Baked Asian Turkey Meatballs Recipe

Baked Asian Turkey Meatballs | pamela salzman

Why is it that I don’t like meat, but I can handle meatballs?  Maybe because it doesn’t resemble actual meat?  Most people, both kids and adults, like meatballs.  I have made many meatball-related recipes in my classes, and they are always quick favorites.  I grew up thinking a meatball was only something simmered in a marinara (tomato) sauce and served with pasta.  And it usually is, but there are Mexican-flavored meatballs in albondigas soup, sweet and sour meatballs, Swedish meatballs and Greek meatballs, so why can’t there be Asian-flavored meatballs?  Indeed there can be.

Baked Asian Turkey Meatballs | pamela salzman

When I came up with this recipe, they didn’t go into a soup or in a rice and veggie bowl, although those would be great ways to enjoy the meatballs.  I served them taco-style, in a big lettuce leaf with crunchy cabbage and a spicy sauce.  My family went nuts and the mamas in my classes all ran home to make these for their kiddos.  I received lots of great feedback, so I am confident you will receive rave reviews.

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How to Make Cauli-Rice

how to make delicious cauliflower rice | pamela salzman

I decided to teach a version of cauli-rice in my classes last month mainly because I have received a lot of emails and questions on Instagram about this phenomenon.  It’s partly my fault because I posted on Instagram riced cauliflower from Trader Joe’s a few times.  Some of the comments were, “I have some and I don’t know what to do with it.”  Or “I can never find this at Trader Joe’s.  It’s always out of stock!”  Which is usually followed by tales of people hoarding cases of cauliflower rice.  Or stores in different parts of the country limiting quantities of how much people can buy.  I mean, seriously?  It’s cauliflower!  Pulsed in a food processor!  Huh.

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Spring Salad with Oranges, Avocado, Radishes and Pumpkin Seed Brittle Recipe

spring salad with orange, avocado, radish and pumpkin seed brittle | pamela salzman

Yesterday my son asked me what my favorite foods were when I was a kid and I quickly responded, “Salad!  I remembered telling someone when I was in the second grade that I wouldn’t mind drinking a bottle of olive oil and vinegar.”  To which my son scoffed, “That’s impossible.  What 7-year-old likes salad that much?”  Honestly, I did.  I loved salad then and I love salad now.  I was always in charge of dressing the salad when I was young.  But we didn’t make anything fancy.  I just drizzled good olive oil and vinegar with some salt on our greens and that was that.

pepita brittle | pamela salzman

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Grain-free Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Tart Recipe

grain-free balsamic-roasted strawberry tart

What’s all the fuss about grain-free this and grain-free that?  Should you be grain-free?  Is it healthier to abstain from grains?  Maybe. Or not.  Grains can be difficult for some people to digest.  This can be true.  Some people think that abstaining from grains will help them lose weight. It’s possible.  But I think whole grains are good for you, especially if you can take time to soak them before cooking (read this post) and as long as you don’t overeat them since they do contain a fair amount of carbohydrates which can spike your blood sugar.  I touched on this in my last post.

pricking the crust

I am also a fan of mixing it up a little and I love having a few good grain-free recipes in my repertoire, especially since so many people I know are going grain-free right now, even if they don’t know why.  Wink, wink.  When I taught this tart in my classes a while back, most people loved the recipe because the crust is a press-in crust and not one you roll out.  That was the excitement about this tart — no pastry-making, no rolling, no anxiety.  Fair enough.  This is a really easy crust to make and I actually like the way it tastes better than traditional pastry.  It has a more interesting nutty flavor and great texture.  Let this be your “back pocket” grain-free/gluten-free tart crust.

