The Super Foodie :: Roasted Carrots & Parsnip Puree

With the holidays wrapping up, most of us have enjoyed our fair share of treats! So I’m here with a healthy but delicious dinner recipe to help get us all back on track. The puree, although filled with nutrient rich parsnips and celery root, still feels like an indulgent treat, and it’s the perfect way to ease back into healthy eating!

In addition to being yummy enough to eat after a few weeks of indulgence, this dish squeezes in a ton of great nutrition and health benefits! Parsnips are loaded with fiber, folate, potassium and vitamin C… perfect for immune system boosting. And beluga lentils are a complex carbohydrate with an abundance of protein and iron. They’ll stabilize your blood sugar, replenish your iron stores and supply your body with the protein it needs while remaining very low in fat and calories.  

Ingredients:

For the puree:

• 2 medium parsnips, cut into 2″ cubes
• 1 large celery root, peeled and cut into 2″ cubes
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons vegan or regular butter
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, more to taste
• 1/4 cup of almond milk plus more as needed to reach desired consistency

For the beluga lentils:

• 1 cup of thoroughly rinsed beluga lentils
• 4 large cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt to taste

For the carrots:

• 1 large bunch of carrots, greens removed
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• juice of one large orange
• 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt, more to taste

Instructions:

For the puree:

1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.
2. Add parsnips, celery root and garlic to boiling water.
3. Cook until vegetables are tender and easily pierced with a fork (20-30 minutes)
4. Drain vegetables and combine in a high powered blender with vegan butter, sea salt and almond milk.
5. Blend until the vegetables are a creamy puree, adding almond milk and more salt to your preference.

For the lentils:

1. In a medium, heavy bottomed pot combine the lentils, 1 1/2 cups of water , 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 3 cloves of crushed garlic.
2. Bring lentils to a boil for 2-3  minutes, reduce heat to low and simmer until they are soft (usually between 20-30 minutes.  You want them to retain texture, so don’t cook until mushy!
3. Stir a few times throughout cooking and add a tiny bit more water if needed.  
4. Add salt to taste

For the carrots:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss carrots in oil, spices and orange juice.
3. Place carrots in a roasting pan and roast at 350 degrees for 40-60 minutes, to your preferred level of doneness.

Serve as pictured, with the celery root puree topped with carrots and lentils.  Enjoy!