OMG.
Many of you will recognize that the title of this post is a play off of Gena’s famous post called ‘This post will change your life’. Her post did change my life, and these fries did too.
I owe it all to a wonderful friend of mine, Ricki Heller. Ricki’s amazing cookbook, Sweet Freedom, was recently recommended on The Ellen Show website! I am not surprised because the cookbook is truly amazing. [My review found here].
Today I put out a plea on Twitter asking for Parsnip fry recipes! Ricki pointed me to her post and as soon as I saw the pictures, I was salivating.
Ok, so your eyes are probably glazing over at this point, or you have already skipped to the goods, so let’s get right down to business, shall we?
I don’t mess around when it comes to life changing food…
Nut Butter Crusted Parsnip Fries
Adapted from Diet, Dessert, & Dogs.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium parsnips (or 2 medium sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into thin fry-like strips
- 1 Tbsp almond butter
- 2 Tbsp chunky peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
Directions: Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Peel and cut parsnips into fry-like strips. In a medium size bowl, mix together the nut butters, olive oil, and salt. Take parsnips and toss in bowl with your hands until fully coated. Line up on baking pan and cook at 400F for 30-50 minutes until crisp. I cooked mine for 40 minutes, but probably could have left them in another 5 minutes to crisp up even more. They were wonderful!
After coating in a bowl:
Line ‘em up!
After cooking:
I honestly never imagined fries could taste like this.
Never in my LIFE would I have dreamed of using nut butter as a fry coating!
And no, they don’t need any ketchup!!!
Did I mention this was my first time ever trying parsnips? To be honest, I didn’t even really know what they were until I saw them around the blog world recently.
[Source]
Parsnips resemble carrots, but are paler and have a stronger flavour. Apparently, the core can be quite bitter so sometimes people omit it when cooking, but I used the whole kit and caboodle and didn’t notice any bitter flavour, at least in these fries anyways.
Three cheers for being adventuresome in the kitchen!!!
You must run to the grocery store, pick up some parsnips, and make these fries.
I kid you not, they are life changing.
It is hard to believe that something that tastes this good is still so healthy and just a few ingredients!
Today’s question- What are some life-changing foods you have had?
Some of mine:
- chia seeds
- Green Monsters
- Banana Soft Serve (adapted from Gena)
- Fresh, homemade juice
- Artisana Cashew Butter
- Ricki’s parsnip fries!!
- Savoury Oats
- In A Jiffy Spelt Veggie Burgers (another adaptation from Ricki!)
- Nutritional yeast
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (adapted from Alicia Silverstone)
- ahhh there are too many!!!
I have a website design to work on and a juice article to write tonight. Eric and I are also taking our bikes to the shop for a tune-up and hopefully getting out for a walk. It is 20C and beautiful outside today!
Happy weekend!! Make it a good one! 
~~
Weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them. ~John Shirley
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{ 84 comments… read them below or add one }
um, i’m going to whole foods to get parsnips now. are you KIDDING me with those things?! holy heaven!
let’s see, life changing food…it’s all life-changing when you learn to really enjoy it and not be afraid of it, right?
Yes I agree!
u will not believe these fries…..crazy. let me know what u think!
I ADORE Ricki and everything she does! I cannot wait to try these!
Heee heeee! I am so glad you liked them! (And aren’t you totally sweet for mentioning the Ellen Show–thanks!!)
A life-changing food for me had to be avocado. I remember the first time I ate it, as a teenager–wow, was I impressed! And now I use it in so many things from smoothies to baking. Love it!
YEAH! I have a bag of parsips sitting in my fridge and I have been contemplating how to use them up! Now I exactly what to do with them! YOU THE BEST!!! xoxo
love ya sista!
These fries look so yummy, I might just have to run to the store to get parsnips after work!
We grill our own pizza. Learning to grill pizza has been COMPLETELY life-changing. Here’s how, if you’re curious. I’m going to be posting a recipe for a roasted-veggies/vegan version of this pie next week: http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/01/my-favorite-pizza-dough-recipe.html
Those look SO delicious!!! I may have to go out and get some and try this out!!
