Parsnip Fries

 

Ah, the lowly parsnip, that anemic cousin of the carrot. The parsnip is richer in vitamins and minerals than the carrot, especially potassium. And its a good source of dietary fiber. They are slightly sweet, with a little tang, and roast up wonderfully, like many other root vegetables. Parsnips are a great addition to soups and stews as well, since they become creamy after cooking. Make sure to buy parsnips that feel heavy and solid.

I came across Sprouted Kitchen's recipe for Roasted Parmesan Parsnips in my Google Reader the other day and just had to make them. Roasted parsnips coated in Parmesan? What could be better? These are similar to how I make oven fries, so I'm calling them Parsnip Fries. Mine are very close to Sprouted Kitchen's, but without the fresh herbs and on a smaller scale.

Parsnip Fries

Slightly adapted from Sprouted Kitchen 

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how hungry you are.

2 parsnips, peeled and cut into sticks of roughly the same size

1 egg white

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil, sprayed with cooking spray. Beat the egg white until frothy and add the dried oregano. Dip the parsnip sticks in the egg white (do this in batches as necessary), and gently roll in the Parmesan cheese to coat. Arrange parsnip sticks on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I threw the leftover Parmesan over them too. Bake for about 20 minutes, until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Now go check out Sprouted Kitchen's site - wonderful recipes and pictures!

Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Have you ever had wheat berries?

They are the entire wheat kernel, minus the hull. They are chewy yet tender when cooked and great in salads in breads, as well as a good source of dietary fiber. And who couldn't use more fiber in their diet?

I made this recipe from David Lebovitz, with a few changes since I can never leave well enough alone... or more likely forgot to pick something up at the market.

First you cook the wheat berries...

Meanwhile, roast up some winter veggies...

And cook some whole cranberries to take away their bitter taste...

Then combine the wheat berries and cranberries, with some olive oil...

And add in the rest.

I'll list my slightly altered and scaled down version of Lebovitz's recipe below. I used his method of cooking the wheat berries, but I think I'd do it differently in the future. The bin at Whole Foods suggested soaking them overnight in water, like you would with dry beans, then draining, rinsing, adding more water, and simmering for a hour. Lebovitz's recipe didn't call for soaking, and mine turned out a little more chewy than I would have preferred after an hour of cooking. I think the soaking would aid in the texture. He also has some good suggestions for other additions to the salad.

Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Adapted from David Lebovitz
Two to three servings

3/4 cup wheat berries
1 bay leaf
1 lb. root vegetables (I used carrots, a parsnip, and half a butternut
squash), peeled if necessary and cut into 1" cubes
1/2 of a large red onion, diced
4 Tbsp. olive oil
5 springs of fresh thyme
1 cup fresh cranberries
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice

Brie or Parmesan cheese for topping
Snipped chives for topping

Bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil and add the wheat berries and bay leaf. Cook until tender yet chewy, about 60 minutes.

Combine the cubed vegetables, onion, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and thyme on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Roast in a 425ºF oven until cooked and browned on the outside, 20 to 30 minutes.

While the wheat berries are cooking and the vegetables are roasting, bring 2 cups of water to boil in a small pot. Add the cranberries and cook until they pop, about 10 minutes. Drain and chop.

Once the wheat berries are done drain them and remove the bay leaf. Combine in a bowl with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and the cranberries. Remove the thyme from the roasted vegetables and add the veggies to the wheat berries, along with a good squeeze of lemon juice. Combine well.

Top with some brie cheese and snipped chives, as I did above, and serve warm or room temperature. I imagine Parmesan would be quite good too and would balance the sweetness of the cranberries and roasted veggies.

Related recipes:
Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash and Garlic
Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
Butternut Squash Risotto
Spinach-Quinoa Salad with Cherries and Almonds
Harvest Cookies