eat - FoodNerdy Recipes Management System

You can eat white cabbage raw, but you need good digestion. Here we show you how to prepare coleslaw and other dishes with raw white cabbage that are as stomach-friendly as possible.

White cabbage is known to be rather difficult to digest. For many people, it triggers flatulence, abdominal pain or other complaints after consumption. This is especially true if you eat white cabbage raw instead of boiling, frying, or scalloping it first.

The main reason raw cabbage is such a digestive challenge is its high fiber content. Fiber is healthy and important for a balanced diet. However, when they are broken down in the colon, they also release gases that can cause gas and bloating, especially if you eat large amounts of high-fiber foods.

Many cabbage dishes are prepared warm anyway – but uncooked cabbage can also be served in classic coleslaw or as part of mixed salads. If you are sensitive to eating white cabbage raw, you still don’t have to do without it entirely: With the right spices and a few other tricks, you can make the cabbage easier to digest.

Eat white cabbage raw: These spices help with digestion

Caraway is particularly well-known as a digestive spice in German cuisine. Cumin tea is a common home remedy for bloating and stomach upset. In hearty dishes, whole or ground cumin not only serves the taste, but also makes it easier to digest. Its hearty aroma generally goes well with white cabbage, but is not necessarily something for everyone. In this case, other spices can also have a function comparable to that of caraway, for example:

coriander
cumin
cardamom
anise
fennel seeds
Ginger

Not all of these spices are suitable for all white cabbage dishes. Many of these, like coriander or ginger, go particularly well with an Asian-inspired coleslaw. Most of the spices mentioned have a fairly strong taste of their own. It’s best to use them sparingly at first and taste the cabbage from time to time to make sure you don’t over-season it.

Tip: If you don’t want to use the spices directly in the food, a caraway or fennel tea with the meal can also help you digest the raw white cabbage better.

Eating white cabbage raw: More tips against digestive problems

Basically, the more raw white cabbage you eat and the coarser it is cut, the greater the risk of digestive problems. Therefore, if you are generally sensitive to cabbage, you should stick to smaller portions and eat slowly. That way you don’t overwhelm your digestive system and you can slowly get used to it. When preparing your own coleslaw, it is best to make sure that you cut the cabbage into strips that are as thin as possible. Alternatively, you can also grate it.

You can also try freezing the cabbage before preparing it. Once frozen cabbage is said to be better tolerated and cause less flatulence.

Another option is to blanch the cabbage before processing it into coleslaw, for example. So you don’t have to eat the white cabbage raw, but it still remains al dente and doesn’t collapse. At the same time, blanching makes it easier to digest.

Cooking Tips

Can You Eat Rose Petals? You Should Know That

Eating rose petals is a great way to use the decorative flowers for culinary purposes. In this article you will find out what you should consider when eating.

Above all, roses are an expression of love. But the flowers are not only a popular decoration: You can also use their petals in the kitchen.

However, you have to pay attention to a few pointers. There are now up to 250 different varieties and new varieties are constantly being added through breeding. Only a few of them are actually suitable for consumption.

Eating rose petals: You should pay attention to that

To eat rose petals, you should always use wild and cultivated roses. In addition, they must belong to the genus Rosa. Other types of roses, such as peonies, Christmas roses or hollyhocks are not suitable for consumption. They are mostly poisonous because, despite their name rose, they belong to other plant genera.

You should also avoid eating bouquets of roses or potted roses that you have bought, as they can be heavily contaminated with pesticides. Also read: “Blooming business”: the global trade in flowers.

You can, for example, eat the rose petals of the following varieties without hesitation:

Gallica
Centifolia
damescena
All three species are fragrant roses. That’s why they taste particularly intense.

How to use rose petals

If you want to eat rose petals, you can use them either fresh or dried:

The leaves themselves are particularly suitable as a topping for salads, vegetable pans, but also for sweet dishes such as desserts or cakes.
If you pour hot water over them and let them steep, you can make rose tea.
The petals are also suitable as an ingredient for cold drinks such as lemonades, cocktails or punch.
Chopped rose petals add an interesting flavor to butter, spreads, cream cheese, hummus or other dips.
You can also add the edible flowers to oils or vinegar and let this mixture steep for a few days. So you can easily make rose vinegar and rose cooking oil yourself.
You can also use the rose aroma in the kitchen in the form of rose water. Originally, this comes from the Arab world and is often used in the kitchen as a condiment. Other products that contain rose petals are, for example, rose coffee, rose petal salt, rose pepper or rose syrup.