This is perfect! I’m leaving for the weekend and didn’t buy any groceries – all I have left is a big ol’ parsnip! I felt all sad about my dinner prospects until I read your post. Good timing – thanks Angela!
I got a salad the other day that had pasnips as a topping. They were in little chunks…kinda like home-fry ish. They were so fabby. I love the nut butter addition!
Thanks for the walk-through on the prep of these fries! I am super stoked to try these! As for a life-changing food…I’m with Ricki on that one. Avocados rock! Oh and coconuts! I’m crazy for coconuts!
They look amazing! I’ve never tried parsnip but I am very curious!
Wow! I can’t wait to try this. I have sweet potatoes on hand and sunflower seed butter… maybe we’ll improvise until we can find some parsnips that aren’t $3 a pound!
Life-changing food? Tofu. I love it in all its variations.
Those sound and look amazing, can’t wait to try them, thanks for sharing! We just tried parsnips for the first time last year.
Just found your blog and really enjoying it =)
Thank you! Glad you enjoy it.
ok, so we made the fries and they are SOOOOOOOOOOO good! Thanks a bunch, here’s my post on them =)
http://domesticdharma.blogspot.com/2010/04/minty-love.html
SO many life-changing foods, it’s hard to pick just a few!
-Spaghetti Squash
-Asparagus
-Zucchini
-Greek yogurt
-Oats
And, although I rarely buy it because it’s too tempting to eat out of the jar every time I’m in the kitchen, Peanut Butter Co.’s White Chocolate Dream. Never knew peanut butter could taste so orgasmic.
These look awesome! I gotta say…I’ve tried parsnips a couple times and I wasn’t a fan. But I’m thinking that anything covered in nut butter and then roasted has GOT to taste decent
Oh my… goodness…! It would have never crossed my mind to do that to a parsnip! I am going to try this right away. AH! Even better, I think, will be the sweet potato version.
mmmmm, looks amazing!
A-MAZ-ING! Like I need another excuse to eat more nut butter
this is earth shattering!! hehe
I have parsnips growing in my garden right now! I’ve actually never eaten one so I thought it might be a good thing to give a whirl. These look so good! How could I resist making this recipe when I harvest!
Those sound absolutely amazing!!!
Those look SO good!!
Wow, I just tried parsnips for the first time recently- I actually had to ask at the grocery store to know what they looked like haha.
This recipe sounds AMAZING!!!!
Life changing foods for me are oatmeal with pumpkin, egg whites and apple, almond butter/peanut butter, and dried mango…right now anyways, I always have knew life changing foods!
YES DRIED MANGO!!! Im obsessed.
I love raw parsnips
http://gamereviewwiki.com/bikinibirthday/2010/03/02/day-35/
Those parsnips look stellar! When I made parsnip fries I ommitted the core after tasting it raw, but as long as they taste the same when they’re cooked I’m all for using the entire veggie.
My life changing foods are:
ALMOND BUTTER!!!
flax seed
chia seeds
puffed egg whites
greek yogurt
sandwich thins
and finding ways to cook veggies
puffed egg whites? Please, do tell…
It’s from the Fitnessista. Put two eggs worth of egg white in a pam-sprayed bowl and microwave for about 45 minutes or until it stops popping. I add hot sauce to mine and put it on top of a sandwich thin with laughing cow cheese.
45 seconds I hope…hehe
Oh my gosh, I need this in my life NOW. I love any kind of faux-fry.
I’ve never had parsnips before.
I feel like I need to write out all your recipes. Too much to remember!
They taste a lot like carrots!
Wow, these really do look life changing. I want to try them SOON!!! Yeah, whoever thought of coating in nut butters? Sounds delicious though.
Brussels sprouts, greek yogurt, and spaghetti squash. All things I would have never picked up these items myself in the store, but after some prompting by friends and family I did. My life has been different ever since.
I tried parsnips before and didn’t like them. But this sounds yummy and might be a tastier way to try them.
And to think I was contemplating throwing away my bag of parsnips!! I tried baking them with olive oil and it just wasn’t doing it for me. Thank you for giving my forlorn bag of parsnips a purpose, I will definitely try this.
