Sunchokes and Kepl Noodles

[Jena]

I was wondering if Sunchockes were okay to use. I would think they are but since they are often used as a potatoe subsititute does that make them not okay. If the only reason I want to use them is to replace some potatoes. To be honest here I've never even eaten them so I don't know how close to potatoes they taste.

Also Kelp noodles. It's suppose to be only kelp which I think is okay. But the two things I wonder about is I have no idea how they make them so I don't know if there is somthing wrong in the process of turning that kelp into noodles.

The other things I guess is once again the mind game. If I am only wanting them to replace "pasta" then I shouldn't have them right? But then whats the differenece if I'm using zucchinni as noodles. How much should I question myself if I'm mnd gaming a subsititute or just trying to make an interesting dish.

Maybe I'm overthinging the whole thing with these two ingredients. Please forgive any spelling errors. I don't see a spell check here.

[Johnny M]

Hey Jena - you hit it right on...we don't want you to replace pasta with some kind of paleo-fied food like those kelp noodles. The kelp noodles in reality may not be that bad but they're processed and not a whole food. If you're replacing pasta with zucchini noodles, you're still replacing a processed food with a whole food and we like that.

I also think sunchokes are ok. It doesn't matter if they're similar to potatoes unless you're going to make french fries, deep fry them, serve them with ketchup, and eat them every chance you get. We remove potatoes not just because because there's anything wrong with them, but because we tend to over consume them, there are so many other sides we could be eating with meals, and we want you to learn to try new things so go ahead and experiment with the sunchokes but as always keep changing things up and trying other assortments of veggies too.

I think if you're questioning something, and you're doing so because it's triggering some kind of craving for a food you've removed, then do yourself a favor and pass on it and try something else. Your struggle is a good cue that...well...you're struggling so make it easy for yourself and eat something that's a no brainer.

[Jena]

Thanks Johnny M that does help. I think I'll stay away from the kelp noodles for now because obviously they are processed.

I just tried spaghetti squash for the first time and it was great. I don't think I was trying to replace pasta just trying to make a varitiy of dishes so we don't get bored with what I'm cooking. Besides trying out a new vegetable never hurts.

As for the sunchoke, yes potatoes had been something we used often. But not as french fries. More as mashed potatoes, roasted, or hash.

As always your comments have been informative and enlightening. Thank you.

[Johnny M]

Glad to help! I've found cauliflower mash to be a life saver and a replacement for potatoes that I don't feel guilty about at all. I didn't miss potatoes at all but I did miss things with creamy smooth textures to wipe my plate up with so I make cauliflower mash a LOT and top it with everything from steak, to meatballs, to curry. Also a good occasional breakfast food is making turnip fritters...you can shred them, squeeze the water out of them in a dish towel, and mix with egg, salt, and pepper, and fry little fritters in coconut oil. They're great for breakfast with a couple eggs.

[Jena]

I tried the cauliflower mash before and it just didnt' do it for me. I'm not a big fan of cauliflower. That being said, I did do a cauliflower "fried rice" dish that I absolutely loved. I didnt' mind the cauliflower grated up in that dish one bit. However I did miss not using tamari in the dish, the coconut aminoes just don't do it.

I will try the turnips fritter. That's another vegetable I don't have much experince with.

[Derval]

I added a tsp of Dijon mustard to my cauli mash tonight (to accompany roast chicken), it was a nice change.

[Tom Denham]

Sunchokes are definitely Whole30-compliant. I roasted a batch and thought they tasted like nutty potatoes. I liked them so much, I ate the whole batch in one meal. It was a huge mistake. Our bodies lack the enzymes to fully digest sunchokes, so they pass through our system creating a lot of gas and other gastrointestinal disturbances. I don't want to give too much detail, but I did not get a good night's sleep that night. If you eat just a few, you are likely to be okay, but they are not a benign vegetable choice.

I add ghee, salt, and garlic powder to cauliflower puree and like it a lot. However, I usually add broccoli or carrots to cauliflower when making a puree.

[Jena]

Wow, thanks for the heads up on the Sunchokes. Like I mentioned before I haven't actually tried them yet. I was thinking to use them as a mash but that might be eating too many now.

I will have to give the cauliflower mash another try. Now that I think about it the last time I tried it was back when I was trying to be vegan so ghee etc was out.