tinted liquid and a rather washed-out beet. If your hands get stained while preparing them, simply rub lemon on the skin.

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Did you know CARROTS were originally white in colour, and not the vivid orange with which we associate them? Naturally sweet and crunchy, and just as good raw as cooked, carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A (yes, they are good for eye sight) and potassium.

And as they’re rich in beta carotene, obsessive carrot consumption might well leave you looking like you had a run-in with the fake tan.

The younger the carrot, the more tender and delicious — it’s these you want to steam and serve as a side dish. Toss sliced carrots into a roasting dish with other root veg, blend into a soup with toasted cumin and fresh coriander, or enjoy freshly juiced with apple and ginger — a sure way to boost immunity.

PARSNIPS are best enjoyed younger, when they’re less likely to have ‘woody’ cores that need to be trimmed out. They have a delicious natural sweetness, not unlike carrots, and can be enjoyed raw (yes, in salads) as well as cooked.

They’re full of goodness too — rich in potassium, calcium and vitamin A. To prepare, peel, top and tail, and cut lengthwise in half or in quarters. Use them in hearty stews and soups, or as a yummy alternative to potato mash.

TURNIPS look like white-washed versions of beets, but have a unique mild, sweetish flavour, and are packed with vitamin C. While they’re delicious simply steamed or boiled and served as a veggie side dish, they’re great in stews and casseroles, or mashed with a dollop of butter.

SWEET POTATOES are one of nature’s best inventions, being highly nutritious, versatile and incredibly tasty to boot. Delicious wrapped whole in foil and roasted on the fire, their sweet nutty flesh scooped out of the charred skin, simmered and spiced up into a hearty soup, or sliced into fat wedges.

For a more-ish mash, peel and chop 400g sweet potato, and simmer in a saucepan of boiling water with two tablespoons shredded ginger for five to seven minutes until tender. Drain, then mash with 30g butter, a tablespoon honey and dash of milk, stirring through some chopped coriander to serve.

Recipes by Diane & Christoph Heierli
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