I’ve recently realized that the foods that thrive right here in my local community gardens have somehow become more exotic to most families (including mine, until recently) than mainstream items like oranges or bananas.  My grandparents generation regularly ate homegrown cabbage or beets, but today these are somewhat of a culinary rarity in many households.

Our family’s vegetable vocabulary was much smaller until just a few months ago.  Since joining a CSA, I’m humbled by just how ignorant I was about the range of produce available.  We ate the same ten types of veggies most of the time and rarely tried anything outside our repertoire.  Then we got a rutabaga.   

Of course, I had no clue what this alien veggie was even called until I looked it up on our CSA website.  Previously, I had only used rutabaga as a nickname for my infant, but I had no idea how to prepare it. 

After looking in the Joy of Cooking for a simple recipe, I found that it was easier than I imagined.  I peeled, sliced, and sautéed the rutabaga with a bit of red wine vinegar, a few herbs and some salt.  The result was incredible!  The rutabaga flesh was buttery and smooth, with a taste that my toddler loved. 

After that first success, I’ve learned that there are so many simple ways to prepare the veggies outside my comfort zone.  I’ve thrown red cabbage, kale, leeks, and potatoes into frittatas and stir fries with great success.  There’s really no recipe required!  Just chop veggies, sauté them and season for stir fry or toss in eggs and cheese for frittatas. 

My best adventure was making homemade pizza with sausage, leeks, and red chard.  It was a great success and everyone loved the veggies I slipped in!  So, if you’re wanting your toddler to develop a healthy palate, you can take the lead by throwing some unique produce in your cart or planting them in your raised beds.  Enjoy!