How to Cook Turnips So They Taste Good

TURNIPS!  Don't turn your nose up at this unfamiliar seasonal vegetable. Trust me, turnips are delicious if you cook them the right way and I will tell you how!

If you belong to a CSA farm or if you shop at a local farmer's market, you may begin to start seeing turnips showing up around now! I received a large bunch along with many other veggies this week from my CSA  farm. 

Lots of Greens 

I have vague memories as a child hearing that turnips are smelly and yucky! But I heard the same about brussels sprouts, broccoli, and other vegetables that taste terrible when they are boiled way too long . 

Turnips- Yuck!!

I honestly have never made turnips before, so I went on a search on Pinterest to find some good recipes.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this low carb and low calorie vegetable can be substituted for potatoes in most recipes. 

AND that turnips have way fewer carbs and calories than potatoes, making them a better choice for dieters ! 

They are also high in fiber which helps regulate the function of the metabolism. They share the health benefits of any cruciferous vegetable like broccoli or cauliflower, making the turnip a great addition to any diet. 

There Are Many Ways To Prepare Turnips

• Eat them raw by grating them into coleslaws 
• Pickle them- Egyptian cultures make pickled turnips called  "Lift" 
• Roast them in the oven either sliced or halved ( I prefer sliced) 
• Roast or steam till tender then mash them just like mashed potatoes- add butter 
• Make fries- cut them just like you make french fries, toss in olive oil with seasoning,  and roast on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees- they are not as dense as potato but still good
• Salad- slice them like a radish
• Soups- use like you would a potato in soups 
• Who knew??? I've never made turnips before. 

My Favorite Way to Eat Turnips

Sliced and Roasted Turnips 

I  liked the turnips sliced, tossed in olive oil, seasoned with rosemary, pepper, and Himalayan salt.  Simple but delicious. Since turnips have more liquid than potatoes, I like to slice them which seems to produce a drier product than when I cut them in half and roasted them. 

Turnip Halves uncooked
I then cut in half, toss in olive oil and seasonings of choice, bake at
400 degrees till tender

The turnip halves are juicier halved than when they are sliced, but the slices are crispier. Both ways are good but I like mine better sliced.

Substitute Turnips for Potatoes in Any Soup

Creamy, soothing , and delicious
TURNIP SOUP WITH CARAMELIZED ONION
Follow my recipe for Potato Soup but substitute the turnips

That is why I like to belong to a CSA farm- I am, introduced to many different types of veggies that I am not familiar with and that are nutritious and taste great!

How I Decided to Cook My Turnips.

Since I wanted to make them in the simplest way possible, 
I decided to slice them, toss them in olive oil and seasoning and roast them in the oven. They were absolutely delicious especially when they first came out of the oven.

Do I peel them first? I did not peel mine because they were organic. 
The skin is very thin and tender and not necessary to peel.

 Eat The Turnip Greens Too!!

The turnips are connected to greens. These greens are tender, taste delicious , and extremely healthy. They contain substantial levels of lutein a carotenoid that is especially beneficial for eye health.

The greems taste similar to kale when cooked but are somewhat more tender.  As with most greens, they taste best when not overcooked. I simply sautee them in some olive oil spray with a little garlic and Himalayan salt until well wilted and the stems are soft ( I cut up the stems with the greens)  

uncooked

I cut them up, sauteed them in a skillet sprayed with olive oil, added a little Himalayan salt.
I ate the turnip bulb and the sauteed greens together.  

cooked

You need the right tool to peel hard to peel vegetables


Although you wont need to peel turnips, I received other hard to peel veggies in my CSA basket.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi has a tough outer skin which needs to be peeled. It can be a tough job unless you have a really good peeler. The one I love is light, easy to handle, and peels quickly an thoroughly cutting down the struggle on butternut squash, kohlrabi, and other vegetables that a large and need peeling.

Best Vegetable Peeler that I highly recommend

The peeler that I use can slip off the skin of a butternut so fast that it is actually easy to peel.
Using the correct tool really does make a difference.  I own two hand peelers that look almost identical.  One is the OXO Good Grips Y Peeler.and the other looks just like it- but its a different brand.

The OXO Good Grips Y Peeler.is really inexpensive but is a good investment which will take the struggle out of peeling. I used to get so frustrated.

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Sprouted Lentil Burgers - Easy and Gluten Free

Remember my post on  how to sprout the lentils   There was a reason for it. 

This delicious vegan burger that I am sharing today is made with those healthy sprouted lentils. 

This is one of my favorite burgers. It's light, tasty, and nutritious as well as gluten free.
 I topped the burger with a slice of tomato and a few extra sprouts.

