Eating Guide for Winter Veggies and Greens

By Julie Oudman Perkins | November 30, 2020 |

Updated Dec 2, 2021

Use this winter veggie eating guide to…

I’ve made the rest of this guide specifically without photos so you can easily print it and post it on your fridge for your go-to during the week.

Apples:

Eat right now: Slice your apple and enjoy as is! Or grab peanut butter or homemade caramel to drizzle on top for a treat.
Eat in 10 minutes: Try our recipe for Greens with Maple Apples and Onions.
Eat in one hour: Want to enjoy a dessert other than apple pie? Try Gluten-Free Apples, Beet, and Date Crisp.

Beets:

Eat in 15 minutes: If you’re on the fence about trying beets, this is a great starter recipe that our whole family enjoys: Simple Steamed Beets.
Eat a salad: Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Eat in 1 1/2 hours: Beets aren’t just for savory foods. In fact, their earthy flavor compliments chocolate perfectly. Try this chocolate cake from Bon Appetit.

Brussels Sprouts:

Eat in 5 minutes: Slice thinly along core. Eat raw or on top of a salad.
Eat in 20 minutes: Blackened Brussels Sprouts with Garlic is our favorite way to enjoy this veggie!
Eat in 30 minutes: Try this recipe from Bon Appetit for our go-to winter salad.

Cabbage:

Eat in 5 minutes: Use in a salad to add variety.
Eat in 30 minutes: Stir together a peanut sauce like the one in this recipe from Bon Appetit and toss with hot pasta and thinly sliced cabbage.
Eat in 45 minutes: Thai Curry Noodle Bowls

Carrots:

Eat right now: Raw of course! Carrots are a super easy snack for any time of day.
Eat in 15 minutes: Make a tasty chip dip, and use raw carrots instead of chips. Hummus, homemade ranch, and 7 layer dip will all work well for this.
Eat in one hour: Try our recipe for Roasted Carrots with Greens.
Eat in 2 hours: Make our comforting and delicious Beef Stew.

Celeriac: Try these ideas from 4 Easy Ways to Use Celeriac.

Garlic:

Eat in 5 minutes: Dice or press one clove of garlic per two tablespoons of butter. Mix well. Use on grilled cheese, garlic bread, or microwave to melt and use as a dipping sauce for bread.
Eat in 20 minutes: Orzo with Spinach and Garlic
Eat in 30 minutes: Leek, Shiitake, Garlic Pizza

Leeks:

Cleaning Tip: Leeks tend to get dirt caught up in their many layers, so to clean a leek simply chop it up like you would a green onion. Place it in cold water and massage the leek until the layers start to fall apart and the dirt comes off. Let the dirt settle to the bottom of the bowl (about 10-20 minutes) and skim the leek pieces from the top of the water. Pat dry.
Eating tip: You only want to use the bottom third of the leek where the flesh is white and pale green. Use tops to flavor broth.
Eat in 15 minutes: Slice leeks very thinly and sprinkle over orange slices and chopped pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. If the leeks are very strong, refrigerate them for about ten minutes before sprinkling them over the oranges.
Eat in 1 hour: White Chili with Leeks, Fall Roots, and Kale

Parsley:

Eat in 5 minutes: Chop and use as a garnish for a buttery pasta or a gourmet ham and cheese.
Eat in 20 minutes: Make an herb butter by picking a few herbs (dried or fresh will work) and flavors that go well together. Mix with softened butter. Flavors that pair well with parsley include lemon, garlic, cayenne, or nutmeg.

Parsnips:

Note: Don’t forget to peel to remove their waxy skin.

Eat in 25 minutes: Make your favorite mashed potato recipe and substitute half of the potatoes for parsnips. They’ll cook like a potato but have a more earthy flavor.
Eat in 35 minutes: Chop, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until tender. Shake it up by adding different herbs or spices with the salt and pepper.
Eat in 45-60 minutes: Replace other roots with parsnips in a favorite stew or soup recipe.
Crockpot: Use parsnips in Homemade Vegetable Broth for Winter.

Potatoes:

Eat in 30 minutes: Frittata with Potatoes, Scallions and Greens
Eat in 45 minutes: Make our Creamy Potato Soup with Crispy Garlic.
Eat in one hour: Make potato wedges. Wedge potatoes, toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite seasonings and roast at 400 degrees F for 30-45 min or until crispy and tender.
Eat tomorrow: Try make-ahead hash browns. Grate and peel potatoes, salt well and drain for 30 min. Rinse, place on a thin towel and wring out moisture. Microwave for 5-7 minutes or until potatoes form a mass when stirred. Season well with salt and seasonings of your choice. Grease a round cake pan and press potatoes evenly over bottom. Refrigerate overnight. Fry in 3 Tbsp oil. Flip when first side is evenly browned and crisp. Brown second side and serve.

Rutabagas:

Eat in 30 minutes: Peel rutabaga, then chop into 1″ pieces. Boil in salted water until tender, around 25 minutes. Mash with butter and whole milk or cream, to taste. Add more salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Yum!
Eat in 45 minutes: Fall Stew with Rutabagas, Roots, and Greens
Eat in 1 hour: Make our Rutabaga Cheddar Soup with Crispy Bacon.

Salad Kale:

Eat in 5 minutes: Blend it up with some frozen fruit for a tasty smoothie or use kale as the base of a salad.
Eat in 10 minutes: Kale Salad with Apples and Figs.
Eat in one hour: Try Cookie and Kate’s Balsamic Butternut, Kale and Cranberry Panzanella.

Salad Mixes:

Eat right now: Use as a base for leftovers. Almost any leftovers–from chicken & rice to chili to split pea soup–work deliciously on a bed of greens.
Eat in 5 minutes: How to Simply Dress a Greens Salad
Eat for lunch: How to Pack a Salad for Lunch
Eat in 30 minutes: Roasted Buttercup Squash Salad

Salad Spinach:

Eat in 5 minutes: Put on a sandwich or use in a salad with grated radish and a sweet vinaigrette.
Eat in 15 minutes: Saute in garlic butter until just wilted and sprinkle with finishing salt. Serve as a side dish or on eggs.
Eat in 45 minutes: Try making a white sauce and tossing spinach with pasta. Top with herbs and parm. You could also add chicken or sausage to make this a more filling meal.

Watermelon Radish:

Eat in 15 minutes: Try this recipe for Watermelon Radish, Carrots, and Manchego Salad with Fresh Greens.
Eat in 35 minutes: Use as one of your vegetables in a Buddha Bowl.
Eat in 45 minutes: Chop into bite sized pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees F for 25-35 minutes or until tender.

What are your favorite ways to eat winter veggies and greens? Share in the comments!