Parsnips and Rutabaga

I served a soup last night to the kids that was not a success. I thought you guys should know that this journey of Whole Foods Plant-Based (WFPB) eating for my family is not always smooth sailing. Here’s the story:

I made a wonderful soup several weeks ago, Super Energy Kale Soup (see recipe below) and everyone loved it. Now, I’m the type of cook that substitutes liberally in recipes, so, when grocery shopping last week, I thought, Let’s try some new veggies. I picked up some parsnips and rutabaga. I had already tried rutabaga; after a desperate plea to my Facebook friends inquiring how one should cook these strange looking things, I baked them, smothered them in Earth Balance, salt and pepper, and we all loved them. Wouldn't it be great then to put them in soup?

This was definitely a case of too much, too soon. The girls did not love the rutabaga in the soup, and the flavor was strong. Almost sour. I called these potatoes, which is my usual strategy for introducing a new food. I relate the new food to something they already know. I do this with all kinds of grains: they are first called rice. My girls love rice, well, white rice. So, I did the same with the parsnips: white carrots! What fun!

In hindsight, it was probably overkill: two new foods in one shot. What was I thinking? They did like the parsnips, but refused to eat the rutabaga. I compromised. Two bites of rutabaga. All the white carrots.

Another element I messed with was adding white beans. Well, they were all I had on hand! We can't forget the kale, either. My girls don’t like anything slimy and green in their cooked food, but they didn’t balk at the kale. They are used to it now. I call it a Superfood, which it is. At least I’m honest! However, Nelia questioned my claim, which gave me a wonderful opportunity to extol the virtues of leafy greens. They ate some.

The problem that even I noticed while assembling the dish was that everything was white. Looking at the sheer, blinding whiteness of the food, my taste buds could already sense the lack of excitement. These highly trained little guys could sense a bland dish a mile away. I will definitely remember this the next time I substitute. Color is important, not only so it looks appealing, but you also get more nutrients with a more colorful array of veggies – AND it tastes better.

This morning, the garbage stinks with the smell of the soup bowls’ remains: rutabaga will not see action in this house on a regular basis. Sorry little powerhouses! As part of the cruciferous family, they are packed with antioxidants and cancer-fighting properties, as well as vitamin A and C. The lesson: beware of root and tuber vegetables. Proceed cautiously. We might have to wait a bit longer for our taste buds to catch up to rutabaga's wonderful flavors.

Original Recipe: Super Energy Kale Soup (from Whole Foods)

This quick and easy version of potato kale soup has extra vegetables for more flavor and nutrition and takes little time to prepare.

Prep and Cook Time: Prep and cooking time: 40 minutes Ingredients: 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 medium carrot, diced into ¼-inch cubes (about 1 cup) 1 cup diced celery 2 red potatoes, diced into ½-inch cubes 3 cups kale, rinsed, stems removed and chopped very fine 2 tsp dried thyme 2 tsp dried sage salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop garlic and onions and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot.
3. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
5. Add broth, carrots, and celery and bring to a boil on high heat.
6. Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Add potatoes and kale and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 more minutes.
7. Add rest of ingredients and cook another 5 minutes. If you want to simmer for a longer time for extra flavor and richness, you may need to add a little more broth.

Serves 4

I highly recommend making the soup, following the directions. It’s really yummy. Substitute at your own risk. Take a look at the original recipe's picture. Doesn't it look good? Whole Foods has great recipes too. Check them out!