What is it? In late June at the Farmer’s Market you might find some fascinating hard green stocks with a closed flower at the end … they are garlic scapes that you can eat! They are the flower bud of the garlic plant and are removed to encourages growth of the bulb. Where does it…
BroccoLeaf Recipes
A few months ago I wrote a post about BroccoLeaf, a revitalized organic superfood by Foxy Produce. And I am so excited that I just found it in the grocery store! After purchasing it, I immediately went home to put it to the taste test. The results… It is EXTREMELY bitter. The most bitter leafy…
Potato
WHAT IS IT? Potatoes are a member of the nightshade family. The potato is a perennial plant, but we usually harvest it as an annual to eat the fibrous tuber roots. There are over four thousand varieties, ranging from purple to yellow and starch to waxy. Here is a breakdown of the different types of…
Parsnip
What is it? Parsnips are very similar to the carrots, except they are white and slightly sweeter. They are best harvested after the first frost in the fall, when their starches turn to sugars. Parsnips are always sold without their green tops, as they can cause a skin rash due to their toxic sap. Where…
Jicama
What is it? Jicama is a large dense root vegetable that is hard and heavy. It is generally round in shape, although like the above picture above it can also have a unique form. The outside is a pale tan color where as the inside is white. Jicama has a moist, crunchy texture. It is…
Ginger Root
What is it? Ginger is the root of the ginger plant. It is classified as a rhizome, which is unique because if it is separated into pieces, each piece will be able to produce a new plant (known as vegetative reproduction). Although ginger is most commonly used as a spice, it is, however considered a…
Carrots Rainbow Mix
What is it? Carrots rainbow mix are considered a biennial plant in the umbellifer family and they are part of the root family, more specifically the taproot. The carrots can be found in a wide variety of colors, such as orange, yellow, white, and purple. Where does it grow? Carrots are grown in the ground….
Root Vegetables
Root vegetables have been used in recipes all over the world due to their low cost, nutritious value, accessibility and they store well. There is a large number of root vegetables to explore beyond the carrot, potato, onion, and beet. Though, sometimes they might not be the most attractive items in the grocery store, but…
Plantain
What is it? Plantains can best be described as a large green banana. Inside the fruit is a pale yellow color and the texture is more firm than a banana. Unlike, a banana, plantains are only suitable to eat when cooked. They are not sweet like bananas, but instead have a bland vegetable taste. Where…
Fennel
What is it? Fennel is a vegetable with 3 main edible parts: bulb, foliage, and seed. The bulb is white and to me it is the best part of the plant when cooked (see recipe below). The green foliage of the fennel resembles celery and dill. Typically the fennel you find in the local stores…