Parsnips, I have noticed, tend to be one of the last things people can eat. I don’t know why… I mean, what makes them that much different from carrots? Who knows?! Thankfully there are many ways to cook them and eat them, which is wonderful when you can literally only eat parsnips, beef, and salt. I had never heard of, or had, parsnips before this sickness, but now I consider myself a bit of a parsnip master. Very modest, I know. 🙂 Such a talent! (That was sarcastic) 😀 I hope that you enjoy them, and that you are able to enjoy a little variety!
There is one drawback to parsnips, however: they are extremely hard to cut. And next to impossible if you have joint pain. Therefore, be warned that they will require lots of muscle and help from your family. Be sure to thank them excessively. On that note, let me thank my siblings, Nina and Silas profusely, as well as my mom, and my dear friend Tessa. Y’all must have spent hours cutting parsnips for me.
Parsnip Fries
Parsnip fries, were, for a while, the only form I knew how to make parsnips in, and for a very long time I did them all wrong! The key is to bake them for a full forty minutes. For months I only cooked them for thirty minutes, not knowing any better, until I accidentally let them bake too long… that accident was delicious!
So first, peel the parsnips. A serving size would be about one parsnip per person. Don’t forget to preheat the oven as well! Next, slice them into fry sizes and shaped. Make sure that they aren’t too thick, but most importantly that they are all the same size. Put them in a plastic bag, and add oil (I suggest avocado oil, but if your digestive system prefers another, that’s fine too). You will also want to add seasoning, though again, it isn’t required. Salt is great, and if your digestive system can handle it, turmeric and dill are also good additions. Cinnamon also might be a good option, though I haven’t tried it myself. Put it on a cookie sheet (I used a stone), and bake it for forty minutes at 350F. Enjoy! They are good hot as well as cold, make sure to store them in the refrigerator.
Parsnip Rice
This is my favorite of the three recipes in this post! You can easily stir parsnip rice in soup, or eat it plain, or make some sort of stir-fry! Plus, it’s really simple!
Again, first wash and peel the parsnips. Then using a cheese grater (or fancy Ninja food processor) grate the parsnips into rice. Put it in a skillet. Add a good bit of oil (again, I use avocado oil, but if your gut prefers coconut oil or olive oil that will work as well), and some salt. Cook it on medium-high, but do not let it cook to the bottom of the pan or it will be impossible to clean later. I would suggest using a meal spatula because of this. If, however, you do accidentally cook it to the bottom of the pan, soaking it in water really helps. Anyway, cook it until it starts to turn golden, and enjoy! While parsnip fries are great cold or hot, I would recommend eating parsnip rice warm!
Parsnip Hash-browns
Sadly, I do not have pictures for this recipe, but it is pretty easy. Wash, peel, and dice the parsnips into cubes. Cook them in a skillet with oil, until they are mushy.Hmm, you know, that makes it sound bad… cook it until they are soft, but crispy on the outside. Better? 🙂 I personally really like these mixed with beef, salt, rosemary, and Italian seasoning.
Bonus Idea: One more recipe that is great that I did not include are mashed parsnips! Just steam them, add salt and oil, and mash them together! Mmmm! Please share if you have any other favorite parsnip recipes, or which one of the ones above that you like the best!