True to Your Roots Vegan Recipes to Comfort and Nourish

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 TRUE TO YOUR ROOTS
Copyright © 2015 by Carla Kelly

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any part by any means—graphic,
electronic, or mechanical—without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a
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from Access Copyright.

ARSENAL PULP PRESS

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The publisher gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada (through the
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Credit Program) for its publishing activities.

The author and publisher assert that the information contained in this book is true and complete to the
best of their knowledge. All recommendations are made without the guarantee on the part of the
author and publisher. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of
this information. For more information, contact the publisher.

Note for our UK readers: measurements for non-liquids are for volume, not weight.

Design and cover illustration by Gerilee McBride

All photographs, prop syling, and food styling by Tracey Kusiewicz / Foodie Photography
Editing by Robyn So and Susan Safyan

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Kelly, Carla, 1971–, author

True to your roots: vegan recipes to comfort and nourish you / Carla Kelly.

Includes index.
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-55152-589-1 (epub)

1. Vegan cooking. 2. Cookbooks. I. Title.

TX837.K455 2015 641.5'636 C2015-903458-2

C2015-903459-0
Dedication

For my daughters, who truly are growing into the young adults I have
always hoped they would.

“You always make the BEST potatoes”: my daughter M, age 13.

“This is better than ketchup!” (about the Rutabaga Pizza / Pasta Sauce, p.
186),: my daughter R, age 10.
Contents

Preface

Introduction

Allergens & Icons

Truly Nourishing Breakfasts, Brunches & Baking

Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins
Sweet Potato, Pecan & Quinoa Muffins
Potato Biscuits
Turnip, Ginger & Pecan Toffee Scones
Carrot Cake Pancakes
Sweet Potato Pie Waffles
Bircher Muesli Parsnip Breakfast Loaf
Fermented Potato Bread
Mixed Fruited Root Vegetables
Potato, Daikon & Sweet Potato Strata
Taro Hash Brown Cakes
Carrot & Herb Sausages
Sunchoke & Mushroom Sausages

Truly Simple Juices

Mix & Match Root Veggie Juices
Creamy Juice
Carrot, Sweet Potato & Mango Juice
Sweet Potato, Ginger & Apple Juice
Parsnip, Grapefruit & Orange Juice
Ruby Red Juice
 Pear & Rutabaga Juice
Turnip, Cucumber & Apple Juice
Celeriac & Berry Juice
Jicama & Melon Juice
Spicy Radish, Pepper & Tomato Juice
Daikon, Carrot, Celery & Apple Juice
Kohlrabi, Apple & Pear Juice

Truly Tasty Starters & Appies

Roasted Garlic & Celeriac Hummus
Roasted Rosemary Slices
Potato Pizzettes
Rustic Potato & Olive Flatbread
Rutabaga Samosas
Onion & Parsnip Bhaji
Spiced Phyllo Triangles
Sunchoke & Spinach Pakoras
Carrot & White Bean Croquettes
Lotus Root Tempura
Pounded Lime-Taro Breaded Bites
Baked Beet Cakes
Sesame Sweet Potato Spinach Sushi
Fresh Spring Rolls with Daikon

Truly Comforting Soups

Drunken Turnip Soup
Purple Potato & Caramelized Onion Soup
Patatas Bravas Soup
Golden Borscht
Spinach, Parsley & Parsnip Soup
Roasted Carrot & Lentil Soup
Curried Sunchoke & Yellow Split Pea Soup
Leek & Sweet Potato Soup
Radish & Red Quinoa Soup
Caribbean Taro & Plantain Black Bean Soup
Yuca & Tropical Yam Peanut Soup
 Burdock Miso Noodle Soup with Lotus Root Chips
Water Chestnut Hot & Sour Soup

Truly Innovative Salads

Arugula & Avocado Caesar Salad with Potato Croutons
Minted Parsnip Coleslaw
Radish & Carrot Citrus Slaw
Som Tum Salad
Pistachio & Cranberry Sweet Potato Salad
Oca & Purple Potato Niçoise
Red Potato Salad
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Rutabaga & Pumpkin Salad with Pumpkin Seeds
Kohlrabi, Lentil & Barley Salad
Marinated Turnip Caprese Salad
Celeriac Celery Waldorf Salad
Parsnip Tabouleh
Sunchoke & Artichoke Heart Quinoa Salad
Burdock & Bok Choi Udon Noodle Salad
Mango & Mint Riced Salad Lettuce Cups
Fresh Jicama Nacho Salad with Raw Beet Chili

