Root-to-stem eating
Have you heard of the term “Nose to Tail” eating in the culinary world? The concept of using the whole animal for sustainability, nutrition and to help reduce food waste as well as helping to stretch the budget.
Well, there is a term that follows those principles but for vegetables - Root to Stem.
Did you know there is a large variety of vegetables that you can eat THE WHOLE THING?!
Buckle in - I’m about to blow your mind.
beetroot
broccoli
carrots
snow peas
radish
parsley & coriander
silverbeet
kale
Beetroot leaves can be used raw in a salad and incorporated with your other salad leaves like spinach, rocket, etc. They can also be cooked into a curry, soup, stew, frittata, stir fry or quiche.
The leaves are an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C and K, as well as being rich in iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Broccoli stems are usually cut off and thrown out when preparing this staple vegetable, but did you know you can slice them thinly and add to stir-fries, diced or chop and add into soups, curries, and stews. You can even blitz the whole lot up in a food processor and make broccoli rice. They are a wonderful source of fibre, as well as nutrients like folate, calcium, and vitamin C.
Carrot tops/greens can be used like an herb in your cooking! Chop it up finely and add in to any kind of meal to give a lovely flavour. Carrot greens are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and potassium. They contain antioxidants and flavonoids. The high fiber content in carrot greens can also aid in digestion and promote gut health.
Snow pea leaves and stems are usually discarded, but did you know you can eat all of it!? Pea leaves are powerhouses of nutrition, boasting seven times more Vitamin C than blueberries, eight times the folic acid of bean sprouts, and four times the Vitamin A found in tomatoes. Not only do pea leaves offer a delightful taste, but they also serve as an excellent means of incorporating more dark leafy greens into our diets. Sautee in garlic and butter, add to stir-fries, curries, stews, or soups. Add wherever you would add dark leafy greens!
Radishes, similar to beetroot, have the ability to have the radish itself and it’s leaves! Add to any fresh salad leaf mix, or in meals, you’d add the beetroot greens or other dark leafy greens. They are rich in magnesium and vitamins C & K.
Parsley & coriander may be surprising, but quite often the stems get thrown away once the lush green leaves are used in your dish. Use the stems cut up finely in any aromatic spice dish like curries, soups, or stews to add a delicious flavour punch and nutrients to boot! Vitamin C, iron, folate, and calcium to name a few. You can also use their roots if you are growing them from home! Give them a good wash and chop the whole lot up!
Silverbeet & Kale will usually have their leaves cut off and that middle stem is discarded, but did you know you can chop these thick, fibrous stems up and use them in most of your recipes? Add them when you add your garlic and onions to help cook them down and soften, and add into stir-fries, salads (when thinly sliced), as well as spinach pies, frittata or curries.
There are so many wonderful and delicious ways that you can use the entire vegetable to help get as much out of your budget as you do your nutrition!
Next time you go to throw out those beetroot tops, consider adding them to your next meal!
Yours in Health & Wellness,
Casey x