How to Make Scalloped Parsnip

SERVINGS: 4

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 70 MINUTES

MEAL: LUNCH-DINNER

PREPARATION: BAKED

EAT IN: AUTUMN-WINTER

FOR OCCASION: CLEANSE, DINNER-PARTY

How Can Scalloped Parsnip Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Hearty Root Vegetable

The humble parsnip is a hearty and nutritious root vegetable often cast aside in favor of the more popular carrots, sweet potato or squash. Don't let other more brightly colored plants distract you from the parsnip. It's earthy sweet taste and versatility means it's a perfect springboard for creative cooking. Combined with onions and garlic in this recipe, a satisfying savory dish remains.

The warm, heavy and unctuous qualities of root vegetables nourishes, calms and sedates an aggravated Vata, literally keeping them grounded or 'rooted'. Historically, parsnips were often used as a meat substitute in times of fasting with good reason - an inexpensive, easily accessible and nutritionally dense option.

Cleansing

Parsnips are considered a 'cleansing' vegetable in Ayurveda. They pass the dietary fiber test with top marks, containing high quantities of soluble fiber. This encourages healthy and regular elimination of wastes, and can also contribute to lowering cholesterol levels, balancing blood sugars, and reducing the chance of developing diabetes.

A low-calorie option but high in starch content, parsnips are ideal for weight loss. We feel fuller for longer after munching on them, and are less likely to grab snacks throughout the day. In Ayurveda, nutrient rich, warm foods that limit snacking help support our metabolic and digestive functioning known as Agni.

When metabolism is working optimally, our bodies become more efficient fat burners, a win-win in the weight loss category! The drying and warming qualities of parsnip are also fitting for those looking to do an internal spring cleanse. Comforting and satisfying, this is a great guilt-free food to enjoy when cravings for a hearty meal hit.

Lymphatic Cleansing & Reduces Water Weight

If you suffer from puffy skin, stagnant fluids, or edema, the diuretic nature of parsnip combined with the warming qualities of rosemary, sage, and garlic promotes sweating and blood flow to the skin. This allows the body to flush excess water retention and reduce other cold conditions related to Kapha dosha, including managing the risk of obesity. This flushing, diuretic property is due to high amounts of potassium which also may be useful in cases of high blood pressure levels.
To top it off, sage's bitterness compliments the lymphatic cleansing nature of this recipe perfectly. This mixture of cleansing properties and heartiness is part of what makes parsnip so unique.

Boost your Mood

Parsnip contains high levels of folate which can be linked to lower levels of depression. This recipe also stimulates digestive metabolism (Agni) due to its warming qualities teamed with the bitter and pungent tastes associated with parsnip and rosemary. This heat also opens up circulation, bringing you energy and a sense of alertness to the body and mind. This combination altogether lifts the mood, especially on cold and wet days. These properties are supported by the aromatic effect of rosemary. Like most aromatic herbs, it's a nervine that soothes and relaxes nerve tissue and muscles. It works as an antispasmodic herb, releasing tension from the body. When you come home from a stressful day at work, let this meal aid your relaxation.

Warming Walnuts

Nuts, like root vegetables, are generally heavy in nature but with oily qualities too. For those with weak Agni (digestive strength), nuts can be a little difficult to digest. Teaming nuts with digestive herbs, like in this recipe, allows our gut to process and absorb the nutrients more efficiently.

The nut of choice in this case is walnut, rich in taste with warming and energizing properties. Chop some up and sprinkle on top before baking to add that crunchy texture. Roasting walnuts in this way helps break down tannic acids which can be irritating to some. Slices of sweet apple add the final piece to this delicious puzzle and add to the rustic country style of the dish. For those with weaker digestion, avoid these slices of apple because they are a challenging food combination.

Enjoy!

These scalloped parsnips can be enjoyed by almost everyone in Ayurvedic terms. It's a great vegetarian option to serve with some green vegetables on the side, or alongside steamed chicken or fish for meat eaters. Vegans can replace the ghee with coconut oil.