Rose Petals: Buying and Harvesting Tips

You can buy many products with rose petals ready-made. However, you also have the option of buying dried rose petals and using them yourself. If you want to use fresh petals, you can grow your own wild roses and harvest the leaves. You can find more information about growing roses here: Wild roses: important varieties, care and cultivation.

When harvesting, you should then observe the following tips:

Harvest the buds just before use. So they don’t wither.
Always choose buds that have just opened.
The morning is the best time. Then the essential oils have not yet evaporated due to the sunlight.
Carefully twist the petals off the calyx to avoid breaking them.
Wash your buds carefully.
Keep the buds fresh in a bowl of water if you decide not to use them immediately.
If you want to dry them, gently pat them dry and spread them flat on a smooth surface.

Cooking Tips

Eat Parsley Root Raw: Here’s How

Eating parsley roots raw is not a problem, because the root vegetable not only tastes good as a soup ingredient. We present you a recipe for raw parsley root salad.

The parsley root is probably best known as a classic soup vegetable. No wonder, because it’s in season in the colder months. From the end of October to February, it provides us with valuable nutrients as a spicy ingredient in stews and soups.

The root vegetable, which is an old subspecies of parsley, contains, among other things, calcium, iron and vitamin C, as well as various essential oils. However, the levels of some of these nutrients, most notably vitamin C, are reduced when you cook the parsley root. You can find out more about the nutrients and effects of parsley root here: Parsley root: preparation, effects and nutrients.

However, you can also eat the aromatic parsley root raw. Raw, it’s as easy to prepare as a carrot. Raw parsley roots are particularly tasty when they are fresh. You can tell by the fact that the root is crisp, firm and smooth. Incidentally, smaller roots are more tender than large specimens and are therefore particularly recommended for raw food dishes.

We also recommend buying parsley roots organic whenever possible. This is how you support agriculture without chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Eating parsley root raw: How to prepare it

If you want to eat parsley root raw, first clean it like this:

Peel the parsley root with a vegetable peeler.
Cut off the ends.
Hold the turnip briefly under running water and dry it.
Cut them into cubes, slices or sticks, depending on their intended use.
You can enjoy raw parsley root raw with dips or add it to salads and smoothies. We present you a recipe for a delicious salad with raw parsley root, carrot, beetroot and apple.

Recipe: Salad with raw parsley root, apple, beetroot and hazelnuts

Ingredients:

500 gparsley root
250 g carrots
250 g beetroot
2 shallots
100 apples
1 handful of fresh parsley
4 tablespoons light balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar, maple syrup, or other sweetener
2 tablespoons of tahin or almond butter
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp hazelnuts, toasted

Directions:

Peel the parsley root, carrot, and beetroot.
Either cut the vegetables into fine strips or grate them.
Peel the shallots and chop them finely. Wash the apple and cut it into small pieces. Wash the parsley and roughly chop it. Mix the vegetables and apple together.
Prepare the dressing: Mix together the vinegar, sugar, and tahini or almond butter. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix well. Fold in the toasted hazelnuts. For example, serve some flatbread with a homemade herb dip with the salad.

Food

Which Pumpkin Can You Eat with the Skin on?

Pumpkin is delicious, healthy, often locally grown and always versatile. The processing can be exhausting because the shell is hard. But: With some varieties, you can simply eat the pumpkin skin as well – we’ll show you when to peel the pumpkin – and how.

For most varieties of autumn fruit, pumpkin season in Germany is from the end of August or the beginning of September to November. Since almost all species can be stored well, you can often still get home-grown produce well into spring – you can find all the details in the Utopia seasonal calendar.

Many peel the vegetables and also hollow them out. It’s a shame about the beautiful skin, because you can also eat it with edible pumpkins!

Can you eat pumpkin with skin?

In principle, you can eat almost any pumpkin with its skin on. But since the skin is often very hard, it takes much longer to cook than the flesh until it softens. Therefore, with some varieties and preparation methods, it may be advisable to peel the pumpkin. We have put together an overview of the individual pumpkin varieties for you.

Hokkaido

The Hokkaido is our most popular representative, you can get it in every supermarket. It is round, medium-sized, grooved and bright orange on the outside and inside. There is no need to peel a Hokkaido squash: the squash skin is safe to eat.

It doesn’t matter whether the Hokkaido is baked in the oven, made into a soup or fried: the skin can remain on and, according to some (hobby) cooks, even gives a better aroma than without the skin. But if you want to grate the Hokkaido to make vegetable pancakes or potato pancakes, you should peel the Hokkaido pumpkin, because the roasting time here may not be long enough for the skin to soften.

