A case for two lonely vegetables

 Okay, time to 'fess up...how many of you regularly use rutabagas and parsnips in your diet?!  What?!  You don't?!  Relax...I didn't either for most of my life until health issues in our family drove me to experiment and discover more of the beautiful and nutritious vegetables God gave us to eat.

So I'd like to give you a formal introduction to them and share a yummy recipe we now have as a regular on our table.  You'll find baking the veggies like this brings out their natural sweetness which carmelizes into a wonderful dish.  Vary amounts according to your taste.

Rutabagas are a member of the turnip family, a root vegetable that has a deep yellow flesh.  As with all root crops, they take in lots of nutrients from the soil.  They have an alkaline effect on your body--something you want to fight disease--and are especially known for their cancer-fighting qualities.  They are high in potassium with good amounts of Vitamin C and fiber.

Parsnips are those long, white, carrot-looking things you've seen in the produce section.  They are very high in fiber, rich in potassium and cancer-fighting substances, and have a sweet, nutty taste when cooked.
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Root Vegetable Bake

• 2-3 parsnips, peeled and diced
• rutabagas, peeled and diced to equal 1 1/2 cups
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced, OR 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
• 3 red potatoes, diced
• Optional:  2 turnips, peeled and diced
• Optional:  1-2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix well in large bowl.  Salt and pepper to taste, and add 1 T. dried parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.  Mix well and turn into a sprayed-with-PAM or buttered casserole dish.  Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.