strawberries and balsamic for roasting | pamela salzman

The balsamic-roasted strawberries are one way to go with this, and I love the combination of sweet aged balsamic vinegar and strawberries.  I may sound odd, but it’s a very classic and delicious sweet-tart combination.  Plus when the juices from the strawberries mingle with the syrupy balsamic, it’s absolute heaven.  Try pouring those on top of Greek yogurt or ice cream.  But you can essentially fill this tart shell with almost anything!  Cream fillings, Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, cooked fruit, ice cream all work here.  The crust is totally neutral and will be perfect with anything.   I am posting this now because I think it would be ideal for Easter which is in 2 weeks or for Passover next month.

grain-free balsamic roasted strawberry tart | pamela salzman

One caveat with a lot of grain-free crusts — they get soggy a little faster than regular pastry crusts, so I fill them at the last minute.  Make this the day before if you want and let it sit at room temperature and then make your filling separately and fill just before serving for maximum crispness.  Of course, you could melt some chocolate and spread that on the finished crust to form a barrier of sorts, but that’s a whole other thing.

mini tarts!

You can also make mini-tarts as shown above which is super fun.  I was able to make 5 6-inch tarts with this recipe.  How cute would it be to have a platter with all sorts of mini tarts and different fruits?  Answer:  really, really cute!

grain-free balsamic roasted strawberry tart | pamela salzman

5.0 from 1 reviews
Grain-free Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Tart
Author: 
Serves: 1 9-inch tart
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups blanched almond flour or almond meal (I like Honeyville)
  • ¼ cup unrefined coconut oil, melted plus extra for greasing pan
  • 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup (Grade A has less of a strong maple flavor)
  • 1 egg white, beaten lightly (omit if you are egg-free or vegan, but the tart crisps up better with it)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 heaping pints fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 3 Tablespoons dry sweetener of choice (i.e. coconut sugar, maple sugar or brown sugar)
  • 2 Tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
  • optional accompaniments: whipped coconut cream, cashew cream, ice cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
  1. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, egg white, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until very well combined.
  3. Transfer mixture to prepared tart pan and press firmly and evenly into the bottom and sides. Make sure the dough is a uniform thickness throughout. Prick the crust all over with the tines of a fork (about 12 times is good.) Refrigerate dough for at least 20 minutes before baking.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. You basically want to cook it until it is as golden as possible without getting too dark. Remove from the oven to cool while preparing strawberries.
  5. Pile the strawberries onto a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with balsamic. Toss to coat and spread in an even layer.
  6. Roast strawberries for 10-12 minutes or until they begin to soften and start to lose their shape. You can pour the warm roasted strawberries into the cooled shell and serve immediately or allow the berries to cool and then transfer to the cooled shell. Either way, berries should be poured into the shell just before serving so that the crust doesn’t get soggy. Serve plain or with desired accompaniments.

 

Spring Green Pasta with Asparagus and Peas Recipe

spring green pasta with asparagus and peas | pamela salzman

Pasta has come a long way since I was a child, especially in the last few years.  There used to be limited options beyond typical durum wheat pasta.  Possibly you could find whole wheat, but that was about it.  Now there are so many choices including spelt, quinoa, brown rice, gluten-free blends, corn and, miraculously, grain-free.  I have had all of the above and whereas I think they are all good, Cappello’s grain-free pasta recently blew my mind.  My daughter was home for spring break and she bought some for dinner one night.  I’ll tell you the truth, I wouldn’t have even tried it because I would assume a grain-free pasta would be a mess plus it’s crazy expensive (I mean CRAZY.)  But if you have to be grain-free, pasta is a food that you might kill for.  Anyway, it was fantastic.  Or maybe I just wanted to love it after I found out how much she spent.