Butternut

The butternut is also very popular. Quite different from the Hokkaido, it has a pale yellowish smooth skin and is pear-shaped, its flesh is light orange, and it has a subtle buttery flavor. The butternut squash has a very thin but quite hard skin.

Peeling butternut is easy with a potato peeler. Whether it is really necessary or whether you can eat the pumpkin with the skin depends on the recipe. Basically, the butternut shell is edible – but it takes a relatively long time to soften.

If you want to roast the butternut squash in the oven, you can try it with the skin on. Even if you want to cook and puree the butternut for a soup until soft, you don’t necessarily have to peel it. But if you’re just sautéing it for a stir-fry, for example, it’s easier to peel it.

If you don’t want to throw away the peel, you can easily use it to make a delicious vegetable dish: Simply chop, fry or cook until soft – for example with onions, spices and coconut milk.

Basically you can eat butternut with shell. It is only advisable to peel the pumpkin for preparation methods in which it only cooks for a short time.

There is a delicious vegetarian butternut recipe for pasta on the minzgrün blog, you can find one for oven-baked butternut, for example, at Fleckenwohl. There are more recipes with butternut at eatsmarter.de. Here you will find a recipe for pumpkin jam and pumpkin chutney.

Nutmeg squash

The nutmeg squash is round but rather flat, grooved on the outside and usually larger than the Hokkaido or butternut – it can weigh up to 40 kilograms. The skin is green, brownish or orange and the flesh is yellow to orange. Nutmeg has a hard and rather thick skin.

In theory, you can eat the pumpkin with the skin on. However, the skin takes a relatively long time to soften during cooking, so depending on the dish, it may be advisable to peel the nutmeg pumpkin. If it is cooking for a long time (e.g. in the oven or for soup), you can leave the shell on, with shorter cooking times it is better to peel the nutmeg.

To peel the pumpkin or not: other varieties

Although there are actually hundreds of different types of pumpkin, we know two types in particular: Hokkaido and Butternut, and more rarely the larger nutmeg pumpkin. These three varieties alone are versatile and tasty.
But at weekly markets, in well-stocked vegetable and organic shops or at self-service stands on the side of the road, you can find many more pumpkin varieties that you should definitely try. The same applies here: you don’t have to peel many of them.

Patisson:
Small (approx. 10-25 cm in diameter), its shape is reminiscent of a UFO. It is available in yellow, white, green and even two-tone. The Patisson does not keep as long as other varieties. You don’t have to peel it: you can eat this variety well with the skin, very small specimens even in one piece and raw. Patisson is also very suitable for filling and cooking in the oven.

bishop’s cap:
Medium-sized, round, rather flat representative with a cap-like “attachment”, also known as a Turkish turban. Should not be eaten with the skin on. Because of the shape, it is difficult to cut the flesh out of the squash, so it is often cooked hollowed out and filled.

Spaghetti Squash:
Elongated, rather small, with a beige to yellow skin and threadlike flesh. Cook the spaghetti squash whole (pierce the skin first!). You can then cut it in half and pull out the “spaghetti” or just spoon them out of the bowl. We have more delicious spaghetti squash recipe ideas for you.

Yellow hundredweight (giant hundredweight):
Round giant pumpkin with orange skin and yellow flesh that can weigh up to 50 kilograms. Good for desserts – and hollowing and carving for Halloween. Theoretically edible with pumpkin skin, but it is quite hard and is therefore usually removed.

Baby Bear:
Small, round (approx. 10 cm in diameter), with a dark orange, ridged skin and yellow flesh. Good for soups and desserts. The skin is very hard, so it’s better to peel this pumpkin – or scoop out the flesh.

buttercup:
Rather small, round fruit vegetable with a small cap-like top, dark green skin and orange flesh. The skin is very hard, so it’s easier to eat it without the skin, but peeling the squash isn’t always easy. Good for stuffing, casseroles or baking.

Cooking Tips

Bitter Almonds are Poisonous – So You Can Still Eat Them

Bitter almonds are poisonous when raw due to the hydrocyanic acid. Cooked or baked, however, they are used in many traditional recipes. Here you can find out when you can eat bitter almonds and what to look out for.

Bitter almonds are valued for their intense almond flavor and, despite their toxic effect, are often used as a baking ingredient. This is possible because the toxic substance largely evaporates when heated. In contrast to baking flavors, you get a natural and less dominant bitter almond taste. We’ll show you what you absolutely have to consider when seasoning with bitter almonds.

