Roasted Rutabaga & Apples

Are there any fall vegetables that you and family haven’t tried?  Well, this is my first time cooking rutabaga (also called swede and yellow turnip).  Honestly, I use to confused them for turnips, but these two root vegetables have some key differences.  The most noticeable difference between rutabagas and turnips is size. Rutabagas are larger than turnips. In addition, the flesh of most of the rutabagas you will find in the supermarket is yellow.  

Rutabagas are a part of the brassica family of vegetables.  Other vegetables in this family of plants include mustard, cabbage, broccoli, kale, collard greens and cauliflower.  Brassica vegetables are high in vitamin C and contain antioxidant compounds (like glucosinolates) that have been shown to have anticancer properties.

Now, here’s what 100 grams of rutabaga gets you:

• 38 Calories
• 0.2 g Fats
• 9 g Carbohydrate
• 2.3 g Dietary Fiber
• 1.1 g Protein
• 41% DV Vitamin C

It’s time to cook! Rutabagas can be prepared in almost any way that a potato can be prepared.  They can be baked, steamed, mashed or roasted. For my first experience, I decided to roast my rutabaga alongside some honeycrisp apples. Try this recipe and let me know what you think.

Prep Time: 10 minutes . Cook Time:  45-60 minutes . Yield: Serves 4

[ezcol_1third]INGREDIENTS
2 Lbs Rutabaga, peeled
2 Honeycrisp Apples, peeled and cored
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Stalks of Fresh Rosemary, minced
Juice from 1 lemon
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Cooking spray
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METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare a baking sheet with by lightly coating it with cooking spray.

2. Cut rutabagas and apples into equal sized cubes; place cubed vegetables in a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper.  Whisk until well combined. Pour mixture onto rutabagas and apples; toss until all the rutabagas and apples are evenly coated.

4. Spread rutabagas and apples in a single layer onto baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes until rutabagas are soft and golden; tossing vegetables every 15 to 20 minutes.

5. After roasting, add lemon juice and toss vegetables one last time.

6. Serve warm.

Nutrition per 8-Oz  Serving: 163 Cals; 29g Carb; 6g Fat; 3g Protein; 7g Dietary Fiber
Nutrition calculated using the MyFitnessPal Recipe Importer[/ezcol_2third_end]