Nourished Kitchen» parsnips

Beef Pot Roast with Winter Root Vegetables

Jenny — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:52:54 +0000

Beef pot roast – classic comfort food – offers that lovely warmth one needs most during the darkest days of winter. A good beef pot roast satisfies and nourishes on an almost primal level. The savory, fork-tender beef falls apart with gentle ease while winter root vegetables (carrots, parsnips and turnips) swim in a combination of cabernet sauvignon and homemade beef stock seasoned with bay, thyme and black peppercorns.

For this beef pot roast, take great care to use grass-fed beef as it is richer in nutrients than the grain-fed, CAFO-raised alternative. Grass-fed beef is rich in conjugated linoleic acid, a natural trans-fatty acid which seems to play a strong role in health; indeed, research indicates that natural conjugated linoleic acid offers strong anti-carcinogenic properties.^{1, 2, 3}Grass-fed beef is not only better for you; it is also better for the environment than the meat of conventionally raised animals as grass-based ranching operations see improved soil and native flora with holistic livestock management. In this way, one might say enjoying a delicious beef pot roast might very well be as good for the environment as it is for your health.

Beef Pot Roast with Winter Root Vegetables

Beef and root vegetables are slow-roasted in red wine and seasoned with fragrant thyme for a tender and richly flavored winter supper. This recipe is featured in January’s recipe cards by Nourished Kitchen.

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Maple-glazed Parsnips

Jenny — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:56:37 +0000

I love parsnips. They’re a wonderful comfort food for winter time. They’re also rich in vitamins including and minerals including folic acid and potassium.

To make maple-glazed parsnips, you’ll need:

1 lb Organic Parsnips, Peeled and Sliced Thin
2 Tablespoons Ghee from Grass-fed Cows
¼ C Organic, Grade-B Maple Syrup
Pinch of Sea Salt

Heat the ghee in a pan over medium-low heat until it melts, then add the parsnips. Stir them frequently and cover them. When the begin to soften and color a bit, add the maple syrup and continue to cook until the parsnips are cooked-through and tender and the maple syrup has been reduced to a thick consistency.

Serve warm at breakfast. Serves 4.

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In Season Now: Parsnips

Jenny — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:48:53 +0000

Parsnips, like rutabegas and turnips, are underdogs of the vegetable world. Everyone knows broccoli. Everyone loves carrots. Somehow reminiscent of times past, parsnips are largely forgotten on the modern table. When you can drive to any grocery store and pick up hothouse tomatoes or Mexican zucchini in the depth of winter, why would you bother with this lonesome root vegetable that calls to mind a ghostly carrot? If you’re committed to trying new vegetables and to eating seasonally in the way our ancestors did, it would do you good to discover parsnips. They have a clean, sweet flavor with a slight and barely perceptible anise-like subtlety that lacks comparison to other vegetables.

Family: Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) are related to carrots (Apiaceae).

Origin: Parsnips originated in Eurasia and the Mediterranean. Popular on ancient Roman tables, they were used similarly to their sister vegetable: the carrot. Until explorers brought back the potato from the new world, parsnips and other winter-time root vegetables held a regular place at many European tables in winter. It is thought that the name parsnip is a combination of the words parsley and turnip.

The Season: Autumn through early Spring. Parsnips are at their peak between December and February.

Appearance: Their skin is a creamy color and, when peeled, it reveals a white root. The vegetable is highly tapered.

Nutritional Benefits: Parsnips are rich in many micronutrients. They prove an excellent source of potassium, folic acid, manganese and dietary fiber. Due to their folic acid content, they’re a good option for expectant mothers or women who are trying to conceive.

Growing Parsnips: Parsnips grow best in colder climates and those with relatively short growing seasons. Sandy or loamy soil is ideal for this root vegetable. Seeds are often sown in early spring for harvest in the following autumn and winter months.

Cooking Parsnips: Parsnips can be cooked similarly to any root vegetable and are particularly good when braised or roasted. Some chefs use their unique, sweet flavor in soups. Traditionally, they accompanied a Christmas roast beef.

My Favorite Parsnip Recipe:

Maple-glazed Parsnips: Simple to make and perfect for breakfast, maple-glazed parsnips highlight this sweet and oft-overlooked root vegetable.

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