Often overlooked due to its outer appearance, the rutabaga offers a delicious sweet and peppery taste, that is rich in beta-carotene and low in calories! Once you learn to peel and slice one of these large root vegetables, it becomes really quite simple.

The Rutabaga is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Consuming 140 gram of rutabagas offers 35 mg of Vitamin C, 0.14 mg of Vitamin B6, 74 mg of Phosphorus, 0.126 mg of Vitamin B1, 12.07 g of Carbohydrate, 427 mg of Potassium and 3.2 g of Total dietary Fiber. This root vegetable is also known to prevent cancer, as a result of it’s high antioxidant content, to contribute to weight loss and diabetes, they are low in carbohydrates, and to improve digestion due to their high fiber content.

Normally not a fan of rutabaga, some of these recipes have turned my head, and my taste buds.

Begin this process by cutting and peeling the rutabaga,

1. Wash and clean, often they do not hold much dirt as they have a waxy outer layer.
2. Place the rutabaga on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, slice the vegetable in half, cutting through the central stalk. This makes it much easier to lay flat on the cutting board.
3. Turn each half onto its side, and cut into half-inch semi circles, toss the bottom and top pieces as they are covered in very tough skin.
4. Using a paring knife, remove the skin from the pieces.
5. For most recipes you will next lay the wedges flat and cut into cubes.

Rutabaga-Cauliflower Cheese Soup

I love soups, so this one especially caught my eye.

Ingredients

• 1 head, large (6-7″ dia.) Cauliflower, raw
• 4 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 tbsp. Salt (may be eliminated to reduce sodium)
• ½ cup Fat Free Shredded Cheddar
• 1 medium Rutabagas
• 8 oz. Buffalo Wing Flavored Cheese (if not available, use a pepper jack)
• Salt is optional. Garnish as you please with toppings like salsa.

Directions

1. Chop the cauliflower and rutabaga into a slow cooker. Add the box of chicken broth and salt to taste. Let that cook on high 4-5 hours or until all is soft.
2. Remove ½ to ⅔ of the soup and blend it to make it creamy. Stir in the cheese and serve.
3. You can garnish with salsa if you like.

Serves 10. Each serving contains Calories 143, Fat 7.5 g, Cholesterol 24 mg, Sodium 1,306 mg, Carbohydrates 9 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 11 g.

Rutabaga and Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1 pound sirloin or strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• ½ teaspoon salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound rutabaga (about ½ medium), cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup water
• ⅔ cup whole-wheat couscous (you may replace with brown rice if you prefer)

Directions

1. Sprinkle steak with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink on the outside, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan over medium heat. Add rutabaga, onion, tomato paste, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, cayenne (if using) and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally until the rutabaga is tender and the stew is thickened, 10 to 14 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. When the rutabaga is tender, return the steak to the stew, along with any accumulated juice from the plate. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the steak is cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
5. To serve, fluff the couscous with a fork and divide among 4 shallow bowls. Top with equal portions of the stew.

Serves 4. Each serving contains (information includes values for the couscous) Calories 391, Fat 12 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 30 g, Carbohydrates 41 g, Cholesterol 63 g, Sodium 744 mg.

Rutabaga Hash Browns

Ingredients

• 1 medium rutabaga, peeled
• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Peel rutabaga then cut into chunks and feed into food processor with the shredding attachment. If you don’t have a food processor you can use a hand grater.
2. Slice scallions and mince garlic. Heat olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron is great if you have one). Put the scallions and garlic into the hot skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add the shredded rutabaga, stir well, then let cook without touching for a minute or so.
3. Stir again and let cook without touching. Continue to do this for about 7 minutes until the mixture is golden.

Serves 2. Each serving contains Calories 160, Fat 7 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 3 g, Carbohydrates 23 g, Cholesterol 0 g, Sodium 44 mg.

Oven Roasted Rutabaga Greek Style

Ingredients

• 2 smallish rutabagas (1.75lb total)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Peel the rutabagas and cut them into roughly 2″ chunks; place them in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to a separate bowl and mix vigorously with a whisk until well combined. Pour the sauce over the rutabagas and toss with a spoon until all the pieces are evenly coated.
4. Spread the rutabaga in a single layer across a broiler pan, making sure there is plenty of room between the pieces of rutabaga to allow air to circulate freely.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil, lower the heat to 375° F and continue baking, stirring 2 or 3 times during the process, until the rutabaga is fork tender and starts to caramelize around the edges, about 25 minutes.
6. Once the rutabaga has reached the desired color and doneness, remove it from the oven and immediately hit it with a light sprinkle of salt. Let it cool for a few minutes and then serve, garnished with fresh herbs and a dribble of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Serves 4. Each serving contains Calories 197, Fat 13 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 3 g, Carbohydrates 19 g, Cholesterol 0 g, Sodium 713 mg.

Rutabaga Gratin

(Adapted from a Saveur recipe, rich and yummy)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• ¹⁄₄ cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 lb. rutabagas, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves
• 2 cups (about 4 oz.) grated Gruyére cheese
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425° F.
2. Heat butter and oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour, and cook until smooth, about 1 minute. Add milk and cream, and stir until smooth.
3. Add potatoes, rutabagas, and 2 tsp. thyme, and bring mixture to a boil; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are slightly tender and broken apart, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in half the cheese and salt and pepper, and then transfer to a 9″ × 13″ baking dish; top with remaining cheese and bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 25 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with remaining thyme before serving.

Serves 8.