Bitter Almonds: Inedible when raw

Bitter almonds are closely related to the sweet almonds and like these fruits of the almond tree. Visually, the two subspecies can often hardly be distinguished, with the bitter almond being slightly smaller than the sweet almond. Some bitter specimens can also be found among sweet almonds, which also contain hydrocyanic acid and should not be eaten raw. If you bite into a very bitter almond from a packet of sweet almonds, it’s best to spit it out.

Bitter almonds contain around three to five percent amygdalin, i.e. hydrocyanic acid bound to sugar residues, which is toxic when raw. During digestion, the highly toxic hydrocyanic acid is split off, which can cause serious symptoms of poisoning even in small quantities. In addition to hydrocyanic acid (or hydrogen cyanide), benzaldehyde is also split off. Both substances have the typical bitter almond taste, which is reminiscent of marzipan and is popular in many baking recipes. In contrast to hydrocyanic acid, benzaldehyde is not toxic and is used as a bitter almond aroma (also called false bitter almond oil) for baking.

According to the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (LAVES), the hydrogen cyanide content of raw bitter almonds is up to 3000 milligrams per kilogram. Depending on body weight, 5 to 10 bitter almonds can be deadly for children. This number is higher for adults, but you should definitely avoid raw bitter almonds. In the trade, the bitter seeds are usually only offered in small packs of 50 grams. You can buy bitter almonds in the health food store or in the pharmacy.

By the way: Bitter apricot kernels also contain amygdalin. Studies by LAVES have shown that their hydrocyanic acid content is comparable to that of bitter almonds. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) warns against eating more than two apricot kernels a day; tolerance is significantly lower in children. The same applies to raw bitter almonds.

Cooking or baking bitter almonds: this is how you can eat them

Since hydrocyanic acid is very sensitive to heat, it evaporates when cooking or baking and only a very small proportion of the toxic substance remains. You can therefore consume small amounts in heated dishes without hesitation. For example, you can use bitter almonds to flavor pastries, liqueurs or other desserts. Traditionally, bitter almonds are incorporated into Christmas stollen, amaretti and liqueurs, among other things.

You can process bitter almonds by grinding them finely or grating them with the other ingredients like fresh nutmeg with a fine grater. The food must then be heated. Alternatively, you can heat the kernels separately in the oven and use them to refine cold desserts. Depending on how intense the bitter almond taste should be, you can calculate around 5 to 15 grams of bitter almonds per 500 grams of mass. This amount is completely harmless after heating.

Below you will find a recipe for aromatic cantuccini with bitter almonds without artificial flavorings.

Cantuccini with bitter almonds: recipe without artificial baking flavors

Ingredients:

250 g flour
125 gsugar
1 teaspoon Baking powder
0.5 tsp salt
10 g bitter almonds
2organic eggs
20 gorganic butter (soft)
0.5 vanilla bean
200 g almonds
Zest of an organic lemon (optional)

Directions:

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and mix together.
Finely grind the bitter almonds or use a very fine grater to grate them into the dry ingredients. Mix everything thoroughly.
Add the organic eggs, the softened butter and the pulp of half a vanilla pod (alternatively, you can also use a pinch of homemade vanilla sugar) and knead all the ingredients together. For a special aroma you can add the zest of an organic lemon. Knead in the whole sweet almonds at the end.
Chill the dough for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 190°C top/bottom heat. In the meantime, divide the dough into five portions, roll them into four centimeter thick strands and place them on a baking tray lined with a baking paper alternative or baking paper. Leave some space between the rolls as the pastries will rise in the oven.
Bake the rolls for about 12 to 15 minutes, let them cool slightly and cut them into slices about 1.5 centimeters wide.
Place them cut-side up on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Allow the cantuccini to cool completely before packing in an airtight container.

Alternatives to bitter almonds: bitter almond flavor

Due to the toxic hydrogen cyanide, many prefer to use bitter almond flavoring when baking, which tastes the same but does not contain any of the toxic substances found in bitter almonds.

You can also use bitter almond oil, which is obtained from the kernels of bitter almonds, apricots or other stone fruit. Bitter almond oil consists mainly of benzaldehyde, but also contains toxic hydrocyanic acid. Thanks to the intense almond aroma, it is used as a spice oil in food production but also in perfumery. Important: If you want to use bitter almond oil for food, you must heat it up before consumption.

Tip: The oil can be freed from the hydrocyanic acid using special processes. You can therefore also find bitter almond oil free of hydrocyanic acid in stores.

Cooking Tips

Egg with Two Yolks: Should You Eat It?