Truly Traditional Sides

Potato & Kohlrabi Rosti
Kalecannon & Avocado
Potato Croquettes
Frybake Potatoes
Roasted Reds & Whites & Greens
Stovetop-Roasted Parsnips & Brussels Sprouts
Sweet & Heat Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Turnip & Cauliflower Mash
Sweetly Spiced Carrots
Roasted Kohlrabi & Broccoli
Baked Oca with Simple No-Cook Peanut Sauce or BBQ Sauce
Celeriac-Infused Bubble & Squeak
Seasoned Yuca Fries
Truly Hearty Entrées
Sweet Potato & Pinto Bean Enchiladas
Potato, Sauerkraut & Dill Pierogies
Potato Gnocchi
Carrot & Walnut Ravioli with Carrot Top Pesto
Tunisian-Style Braise with Couscous
Parsnip & Spinach Burgers
Kohlrabi & Chickpea Burgers
Parsnip & Pea Risotto
Sunchoke Falafel
Ground Beet Tacos
Yuca Empanadas with Avocado, Plantain & Black Beans
Celeriac-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Water Chestnut & Chestnut-Stuffed Tofu
Golden Chili
Turnip Cabbage Rolls
Neep-y Haggis
Field & Garden Stew
Beer, Onion & Rutabaga Sausage
Lotus Root Thai Green Curry

Truly Saucy Condiments

Carrot Peanut Sauce
Rutabaga Pizza/Pasta Sauce
Horseradish Crema
Sesame Horseradish Dipping Sauce
Islands Dressing
Sweet Potato Mayo
Kohlrabi & Mushroom Gravy
Beet Tapenade
Avocado & Jicama Pico de Gallo
Lemon Walnut Beet Green Pesto
Radish & Daikon Pickle
Celeriac Bacon

Truly Decadent Desserts

 Salted Almond & Potato Macaroons
Red Velvet Swirl Coffee Cake
Coconut Sweet Potato Pie
Turnip Rum Raisin Cake
Celeriac Brownies
Sweetly Spiced Rutabaga Pierogies
Carrot & Parsnip Fruit Mince
Christmas Cheesecake
Jicama & Asian Pear Tart
Jicama & Melon Fruit Salad

Acknowledgments

Index
Preface

I am pleased to send this, my fourth book-baby, out into the world for your
reading and dining pleasure. In True to Your Roots, I celebrate the humble
root vegetable in all its many and varied incarnations. I hope readers will
learn a little about these underappreciated plants and be introduced to some
new favorites. My wish is that these dishes will expand the repertoire of
home cooks and also introduce them to new and appealing vegetables. Root
vegetables really are much more than mash.
Every recipe in this book has been tested by my team of international
recipe testers (and by many of my friends and neighbors), so each recipe
will be both tasty and foolproof. The recipes have been approved by vegans
and non-vegans alike. However, remaining true to my personally held
beliefs and ethics, the recipes are all vegan as well as healthy (health-
focused but not -obsessed) and packed with flavor.
For too long the last chosen and least loved, the “ugly vegetables” are
now rising up and claiming their rightful place at the center of the plate. In
the recipes that follow, I showcase these nutritional and flavorful
powerhouses in a variety of tasty and satisfying ways: healthy breakfast
juices, sinfully rich desserts, traditional hot side dishes, refreshing and
innovative salads, hearty soups, and some eye-popping, mouth-watering
main courses. This book truly has something to tempt everyone to go back
to their roots.

—Carla
Introduction

While the focus in this book is on vegetables—be they taproots, tubers,

rhizomes, corms, or stems—that grow underground, I also include some
that grow underwater or aboveground. At the same time, I haven’t included
roots such as salsify, parsley root, and wasabi because they are harder to
find in North America.
I employ a “root to tip” style of cooking (where possible), staying true
to the flavors and form of the whole plant and using the greens and leaves
of the vegetables in many recipes as well. I am frequently influenced by the
ingredients; often, after making a recipe and tasting the ingredients in one
context, I find inspiration and ideas for using them in other contexts.

