Big things come in small packages – THE RADISH

Growing up in the Midwest, whenever you encountered a relish tray, one of the staples on the tray was the colorful, but small radish. My family loved them! But, honestly, we just ate them raw, with a bunch of salt. They are good that way, but it wasn’t until I started the paleo lifestyle that I looked for different ways to cook the vegetables that I loved. For those of you who are not familiar with the radish, it is an edible root vegetable. It is more commonly seasonal from April – June and then from October – January in North America. The root itself has a pungent, peppery flavor, which often pairs nicely as an addition to salads. There are many varieties of radishes other than the common red/white or just white version. They come in red, pink, white, gray-black or yellow colors depending upon the variety planted. These tiny nutritional powerhouses are loaded with potassium, vitamin C and fiber. They are high in water content, which make for a light dish, but are not the easiest vegetable to freeze. So, it is best to eat them fresh. Here are two easy, but different radish recipes for you to try as a side dish. Try them and let us know how you like them!

Roasted Radishes Prep: 10 min Bake: 30 minutes

• 2 ¼ lb of radishes, trimmed and quartered (get a variety of colors for a prettier presentation)


• 3 TBSP Olive Oil


• 1 TBSP fresh oregano or 1 TSP of dried oregano


• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt


• 1/8 tsp of fresh ground pepper

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to a greased 15” x 10” x 1” baking pan. Bake, uncovered at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring once.

Serves 5

Bok Choy & Radishes Prep: 10 min Bake: 30 minutes

• 1 head of bok choy


• 3 TBSP of Coconut oil


• 12 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced


• 1 shallot, sliced


• 1 tsp of lemon pepper seasoning


• ¾ tsp of sea salt

Cut off and discard root end of bok choy, leaving stalks with leaves. Cut green leaves from stalks. Cut leaves into 1 inch slices; set aside. Cut white stalks into 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet, cook bok choy stalks in coconut oil for 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender. Add the radishes, shallot, lemon pepper, salt and reserved leaves; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 8 as a side dish.

Both recipes are adapted for Paleo from Taste of Home recipes.