Do you ever go to the store and mindlessly buy the same things? If I don’t have a specific recipe I’m making then I’m bound to get the same ingredients each time I go. I guess you’d call these items my “staples”. But as I’m sure you can imagine, anything that’s routine becomes boring over time, and when I came back from my recent boat trip, I felt kinda blah. I was not inspired to cook as I just spent the last eight weeks cooking three meals a days for 30+ people. I’d reached the point of burnout and my creative juices were all but dried up. But the thing about food is that you always need it. Burnout or not, you’re bound to get hungry and without a plan, convenience tends to be the go-to. Meh… As much as I wanted to relax and not think about food, I knew my state of affairs would only get worse if I succumbed to fast food and snacking.

Now, going back to those staples, might I remind you that cooking at sea means cook what you’re comfortable making. The weather is too unpredictable to get experimental. When meal time comes, those folks want to eat. They are often starving and in no mood to take down some poorly executed dinner recipe that was my brain child on a whim. They want sustenance and so I typically provision the ship with ingredients I’m familiar with and comfortable using. Basically, they are subjected to my staples. So, as you might guess, when I get off the boat, I don’t want my staples. I’m tired of my creations and craving something “different”.

Light Bulb Moment

This idea of different got me thinking about produce staples and how anything that’s routine is a form of conditioning to one’s body. From a health perspective, I started to perceive my staples as “sameness”. That eating the same things, weeks on end, won’t result in bodily changes because the nutrition is all the same. That’s when I realized that my craving for something different should be exactly that. Different! So, instead of grabbing my usual’s from the store, I went for things that were not available to me on the ship.

[ INSERT PARSNIPS HERE.]

Who even eats parsnips? Apparently lots of people. They’re always available but I can tell you that parsnips are rarely on my radar and never a staple in my fridge. But, desperate times call for desperate measures and sure as shit, I bought me some parsnips! And I wasn’t out to use them as some ingredient in a soup broth as they are often used. I opted in stead to make them into a freaking soup and let the parsnips be the effing star of the show! I went all in and I’m glad I did because parsnips are delicious. Who knew? For some reason I thought they were gonna be kinda spicy like a radish or something but they’re actually kinda sweet. They are starchy too which gives them that winter, comfort food vibe making them a brilliant alternative to carrots, potatoes, or winter squash; three things I consider my staples.

Moral of the Story

When you just aren’t feeling it but you’re at a loss as to what to try; try different! Try something that’s not your norm and gloat in the feelings of boosting your nutritional diversity. Shake off the sameness and give your body a little something it hasn’t had in a while and don’t be surprised if something “different” pulls you out of your funk. Mental health and body chemistry go hand in hand. Sometimes in order to feel different you gotta make it different starting from your insides.

Caramelized apples give this creamy, purred parsnip soup some texture, providing complexity for your pallet while also feeding your loved ones.

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 or 5 parsnips, peeled and diced
½ head of sliced fennel
1 leek chopped, white part only
4 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp oil
1 red apple,peeled and choped small
1 pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste

Soup Directions:

Heat a large soup pot and add the oil and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to barely brown.
Then add in the chopped leeks and fennel and cook until they begin to soften. This will take five or so minutes.
Add the parsnips and allow them to cook down for a few minute and begin to caramelize.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer until the parsnips are soft and cooked through.

Apple Topping Directions:

While the soup is cooking, heat a TBSP of oil in a small skillet.
Add the apples and cook until the edges caramelized.
Sprinkle in a pinch of nutmeg and toss thoroughly then set aside.
When the soup has finished cooking, add the heavy cream and then blend the soup with an immersion blender. (You can use a regular blender for this but allow the soup to cool first, and do it in batches.)
Season with salt and pepper and serve in bowls topped with the apples and a few fennel fronds. Enjoy!

Senior Nutrition Tips

A few quick words for those of you preparing meals for the elderly…

You absolutely can omit the the heavy cream. If you or your senior loved one is sensitive to dairy, you can easily substitute a dairy free alternative or leave it out entirely. It’s not a deal breaker by any means so make it work however you want. One reason I like this recipe is because pureed soup are easy to eat for seniors with bad teeth. They don’t require lots of chewing which helps reduce the risk for choking. I know foods that eat like baby food might not appeal caregivers but that’s where the caramelized apples are clutch! Any dullness you might feel toward pureed soups can be offset with toppings. I know it’s frustrating to cook a meal for yourself and then something entirely different for your senior loved one. Rather than double your workload, consider addressing your texture needs with assorted toppings. Try adding grains or seeds, chopped herbs or even a grated egg to create texture. The soup is just a base flavor and you can build upon it with assorted ingredients to better meet your personal taste. Consider this soup a little something for you both.

Additionally, its worth mentioning that parsnips are high in fiber and can help treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, diverticulitis, and other digestive conditions as well as provide general immune function support. And did I mention parsnips just frankly taste good? They do. Your picky eaters might just love diving into this little bowl of health so, give it a try!

If you like pureed soups, consider these other recipes:

Garam Masala Split Pea Soup

Turmeric and Ginger Squash Soup