Photo: Great grandparents at their farm in Blandinsville, IL, with five of their six children .. my grandpa was yet a twinkle in grandma's eye. Stable boy and governess also pictured. Hodges farm, circa 1903-4

Tuesday, July 14, 2009


How to make a turnip/rutabaga hater into a lover of root veggies.

I'm a master of disguise (with food that is ;) If you want to get your family to consume healthy root veggies but they balk, try what I do.

Most kids will eat mashed potatoes (minus those with sensitive gag reflexes). When we have an abundance of turnips I boil a few in with the potatoes and mash them together. This will work with rutabagas too, but they have different cooking times so you may need to start the rutabagas ahead of the potatoes or cook them in separate pans. I've had success getting my family to eat both roots when they are prepared as follows:

I never measure (except when baking).

Using about one cup of mashed cooked turnips or rutabagas for every two to three cups of mashed potatoes add to taste the following: Butter, half & half, one small bud of pressed fresh garlic, salt & pepper. Now for a special treat ... add anywhere from one teaspoon to a tablespoon of prepared horseradish .. mix well ... and serve steaming hot garnished with your favorite fresh garden herb sprinkled on top. No gravy needed.

This combination is always a 'smash' hit.

Tomorrow I'll give some tips for getting your loved ones to eat turnip greens.

8 comments:

Mr. H. said...

Now that sounds delicious. I have been looking for new ways to use some of our horseradish, what a great idea. I will definitely try your recipe. I have mashed parsnips and potatoes before but not turnips.

Cindy said...

I actually like turnips and other root vegetables so no need to disguise them for me! lol

Roasted Garlicious said...

me too, yum yum... i love to roast them with beets.... a litte olive oil, some thyme and rosemary, sprinkled around and bake in a covered pan or the dreaded foil :(... bake until fork tender...

Pat said...

I actually do like rutabagas, they make them in these little meat pies in the UP. I've included them diced in soups also. I'm still not a fan of horseradish, even covered in half and half and butter. Now if you make it into a carmel sauce I'm might be interested!

Felisol said...

Reminds me I must remember to buy rutabaga and turnips at the market. they are about the only ones my very allergic husband can eat.(We had carrot cake yesterday and he's still suffering, Carrots are cross connected to birch allergy. It's sad, but many children concerned to be difficult are actually allergic. My best friend is allergic to fat fish, she had some troubles as a child, being forced to eat it.)

I like to eat the vegetables raw, but people with slight allergy can better digest them when boiled.
My mother and grandmother would always use the water the vegetables were boiled in for soups or gravy.
Lots of healthy juice, my mother says.

Scrolling down while writing I see you know how to make a healthy and tasty broth.
Did I think there were something you could not do?
Just today I read in a magazine one could pour coiling potato water over ants. That at least was new to me!
From felisol

Mrs. Mac said...

Felisol,

that's interesting about the cross connection between birch and carrot allergies. My oldest daughter tested positive to birch allergy. I've just about 'weeded' out all chemical ingredients ... food preservatives .. etc. by making all of our foods from scratch the old fashioned way. at times I have skin allergies that were long ago triggered by orange juice (three years ago) ..that are not as bad .. but do once in a while persist (small hives). Our laundry soap is very mild, homemade, and we use no fabric softener. I may have to start ruling out certain foods (eggs, citrus) by cutting them out of my diet for a while.

Maria Stahl said...

I love to add radishes to mashed potatoes, too. If you don't peel them first they turn the potatoes a delicate PINK! It's cool!

Pat, thanks for the reminder about pasties from the UP. YUMMMMM.

Mrs. Mac said...

Pink potatoes from adding radishes .. very cool and I bet delish!