Have you ever had two yolks in your egg? Here you can find out how the so-called double yolk occurs and whether it has an effect on your egg.

How is an egg with two yolks formed?

Double yolks develop naturally: In general, every hen has two ovaries. However, the right ovary regresses fairly quickly and the eggs then mature in the left ovary. Through the storage of nutrients in the ovary, yolk balls develop from the egg cells over time. You will then find these yolk balls in your egg and theoretically a chick can also develop from them.

A double yolk can develop in different ways.

For one, it may have something to do with the age of the hen. It is mostly young animals that are affected, as the egg formation process first has to settle down hormonally. This means that sometimes two instead of one yolk ball migrate from the ovary into the fallopian tube and are then packed into an egg there. In fact, it can also happen that up to four yolk balls end up in an egg.
In addition to age, the breed of chicken can also have an influence on the formation of a double yolk. Especially large chicken breeds with a high dead weight also tend to produce double yolks. In addition, these eggs are often those of sizes L and XL. That’s why you often find such eggs at the weekly market or from a farmer of your choice: Here they are not sorted out industrially.

Can I still eat the egg with two yolks without hesitation?

Yes, you can eat double-yolk eggs without hesitation. They differ from other eggs in nothing except the number of yolks. Because they are often larger than the eggs, which only have one yolk, you actually have a little more egg and more protein.

You can also often find organic eggs at markets or farms that are larger than the norm or even advertise that they likely contain a double yolk. Since all of these eggs are not pre-sorted industrially, this is also more sustainable because the eggs are not disposed of because they deviate from the norm. So the next time you go shopping, maybe even deliberately choose eggs with a double yolk.

Responsible farmers also refrain from the so-called chick shredding: The male chicks are killed immediately because they cannot produce any eggs later. So you can contribute to animal welfare by paying attention – no matter how many egg yolks.

Cooking Tips

Eat Banana Peel? Here’s How You Can Cook Them

You can actually eat banana peels. Raw they taste rather bitter, but they are easy to process. We’ll show you how.

Eating banana peels sounds strange at first. But not only the inside of the banana contains many nutrients, but also the banana skin – it is particularly rich in potassium. Since banana peels are quite firm and fibrous when raw and also taste bitter, you should eat them cooked. The banana peels taste a little sweet and slightly nutty.

Eat banana peel – You should pay attention to this

If you want to eat banana peels, you should buy organic bananas. According to a sample from Öko-Test, unripe bananas are very susceptible to caterpillars and fungal diseases, which is why they are protected from infestation in conventional agriculture with synthetic chemical pesticides.

Also make sure that you wash the bananas well before further processing, even if you use organic bananas. Sometimes pesticide residues are also found on bananas from organic farming.

Eat banana peel: That’s why it’s a good idea

When you eat banana peels, you’re not only helping to reduce food waste – banana peels contain many vitamins, such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K and folic acid.

In addition to the vitamins, there are also some minerals such as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus in the banana peel.

Four quick banana peel preparation ideas

There are several ways to eat banana peels. These recipes are quick to make and taste good:

Baked Banana Peel:

Separate the top and bottom of the banana peel and cut into strips.
Sprinkle the banana peel with sugar or drizzle with simple syrup or honey.
Let the banana peels cook in the oven at 180 degrees for half an hour.
Pulled banana peels:

Cut off the ends of the banana peel again.
Using a fork, tear the banana peel lengthwise into strips. Season with oil, paprika powder and cumin.
Sauté chopped onions and garlic in oil. Then add the banana peels with some water and wait five minutes.
Now add barbecue sauce and let the pulled banana peels simmer for ten minutes.
Season everything with salt and pepper.
Banana Peel Smoothie:

Cut two peeled bananas into small pieces.
Add 1 tablespoon cocoa, 3 teaspoons chia seeds, and 3 teaspoons grated chocolate, and 8 ounces apple juice.
Blend everything in a blender for about 30 seconds.

Banana Peel Cake:

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
Cut three banana peels into chunks and place in a blender with 1/4 cup of water.
Separate the yolks from two eggs and save the whites for later. Then beat the egg yolk with a cup of cane sugar and 30g of butter until a light yellow mass forms.
Mix in the banana peels, then add 1.5 cups of flour and 3 teaspoons of baking powder.
Then beat the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold them into the cake mixture. Pour the mixture into a baking pan and let it bake for about 30 to 40 minutes (depending on the thickness of the cake).

Food

7 Roots and Tubers to Eat in Winter

In winter, one regularly gets the feeling that hardly anything is growing. This often overlooks the many nutrient-rich, edible roots and tubers that are in season during the winter months. These 7 show that winter is more colorful than you think.

