Fruit / Vegetable of the Month: Root vegetables

January's fruit / vegetable of the month are root vegetables.

Jicama

There are many types of root vegetables as this illustration from the Lunchbox Project shows. We would also like to add Jicama.

Eat Seasonal Produce
Root vegetables are in season in January. Eating seasonal produce is a great cost-saving measure as prices for produce are lowest immediately after their harvest.

Why eat a variety of fruits and vegetables?
All fruits and vegetables contain different kinds of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are plant compounds found in fruits and vegetables which have protective benefits when eaten. Over 1000 have been identified and many more await discovery. Some of these benefits include reducing the risk of cancer, reducing inflammation and promoting a strong immune system. Besides containing phytochemicals, fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and water and may contribute to a healthy body weight. In order to get the full benefits of the array of phytochemicals available, it is important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Offer kids a variety of fruits & vegetables
While horseradish and radishes might be a little daring to introduce to the children in your life, and carrots are widely consumed and available year round, make a commitment to introduce one or more of the remaining root vegetables to the children in your life, during the month of January. Studies show that acceptance of new foods often requires as many as 10-12 exposures. Be sure to offer plenty of opportunities throughout the month to try the new root vegetable(s) being sure to prepare and present them in a variety of ways during that time.

Jicama- This vegetable is sweet and crunchy. Store up to 2 weeks in a plastic bag in crisper.
Peel and cut a jicama julienne style and toss with a lime juice and a dash of chili powder. Pairing jicama with carrots may help ease kids acceptance of this root. Or cut Jicama into strips and offer with ranch dip or hummus.

Turnips- Turnip greens are also edible and packed with phytochemicals. Choose turnips which feel heavy for their size. Turnips can be stored in a plastic bag in your crisper but should be used within a few days as they grow bitter over time.
Enjoy these recipes from Fruits & Veggies More Matters Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Turnips and Maple-Glazed Turnips.

Beets- Remove the edible greens which are quite perishable. Leave about 1 inch of the red stalk. Beets with greens removed will store in crisper for a few weeks. When ready to prepare, clean gently with water taking care not to break the skin which will cause the natural pigments to leak out during baking. Bake without peeling.

Dice 2 cups of beets (red or yellow) add 1/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup honey. Cook over medium heat until a glaze forms.

Parsnips- Parsnips look like washed out carrots but are quite sweet and a bit peppery. Smaller parsnips will be sweeter. Refrigerate parsnips unwashed in an unsealed bag for 3 weeks or more.

Mash some cooked carrots and parsnips with some butter and nutmeg and watch kids gobble it up. Cooked, mashed parsnips can also be added to mashed potatoes and will sweeten the batch naturally.

Rutabaga- Also called swedes, they look alot like turnips. Choose rutabagas which feel heavy for their size. Refrigerate rutabagas in a plastic bag for up to 3 weeks.

Try them as oven fries. Peel and cut into matchsticks. Toss lightly with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Add a bit of mashed rutabaga to mashed potatoes. The sweetness of the rutabaga will be a change kids will welcome.

If you are a child care provider in California you can receive cash reimbursements for providing healthy food to the children in your care. If you are a child care provider in El Dorado, Alpine, Placer, Nevada or Mono county our agency can help you enroll in the California Child Care Food Program (CCFP).

How many fruits and vegetables should you and your children be eating? Check out the Center for Disease Control's fruit & vegetable calculator.

Remember your plate.......

Half of your plate should have fruits and vegetables