Parsnip Mash, Better Than Your Average Potato
Mashed potatoes have been a family favorite for decades. With potatoes being so inexpensive and hearty, many families on a budget use this tuberous crop as a staple in most meals. As we know, white russet potatoes do not have as many nutritional benefits as our beloved sweet potato. Potatoes are pretty controversial in the Paleo world. Many people go back and forth on if they are in fact “paleo friendly”. According to Mark Sisson, author of the “Primal Blue Print 101”,
They (potatoes) represent a bolus of dietary starch, which can wreak havoc on the insulin resistant, but they are undeniably whole, real foods that don’t require much processing beyond simple heating. Grains and legumes, on the other hand, are tiny, disparate sources of calories that need soaking, fermenting, and extensive heating to be palatable (and they’ll still mess you up), but potatoes are big, dense, and obviously food.
Case being, this choice is a personal decision. Do potatoes belong in your diet? You must determine your goals and understand how your body reacts to this starch. As I’ve mentioned, each of our health journeys are different — different goals, with different tolerances. For example, half a sweet potato to an hour or half hour after a work-out will help your muscle recovery. Or, if you are more active you will need more carbohydrates in your diet. So you must ask yourself, can you eat potatoes and avoid fat gain? Are you lean and need more healthy starches in your diet?
For those of us that like potatoes, but because of our goals aka desire to lean-out, we must watch our potatoes intake. But, not to worry my leaning-out peers, you can still enjoy the comfort of a potato-isk dish without the concern of over starching. Parsnips, carrot’s cooler younger sister, is a great alternative when making dishes such as… you guessed it, mashed potatoes! The Parsnip give the dish a subtle sweet taste, but still that creamy texture as a potato would. I love making this dish with a juicy rib-eye and using the extra juices as a little gravy. Mmmm perfect for when you have a craving for comfort food.
Simply Enjoy!
- 2 lbs parsnip, peeled and halved
- 1 head of cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- optional: 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Steam parsnips and cauliflower until tender.
- Put your steamed veggies in a blender with the coconut milk, salt and pepper. Then blend on high for a minute.
- Scrap the sides, and blend again until smooth.
- Garnish with parsley.