spring green pasta with asparagus and peas | pamela salzman

I grew up eating pasta 3-4 times per week.  Monday it was often in a soup, Tuesday or Thursday was baked ziti, Friday was linguine aglio e olio, and Sunday was either ravioli or my grandmother’s homemade pasta with her sauce.  We are Italian, so no one ever complained or thought it was strange that we ate so much of it.  But now I consider pasta an occasional treat because I believe it is a processed food with a significant amount of carbohydrates.  There is nothing wrong with complex carbohydrates, i.e. those paired with fiber and/or protein.  Complex carbs, as opposed to simple carbs, are good for you and we need them for energy.  But it is quite easy to overeat pasta, especially if you consider that a serving size is 1 cup of cooked pasta.  Overeating carbohydrates is what gets us into trouble.  When our blood sugar spikes, insulin is released to scoop it all up and let me repeat myself, insulin is a pro-inflammatory, fat-storage hormone.  What’s the moral of this story?  Don’t go crazy with pasta.  Eat a small portion, and even better, stretch it out with lots of nutrient-dense vegetables.

spring green pasta with asparagus and peas | pamela salzman

This is a lovely pasta recipe which utilizes the new spring produce coming out in the markets.  I love the combination of asparagus, peas, mint and lemon.  It’s so bright and fresh.  According to Eating Well, asparagus is a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.  Peas and grains make a complete protein, so if you wanted to serve this without any additional protein you could.  My whole family, including the picky one, loves this pasta.

spring green pasta with asparagus and peas | pamela salzman

I think this would be nice for Easter lunch with poultry, lamb or ham.  It’s easy enough though that you could whip this up for a weeknight dinner, too.  For those of you not eating pasta, the vegetable mixture is terrific mixed with cooked brown rice or quinoa.  I have also added a leek to this recipe.  Just clean it really well, thinly slice it and sauté it before adding asparagus.  A handful or two of spinach leaves would also be delicious.  Adding dark green leafies is never wrong.  And a few toasted pine nuts would add some nice crunch, if desired.  Why didn’t I write all these suggestions into the recipe?  Because I know people don’t like recipes with a lot of ingredients.  This dish tastes excellent as is written, but feel free to improvise.

spring green pasta with asparagus and peas | pamela salzman

Whatever you do, don’t forget to save some pasta water before draining the pasta. That starchy, flavorful water is so valuable!  It is the key ingredient to keep this from being dry, otherwise the inclination might be to add oil to the pasta to moisten it.  If you are dairy-free, feel free to eliminate the cheese altogether, but do add a little extra salt.  The pasta I used in these photos is Trader Joe’s gluten-free quinoa and brown rice fusilli.   Check out this post here for how to perfectly cook gluten-free pasta!

spring green pasta with asparagus and peas | pamela salzman

Spring Green Pasta with Asparagus and Peas
Author: 
Serves: 4-6 as a side dish
 
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound medium asparagus, tough ends trimmed, stalks cut into 1 ½ -inch pieces
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • pinch of crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • kosher salt for the pasta water
  • ¾ pound pasta, such as penne
  • 1 ½ cups peas (frozen is fine)
  • 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or organic Earth Balance
  • ⅓ cup grated Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the asparagus and sauté, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, garlic, red pepper, sea salt and pepper and sauté until garlic is fragrant to heat through, 1 minute. Set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add the pasta and cook until just before it reaches al dente. Remove 2 cups of the pasta water and set aside. Add the peas to the pasta pot and stir. Drain pasta and peas.
  3. Return skillet to medium heat. Transfer pasta and peas to the skillet with the mint. Add 1 cup reserved pasta water and stir everything to combine well. You may need a little more with gluten-free pasta. Simmer until pasta is al dente, about 3-5 minutes. Add additional pasta water if desired. Stir in butter and cheese and taste for seasoning. If you don't add cheese, you may need a little extra salt.
Notes
In the summer, you can substitute chopped zucchini for half the asparagus. Halved cherry tomatoes are also nice sautéed with the vegetables. See my notes in the blog for other ways to change up this recipe.