Life changing foods:
Definitely chia seeds and amazing grass <–basically food
hummus because I love non-meat proteins
quinoa
dark chocolate
Glad I saved their lives…hehe
I have to say, I’ve always been super jealous of your creativity when it comes to recipes. Those parsnips look delish.
I think my life changing food would be overnight oatmeal. I’ve had it for breakfast everyday (or almost) since I found out about it!
All the credit goes to Ricki
She is a culinary genius!
Oops I forgot about overnight oats!
Wow, these look sooooo good, another one here who must buy parsnips and try this recipe!! Do you think it would be ok if I used all almond butter Angela? Could you taste the pb? (like a more pronounced peanut flavor?) I just love almond butter more than ob!!
I like parsnips especially roasted, take a look at this recipe I have posted for Honey Roasted Root Vegetables, make it with Maple instead of honey and I am sure you are going to like these veggies!
http://kitchenspace.blogspot.com/2005/10/turnips-for-first-time-today-i-tried.html
One thing I discovered recently and can’t imagine not having at my fridge is almond butter, omg I love this stuff, I can eat from the jar, anytime, with anything, love it in my oats and with crackers, amazingly good!
Also I love Flaxseeds, but these I have been eating for years now, since I first tried I never spent a day without my flax (I am known for bringing it with me on trips and all – even when we went to Brazil to visit family – I wasn’t sure I would find it there!)
Oh, and yes, another recent one: chia seeds, I love them!! Amazing in oats and just plain chia pudding is totally delicious!
Ana
Looks delicious!
Parsnips are delicious! In fact, I had them in my roasted vegetable mix tonight, along with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, red peppers, and zucchini. Simple and tasty! The parsnips were my favorite, though; like spicy carrots!
I love parsnips! You will soon discover all of the amazing things you can do with them, like a velvety, rich carrot and parsnip soup. Mmm love love love that slightly spicy kick they have!
they look yummy, I ahve never had them before!
Wow those fries sound AMAZING!!!! Of course, what isn’t covered in almond butter?
I recently discovered carrot fries… totally changed my life too. I used to hate carrots!
And sweet potato fries are pretty much one of my most favorite things EVER.
those do look good! might be something to try, since i’ve never had parsnips before.
My life changing foods have been Chia Seeds definitely. I LURVE them.
Ditto what Krissy at 3:58 p.m. said. 3 parsnips and a sweet potato sitting in the kitchen, rainy Friday night after a very difficult week, and you posted this recipe on the perfect day for me to see it. You’re right; they’re fabulous! Thanks!
My life was changed by that vegan hot coccoa recipe you posted a while back, holy yum!
im sorry im a sporatic commenter, it is sometimes hard to comment because of school work(less then 2 months and i graduate from highschool) but i just had to tonight!
i cannot wait to try these, (i’ve never had parsnips eithr!)
thankyou so much!
Those look AMAZING!!! I’m obsessed with kale chips ala Kath.
Also, hempseeds.
This post was fate!! I just started the Paleo diet and it has been smooth sailing except for missing french fries. I’ll sub extra almond butter (or maybe walnut butter… hmmmm….) for the peanut butter and then it’s 100% paleo! Can’t wait to try.
You are a genius! What a great recipe!!!
Those look gorgeously delicious!
Oh yum, luckily I have some on hand!
I recently discovered your page…and that has been life changing! Love the green monster smoothies.
Life changing #1 –My granola recipe:
3C oats
1/2c slivered almonds
1/4 coconut
1/4 pumpkin seeds
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
3 T butter
1/3 c honey
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c chopped dates
1/2 dried fruit
Mix together everything from oats to salt. Melt butter with honey…add vanilla. pour over oat mixture and mix together. spread on cookie sheet. bake 325 for 20 min. turning ever 5 minutes.
Great with vanilla soy, vanilla yogurt, pbutter and apples, or by the handful!!
Life changing #2 “Cheesecake”
Use an immersion blender to blend together low fat cottage cheese and low fat yogurt. (this gets rid of the lumps!)
That’s it!!! Use it for parfaits, dips, add fruit….tastes just like cheesecake!
ENJOY!!
