Vegetable of the Month

It's here, it's here!


This month's veggie is........................

Parsnips!

I love eating root vegetables at this time of year.  They're hearty, comforting, and yummy in your tummy (yes, that's a scientific fact :)!).  Parsnips are a great addition to your root vegetable rotation, along with other veggies you've seen here before (like pumpkin, beets and butternut squash!).

These cream coloured veggies are related to carrots, but they have a sweeter flavour (especially when cooked).  They can be used in similar ways though - including eating parsnips steamed, boiled, baked, roasted, BBQ'ed, in stews and soups, pureed, or even raw.  It can even be used to make wine!  And really, who doesn't love a vegetable that can turn into wine???

 They look like albino carrots.  Why should I eat them?

Like all of the veggies that I've written about before, parsnips are chock full of goodness!  According to the Canadian Nutrient File, 1/2 cup of cooked parsnips will give you:

• about 59 calories
• almost 3g of fibre.  For HALF A CUP! Much of this fibre is soluble fibre, which is the kind that can help to reduce blood cholesterol and help with controlling blood glucose levels.
• 12% of your folate needs, important for heart health and reproductive health (particularly for you women of childbearing age)
• 57% of your niacin needs!
• A surprising 17% of your vitamin C needs (surprising because unlike most other vitamin C-rich foods, parsnips don't have a vibrant colour!).  Vitamin C is helpful in building the immune system's defenses and fighting off infections (no colds for you this winter!)

I'm still suspicious.  How do I cook them so they don't taste gross?

They might not look like the most exciting vegetable, but parsnips have a unique sweet flavour when cooked (because its starches break down into simple sugars, making a tasty treat).  As I mentioned, you can cook parsnips in many ways - pretty well anything you can do to a carrot, you can do to a parsnip.  Here are some of my go-to ways of using this veggie:

• Add a diced parsnip to your beef stew this winter 
• Chop the parsnip into big chunks, and roast with other root veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato...) with a splash of canola oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper for a great side dish that goes with just about anything
• Puree roasted, boiled, or steamed parnips into soups (much like you would with squash or carrot soups).  Try out combinations of veggies, like cauliflower and parsnip, for a warm winter snuggle-by-the-fire hearty belly-filling soup!

Another great way to prepare your parsnips - CHIPS!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Easy Peasy Parsnip Chips

1. Slice parsnips into thin rounds (use a mandolin if you have one), or you can make stick-chips (like really skinny fries) till you have about 5 cups (5 or 6 parsnips, depending on size).
2. Toss with 2 Tbsp of olive or canola oil, and salt to taste till your chips are lightly coated.  Want to spice things up a bit?  Add some other flavours like cardamom, curry powder, cinnamon, or powdered ginger (about 1/4tsp of these).
3. Lay your chips on a baking sheet in a single layer.
4. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.  Watch your chips closer to the end of cooking time - depending on how thick they are, they make not take the whole time to cook (or may need a few minutes more).  They are ready when the chips are crispy and lightly browned.
5. Om nom nom!!

Stay tuned for next month's veggie of the month!