Baked Rosemary Parsnip "Fries"

Oh, hi. Remember me? I took a little blog break because I had a baby...two months ago. I had grand plans to have some guest posters fill in for me in my absence, but guess what? It never happened because I gave myself a few too many projects and ran out of time to organize guest posts before the little one arrived.

I am still wrapping my brain around the fact that he's actually here. I think it takes a while to truly grasp the immensity of this kind of event. I mean, I'm responsible for a brand new little person. Who came out of me. Crazy. {More on my very, very lonnnnng birth story in a later post.}

And speaking of "crazy", I got back into the kitchen just days after giving birth. Did you really expect anything less? {P.S. I don't actually recommend this, ladies. You do need rest.}

I started out slow with simple meals and worked my way up to bigger projects like my annual biscotti-baking tradition for Christmas. Nothing too complicated. Because you probably shouldn't be playing with sharp knives and hot burners when you are functioning on zero minimal sleep. Thank God for sweet friends and family bringing over food to keep us going when we couldn't muster the energy for more than just a quick reheat.

Babies are some serious work, y'all.

But, it's kind of amazing how quickly you begin to adapt to the insanity that is parenthood. Your body, your mind and your routine all go through a period of shock, followed by a quick recovery so that you can do what you gotta do.

And you gotta do a lot.

Well, sort of, but not really. It's the same five things on repeat 24/7. Like Groundhog Day.

Feed. Burp. Change. Cuddle. Attempt to sleep. Repeat. Somewhere in that firestorm of milk and poop you're supposed to still find time to be, like, human.

It does not make for the most entertaining of days, but it is a necessary rite of passage for keeping a tiny person alive and happy.

Except, pardon me for saying so, but I think mamas need to be happy, too. Because I think happy mamas make happy babies.

So, even though I know that moms are supposed to be all, "I haven't showered or shaved in 3 weeks." "I've decided to wear diapers instead of actually take time for a bathroom break." "The only meals I've eaten are handfuls of crumbs out of an old box of cereal." for the first few months of their babies' lives... I've still managed to carve out a few seconds for those little things like hygiene and sustenance. Most of the time, anyway. I'll warn you before you come too close if you happen to catch me during one of those "no time for bathing" spells.

I'm not gonna lie, you've got to squeeze these activities in MUCH faster than you did in the pre-baby days. And maybe you only get to drink half of your coffee piping hot in the morning before you have to put on your cape and bring your crying child back from the brink of starvation. But it's doable. Except if you have twins. Then all bets are off.

Anyway, it is thanks to an iron will and Pandora's lullaby station that I've been able to get in the kitchen a few times and make stuff. Because being in the kitchen is part of what keeps this mama sane, as crazy as that may seem to some.

With the holidays behind us, many of us are focused on being on our best eating behavior. Especially those of us who are still trying to lose a pound or two and fit into our jeans without having any excess pudge spilling over the top.

Like I said, most of the things I've been making have to fit into the brief moments when I'm not tending to the kidlet. These Rosemary Parsnip "Fries" fit the bill. The only real work required is peeling and chopping, which is a welcome break from wiping and pumping.

A quick toss with olive oil and seasonings creates a surprisingly flavorful snack. And you don't even have to feel guilty because they're veggies and they're oven baked, so you can still fit them into your healthy eating resolutions. Score.

If I had time to make these with a brand-spankin' new little one beckoning me every few minutes, then, surely, you can too.

But you certainly don't have to. Especially if you're among the "haven't showered in 3 weeks" crowd. Because in that case you might want to prioritize a little differently. ;)

Baked Rosemary Parsnip "Fries"

1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into "fries"
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Sprinkle of rosemary

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil.
2. Place parsnips on baking pan and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat and spread them out so they have room to crisp up.
3. Sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder and rosemary.
4. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until parsnips are browned and crisp.

Crispy Potato & Parsnip Hash with Stonyfield Yogurt + DreamFarm

Disclosure: I am honored to be a member of the Stonyfield Clean Plate Club. I received product or coupons for writing this post, but all opinions are my own.


It amazes me that there are still relatively common foods that I haven't tried. Some just don't make it onto my radar and others puzzle me enough that I pick them up at the grocery store and think, "What in the world would I do with this?"

Parsnips are one such food.

During my Trader Joe's rounds last week I found that the parsnips {which happened to be particularly inexpensive} suddenly looked too intriguing to leave out of my basket. So they came home with me and we got acquainted.

Have you ever tried a parsnip? It's a root vegetable that looks a lot like a carrot with a pale complexion. Like maybe carrot's SPF-conscious cousins.

Knowing nothing about parsnips and how to prepare them -- but figuring that they couldn't be too different from other root veggies -- I decided to give them a go in a Crispy Potato and Parsnip Hash and see how they'd turn out.

I peeled them, chopped them and threw them into this cool little contraption that was sent to me to try: the Dreamfarm Vebo.


 It's a silicone basket where VEggies {and whatnot} can be BOiled, steamed and strained all in one convenient place. It was pretty nifty! {Although I have to tell you, you could get some serious steam burns if you're not careful pulling the basket out of the boiling water. Just a heads up.}

Despite the fact that I am not a big fan of carrots {I've tried so very hard to like the over the years, but I just can't do it!}, I really enjoyed the parsnips! It could have something to do with the fact that the way I prepared them gave them just the right amount of golden crispness on the outside and tender creaminess on the inside. The flavor was slightly sweet but not too strong and went perfectly with the Dutch yellow baby potatoes and onions that I roasted along with them.

We love this dish on Sunday mornings with breakfast fixins {read: topped with a runny egg and alongside a few strips of bacon}, or as a side dish with a big dollop of tart and creamy Stonyfield Greek Yogurt on top. You can mix some fresh chives into the yogurt for a little extra flavor, but it isn't even necessary.

Want a Vebo of your own? Enter to win one below! I'll be picking a winner at random next week. Good luck!

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Crispy Potato & Parsnip Hash with Stonyfield Yogurt Sauce 

1 pound Dutch yellow baby potatoes, cut into approximately 1 inch pieces
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into approximately 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Sea salt
Stonyfield Organic Plain Greek Yogurt
{Optional} Fresh or dried chives, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil and drizzle with olive oil. Set aside.

2. Place cut potatoes and parsnips into the Vebo. Place the Vebo in a pot filled with water until just covering veggies. Add about a teaspoon of salt to water. Boil for about 10-12 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender.  {If you don't have a Vebo, you can certainly dump the veggies directly into a pot.}

3. Meanwhile, saute onions until just tender in a small pan and set aside.

4. Carefully remove Vebo from pot to drain or pour vegetables into a strainer in the sink. Spread vegetables out onto prepared baking pan and gently toss with oil. {You may want to drizzle a bit more on top.} Add onions to mixture and toss together.

4. Sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder and salt.

5. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until they're golden brown on the outside, giving them a turn about half way through cooking time.

Serve with a dollop of Stonyfield Greek Yogurt and chives sprinkled on top.