Pink Kitchen

I’m especially angry at cancer today because it’s been a week of bad news. Not for me…but two special girls in my world found out they have mets (cancer that has spread to other body parts), and another sweet girl – only 30 years old! – has passed on.

It makes me furious.

So instead of punching a bag, I’m in the kitchen whipping up some fighting food on behalf of these two girls. None of us can completely control what happens to us. But as long as we’re still in the ring, we’ve got to try and fight. And one of the best ways we can do that is with nutrition.

Vitamin C is powerful against cancer. It helps to put the brakes on cancer cell growth.

Looking at the picture, you’re probably thinking, “Huh? Vitamin C from mashed potatoes?”

Look again. Although there are certainly potatoes in this side dish, we are actually serving mashed turnips. The turnip root is loaded with vitamin C. Blending them with potatoes is a great way to introduce yourself (and those you live with) to the vegetable.

Choose turnips that are firm, much the same way you would choose “un-bagged” carrots. If the leaves are still attached to the turnips, choose leaves that are not wilted. Although the leaves are naturally fuzzy, they are actually edible as well, and you will not taste the fuzz once they are cooked. If you feel brave, try sautéing them as you would spinach.Turnip leaves belong to the cruciferous family, so they give you the same anti-cancer fighting benefits of other greens in this vegetable group.

You can eat the peel of a turnip; however, it is somewhat bitter, so I’d advise you to peel it the first time around.

The recipe below requires a strainer and a stock pot. If you don’t have a strainer, you can make this the traditional way you’d prepare mashed potatoes by boiling the vegetables. However, you lose more nutrients boiling vs. steaming, so a steamer is a good investment.

EASY MASHED TURNIPS
(serves 4 as a side-dish)
3 medium turnips
3 large red potatoes or 5 medium red potatoes
1 c. milk of your choice*
(*you may not need all of it)
2 c. water
1 tsp. garlic powder (or 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced)
1 tsp. onion powder
pink salt or sea salt to taste
pink pepper to taste

Boil water. Meanwhile, peel turnips, then cut turnips into four pieces, and potatoes into 4-8 pieces depending on their size.

Once water has boiled, turn heat down to low. Place vegetables into steamer. Cover.

Cook until a fork easily pierces vegetables.

Place vegetables in a big bowl. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste, and just a small amount of the milk. Mash vegetable mixture with a hand mixer. Continue to add milk slowly until turnip-potato mixture is smooth.