As the seasons change, the air gets dry, and we find ourselves in closed-in, artificially heated spaces, our bodies become more vulnerable to a host of bacteria and viruses that can cause infections. Thankfully, nature provides us with many natural defenses to strengthen our immune systems and build our energy and endurance for the cold and flu season ahead. Eating root vegetables is a simple way to support our immune system as it heads off against nasty invaders and they are delicious and easy to prepare. My two favorite ways to enjoy fall’s bounty are to roast them and make soups with them. Get the kids involved by having them scrub and place the veggies in the roasting pan. They can even mash the cooled roasted veggies before you purée them into soup. My four-year-old loves to arrange items by color and shape and mash things so she loves to help with these recipes!
Fall Root Vegetable Recipe
- Scrub and/or peel 1 large sweet potato, 1 small sweet onion, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 large turnip, 1 large parsnip, and 1 burdock root (or any combination of vegetables, enough to fill a large roasting pan). Any variety of squash and apples are also fabulous in this recipe.
- Roughly chop veggies into large, bite-size pieces.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat each piece. Season generously with Celtic Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt, black pepper, paprika, and chili powder (optional).
- Roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until slightly browned. Enjoy as a main or side dish
And as if this simple dish were not fabulous enough already, roasted root vegetables can easily be turned into an amazingly delicious soup with two additional steps:
- In a blender or a stew pot with an immersion blender, purée in batches with 3-4 cups of broth (chicken or vegetable will work beautifully… and stay tuned for a deeply nourishing immune-boost broth recipe coming next post!)
- Season as desired.
The soup works with any combination of the veggies but my favorite is sweet potato, onion, garlic, and parsnip. Add a roasted apple for a touch of sweetness. Let me know what your favorite combinations are!
