PARSNIPS

Root veggies are making a comeback as “clean carbohydrates” to satisfy your need for energy, while providing a savory alternative to the dizzying array of refined carbs we’ve been taught to crave by the food manufacturers!

COOKS NOTES: Parsnips bring a slightly sweet, nutty flavor with a “bit of a bite” to dishes. My Grandmother would roast them with chicken and other root veggies for Sunday dinner, adding an amazing aroma to her kitchen. And my mother-in-law, Stella, adds it to her Jewish chicken soup, giving it a delicious creamy texture.

KEY NUTRIENTS, PHYTONUTRIENTS AND HEALTH BENEFITS:
Like other members of the Apicacaea family (carrots, celery and fennel) parsnips share some of the same nutritional benefits. These plants are rich in poly-acetylenes, phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory effect. They appear to bind to a variety of toxins, decreasing their absorption. Parsnips also contain coumarins, another class of phytonutrients, that early research suggests may have blood-thinning, anti-fungicidal and anti-tumor activities. In addition, parsnips are rich in the antioxidant vitamin C, as well as folic acid, and the essential mineral, potassium.

But fiber is perhaps the greatest gift that parsnips bring to the table. Half of their fiber is “soluble” and the other half “insoluble”. Soluble fiber slows the absorption of sugar and helps lowers blood cholesterol levels, giving parsnips benefit in reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes. They’re also rich in “insoluble fiber”, which adds bulk to the stool and reduces the risk of colon cancer and diverticulosis.

FEATURED RECIPES:

• Roasted Chicken with carrots, celery, onions and parsnips
• Nanni's Jewish Chicken Soup
• Tagine of Roasted root vegetables
• Parsnip and Yukon Gold Mash