Good Ideas for Starchy Veggies

[whole30determined]

I am trying to add more starchy vegetables to my meal plan, mainly because I've added on some heavy exercise and I was super drained and had no energy.    Some great folks in the forums suggested that I add more starchy veggies to my meal plan.   I always eat sweet potatoes, but does anyone have any other suggestions for starchy veggies and good ways to cook them?

 

The only starchy veggies I know of are:  sweet potatoes, beets, butternut squash.   Any other good suggestions and good ways to roast or prepare them to incorporate them into your meals?

[ShannonM816]

Any of the winter squashes -- spaghetti squash, acorn squash, kabocha squash, and there are others, those are the ones you're most likely to see in a grocery store. Any root vegetables -- turnips, rutabagas, carrots, beets. Regular potatoes. Pumpkin.

 

They're all good roasted. I love the Velvety Butternut Squash from The Clothes Make the Girl, and if you ever can't find butternut squash you can sub in sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or acorn squash and get a very similar dish. Belly Dance Beet Salad is my favorite way to have beets. Mostly, I just cut them all in bite-sized chunks and toss them in oil, salt, pepper and whatever other seasonings sound good and roast them at about 430 degrees for 20ish minutes.

[SpinSpin]

I do roasted veg several times during the week--hubby takes the leftovers in his lunch. For instance, tonight I am doing baby red skin potatoes, baby carrots and brussel sprouts. 

 

What about making a curried pumpkin soup? or a curried sweet potato soup? When I make these soups, I chop up a couple onions and cook them down till soft in coconut oil. I add in what ever veg I am using, cover with bone broth, add my seasonings and let cook until the veggies are soft, and blend till smooth. I add coconut milk to cream it up and adjust seasonings and it is good to go! Pumpkin curry is pretty much the same, only I use canned pumpkin and I will add compliant sausage to the soup. 

 

One of my favorites, that I used to make at a brew pub I used to work at was carrot ginger soup. For this, I take the onions and sweat till soft in coconut oil, chop of a bunch of carrots--depending on how much soup I am making, and I leave the skins on. I slice up a garnet yam, skin on, and add to the soup pot. Then I add a couple garlic cloves, and more fresh ginger then you think you would need. I use a piece that is at least the length of my thumb, skinned and sliced. Cover with bone broth and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover and let cook till the veg is soft. Blend till smooth, adjust seasonings--salt, white pepper, more ginger if needed, a grate or 2 of nutmeg (or more!) and add coconut milk until desired soup consistency. The  Kitchen Manager at the pub said it was like sunshine in a bowl and loved it. 

 

Edited to add-- You could also make a potato salad and have that along side of your meals. I like potato salad where I take the hot boiled or baked potatoes (sweets are baked) and cut into chunks and then toss with a homemade vinaigrette. I typically use Extra Virgin Olive OIl, raw apple cider vinegar, various herbs--on an italian kick at the moment. After tossing the potato chunks, I will let them marinate for a while--3-4 hours at least--and then add chopped green onion, hard boiled eggs, celery--what ever kind of veg you like in a potato salad. You could even add homemade mayo if you wanted, but I like the vinaigrette personally. Season to taste and have along side your meal!

[AuntJane]

I love red beets and sweet potatoes.  Peel, cube, and roast at 400 for 20 minutes or so (I do mine in the toaster oven), then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Super yummy - and easy, which is a requirement in my kitchen. 

[GFChris]

Huge jicama fan here. I like it raw, and cut into sticks, and either plain or tossed with fresh squeezed lime juice and chili powder.

[whole30determined]

Wow, these are all great recipes and ideas!  ShannonM816, those 2 recipes I Pin'd and I am going to try those this weekend!!   The butternut squash sounds fabulous!

 

And SpinSpin, I didn't even think about carrots and red potatoes....and soup???   That's a great idea and both of those recipes look really simple to make and I can have that alongside my breakfast or dinner.   Um, and potato salad!   Wow, that also is easy to make and I can make that and have it on-hand as well.   

 

I think my favorites that I know I can roast weekly are Brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes.   Making a big batch and keeping it in my fridge, then add to my other veggies I have (spinach/broccoli/cauliflower/etc) should help me out a ton.    

 

Thank you for those suggestions!   I can't wait to get cookin'!