In these last throes of winter, root vegetables make great ingredients for healthy, comforting meals. This week we offer a few tips for buying, storing, and cooking with a variety of root veggies. 

Potatoes

The humble potato is healthy comfort food! One medium potato with the skin contains 45% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin C, 18% DV for potassium, and 2 grams of fiber.  

Storing: Keep dry potatoes in a cool, dark, well ventilated place (avoid the fridge).

Cooking: Gently scrub potatoes under running water. Cut away any green spots or sprouts. Boiling leaches away nutrients, so steaming, baking, or microwaving are the best choices. 

Turnips

Turnips lend a beautiful mild bitterness to all kinds of dishes. Let one medium turnip's 2 grams of fiber and 43% DV of vitamin C be your excuse for adding them to your menus.  

Buying: Select small turnips that are hard and heavy for their size.

Storing: If the greens are attached, remove them. Store dry turnips in a plastic bag in the drawer of the refrigerator.

Cooking: Wash and peel turnips before cooking. Choose non-reactive cookware like enamel, stainless steel, or glass to prevent turnips from discoloring during cooking.  

Parsnips

Parsnips' sweet and earthy flavor makes them easy to introduce to picky eaters. One 9"-long parsnip contains 6 grams of fiber and about 30% DV of vitamin C.  

Buying: Choose parsnips that are firm and dry. Smaller parsnips tend to be more flavorful and tender.

Storing: Store dry, unwashed parsnips in an unsealed plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Cooking: Peel parsnips and trim the ends before cooking. Experiment with parsnips' versatility: try incorporating them into mashed potatoes or adding them to vegetable soup.

Ginger

Ginger is actually an underground stem, known as a rhizome (other rhizomes include turmeric and galangal). Its delicate spiciness allows ginger to complement both savory and sweet dishes. 

Buying: Choose hard ginger with smooth skin. If you can't find fresh ginger at your store, look in the spice section for dried ginger.

Storing: Keep unpeeled ginger in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator.

Cooking: Use the side of a small spoon to scrape the peel off the ginger. One teaspoon of dried ginger powder equals one tablespoon of fresh ginger if you need to to make a substitution in a recipe.

Horseradish

Most horseradish available in grocery stores comes prepared--grated and mixed with vinegar, and sometimes other ingredients--as opposed to raw, due to its immense potency.

Buying: Look for prepared horseradish that contains only horseradish root and vinegar to avoid artificial and/or highly processed ingredients, including added sugars and fats.

Storing: Store the tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator after opening.

Cooking: Just a little bit of this highly flavorful ingredient goes a long way! Try stirring a small spoonful of prepared horseradish into a coleslaw, or mix a bit into egg yolks for spicy deviled eggs. Or use it as a condiment for your favorite seafood dishes.