Berries, cherries and plums – summer and autumn brought us a rich supply of fruit and vegetables. But even those who have not pickled vegetables or dried fruit do not have to do without vitamins in the winter months. These seven roots and tubers make your winter diet more colorful than you think.

7 edible roots and tubers in winter

salsify
carrots
Jerusalem Artichoke
parsnip
turnip
Potato
Beetroot

Black salsify – the winter asparagus

If you peel the black spears, they look like white asparagus. Black salsify is therefore also often called winter asparagus. This edible root tastes spicy and slightly nutty, with a texture similar to that of carrots or parsnips. From October to April you can get them mainly at weekly markets and greengrocers, but also in some supermarkets. You should only buy intact roots; broken ones quickly dry out and harden. Black salsify is rich in nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus; thanks to the high fiber content, it is also very figure-friendly and good for digestion.

The preparation of the black salsify is a little more complicated: it has to be brushed well and peeled raw with a vegetable peeler. It is best to wear gloves when doing this, because the sticky milky juice that escapes leaves dark stains on the skin and on textiles. You can then cook the roots. Black salsify tastes good in salads, soups, risotto and as a dumpling filling or like asparagus with melted butter and boiled potatoes.

Carrots: good for skin and eyesight

Whether raw, fried, boiled or mashed, carrots always taste good and are also healthy: The beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, which it contains in abundance, has a positive effect on our eyesight and the growth of our skin. So that you can absorb it optimally, carrots are best eaten cooked and even better together with some fat. Carrots also contain smaller amounts of iron, potassium and calcium. The roots are harvested from March to December. In the winter months you get them from storage, as do many other edible roots as well.

By the way: It is true that beta-carotene also affects the color of our skin, but in order to get a darker complexion you would have to eat about five kilos of carrots a day. However, scientists have proven that eating carrots can make people look healthier and therefore more attractive.

Jerusalem artichoke – underestimated vitamin bomb among the edible roots

Jerusalem artichoke originally comes from America and is now mainly grown in southern France. The plant is a type of sunflower with bizarrely shaped bulbs growing on its roots. These are a bit difficult to peel, but can also be eaten raw and unpeeled.

The tuber vegetables are often regarded as unwelcome weeds because once they are in the ground, they are difficult to get rid of. Jerusalem artichoke not only tastes delicious, it is also a real nutrient bomb: The edible root contains a lot of protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A, B and C and is also rich in fiber and iron.

Jerusalem artichokes are harvested from October to March and are best eaten and processed fresh: in creamy soups, sauces, vegetable casseroles, gratins or purees.

Edible root parsnips – a mild winter vegetable

Old vegetables are making a comeback, including parsnips. They used to be one of the staple foods, but have since been pushed out by higher-yielding types of vegetables and have now found their way back onto our plates: in stews and soups, as gratins, in salads or as oven-baked vegetables.

The tuber tastes mild and is particularly suitable for sensitive stomachs and as baby food. Preparing parsnips is not difficult: just cook them like carrots. It is best to eat them with the skin on, because this is where the most nutrients are found: lots of vitamin C and minerals. The roots are harvested from September, they are in season throughout the winter – parsnips are one of the few types of vegetables that become milder and sweeter when exposed to frost.

Rutabaga – unpopular superfood

Especially in times of war and hardship, the swede was the only source of carbohydrates for humans and animals – and was therefore removed from our menu for a long time. Even star chefs know that they wrongly have a rather bad reputation. Swedes taste mild and slightly sweet and are particularly good as a soup, puree or cooked in salted water or broth for 30 to 40 minutes. When buying, the following applies: the smaller the beet, the more tender and fresh it tastes.

The swede could also pass as a regional superfood, it contains a lot of protein, beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2 and C and plenty of minerals. It is harvested from September to November, after which it is available from storage.

Potatoes – the classic among the edible roots

The best-known and therefore most popular edible root is probably still the potato. The versatile tuber is one of the staple foods; thanks to many nutrients and the mixture of different dietary fibers it is very healthy.

Potatoes are harvested from May to October, the rest of the year they come from stock. You should definitely use organic potatoes here: In conventional storage, liquid herbicides are used, which prevent the potatoes from germinating naturally. The remedies are by no means harmless and a small part also goes from the skin into the pulp. Such germ inhibitors must not be used with organic goods.

