This group is very versatile. Garlic, onions, and leeks all come from the bulb of the plant. Leeks and fennel have edible leaves. The same goes for some onions, like the green onion scallions. The bulb of the plant thrives underground as the leaves protrude from the ground in a stalk-like structure. Onions planted in the spring can be ready to be harvested by the late summer or early fall. When dried, onions hold up very well, especially during the winter months.
This makes them a great addition to add to a soup or stew during those long and cold winter months. Hidden underground a tuber acts like a storage tank where food and water are stored for the plant.
This helps provide necessary nutrition to the plant during times of drought. The roots of the plant extend out of the tuber while the shoots grow above. Other tuber vegetables are yams, taro, cassava, and sweet potatoes. Potatoes take around 60 days to harvest but keep in mind, the longer you wait for, the more tender the potato. Ginger root is not a root. In spite of its name, the edible part of the ginger plant is a fleshy tuber and not an actual root, similar to that of a potato.
Ever seen a carrot that was not orange? Well, they are out there. Carrots are available in different colors like red, white, and purple beside the orange color they are known for.
The orange color comes from Beta Carotene, which is essential for Vitamin A and eye health. When picked early, firm round roots supply a tasty garnish for potato or pasta salads. Eaten straight from the garden, radishes produce a burst of spicy flavor unmatched by other vegetables. Onions planted in the spring form swollen roots ready for harvest in late summer or early fall. Harvested and dried, onions store well for the winter adding flavor to soups, stews and stir-fries.
Sweet potatoes require a long growing season to produce large tubers. Although difficult to grow to maturity in northern climates, southern gardeners grow sweet potatoes for a side dish or a filling for delectable sweet potato pies. Food grown underground is typically rich in carbohydrates, the energy cells of the food chain, but it can also be a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals.
Only one plant, the peanut, is classified as an underground fruit, but it makes up for its lonely status by being versatile. Typically orange, but sometimes red, white or even purple, the carrot is a long, tapered root.
Eaten raw, carrots are crunchy, but when cooked you can use them to make moist carrot cake. In orange carrots, the bright orange comes from beta carotene, which forms the basis of vitamin A, good for eyes. Carrots grow best in cool temperatures and can take 50 to 75 days to grow. Also known as beetroot, the beet is a deep ruby red or purple, round root vegetable with staining juice.
You can eat its top greenery in a salad, and the roots are a good source of vitamin C. You can eat beet as fresh vegetables, pickled or canned, or turn them into borscht. Beets grow in approximately 50 to 70 days and are hardy, which means you can grow them early, before winter is quite over.
The potato is the Swiss army knife of the culinary world. They have leafy green stems that grow above ground. Try them in your roasted roots. Those pictured here and listed above are only a partial list. Yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, yuca, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, celery root or celeriac , horseradish, daikon, turmeric, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, and ginger are all considered roots.
Because root vegetables grow underground, they absorb a great amount of nutrients from the soil.
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