In the Mid-West of the US, early April is the time when it gets really hard to eat local vegetables. There is nothing out there growing yet. But wait there are some crops from last fall like turnips … in fact raw turnips make a great spring salad. Past few weeks, I have been adding grated raw turnips to all my dishes. I have to admit it felt great to eat something raw. Try this simple salad, you can add a little olive oil, black pepper and carrots but honestly I often eat it just as it is, nothing added.
Turnip (Brassica rapa var) is a member of the mustard family that grows in temperate climate around the world. It has a neutral thermal energy and is slightly sweet, bitter and pungent … just what we need right now in the spring. It helps the liver, kidneys and spleen to function better and protects the lungs and blood vessels. It is especially high in fiber, nourishes digestive tracts and helps detoxify the body. It is considered to be high in many essential nutrients and minerals. Sounds like a super food to me …
RECIPE
Ingredients
- 1 lb of turnips, medium or larger size
- carrots strips (optional)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
- freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- 1 Tbsp of lemon juice (optional)
Directions
- Clean, peel and grade the turnips. For grating, I use the largest hole of my cheese grater.
- Cut up carrots into thin trips.
- Add into a bowl. Serve with olive oil and black pepper if you wish.
enjoy!
Text, photo and recipe by twincitiesherbs.com.
Source
Paul Pitchford: Healing with Whole Foods
Twin Cities Herbs 