Seasonal Spotlight: Root Vegetables!

With shorter days and cooler weather on the horizon, humble root vegetables have their moment to shine! Eating seasonally is a wonderful way to diversify your diet, support your gut health and feel connected to the earth’s natural rhythms. Root vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, celeriac, carrots and parsnips, are packed with fiber, satisfying ‘slow carbs’ and nutritional all-stars like lutein, beta carotene and a bevy of vitamins and minerals. If you haven't enjoyed them in the past, try roasting or airfrying them to enhance their natural sweetness. Our 21 Days to Better Health recipe guide has a bunch of easy recipes to try, like these warm and comforting sweet potato wedges.

Need a shortcut? Find frozen root vegetable fries in the freezer section of grocery stores like Trader Joe’s or Berkeley Bowl

ROASTED SPICED SWEET POTATOES WEDGES

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds medium sweet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons organic extra virgin coconut oil, warmed to liquid

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coarsely grind coriander, fennel, oregano, and red pepper flakes in an electric coffee/spice grinder or pound a bit with a mortar and pestle. Stir together spices and salt.

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1-inch wedges. Toss wedges with oil and spices in a large roasting pan and roast in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Toss wedges around, and continue roasting until tender and slightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes more.