Root Vegetables: The Underground Economy

Our commitment to seasonal cooking here at Sun Basket requires us to adapt to the unpredictability of the marketplace. Sometimes you’ll find fresh produce in your box that’s different than what’s shown in the photo of the recipe. Here, we explore those potential substitutions and share some information about the seasonal vegetables in your box each week.

If there’s one family of vegetables we can count on in the midst of the coldest winter, it’s roots. 

Protected from the elements beneath a warming layer of dirt, root vegetables laugh at the cold weather, growing sweeter while the temperatures fall. Once the days grow warmer, their leaves begin to bolt, and the roots themselves turn bitter. 

While roots vegetables are plentiful right now, high demand—particularly for organic ones—means that our buyers sometimes struggle to get the amount they need to fill all of our orders. When that happens, we need to substitute one organic root for another. 

This wide-ranging category includes carrots, celery root, parsnips, radishes, turnips, beets, and more. Because the range is so diverse, the nutritional content of root vegetables varies. They are typically low in calories and rich in fiber. Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, while beets provide a solid dose of folate. 

Illustration by @boccaccinimeadows