Turnip For What?

Turnips come in all shapes and colors, from round to cylindrical and rose to black. They may be eaten raw or cooked.

How to Select
Select pearly, heavy turnips without soft spots and fresh leaves if still attached. Small to medium ones are sweetest.

How to Store
Store turnips in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for only a few days since they get bitter with prolonged storage.

Nutrition Benefits
Fat free, cholesterol free, low sodium, excellent source of vitamin C.

Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Turnips:

1. Baked, boiled or steamed— use in place of a potato.

2. Mash ’em— like a potato

3. Shred like in coleslaw— enjoy shredded turnip instead of cabbage in your next batch of homemade coleslaw.

4. Julienne— turnips make a great matchstick garnish for any dish. Just cut into really thin slices and garnish as desired.

5. Eat ‘em Raw— slice young turnips and eat raw with a dip or peanut butter or add shredded raw turnips to salads.

6. Sow Some Seeds— get your kids interested in fruits and veggies by helping them grow something. Turnips grow easily and your kids may even be persuaded to eat them after harvest.

7. Switch Your Greens— use turnip greens as an alternative to cooked spinach or collard greens! They’re delicious sautéed or steamed as a side dish with garlic, onion, olive oil and lemon, or as an addition to soups, stews and pasta.

8. Roast ‘em— add a cubed turnip to your next pot roast or pan of roasted vegetables.

9. Maple-Glazed— enjoy Maple-Glazed Turnips as a side dish with pork, beef or any poultry main dish.

10. Turbo-Boost Your Stew— for an extra boost of nutrition and flavor, add turnips to soup or stew at the same cooking stage as you would potatoes.

Recipe: Maple Glazed Turnips

2 pounds purple-top turnips
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper as needed
Water as needed
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1. Peel the turnips and cut into even 1-inch cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the turnips and then enough water to reach a depth of 1/4 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and pan steam until the turnips are tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Remove the cover from the pan, and continue to cook the turnips until the water has cooked away and the syrup has glazed each piece evenly, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan with the parsley and lemon juice. Shake the pan until the turnips are evenly coated. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serves 4.

Bon Appétit!

Nutrition Facts per serving: 166 calories, 7 grams fat, 151 mg sodium, 468 mg potassium, 25 grams carbs, 3.8 grams dietary fiber, 1.9 grams protein, excellent source of vitamin C.

This post modified and adapted from: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

Recipe adapted from: The Culinary Institute of America