 

How to Make Bone Broth

how to make bone broth | pamela salzman

My readers and my students are very in the know when it comes to food trends, especially the healthy ones.  So I’m sure you have all heard about bone broth and how it’s taking over the world.  It’s the newest thing!  It’s revolutionary!  So funny.  Bone broth is no trend, but in fact something that has been consumed for generations.  But low and behold some trendy bone broth restaurants open up in the hottest neighborhoods of NYC and suddenly everyone wants in.  I actually saw an acupuncturist over 20 years ago that sent me home with a prescription for homemade long-simmered beef broth.  She said that was the secret all of the celebrities that she treated were using to stay looking so young.

So even though it’s trending, people are still confused about what exactly bone broth is.  Very simply, it is a stock made from bones (chicken, beef, pork, lamb or a combo) which have been simmered for a really long period of time.  Think 18-36 hours!  In this longer time frame, the bones really break down and start to disintegrate into the broth, thereby providing even more health benefits, i.e. collagen, immune-boosting compounds, and gut-healing gelatin.

So how does one even go about making this miracle liquid??  Well, you start with bones as opposed to meaty pieces.  So you’re not using a whole 4 pound chicken here.  You would use 4 pounds of bony chicken parts, and the bonier and “jointier,” the better.  I personally prefer chicken, but you can use any combination of chicken, beef, pork, etc.  The chicken bones I prefer to use are the feet, backs and wings — lots of collagen there!  I buy these from the butcher at Whole Foods or from the chicken rancher at my local farmers market.

If you are using beef bones you will first need to roast them in the oven.  However, with chicken the bones are ready to go straight into the pot- or slow cooker- and cover with water.  I am sharing how to do this in the slow cooker is because I don’t really think it is realistic for anyone to be able to leave a simmering pot on their stove for 36 hours.  The slow cooker solves this problem and can just simmer away safely while you carry on with your life.

As those bone are being simmered, they are being broken down and all of the minerals including collagen and glucosamine that are sold as (very expensive!) supplements.  This leaves us with a broth that is full of immune-boosting, healing, pain healing, anti-inflammatory goodness that is easily absorbed and accessible to our bodies.

You can use bone broth in any recipe that calls for stock or broth.  But it is also wonderful to consume bone broth as you would coffee or tea- in a mug which you can sip slowly.  I’ve been to some places which offer flavorings such as turmeric, cayenne, ginger and scallions to make your broth taste more interesting.

how to make bone broth | pamela salzman

Here are the basics for making a bone broth:

-Use BONES. Not meaty pieces like breasts or thighs.  For chicken that would mean the super bony parts such as the carcass, necks, backs, wings and even feet if you can get your hands on them. If there is skin on those pieces, that’s fine.  Such chicken parts can be purchased at Whole Foods or your local butcher. Or, if you can, try and keep the carcass from after you roast a whole chicken or the bones from your chicken legs, wings etc. You can stockpile your bones and carcasses in the freezer and then when you are ready to make stock you can put them directly in, no need to defrost.

I add a few vegetables, as I think it makes the broth tastes more delicious.  An onion, 2 carrots and 2 stalks of celery is my norm, but you don’t have to add any vegetables if you don’t want to.

-Use COLD water to start- This helps to draw the most flavor from the bones.

-Use apple cider vinegar in your stock.  This helps to pull maximum minerals from the bones.

-Simmer for AT LEAST 18 hours. If you are really going for it, 36 hours will make the most golden, delicious and rich broth.

Bone broth lasts for up to 4-5 days in your refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.  Check out this post for how to properly freeze broth, especially if you would like to freeze in glass.

I recently did a tv segment with Lori Corbin, KABC’s Food Coach, about bone broth.  You can watch below.  The only correction that should be made is that Lori says to cool, skim fat, strain and enjoy.  Instead, you should strain, cool and then skim the fat once it has solidified after being refrigerated.

