Roasted Turnips

There are some root vegetables I'm not that familiar with; turnips are one of them. They're similar in texture to potatoes and can be prepared with similar methods: roasting, boiling/mashing, adding as chunks to soups, even making turnip fries!

So far, I've only tried roasting and am definitely excited to try more turnips. Although, roasting any vegetable seems to make it delicious (except radishes...): brussels sprouts, green beans, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and even kale.

Roasted Turnips
from Taylor Takes a Taste

1 large or 2 medium sized turnips (peeled)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 415F. Cut your peeled turnip(s) into about 1 inch or bite sized rectangles. Place cut turnips into a large bowl. Pour olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a dash of salt and several turns of a pepper mill into the bowl. Mix turnips with other ingredients, so they are well coated. Spread turnips onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in the over for 25-30 minutes until fork tender.

Pumpkin Bread

I am so out of the cooking mode. Being away from home and not having to cook dinner each night really gets me out of the habit of being in the kitchen. I'm slowly returning, and in the meantime, I feel pretty hungry.

I made this bread quite a few weeks ago, but I want to make it again soon. Pumpkin bread is the best, and this may be my new go-to recipe. It is sweetened with only honey or maple syrup (I used maple syrup), but the lack of sugar is an improvement. I'm gradually learning to be more in tune with my body and am actually connecting eating poorly, like too much sugar, with not feeling well. I'm hopeful that natural, unrefined sweeteners really are better for me than refined white sugar. This bread doesn't give quite the sugar rush that the traditionally sweet pumpkin bread does. If you make it, let me know if you miss the sugar or not.

Spiced Honey Pumpkin Bread
from The Flour Sack

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly-ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
2 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 8 1/2 x 5-inch loaf pan with olive oil. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, olive oil, honey, and eggs until well-combined. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk for 10 seconds, just until the flour disappears and the batter is mostly smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

Let the bread sit in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then remove bread and finish cooling on the wire rack. Slice the bread once it has cooled for at least 1 hour.