Beetroot – the colorful salad ingredient

Beetroot is a true superfood (also among the edible roots): rich in vitamin B, potassium, iron and folic acid, it purifies the blood, deacidifies the organism, lowers blood pressure and stimulates the metabolism. The local red tuber tastes aromatically earthy and slightly sour, depending on how it is prepared. Raw in a beetroot salad, it tastes particularly good in combination with apples. Cooked, it is a wonderful ingredient in couscous or a delicious side dish for hearty dishes. Since the juice stains heavily, it is best to wear gloves when preparing it (e.g. washing-up gloves that can be reused after use).

The domestic beet is in season from July to March. It is best to buy the rather smaller tubers; large, fat beets are often woody.

In our seasonal calendar you will find other types of vegetables that you can get regionally in winter.

Food

Brussels Sprouts are Healthy: That’s Why You Should Eat the Regional Winter Vegetable More Often

What makes Brussels sprouts so healthy is not only plenty of vitamin C. When bought regionally, the winter vegetable is also a sustainable food.

Brussels sprouts belong to the cruciferous family and have been cultivated in Europe for around 200 years. At that time, farmers in Belgium began to grow the cabbage variety – which is why the florets are also called “Brussels cabbage”.

Brussels sprouts are a particularly digestible variety of cabbage that usually does not cause bloating or abdominal pain. Its strong aromatic flavor becomes milder after the first frost: then the sugar content increases and the cabbage tastes sweeter and less bitter. But whether strong or mild – Brussels sprouts are always healthy.

Brussels sprouts: Healthy thanks to vitamins and minerals

Numerous important vitamins and minerals make Brussels sprouts healthy (data from the USDA per 100g):

Vitamin C (85 mg) strengthens the body’s defences. 100 grams of Brussels sprouts contain about 85 milligrams of vitamin C.
Vitamin B-6 (0.2 mg) strengthens the immune system, among other things.
Vitamin A (38 micrograms) primarily supports bone formation, the skin and visual performance.
Vitamin K (177 micrograms) regulates cell growth and is important for blood clotting. Attention: Vitamin K inhibits the effect of vitamin K antagonists, which are contained in some medicines. If you are taking such medications, you should not consume too much vitamin K.
Potassium (389 mg) controls the transmission of stimuli in our muscles.
Calcium (42 mg) strengthens our bones and teeth.
Iron (1.4 mg) primarily transports oxygen in the blood.
According to research by the NDR, the vitamin C content in frozen Brussels sprouts is higher than in fresh ones. It depends on what “fresh” means. If you harvest Brussels sprouts in your garden and process them directly, the vitamin C content will be higher than fresh Brussels sprouts that have been stored in the cold store for some time and have been transported.

Brussels sprouts as part of a healthy diet

Not only the high amount of vitamins and minerals make Brussels sprouts healthy. It also contains other substances that promote our health:

Bitter substances stimulate digestion and soothe the gastric mucosa. They can even relieve mild abdominal pain.
Together with iron and vitamin B, folic acid (folate) promotes healthy blood formation.
Studies indicate that Brussels sprouts may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

With just under four grams of protein and fiber per 100 grams, Brussels sprouts not only provide important energy, but also fill you up in the long term and get your digestion going.

So it pays to include Brussels sprouts in your diet. Especially in winter it is an important supplier of health-promoting substances: it is one of the few regional vegetables that are still growing.

Brussels sprouts: Healthy and sustainable winter vegetables

Healthy Brussels sprouts are in season from November to January. It is a good alternative to vegetables that have to be imported from warmer regions in winter. However, only around 15 percent of the Brussels sprouts in the supermarket come from Germany. The rest comes mainly from the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and France. Regional Brussels sprouts have a low carbon footprint, making them a sustainable food.

Tip: When shopping, pay attention to where the Brussels sprouts come from. At weekly markets or in organic supermarkets you can often find fresh Brussels sprouts on a stick from local farmers and you can shop regionally.

Cook Brussels sprouts properly

Its valuable ingredients make Brussels sprouts so healthy. To preserve them, you should prepare Brussels sprouts as fresh as possible. When buying, make sure that the florets are firm and light green. At room temperature, the florets wilt quickly. They will keep in the fridge for several days if you wrap them in a damp cloth.

Before processing Brussels sprouts, first remove yellow or loose leaves. Then you should clean the Brussels sprouts, remove the stalks and cut them in a cross shape. This way they cook evenly. Then you can prepare the florets:

Blanch Brussels sprouts: Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add the Brussels sprouts. Leave it in the boiling water for about three minutes. Then drain it and let it cool in ice water for another three minutes. You can freeze blanched Brussels sprouts.
Boil and prepare Brussels sprouts: Place the florets in a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Then turn down the heat and put a lid on the pot. After five to seven minutes the cabbage will be al dente.
You can process the cooked florets as you wish – let yourself be inspired by our healthy Brussels sprouts recipes, for example.