If you have leftover cooked rice or quinoa and you made your lentil sprouts, then it's a 10 minute prep and a 6 minute cook time to actually make the simple burgers. 

        I used brown lentils for sprouting : see how to sprout the lentils 

Brown lentils

The flavor and texture of this burger made from sprouted lentils is entirely different than a burger made using cooked lentils. It's much lighter and tastes nuttier. In addition, the portobello mushroom gives it a meatier flavor.

How to sprout the lentils

When sprouted lentils are combined with cooked rice or cooked quinoa, the combination of the two creates a complete protein with all the essential amino acids needed by the body.

In addition, there are lots of fresh chopped vegetables in this burger, and it's not cooked for very long.

Although,  I sauteed the burgers in a skillet, but I would imagine it might work to bake them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350 degrees as well if you prefer.

This is a great recipe to make if you have leftover rice . I like to always have sprouts made in the refrigerator and this will use them up! 

(In a few days I'll be sharing a delicious sprout salad made with lentil sprouts, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and red peppers- just saying!!)

Author: Judee Algazi

Prep Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 8 minutes 

Makes: 8 patties
Serving size 2 patties
*** sprout lentils 2 days in advance I ( use for this recipe and salads)
***You need to cook rice or quinoa in advance
Equipment needed: food processor

Ingredients: 

2 cups of sprouted lentils ( how to sprout the lentils )
1 cup of cooked rice or quinoa , cooled

1/2 cup of sliced red pepper 

1/2 cup of sliced celery 

1/4 cup of chia seed 

1/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds 
1/8 cup red onion
1 large portobello mushroom- wiped clean and sliced ** see notes

1 tsp Himalayan salt

1 tsp of Trader Joe's 21 Salute ( salt free seasoning) 
Olive oil spray

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of your food processor ( metal blade) and process with for 15 seconds and then on and off bursts until you form a loose paste. The sprouted lentils will emit juice and moisten the mixture.  Make into 8 patties and sautee the patties in a skillet in olive oil spray for about 4 minutes on each side. 

Some of the Ingredients in the food processor

Gluten Free Roll with the burger, cucumber,  pickled red onion

MY NOTES: 

1. Make ahead and take for lunches

2. Eat over salads, on a gluten free bun or wrap, or as the entree for dinner.

3. Add the burger to your Mason Jar lunches

4. Add a burger to a Power Bowl 

5. They will not hold together well enough  to grill on a BBQ grill

6. Top with pickled red onion which takes 2 hours to soak in the vinegar and can be made up to 2 days in advance.-  great toppings!!

7. I make this recipe with the mushroom or without the mushroom- Both ways are good, but I think I prefer it without the mushroom 

I use a mason jar to sprout my lentil sprouts. 



I actually use mason jars for everything and try to avoid plastic storage as much as possible- read why I avoid plastic  as much as possible.

• I store uncooked beans, pasta noodles, coconut flour, coconut sugar in Mason jars to keep them fresh longer.
• I use Mason Jars to store make ahead salads that last for 5 days
• I buy all sizes
• I use them for sprouting 
• I buy special lids for sprouting

Purchase: Ball Mason Wide Mouth Quart Jars with Lids and Bands, Set of 12


      

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate with Amazon. If you click on a link that takes you to Amazon and make a purchase, I will receive a very small compensation to help defray the costs of running a blog. Thank you so much for your support.

How to Sprout Lentils

Dried brown lentils can be a nutritious low cost part of your menu, but when they are sprouted by soaking in water and allowing them to germinate they become a live food. Their enzymes, vitamin content, and digestibility are increased when they are soaked and sprouted. In addition, they become softer, crunchier, and nuttier tasting.

Once sprouted, you can eat them without cooking like a vegetable and enjoy them added to salads, as filler in sandwiches or wraps, or to use in recipes to make vegetarian burgers. What a great way to get a nutritional boost for practically no extra calories! There is a big difference in starch and calories between cooked regular lentils and the lentil sprouts!

In fact, any nut, seed, grain or lentil can be sprouted ( If it is still in it's natural state).

I used regular dry brown lentils for my lentil sprouts

Making lentil sprouts is an easy 3 step process

Soak, Strain off Water, Repeat for 2-3 days

1. Soak your lentils ( picked over and cleaned lentils)  over night in a mason jar ( wide or regular mouth jar) and cover with a lid without the flat seal ( your lid will be open) . Replace the flat seal with cheesecloth so you will be able to strain your lentils.