Homemade Bone Broth
Author: 
Serves: 4 quarts
 
Ingredients
  • 3 ½ pounds bony chicken parts, such as backs, necks, wings and/or feet
  • approximately 5 quarts cold water*
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar**
  • 1 large onion, peeled and cut in half
  • 2 carrots, cut if necessary (you can leave the peel on, just make sure they are scrubbed clean)
  • 2 celery stalks, cut if necessary (try to use the leafy parts of celery, as they add lots of flavor)
Instructions
  1. Place the chicken parts and vegetables in a slow cooker and add the cold water and vinegar. Cover with the lid.
  2. Set the timer to low for as long as your slow cooker will go, but a minimum of 18 hours.
  3. Check periodically to skim off any foam that rises to the surface and continue cooking for 18-36 hours, resetting your slow cooker if the maximum time is less than 36 hours.
  4. Turn off the heat and strain into a large heat-proof bowl. You may need to use a large strainer initially and re-strain it with a fine mesh sieve to remove any smaller particles. Allow to cool before refrigerating.
  5. Refrigerate, covered.
  6. The next day, skim off the congealed fat at the top.
  7. Refrigerate the stock for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  8. If I consume bone broth as a drink, I'll add a pinch of sea salt for flavor, but other options include ginger, green onions, hot sauce, even turmeric!
Notes
Notes: for a beef bone broth, take 3 ½ pounds of mixed beef bones, such as knuckles, short ribs, femur, short ribs and neck bones. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for about an hour, turning once, until the meat and bones are golden brown. Proceed with recipe as indicated above, but cook in slow cooker for at least 24 hours. You can also mix chicken, beef and pork bones together.

If you don't have a slow cooker and want to do this on the stove, bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to a very gentle simmer and simmer until you have to go out or if you want to go to sleep. Then transfer pot, covered, to a 250 degree oven and allow to simmer in the oven as long as you wish.

 

Sunrise Nori Wraps with Spicy Tahini Drizzle from the “Eating Clean” Cookbook

Sunrise Nori Wraps | pamela salzman

I am really proud of my friend Amie Valpone, who is known in the blog world as The Healthy Apple.  She has a new book being released today called Eating Clean:  The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation and Reset Your Body.  The book outlines her journey of how she healed from a decade (yes, a decade) of chronic illness and it is filled with over 200 detox-approved plant-based recipes free of gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, eggs, corn and processed ingredients.   As I tell my students in every single class I teach, I don’t care what you call the diet you follow, the ideal diet is an anti-inflammatory, low-glycemic one.  You can take a peek at her book here, but today I am sharing a recipe for these Sunrise Nori Wraps which looked like something I would want to eat all the time.

spicy tahini saucespicy tahini drizzle

There is a place in Santa Monica actually called Kye’s where they serve the most delicious “Kye-ritos,” which are essentially super tasty nori wraps in many different flavor profiles.  Nori is the seaweed used to make sushi rolls and it is incredibly nutrient-dense.  Nori, like most sea vegetables are very high in minerals, especially iodine, calcium, iron, magnesium.  Nori also contains tons of vitamin C as well as anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory properties.  It is obviously a superior vessel for a wrap over a processed flour tortilla!

nori wraps | pamela salzman

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Balsamic Roasted Rutabagas Recipe

Balsamic Roasted Rutabagas | pamela salzman

WHAT A WEEK I’VE HAD.  Everything is just great except for the fact that my hard drive crashed.  Where it “crashed” and how it crashed, I have no idea.  But this is what Apple told me after I spent an hour on the phone trouble shooting my not-working computer and then at the store, where they told me I was basically screwed.  The hard drive of my less than 3-year-old computer died.  Did you know the lifespan of a hard drive is between 2 1/2 to 4 years?  Seems kind of short, I agree. So I left my computer with all my recipes, images, documents,  my LIFE, with Apple for 3-5 “business” days, which I am just telling you right now means a week, and then go back to pick it and my dead hard drive up and guess what?  They turn my computer on and it smells like an electrical fire.  More problems!  I had to leave it for another 3-5 business days so they can replace the power something-or-other.

