Root Veggie Latkes

I've been tinkering with this recipe to find the right combo, and I think I finally got it. The recipe for "Root Veggie Cakes" comes from the Paleo Comfort Foods blog, but I found it not quite right - at least using the coconut flour I had. So I've changed it up a bit to be less cakey and more latke-y, which seems especially fitting as we approach the end of Hanuukah. These are pretty with all the bright colors, and would be great as a platform for eggs benedict. I found them tasty with a sauce of mayo mixed with horseradish. AND these are my garden beets and carrots!?! 

Root Veggie Latkes (makes 4-5 latkes)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded parsnips
1/2 cup shredded beets
1 small onion
1 T prepared horseradish (opt)
1 egg
2 T coconut flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
coconut oil/lard/fat

1. Combine shredded carrots, parsnips and beets in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse chopped onion until minced. Add egg, horseradish and salt and pulse again to combine. Add coconut flour and pulse to mix until mixture becomes a thick batter. Add batter to shredded root veggies and mix together. The mixture should be slightly wet and able to stick together. Because brands of coconut flour vary so widely, if your mixture is really wet (or soupy) add another Tablespoon of coconut flour.
3. Heat 1-2 T of fat in a skillet. Form about 1/4 c of mixture into a ball, and place in hot oil for each latke. Press flat with your hands or spatula and cook on medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side. You want the veggies to cook and the outside to become crisp.
4. Serve immediately (or keep warm in the oven).

Roasted Veggies

The local veggies that seem to be brimming over at the co-op right now include about 8-10 squash varieties (I am really all about the kabocha right now), lots of mushrooms, and tons of root veggies - particularly parsnips, carrots, and beets. So I made up a big batch that I mostly have been eating for breakfast with some eggs - with fresh parsley over everything. I definitely did not follow this recipe exactly (also pasted below), but it had basically all the root veggies I happened to have in my fridge plus some brussel sprouts. The whole thing is creamy and delicious and carmelized tasting. And so easy!

Ingredients - feel free to swap or change amounts:
3 parsnips
6 carrots
1 onion
1 large sweet potato
1 lb brussel sprouts
olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh chopped parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub carrots and parsnips (cut into 2-inch pieces if large). Slice onion in wedged slices.  Peel and slice sweet potato into wedges. Trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Toss all vegetables in generous amount of olive oil. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Spread onto a large baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally until cooked and browned, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

parsnip macaroons

i found these lovely macaroons on the equally lovely blog by apt2b baking co which has delicious recipes and gorgeous pictures. these turned out so well! the parsnips add some earthiness and go really well with the almonds, coconut and lemon zest. i made two pans and the pan that got a little more done was, in my opinion, better because it made the outer crunch even better. the only change i made to the recipe was that i doubled the recipe but didn't double the sugar and they were still plenty sweet. i think you could probably even cut out the sugar altogether but i'm not sure if it would change the consistency. yum! (and i think they're gluten-free?)