Let’s get down to the root, and dig into why root vegetables are so good for our bodies. Plus, learn the best way to cook with them.

1. TURNIPS 
For cooking
Enjoy this veggie in salads and stir-fries, or roasted or steamed.
For your body
A fantastic source of vitamin C, an immune- boosting agent and essential dietary requirement.

2. GARLIC
For cooking
Its intense flavour complements most dishes.
For your body
It is said to lower blood cholesterol and prevent plaque build-up in arteries.
Did you know?
It’s a natural antibiotic.

3. ONION
For cooking
As with garlic, its a base for most dishes.
For your body
It lowers cholesterol, prevents diabetes and maintains skin health.
Did you know?
The outer layers of the onion contain the most nutrients.

4. TURMERIC
For cooking 
Used in curries and spice mixes.
For your body
It contains curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory effects and is a strong antioxidant.

5. CARROTS
For cooking
Wonderfully versatile option for many dishes and recipes.
For your body
They contain an incredible amount of the antioxidant beta-carotene and vitamin A, the minerals responsible for keeping your skin and eyes healthy.

6. BEETROOT
For cooking
The perfect side to meats or as added flavour in a salad.
For your body
It aids blood circulation and contains minerals such as iron, calcium, folate and potassium.
Did you know?
It has the highest sugar content of any veg.

7. FENNEL
For cooking
With its aniseed flavour and scent, it is often used in herb and spice mixes.
Did you know?
It’s one of the oldest cultivated vegetables.

8. POTATOES
For cooking
Everything, all day, any day!
For your body
High in potassium and low in sodium, while providing your body with a high source of energy.

9. RADISHES
For cooking
Sweet, pungent and peppery, these can be enjoyed cooked, raw or pickled.
For your body
A powerful detoxifier that assists with gut-related issues, weight loss and urinary disorders.

Words: Staff writer
Photography: Unsplash

Want to cook a curry at home, but don’t know where to start? Here’s our guide to essential curry spices that will help you understand how the flavours work.

The post Getting to know root vegetables appeared first on MyKitchen.

Looking to the ultimate pick-me-up snack? Nourish your body and your skin with these vitamin- and antioxidant-rich cauliflower and almond bliss balls!

MAKES 12–15 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
5-6 dried dates, soaked and strained (optional)
300 g cauliflower
1 cup almond butter
½ cup sesame seeds, plus extra to garnish
3 tbsp chia seeds
½ cup coconut flour
Desiccated coconut, to garnish

METHOD
1. If using dates, place in a food processor and blend until fine.
2. Add the cauliflower to the food processor and blend until the mixture resembles rice. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until well combined.
3. Roll the mixture into bitesized balls. Then roll half of the batch in sesame seeds and the other half in desiccated coconut.
4. You can store these bliss balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Get a sweet alternative with our energy-boosting date balls!

The post Antioxidant-rich cauliflower and almond bliss balls appeared first on MyKitchen.

Tomorrow is Wellness Wednesday, and a healthy brekkie doesn’t get better than this gorgeous bright-blue smoothie. It’s yummy, filling and antioxidant-rich to boot!

MAKES one 500 ml jar // COOKING TIME 10 mins

INGREDIENTS
1 banana, frozen in chunks
1 cup blueberries, plus extra to garnish
2 tbsp walnuts (about eight), plus extra to garnish
1 cup coconut milk or yoghurt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Raw honey, optional, to taste
2 tbsp chia seeds
Coconut flakes, to garnish
Mint, to garnish

METHOD
1. Blend together the banana, blueberries, walnuts, coconut milk or yoghurt and cinnamon until smooth. Taste to see if it needs a bit of sweetener – if so, add a teaspoon or two of honey.
2. Mix the chia seeds into the smoothie mixture, pour into a mason jar, screw the lid closed and refrigerate for 30 minutes until the chia seeds have swelled.
3. Garnish with blueberries, walnuts, coconut flakes and mint, and serve.

The post Blueberry, chia and walnut smoothie appeared first on MyKitchen.

There’s nothing better than indulging in a steaming cup of well-brewed tea. We take a look at some of the more imaginative varieties, beyond good old-fashioned black tea.

Tea is a traditional brew made from the leaves and buds of an evergreen shrub known as Camellia sinensis. There are two main varieties of Tea, one strain grows in China and Japan; the other in the Indian north-eastern province of Assam.

There are over 3000 different varieties of tea, each with their own distinctive taste and aroma. They can be classified according to the colour of the leaf or brew, their fragrance, or where they are grown. The most common way of classifying tea, is according to the level of oxidisation or fermentation of the particular strain.

Black tea

Our regular, everyday tea (also known as ‘Ceylon’ tea, named after the area of Ceylon, where it is grown) is commonly referred to as ‘red tea’ in China, due to its rich colour. Black tea is made from tea leaves that are allowed to ferment and oxidise fully, before being dried.

White tea

This is the most delicate and least processed variant of the tea family. It is made from the new buds and young leaves of the tea plant. These leaves are sun-dried for a very short period of time, before the oxidisation process begins. This brew is light, subtley favoured and naturally sweet.

Green tea

These leaves are gently heated right after being picked, sealing in the antioxidants and retaining their bright green colour. Green tea has a distinctive flavour that deepens the longer it is brewed. Green tea is said to aid digestion, lower cholesterol and improve our brains’ cognitive functions!

Oolong tea

Oolong tea leaves are carefully rolled after being picked, allowing for a slow and subtle oxidisation process which helps to develop this tea’s distinct fragrance. A daily cup of this earthy, sweet tea is said to have numerous health benefits, from aiding weight-loss to helping reduce stress.

Pu-erh tea

This tea is traditionally grown in the Yunnan province of China, and named after Pu’er City. To make pu-erh, tea leaves are aged and undergo an extensive fermentation process. The result is a dark and distinctly flavoured brew with many potential health benefits. It is sold compressed into cakes or blocks.

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