Parsnip Carrot Puree

From Nourish – indulgently healthy cuisine by Scott Uehlein and Canyon Ranch

Some people choose to go with tradition and enjoy the same meal year after year on Thanksgiving. I myself don’t have a set menu. So when I asked my son what we should prepare this year, he chose a new recipe I tried a few weeks ago. This comes out to be the consistency of mashed potatoes, but with a rich orange color. It is rich in vitamins A and C and anti-oxidants. And it tastes good – and even better over the next day or two. I am intrigued by parsnips because they’re bitter when raw but have a sweetish savory flavor when cooked well. I will probably prepare the dish the same way this week as last, but I’m thinking that roasting the vegetables rather than boiling them might even enrich the taste and keep more of the vitamins.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup parsnips (about 3 medium), peeled
3/4 cup carrots (about 3 medium), peeled
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp chopped scallions (or onion rinsed in water)
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp evaporated cane juice (or white sugar)

Directions:

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large saucepan
2. Chop the parsnips and carrots into 1-inch cubes. Place in the boiling water and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.
3. Place the vegetables in a blender and add the butter, scallions, salt and cane juice. Purée until smooth.

Makes eight 1/3 cup servings (or 4-6 real servings)
For smaller servings: 85 calories, 12 g carbs, 4 g fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 342 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Check out other great Canyon Ranch recipes at their recipe website.