Over the weekend, Lu and I went to the farmer’s market. We hadn’t been in a couple of weeks, and it was nice to see our local farmer Dale.
He was sitting in a sunny spot near the farm stand, soaking in the rays, marking up a printed inventory spreadsheet, and he looked up and said, “I think you’ll be disappointed – no zucchinis!”
Since we were in a rush, I didn’t have time to explain to him my obsession with root vegetables (since starting Inspiralized), but I’m looking forward to chatting with him next weekend about it.
Before Inspiralized, I never ate a rutabaga. I only ate sweet potatoes diced and roasted. I poo-pooed turnips. I only had parsnips once (in London, while studying abroad) and loved them, but had no idea what they actually looked like, so I never cooked them. Beets were only eaten at restaurants, because they intimidated me. Celeriac? What?! Never heard of it.
You get the picture. I didn’t really know much about root vegetables, thought they were heavy and difficult.
Shortly after starting Inspiralized and asking myself, “Is there more to life spiralizing than zucchini noodles?” And the next day, I had spent that month’s blog revenue in root veggie groceries and started experimenting.
Rutabaga has been my favorite veggie to spiralize since. Not because it’s easy to spiralize (although, with the Inspiralizer, it’s as easy as it gets), but it absolutely transforms into a delicious noodle. It’s nutty, buttery, and I could literally eat it with nothing on it, just as a side.
My business card and e-mail signature even say “Favorite vegetable to spiralize: rutabaga.” Seriously – don’t believe me, send me an e-mail!
This dish is simple, but flavorful, thanks to the natural flavors of the rutabaga. Can you tell I love rutabaga?
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 6 points
*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.
Broccoli and Sundried Tomato Rutabaga Pasta with Ricotta
Ingredients
- 2 medium rutabagas peeled, Blade C, noodles trimmed
- 2 cups well-chopped broccoli florets
- olive oil cooking spray
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more to drizzle
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 sundried tomatoes chopped
- 4 tablespoons/dollops ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay out the rutabaga noodles and broccoli and spritz with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the noodles are al dente.
- Once the rutabaga is done roasting, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, careful not to brown. Add the rutabaga noodles and sundried tomatoes into the pan, and toss well for 2-3 minutes to combine the flavors.
- Divide into plates or bowls and top with a dollop of ricotta and drizzle of olive oil. Serve.
comments