2. In the morning strain off the water  but leave the lentils in the jar. Rinse a few times and then drain well.

3. Leave on the counter in a flat position to allow the lentils to spread out.

4. Repeat the process 2-3 times a day ( rinse and drain well) for 2 days

5. You will see sprouts appear.

6. Refrigerate when sprouts are the length you like

*** Please note that it is important to wash and drain a few times a day to remove any bacteria and always refrigerate when lentils are sprouted to the length you like. Eat within 3 days.

Sprouts are one of the healthiest, simplest, and easiest foods to grow right on your kitchen counter.
You could invest in a commercial sprouting jar, but it isn't necessary.
I use a large mason jar and for sprouting and it works just fine.

You will need to strain the seeds after washing so you could use cheesecloth or purchase stainless steel ( BPA free) straining lids from Amazon . I get mine at  Sprouting Lid for Mason Jars Canning Jar Strainer Lid Set For Sprouts, Sifting, and Straining - Regular Mouth - Set of 4 - FREE SHIPPING

These are mung bean sprouts - you can buy mung beans buy in bags in health food stores 

You have probably seen or eaten bean sprouts in recipes in Chinese restaurants. They are white long translucent shoots that have been sprouted for about a week and are made from mung beans.

I like to eat my sprouts after I've let them sprout for 2- 3 days.
That's when I think they have the most flavor and the greatest nutrient value.

When a seed, bean, nut, or grain is soaked , the germination process is activated. Once a little seed or bean begins to activate, it's vitamin content and it's enzymes are increased.

Enzymes are super important for our health and anti-aging.

You may see packages of sprouts in the produce section of many supermarkets- they have mixtures of bean sprouts, broccoli seed sprouts( which are extremely healthy) and alfalfa seed sprouts on the shelves. But sprouts are so easy to make and so much fresher when you make your own.

How do I eat my sprouts? 
I throw them on salads, mix them with cooked vegetables, add them to my mason jar lunches, sprinkle them on top of a bowl of soup,  and make burgers out of them.

Many food experts suggest that a significant percentage of our diet should come from raw foods. 

Why ? Because only raw uncooked foods contains an abundance of precious enzymes that our bodies need for digesting food, anti- aging, and good health. Sprouts are a good source of enzymes.

Asian Soup in 10 Minutes

Do you like recipes that are healthy, yet fast and easy to make? This Asian soup is one of my favorites. It takes just 10 minutes to cook and you can serve your family a hot nourishing bowl of vegetable soup that is flavorful and appealing. 

Low in calories and carbs, Asian soups are brothy and cook up very quickly making this a perfect soup when you are in a hurry. And since it's light, it pairs well with almost any entree,.

I always keep a list of healthy recipes that can be made in under a half hour. This is one of them. There are so many times that I need to whip something together quickly like my Leeks and brussels sprout soup or quick carrot ginger soup or my creamy zucchini  soup.

 I used fresh Shitake mushrooms ( from our local farmer's market), bok choy, green onions, sprouts, carrots, fresh organic ginger, and fresh organic garlic for this soup. 

Discard the stems
 When using shitake mushrooms, the stems can be very tough and chewy.I separate the stems from the mushroom and use the stems to add to broth and then discard them.

Even though this is a quick soup and can certainly be eaten immediately after cooking, I think it tastes even better if you eat it the next day. Many soups taste richer the next day after the flavors have mingled. 

Add some lemon juice or toasted sesame oil
You can add a few drops of sesame oil to your bowl for an even richer flavor. My husband  likes to add lemon juice and toasted sesame oil to all of his soups!!

Asian Soup in 10 Minutes

Author: Judee Algazi @gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

1 small bok choy, washed and sliced into bite size pieces 
5 large fresh shitake mushrooms, wiped clean with a paper towel or hand towel, rinsed very quickly, and sliced 
1 medium carrot, sliced 
1 knob of fresh ginger, sliced ( see how to remove skin easily) 
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of water + 4 cups of flavorful vegetable broth brought to a boil 
Olive oil spray
Optional: Sprouts
Optional: serve with cooked rice noodles or cooked rice in each bowl. 

Directions: 
In a deep skillet, sautee the mushrooms, garlic, ginger carrots, and bok choy. for about 5- 7 minutes stirring frequently. Pour the boiled broth and water mixture over the vegetables and cook for an additional 3- 5 minutes. Serve immediately, add cooked rice noodles or cooked rice to each bowl or store the cooked soup for later. 

peel was left on these slices-  your choice 

How to Peel Fresh Ginger Easily and Quickly

Use the back of a spoon ( not a knife, not a fork)  and lightly scrape the ginger. The skin will come off easily and the ginger will ready to use. Once peeled , it grates easily for any recipe.

**If you have ginger left over, freeze it ( with the skin on) and take it out as needed. 

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