Try It Out: Kohlrabi

Remember the series? The one where I tell you to try something unusual or seemingly off putting and convince you that it's good?

Well, it's back, and this time it might take me some extra time to convince you. The vegetable is called kohlrabi and from its cover, it looks like a mini cabbage. It even comes in both green and purple varieties!

But Laura Maciel from says it's more like a hybrid of two bad-rep vegetables.

"It's like a cabbage-turnip," Maciel said. "It has a sweetness to it."

Maciel said the farm has kohlrabi almost year-round, thanks to our local great weather.

"They can get woody when it gets too hot, so we stop growing it during the summer," she said.

Kohlrabi has outter cabbage-like leaves that you peel off before eating. Inside is solid flesh, like a turnip. Maciel's daughter eats them like an apple for a snack. She gave me a sample of a green one, which Maciel said tastes the same as the purple.

"There is no difference in taste," she said. "The inside is the same in both."

Try It Out

What: Kohlrabi.

Why: Its earthy, yet light, taste and satisfying crunch.

When: Now! Try out some kohlrabi before it becomes too warm to grow.

How: Maciel suggests cutting them into chunks for salads. You get a nice textural contrast in your salad but keep the calories low, all while adding a new flavor profile. Or sprinkle thick slices with lemon, salt and pepper and you've got yourself an afterschool snack!