Food

Kumquat: How to Plant and Eat the Exotic Fruit

Kumquats are small, orange fruits that have a sweet and tart aroma. The “dwarf oranges” originally come from Asia, but they also thrive here. You can find out how to plant and eat kumquats here.

Kumquats are also called dwarf oranges because they are very similar in color to traditional oranges. However, with a maximum length of five centimetres, they are significantly smaller and more pear-shaped to egg-shaped than round.

Properties of the kumquat plant

Growth: Kumquats grow on an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to 15 feet tall. If the shrub is in a bucket, it will be a maximum of one and a half meters high. The branches can sometimes have small thorns and bear white flowers in spring.
Yield: A mature tree can produce several hundred to several thousand fruits per year. The fruits are edible and have a sweet and sour taste.
Origin: The kumquat tree originally came from Asia, but today it is also cultivated in America, Africa and in warm southern European locations, such as Corfu.
But you can also grow kumquats at home. So you can enjoy the fruit without having to travel long distances that cause a lot of CO2 emissions. However, kumquats are not the most resource-efficient plants either: They need water every day in summer and also have to be fertilized regularly.

Plant kumquats

Kumquats are exotic fruits that come from a warm climate. Accordingly, they are not hardy and do not grow well outdoors. A bucket is better because the shrub can be outside in summer and move to winter quarters in autumn.

You can grow kumquat bushes from seed, but then you’ll have to wait a few years for the first fruit. The first harvest is quicker if you buy a pre-grown shrub from a garden store. In order to avoid long transport routes, you can make sure that the shrub comes from Europe if possible or was grown locally in specialist shops.

Location:

Kumquats need sun and warmth. Therefore, you should choose a bright location where the shrub gets as much direct sunlight as possible. For example, conservatories, balconies and terraces are good if they are on the south side of the house. The kumquat shrub should be in a wind-protected corner and protected from drafts.

Planting:

The kumquat shrub thrives best in very nutrient-rich soil mixed with plenty of compost. Calcareous soils are unsuitable.
So that the soil does not become too compact but remains permeable to water, you should add some leaf soil or peat substitute. Read more: Peat-free soil: why peat is a problem. In another article we will show you how to make peat-free soil yourself.
Your planter should be about an inch larger in diameter than the one you purchased the shrub in. The jar should have a drainage hole. Lay stones or shards of pottery over the hole so that the water can drain off easily.
Cover the potsherds or stones with some soil and then plant the shrub. Fill the container with soil and water the shrub well. But make sure that no waterlogging forms.

Caring for and overwintering kumquats

Care

Watering: From spring to autumn, the kumquat bush needs plenty of water. It can also be watered again when the soil is still a little damp. In extreme heat, it may need water every day. Rainwater or low-lime tap water is best.
Fertilizer: In the growth phase (mid-April to the end of August), the shrub needs fertilizer regularly. You can mix some mineral fertilizer into the soil about once a week, and occasionally add some organic fertilizer as well.
Repotting: Every two to three years you should replant the shrub into a pot that is about four centimeters larger. Spring is best for repotting, before the shrub sprouts again.

Hibernate

Although kumquats do not like frost, they can withstand slightly below zero. Nevertheless, they should be brought indoors over the winter, from the beginning or middle of November, depending on the region. A bright place with temperatures between five and ten degrees Celsius is suitable. That would be, for example, bright garages, frost-free greenhouses or unheated conservatories and hallways.
In the winter quarters you do not have to fertilize the kumquat shrub and only water it sparingly when the soil is superficially dry.
Hibernation ends at the beginning of April. The transition to the outside should be done carefully. Choose an overcast day to put the shrub outside again, otherwise it could get sunburned.

Harvesting and eating kumquats

You can simply pick kumquats from the bush as soon as they have turned a beautiful golden yellow to dark orange colour.

The fruits have a sweet skin and sour flesh, so they taste especially good if you eat the skin as well. To intensify the sweet taste, you can rub the kumquat back and forth between your fingertips and apply light pressure to the skin. In this way, the aromatic substances in it are released better.

You can easily pull off or cut off the base of the stem. Inside are the seeds of the fruit. They have a bitter taste. If you don’t like this one, you can cut the kumquat in half and remove the seeds before eating the fruit.

The fruits are not only suitable for direct consumption, but also taste good when you cook jam with them.