Published September 24, 2021 We’ve back in action for Week 3 of the #GutDiversityChallenge with none other than our girl PARSNIPS… an under-appreciate, over-achieving root vegetable that feeds our gut bacteria and helps to heal leaky gut. Leaky gut, you say?! What does that have anything to do with parsnips? The answer may surprise you! Parsnips contain something called resistant starch. What’s so unique about resistant starch is that it doesn’t metabolize quickly or spike your blood sugar. In fact, this type of starch literally “resists” digestive enzymes, and instead gets used by your very own gut bacteria in order to produce “short-chain fatty acids.“ And guess what short-chain fatty acids do? They quite literally fuel your colon and gut cells in order to heal the lining of your gut. Move over bone broth, fiber is in town — and eating more (diverse) sources of fiber is exactly how to get the cell-fueling fatty acids that you need to repair damage to the gut, especially if you have a long history of antibiotic use. Food as medicine strikes again. Let’s get into the recipe! Nick's "Parsnip Mash" PREP TIME COOK TIME TOTAL TIME SERVES Print Ingredients 10-12 medium parsnips 4 cups mushroom broth 1 large handful of fresh thyme 1 head of garlic 1 bunch of fresh chives 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp ghee, butter or oil of choice water to boil the parsnips Directions Put the 4 cups of mushroom broth on the stove on medium heat along with the thyme, until it cooks down to about 2 cups, allowing the thyme to infuse and extract. While the broth is cooking down, peel your parsnips with a vegetable peeler. Once the broth is cooked down and you smell the beautiful aroma of thyme, remove the broth from heat and set aside. Also remove the thyme. To allow the parsnips to cook faster and mash more easily, slice them with a knife into thin pieces or chunks. Put 1 tbsp olive oil in a pot and add your head of garlic face down, with the head chopped off exposing each clove. Allow this to sauté on medium-high heat until fragrant. Once fragrant, add the chunks of parsnip, cover with water and boil for about 25 minutes until tender (test with fork). Once tender, strain the water and remove the garlic. Mash the parsnips with a potato masher or wooden spoon until fully softened. Slowly add the mushroom broth as you mash to thin out, fluff and add flavor to the mash. Make sure to add it little by little until it's the desired texture and consistency; don't let it become soupy! For maximum smooth texture, pass the softened mash through a strainer or colander. Add 1 tsp of ghee, butter, or oil of your choice, mixing well to combine. Top with freshly chopped chives and enjoy!
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