Basic Botany
Root vegetables are the swollen parts of biennial (a two-year biological life
cycle) and perennial (longer than two-year life span) plants that act as
storage facilities for sugars and starches to provide the energy required for
either germination or reproduction. As such, roots are packed with
macronutrients required for growth (mainly carbohydrates with protein) and
micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) to aid in the plants’ development.
These macro- and micronutrients are valuable to us as sources of fuel and
for our own health and wellbeing.
True root vegetables are those where nutrient storage occurs in the
taproot (a single substantial root) of the plant. These come in three shapes:

• conical (wide at top, tapering like a cone): e.g., carrot and parsnip
• fusiform (widest in the middle): e.g., radish and rutabaga
• napiform (wide at top, tapering suddenly): e.g., turnip and beets
I have also included:

• tubers (underground swollen stems or roots): e.g., potatoes and

sweet potatoes
• rhizomes (underground / underwater stems growing horizontally):
e.g., lotus root
• corms (short vertical underground stem with scale-like leaves): e.g.,
water chestnut and taro
• stems (aboveground): e.g., kohlrabi

Many of the root vegetables are related botanically, albeit distantly, and
share a common origin.

Choosing and Storing Root Vegetables

Whether you’re buying them from a supermarket, health-food store,
specialty ethnic market, fruit and vegetable store, or farmer’s market, or
having them delivered to your home, you want to ensure that the vegetables
you purchase are giving you the best bang for your buck.
Fresh roots should feel firm and pleasantly solid in your hand. The skin
should be taut. Avoid bruised roots with spongy or soft spots. Reject roots
with slime, brown patches, cracks, sprouting eyes, or shoots. Extra-large
roots may be woody inside (especially parsnips, celeriac, and carrots), so
stick to those that are small to medium-large, even if you need to purchase
more than one. Smell the root; the aroma should be earthy, not sour or
musty.
Organic roots, those grown without pesticides or artificial chemicals,
are a wonderful option. Organics are guaranteed not to be genetically
modified as well. However, they are pricier and not always available.
Roots stay fresher longer when stored in a cool, dark, dry, and well-
ventilated space. If, like me, you don’t have a root cellar in your home, the
next best place is the basement (or garage) which, while cool, is never cold
enough to freeze. It’s best to keep roots protected from heat-producing
appliances (e.g., the refrigerator or stove) and covered with cloth (or inside
a cloth bag) to keep them away from excess light. Although roots can be
stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator, they usually last longer and
retain their flavor stored in a cool, dry place. As a general rule of thumb, if
your grocery store does not refrigerate the vegetables, you shouldn’t either
(unless they have been cut). The majority of roots are best used within a
week after purchase.

To Raw, Or Not to Raw?

The following root vegetables—by far the majority of those available—are suitable for
eating raw, juicing, and dehydrating: carrots, beets, sweet potatoes (white- and orange-
fleshed), jicama, celeriac, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, radishes, daikon, sunchokes,
kohlrabi, water chestnuts, oca, burdock, horseradish.
Never eat the following roots unless they are completely cooked to destroy the toxins:
potatoes, yuca, tropical yams, taro, lotus root.

If buying your roots with greens attached (please do—just make sure
the greens are edible, p. 195), remove greens before storing, as they will
draw moisture from the root. They also tend to spoil faster. Wrap the greens
in paper and store in the crisper; use within two to three days.

