While we are told to avoid eating things that are white because they do not have much nutrition – this mainly refers to white sugar, white four and white salt. I certainly avoid those whites, but there are many other white edibles that are totally nutritious, such as this White Velvet Soup – perfect for a holiday meal!
There are many versions of White Velvet Soup – many of them include milk, cream or cheese and/or other vegetables that I do not care for. As you may know, I love parsnips and thought they would taste good in a soup. And they do!
Parsnips can replace white potatoes in many recipes. Some folks have to avoid white potatoes because they are in the nightshade family and contain a chemical called glycoside that can induce inflammation.
You may want to take a look at my Lemon Parsnip Salad, Smashed Parsnips or another Parsnip Soup.
Parsnips have a lot of good nutrition in them even though they are white. Parsnips contain lots of potassium, folate and fiber, as well as calcium and vitamin C. They also have a low glycemic load.
Root vegetables in general accumulate a high concentration of antioxidants as well as vitamins C, B complex, A, and iron. They are complex carbohydrates and have a good amount of fiber. For folks who are on grain-free diets, root vegetables are a great source of carbohydrate and fiber.
Try to get organic parsnips whenever possible to avoid pesticide residues.
Note: Parsnips are a more advanced food on SCD and GAPS and some folks may not tolerate them at all. Use caution when introducing parsnips if you are on a special diet or have digestive issues.
Ingredients
- 1 quart homemade chicken stock (how to make chicken stock)
- 1 large onion
- 1 medium leek cleaned and chopped
- 4 medium parsnips cut into thin rounds (2 cups)
- 1/2 medium celery root chopped into small cubes (1 cup)
- 1/2 medium Daikon radish chopped into small cubes (1 cup)
- 4 clove garlic minced
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Ghee for sauteeing the vegetables (how to make ghee)
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by heating up the stock
- Place the cut parsnips into the stock to cook for around 10 minutes
- Chop up all the other vegetables as indicated and saute in a large fry pan until soft
- When the parsnips have cooked 10 minutes, add all the other vegetables to the soup and simmer for around 15 - 20 minutes until the parsnips are cooked and the vegetables are soft
- Add the salt and pepper
- Let cook a bit and set aside a few pieces of the parsnip for garnish
- With the immersion blender, blend until smooth
- Garnish with the pieces of parsnip you set set aside or parsley or other green
Equipment
- Immersion blender (where to buy)
- 3 – 4 quart pot (where to buy)
- Large fry pan (where to buy)