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WEEK 3 - BLOG CHALLENGE - Parsnips!

Well I will be honest - this summer was the first time I tried parsnips myself, and I really liked them! See you can try new foods well into your later years! Parsnips were not a food I grew up with, and not a common vegetable in the grocery store, so they were not really on my radar screen.

Where as carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, an antioxidant, parsnips have little pigmentation and are lacking in beta-carotene. However, they do have higher concentrations of a phytochemical (plant nutrient) called falcarinol, according to a study done by Crop & Food research. Falcarinol, is a natural pesticide found within carrots and parsnips, to guard against disease and fungus. Researchers in Denmark found that this same plant property is proven to reduce your risk of colon cancer! Other foods that contain falcarinol are carrots, celery, and fennel. Celery and parsnips have the highest concentration of falcarinol.

Nutritionally, they are similar to carrots as you can see my nutritional comparison on my recipe for Roasted Carrots and Parsnips - a great recipe for reducing your risk of colon cancer!

You can cook them just like carrots -roast them, boil them, BBQ them, or put them into soups and stews. They are very versitile.

Parsnips, pastel and pencil on paper.

Drawing these parsnips was fun. The elongated shape with the long feathery roots made it fun. Their shape and form are exactly like carrots, except they have a pale yellow pigment or a cream colour with a hint of green. Just like carrots, they have many ridges and lines that make a fun contour drawing.

How to get started...
1) Introduce parsnips into your diet this week. Cut them, roast them with a little olive oil and salt and pepper for 30 min. or so at 400 degrees. It's that simple!

2) Be creative with the parsnips. Mix them with carrots for more colour. They are simple forms to draw or photograph. You can slice them long or into discs and arrange into a picture on plate -easy food art. Keep the carrot tops or parsnip tops (if you get them) and use them in your food arrangement.

Keep it simple and have fun and submit your 'creations' to me at lynnldallaire@gmail.com so I can track your progress for your prize!