WINTER’S BOUNTY

When conjuring thoughts of a garden harvest, the fruits of the winter months are often overlooked. Yes there is pumpkin-a-plenty everywhere you look, but there are many other vegetables that not only thrive in cold weather but are also nutritionally dense and provide some very appealing benefits. Take parsnips for example - an excellent source of dietary fiber, folic acid, and thiamin. It is also known to aid in lowering cholesterol. Celery root possesses therapeutic properties such as calming and pain-relieving, and is also a natural aphrodisiac known to improve stamina. High levels of Vitamin A found in butternut squash provide an abundance of powerful natural antioxidants that help maintain the integrity of skin and good eyesight. And lastly there is the purple potato, with its naturally high potassium levels, helping to regulate blood pressure and having the added bonus of anthocyanin - the pigment responsible for its purple color. The pigment does double duty acting as an antioxidant which strengthens our immune system and can help prevent certain heart diseases and cancers.

So now that we have you all psyched about your new winter diet, we’ve taken the work out of preparing it. Roasted Root Vegetables hits our Veggiescoop menu today! Parsnip, celery root, butternut squash, and purple potatoes are sliced, diced, and roasted to perfection with fresh herbs and garlic. As a side dish, paired with a lamb patty in a (W)holeburger, or tossed into your breakfast frittata, it’s a flavorful and healthy way to offset your weekend potato chip intake.

ON THE CHART/CHARTBEAT: TURKEY DAYS APPROACHING, SUSPICIOUS LOVE, CHEDDAR AND BACON

The Buildboard starts this week with a five way tie at #10: DOCKERYFARMS’S The Jerk Burger rejoins while newcomer GFARNOLI’S “Thanksgiving all year” T bird of Pressed Rice-Turkey-Herb & Apple Stuffing-Caramelized Apple-Cranberry-Mayonnaise starts the party early, followed by jean claude van PROMSPLEEN’S Multigrain-Veggie-Roasted Brussels-Avocado-Cheddar-Onion-Pickle-Horseradish Cream-Mayonnaise Brussel Burger, alongside RODGERSMG’S platinum MGR Lamb Burger, and finishing the tie with some suspicious affection from KREBATES’S Fishie Love. Hailing and holding strong at #5 is RHA70’S Michigan Wolverine Burger. A two way tie at #4 lands with WJANKOWS’S Kosciuszko burger (kos-kee-uhs-koh) and JFAVUZZA’S golden thru November Better Turkey Burger. Crossing the country and five spots on the chart to #2 is 4food’s all-time best-selling platinum creation in AHARRIS’S CaliBurger. Being “all business, all delicious” and holding on tight at #1 with the right stuff (cheddar and bacon) at the right spot (midtown) is ALEXC’S Midtown Cheddar Bacon.