rutabagas

So just think for a second if someone took your computer for 10 days.  Kind of liberating, but kind of stressful.  And this, my dear readers, is why I haven’t posted anything all week.  Forgiveness and pity is all I ask.  And my advice to you is back it all up all the time.  🙂

Let’s move on to something to make and eat which is why we’re all here.  If you don’t know what a rutabaga is or you think you won’t like it because it has a weird name and a not sexy appearance and that’s enough to dissuade you, I ask you to reconsider.  I had never eaten a rutabaga in my life, at least not knowingly, until a couple of years ago and I was instantly smitten.  I love all the Brassicas–cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, the whole family.  Rutabagas are a cross between cabbage and turnip.  Not as bitter as a turnip, with the sweetness of cabbage and the texture of a less starchy potato, is my best attempt at describing a rutabaga.  They are often referred to as “swedes” in other parts of the world, but whatever you call them, they are not turnips and certainly not as bitter as turnips.

preparing rutabagas

I am sharing a recipe here which is straightforward roasted rutabagas with balsamic vinegar to bring out the sweetness, but I often roast them with other vegetables or with a whole roasted chicken (delicious!)  They pair beautifully with carrots, onions, Brussels sprouts and greens like chard.  Many people like to make a rutabaga mash with carrots and butter, salt and pepper.  You can also eat them raw.  Last year when I taught this recipe in my classes, I sliced some raw rutabaga and passed it around for everyone to sample.  People were surprised at how pleasant it tasted.  I haven’t used raw rutabaga in a slaw, but I imagine it would be delicious.

preparing rutabagas

Let’s also talk about the health benefits of rutabagas. All crucifers (brassicas or cole crops) are high in antioxidant and anti-cancer compounds. According to Dr. Mercola’s website, rutabaga’s most significant nutrient comes from vitamin C. One cup contains 53% of the daily recommended value, providing antioxidants and immune system-supporting functions that help protect the cells from free radical damage. Although rutabagas provide only 5% of the iron needed for healthy blood on a daily basis, vitamin C enhances its absorption, while helping to form both collagen and the thyroid hormone thyroxine, which protect cells against damage, encourage wounds to heal, fight infections, and promote healthy bones, teeth, gums, and blood vessels.  Beta-carotene-rich rutabagas are also an excellent source of potassium and manganese (for energy), and a good source of fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6 (helps support the nervous system), calcium (for strong bones), magnesium (helps absorb calcium and combat stress), and phosphorus (helps metabolize proteins and sugars).

preparing rutabagas

Many people told me last year that they had their doubts about this rutabaga recipe but were pleasantly surprised at how much they enjoyed it, myself included.  I remember standing at the counter with different students after many a class, snacking on the rutabaga cubes with our fingers.  Very addictive.  This is such a basic recipe, you could really pair it with almost any protein, especially poultry.  If you are vegetarian, these rutabagas would go great with lentils or a hearty pasta with broccoli and pine nuts.  Easter is coming up and this recipe would be great with lamb or ham.  I look at them as a more nutritious and flavorful sub for potatoes!
preparing rutabagas
Do your best to remember my golden rules of roasting vegetables and these will turn out great:
  • veggies in one layer on the baking sheet
  • don’t crowd them otherwise they’ll steam each other
  • if roasting more than one pan, one in upper third of the oven and one in lower third of the oven.  Rotate pans if necessary.
balsamic roasted rutabagas | pamela salzman
Balsamic Roasted Rutabagas
Author: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 4 medium rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1”cubes (about 2-2 ¼ pounds)
  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
  2. Place rutabagas on baking sheet, toss to coat with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
  3. Remove from the oven and toss with balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.
Notes
This serves four, but can be easily adjusted for more or less. I figure 1 medium rutabaga per person and then you can just adjust the oil and vinegar accordingly.