Wow! I’m with you about not knowing a thing about parsnips. I so want to try these though! Thanks for sharing what looks to be an awesome recipe!
Yum, I just saw parsnips at Super Target tonight, I always thought they were a turnip of some kind. Learn something new every day.
Hmmmmm….life changing food for me would be:
Menage e’Trois California Red Wine….LOL
Green Monsters of all kinds
Quinoa
Ezekial breads
Amazing Grass
These sounds really deliicous! I do not eat them often but this should be a nice excuse!
Well that is part of my dinner solved! I get a veggie box every fortnight and there has been lots of parsnips recently. Usually they end up in soup cos I don’t LOVE them but I think that is about to change! Under 4 weeks until I come to Canada on holiday! Cannot wait to hit Lululemon….
I love parsnips! They are also great roasted with a bit of EVOO and some rosemary and thyme! Or roasted with a bit of honey drizzled on top (that was how I had them the first time… prior to that a few years ago I was a parsnip virgin!).
YUM!!! Those look so delicious! I’m going to be picking up some Parsnips this weekend. Maybe I can trick the family into eating them
Must be careful with the parsnips! The almond butter helps in lowering the total GI load but on their own, parsnips rate a 97 on the glycemic index. And you know what high GI foods do to the old metabolism!
I love parsnips- and if you say these are that good, I HAVE to try them!
Some of my life changing foods?
Oats
Nut butters!
Sweet potatoes
Greek Yogurt
Goat cheese
Flax, hemp, chia
fresh juice
GM’s!
All thanks to the lovely food blogging world
xo
K
I’ve never had fries with nut butter…they sounds like they are worth a try! My mom makes parsnip fries but coats them in a little parm cheese…soooo good!
oh.my.god. these look and sound absolutely phenomenal!! i might try it with sweet potatoes… hmmm.
I went out last night and bought parsnips to make these and they are in my oven as I type.. I am impatiently waiting for them.
Green smoothies have changed my life, and my kids lives!!
Artisana Coconut Butter
EV coconut oil
Mysterium Tremendum Cookies http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/mysterium-tremendum-cookies-402715
Chipotle sauce (take one can of chipotles in adobo sauce and puree until smooth. I use this in black bean dip, hummus, vegetarian chilis.. so yum!!
Wow.
Angela, these look fantabulous–I’m sure they were SO delish!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Oh my goodness, I love parsnips and these fries look freakin awesome. I need to make them asap!
O.M.G. These are seriously SOOOOOOOOOOO good! Made them last night and my husband still can’t stop talking about them and how they are absolutely restaurant material! They are definitely one of the best things to come out of our kitchen in a LONG time…..my husband just corrected me and said that they are one of the best things to come out of our kitchen EVER!!!! Thanks for sharing! I wish I would have bought more parsnips!!! Oh, and they are awesome with sweet potatoes too, I mixed them for a half and half combo—-DIVINE!!!
trying them tonight! so excited
thanks!
I am making them this week!!! I’m sold.
OH MY GAWDDDDD
I tried these tonight and they were good! I think I needed to either cook them longer or maybe not as long. Oh well I will just have to make them again until they are perfect!
Thanks for the recipe. As far as life changing food, the Green Monster has totally changed my mornings. I am addicted!
I made these with sweet potato fries and Maranatha Almond Butter. So good! I used Greek Yogurt for dipping and it was a perfect match.
I love parsnips! Gotta try these!!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I just gobbled them down and ummmmm ummmmm yum! I love adding new unique recipes to my bag of trick and this one is definitely going in the bag!
Hey Angela,
Love these fries more than life itself! Do you happen to know the nutritional stats on them?
Angela – I tried the fries with sweet potatoes the other night, and they got a little burnt…Do you flip yours halfway through cooking?!?!?!
Hi Angela!
I just wanted to let you know that I made these fries tonight and they were AMAZING. Everything I thought they would be and more. Thank you.
Do you think these would be good if I didn’t peel the parsnips?
These sound so so good! I’ve not tried parsnips before but this sounds like a good way to try them!!
I made these a few months ago, and yes life changing.
try them with carrots, seriously glorious!
We eat them 3-4 times a week now