Growing Your Own

There are few things more satisfying than creating dinner from ingredients
you pulled from the ground in your own backyard. If you have a vegetable
patch at home, in a shared plot, or in a community garden, you may already
grow some form of root vegetable. While some take longer to mature—
rutabagas and parsnips for example—and some are a little trickier to grow
—such as celeriac and potatoes—roots are, on the whole, relatively fast-
growing and provide a lot of produce with little effort.
Even if you don’t have a grassed yard to turn into a vegetable patch, or
you have limited experience with gardening, you can easily grow some
varieties of roots in deep containers or pots on a patio or balcony—any
space which gets sun for most of the day. Choose roots you like to eat, buy
some seeds (heirloom varieties have interesting colors and shapes), read the
planting and care instructions, and off you go.
Good roots for beginner gardens are radishes, carrots, and beets, as they
grow quickly and have widespread appeal. And because you can eat both
the roots and leaves raw and cooked, nothing goes to waste.

Waste Not—Root to Tip Usage

Don’t throw out the greens attached to your roots. Many are edible—and
tasty to boot. A number of the recipes that follow make use of commonly
found greens, from those of beets and carrots to kohlrabi. See p. 195 for a
list of nontoxic, edible greens.
If the produce is organic and the recipe specifies peeling (for
presentation reasons, mainly), it’s entirely up to you whether or not to peel,
as long as the skin is edible. If produce is not organic, and you prefer to
leave the peel on, always wash and scrub the roots to remove any traces of
soil. When peeling the roots, also peel the visible “inner skin” or second
layer of pigment, if there is one. You’ll end up with less flesh, but this
second layer is often as inedible as the skin.
Compost all the peels you don’t want to use. This keeps biodegradable
matter out of the garbage and allows nutrients in the peels and trimmings to
be returned to the soil. Check if your municipality has a “green waste”
collection program, or use community compost bins. You can also create
compost for use in your own garden; starter bins (with detailed instructions)
are easily purchased wherever gardening supplies are sold.
If you choose to peel skin that’s edible, use the peels to make stock.
Keep a container or large resealable bag in your freezer to which you can add root
vegetable peels, onion skins, and trimmings from greens. The only provisos I’d make are
to limit the use of trimmings from the Brassica family, as they make the stock distinctly
cabbage-y and, unless you want a pink stock, avoid beets.
When you have about 6 cups (1.5 L), place peels and trimmings in a large soup pot,
cover with water, bring to a simmer on medium-low heat, and cook for up to an hour, until
very tender and almost falling apart. Strain the stock, pressing the trimmings against the
strainer to extract all the liquid. Taste and season your stock as desired.
If not using immediately, freeze in 1 cup (250 mL) measures for use in recipes.

About the Ingredients

The availability of ingredients will depend on your location and the season.
I make suggestions for substitutions in recipes where relevant, and a list can
also be found under the heading, “What to Use Instead” (p. 15).
 I’ve focused on roots that will be easy to find in local supermarkets,
fruit and vegetable stores, large grocery chains, health-food stores, and
Asian grocers. I like to know that the ingredients can be found close to
home, even while I like to expand my comfort zone by experimenting with
new ingredients.

• flours; e.g., potato, chickpea, other gluten-free flours

• durum wheat semolina for making pasta and gnocchi
• potato starch (see textbox, p. 23)
• umami sources; e.g., nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, Marmite
• alcohol; e.g., sauvignon blanc, merlot, lager (substitute an equal
amount of stock or broth in savory recipes and apple juice or
nondairy milk in dessert recipes)
• Asian noodles; e.g., rice sticks (medium size), soba (buckwheat),
udon (or long thin pasta, if you prefer)
• vinegar; e.g., balsamic, white balsamic, apple cider
• sweeteners; e.g., agave syrup, brown rice syrup
• nuts and seeds; e.g., nut butters, tahini (feel free to substitute for
preferences or allergies)
• spices and seasonings; e.g., smoked paprika, sumac, ground fennel
seed
• grains; e.g., red quinoa, sushi rice, steel cut oats, regular and Israeli
couscous
• commercial dairy replacements; e.g., almond, rice, or soy milks
(purchased or homemade)

What to Use Instead? Some Truly Sensible Substitutions

If you’re stumped about sourcing one of the lesser known roots in a recipe, and neither the
description in the appendix nor a Google search has helped, then make one of the
substitutions listed below and enjoy the recipe anyway.