WHY SHOULD YOU EAT AYURVEDICALLY?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Foods that supplement your specific body type’s needs and digest easily create your menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

LEARN MORE

Is Scalloped Parsnip Good for Me?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Scalloped Parsnip is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

INCREASES Increases These Qualities (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main states (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which states are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every state has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite state. Learn More	HOT ABOUT HOT GUNA Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation. LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR GUNA Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	BITTER ABOUT BITTER GUNA Bitter is disagreeable and stimulating rejection, and a strong taste often associated with black coffee, dark chocolate, and most salad greens. LEARN MORE ABOUT BITTER PUNGENT ABOUT PUNGENT GUNA Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper. LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT GUNA Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types People tend to get sick, over and over again, due to similar causes and habitual imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT Rajasic RAJASIC Rajasic foods stimulate desire or nervous energy. Red meat, high protein food, garlic and onions stimulate desire. Rajasic foods include chili peppers, coffee, and anything that stimulates movement. LEARN MORE ABOUT RAJASIC , Alkalizing ALKALIZING An herb or food that makes the urine more alkaline (higher pH). This herbal action can be helpful for a number of inflammatory conditions. LEARN MORE ABOUT ALKALIZING , Prana PRANA Prana is the Sanskrit word for vital life energy, similar to Qi in Chinese Medicine. Many herbs stimulate your energy, or improve the flow of prana through your body. Generally, prana needs to be increased in spring after a sleepy winter. LEARN MORE ABOUT PRANA , Ojas OJAS Ojas is the essence of healthy tissue, immunity, stable energy and happiness. Substances that improve ojas are recommended after long-term illness, debility, emotional and physical trauma, and even sadness. LEARN MORE ABOUT OJAS TYPE Roots CONTAINS Allergens, Tree Nuts ELEMENT Air AIR Resembles air (vayu) in quality - highly mobile, drying, light, cold, subtle, rough. LEARN MORE ABOUT AIR , Fire FIRE Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry. LEARN MORE ABOUT FIRE SUBTASTE Aromatic AROMATIC Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues. LEARN MORE ABOUT AROMATIC , Bland BLAND Bland means doesn't have much taste. In Chinese medicine, bland taste refers to afood without little macronutrients, such as cabbage, radish or bok choy. LEARN MORE ABOUT BLAND NUTRIENT Potassium, Fats NOURISHES Plasma PLASMA Plasma (Rasa Dhatu) includes plasma, white blood cells, and lymph. LEARN MORE ABOUT PLASMA MOVES ENERGY Outward OUTWARD Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUTWARD

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Digestion	Warms abdomen WARMS-ABDOMEN Warms the muscles and organs of the abdomen, stimulating digestion and metabolism. LEARN MORE ABOUT WARMS-ABDOMEN , Stomachic STOMACHIC An herb that increases appetite or settles a nauseas or nervous stomach. These generally increase the digestive fire, therefore relieving symptoms of sluggish or difficult digestion. LEARN MORE ABOUT STOMACHIC , Spleen Tonic SPLEEN-TONIC An herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues. LEARN MORE ABOUT SPLEEN-TONIC , Digestive DIGESTIVE Herbs that encourage healthy digestive. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIGESTIVE
Cleanse and Detox	Burns Toxins BURNS-TOXINS An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them. LEARN MORE ABOUT BURNS-TOXINS , Detoxicant DETOXICANT An herb that eliminates or metabolizes toxins from the body. LEARN MORE ABOUT DETOXICANT
Energy Vitality Strength	Satisfies stomach SATISFIES-STOMACH Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach. LEARN MORE ABOUT SATISFIES-STOMACH
Heart & Circulation	Vasodilator VASODILATOR A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area. LEARN MORE ABOUT VASODILATOR
Skin Care & Beauty	Diaphoretic DIAPHORETIC An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIAPHORETIC