Avocado. Eggplant. Sauerkraut.
Most of us can think of certain foods that we don’t like or refused to try at one point. As a recovering picky eater, I was often afraid to try new foods, especially foods that looked or sounded “weird” to me.
Sauerkraut, eggplant and avocado were all foods that I wouldn’t even try at one point in my life but have learned to like, and, in the case of avocados, LOVE.
We’re told not to judge something without getting to know it, but, let’s be honest, most of us do. One vegetable that I had seen multiple times and was curious but afraid to try because of how strange it looked was this…
Celeriac (say, sa-LAIR-ee-ac) also known as celery root.
It’s a relative of parsnips, carrots and parsley, and its taste resembles celery but is slightly sweeter, nuttier and milder. It’s a great source of filling fiber and also contains quite a bit of vitamin K, which supports heart and bone health.
This root vegetable isn’t always easy to find here in the U.S. (I get mine at MOMs Organic Market or Whole Foods), but if you can find it, it’s worth trying! It can be served the same way as a potato (mashed, roasted, sliced into fries, steamed, and as a component in soups and stews), so it’s really versatile.
Check out the video below to learn how easy it is to get the skin off of this less than beautiful root veggie and for a few more tips about how to prepare it!
Then, try one of the celeriac-centered recipes below:
Smashed Celeriac by Jamie Oliver
Celeriac Mash by Paleo Leap. This is the recipe I made, but I added about 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, used 4 cloves of garlic, and used veggie broth instead of chicken stock.
Autumn Celeriac Puree by food52
Cauliflower Celeriac Soup by Cook Eat Paleo
Easy Celery Root Fries by The Spunky Coconut
Rosemary Roasted Celery Root & Carrots by Everyday Health
Roasted Root Vegetables with Tomatoes and Kale by Simply Recipes
Photo used with permission from SimplyRecipes
Which recipe do you want to try? Do you have another you’d like to share? Feel free to leave a comment below!