• burdock: sunchoke or parsnip

 • daikon: radish (plain or other variety)

• lotus root: water chestnut or jicama

• oca: sunchoke, fingerling potato, canned olluco

• sunchoke: fingerling (or other waxy) potato

• taro: white-fleshed sweet potato

• tropical yam: yuca or white-fleshed sweet potato

• water chestnut: canned water chestnut or jicama

• yuca: white-fleshed sweet potato

Where I call for neutral-flavored oil, I mean all-purpose cooking oil,

such as canola, sunflower, safflower, or grapeseed. Other oils are specified
as needed. Should you wish to sauté without oil, use a water sauté method
instead.
Some aromatics that are often considered root vegetables including
Alliums (bulbs), such as onions, garlic, and shallots, as well as ginger (a
rhizome), find a place in many of the recipes in this book.
When roots are to be grated, I use a coarse grate (on the larger holes on
a box grater). Recipes will specify when a fine grate is called for.

Equipment
The following items are useful for making the recipes in this book.

Must-have:

• very sharp knife

• potato masher
• potato peeler
• box grater
• food processor
• blender
Nice-to-have:

• immersion blender for blending soup or stock in the pot

• mandoline for creating perfectly thin, consistently even slices
(though a sharp knife and steady hand will do the job)
• juicer for extracting the juice from hard vegetables
• slow cooker (To make slow cooker recipes on the stovetop or in the
oven, a general rule of thumb is to use a quarter of the time and
double the liquid; however, the recipes in this book haven’t been
tested with this cooking method, so results may vary.)

What’s In a Name?
Where you’re from will influence what you call a “sweet potato” and a “yam.” For the
purposes of this book, and to stop me from going crazy, I’m relying on botany to provide
me with the answers.
What is known as a yam in the US and Canada is, botanically, Ipomoea batatas, an
orange-fleshed version of a sweet potato. I call them sweet potatoes. Because sweet
potatoes are readily available with white or orange flesh, I specify white-fleshed or
orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in the recipes.
A true yam, genus Dioscorea, is a tropical root vegetable and is much longer, denser,
and starchier than a sweet potato. There are many varieties of yams throughout Africa,
Asia, and the Caribbean; the variety available to you will depend on what your store
brings in. For the recipes in this book, use any true yam where I ask for tropical yam.

Allergens & Icons

contains peanuts, tree nuts, or nut products

gluten-free ingredients

uncooked or individual ingredients heated to less than 115°F (46°C)

Always read labels for potential allergens, as the notation in a recipe does
not guarantee an allergen-free dish.
Truly Nourishing Breakfasts, Brunches &
Baking
The first meal of the day may not be what springs to mind when you think of
root vegetables—but don’t rule it out. For a nutrition-packed beginning to
the morning, there are delicious baked goods, and for that lazy Sunday,
tempting hot items, including pancakes and waffles.

Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins

Sweet Potato, Pecan & Quinoa Muffins

Potato Biscuits

Turnip, Ginger & Pecan Toffee Scones

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Sweet Potato Pie Waffles

Bircher Muesli Parsnip Breakfast Loaf

Fermented Potato Bread

Mixed Fruited Root Vegetables

Potato, Daikon & Sweet Potato Strata

Taro Hash Brown Cakes

Carrot & Herb Sausages

Sunchoke & Mushroom Sausages

Carrot Raisin Bran Muffins
Two of the most beloved muffin flavors combined into one perfect breakfast
treat. The sweet bursts from the raisins are a delight.

Makes 12 muffins
1/2 cup (125 mL) dark raisins
1/4 cup (60 mL) golden raisins
1 packed cup (250 mL) peeled and finely grated carrots

2 1/4 cups (530 mL) whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) wheat bran
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice

1 cup (250 mL) nondairy milk

1/4 cup (60 mL) unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners,
or apply non-stick spray.
In a medium bowl, place raisins and grated carrot, and add boiling water
to cover by 1 in (2.5 cm). Let soak for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup
(125 mL) raisin water and setting aside raisins and carrots.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, bran, baking powder, baking soda,
salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
In a small bowl, whisk milk, applesauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, and
vanilla extract. Add reserved raisin water. Stir in soaked raisins and carrots.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix to just combine. Spoon
batter into prepared muffin tin. The cups will be full. Bake for 20–25