Gluten free diet starch alternatives. The second article listing root vegetables which make great gluten free foods.
The first article about gluten free root vegetables tends towards those which are more potato-like. Most of the vegetables listed here tend to be a bit more carrot-like, although there are exceptions.
I am including some root vegetables that I personally absolutely hate. But hey, that’s just me, some people love them! I just want you to know that although it pains me to do so, this article promotes certain root vegetables that under normal circumstances, I would really rather not talk about.
Celeriac
This is the root of a type of celery. While it does have a bit of a celery taste, it is not as strong as celery. It is also not fibrous.
It is good raw. Grate it into salads. Or cooked, in which case it is a bit more like a potato. It is great in soups and stews. It can be cubed and boiled, then added to potato salads. This is a perfect way to increase the starch content in your gluten-free diet.
Salsify
This is related to dandelions. It has a long tapered root.
Try to buy it with tops on for improved freshness.
You can peel the root before or after cooking, which ever you find easier. Boil for about 25 minutes, or until soft. Great with butter and lemon juice! Also good mashed or in soup.
Scorzonera
Similar to salsify but with a slightly different flavor.
Parsnips
Parsnips predate potatoes in Western culture by a good long time. They are nutritious and tasty (to some people).
Small or medium sized are best. They should be hard. Avoid buying if they have started to sprout.
Larger parsnips should be peeled, but small ones are fine as is.
You can roast parsnips. If roasting for a short time, par boil them first. You can also boil them, or puree them and add them to soups.
Turnips
Related to parsnips and cabbage, turnips are peppery. Buy as small as possible, and make sure they are firm.
You can boil them, or add them raw to salads.
Swedes
Swedes are very similar to turnips, but are earthy rather than peppery.
Carrots
We think of carrots as being orange, but older varieties were purple. You may still be able to get seeds for purple carrots. Carrots are sweet, especially young ones.
Carrots are a great source of vitamin A along with a few other vitamins. They are also a good source of potassium, calcium, iron and zinc, but only when raw.
The best carrots are grown organically. Also good are the smaller ones sold with greenery still attached.
If you peel carrots, you’ll loose a lot of the nutritional value of them. For this reason, younger ones which have no need of peeling are best.
Carrots are great raw or cooked. They make an excellent addition to stews, stir fries and grated in with potatoes in potato pancakes. Also great juiced.
Beetroot
Beets are extraordinarily purple, so much so that this may be noticeable post-digestion! Beets are quite sweet but also have an earthy taste.
Beets can be eaten raw or cooked, or they can be juiced. They are also good baked or added to soups.
Conclusion
Root vegetables are nutritious and tasty. If you don’t like one type of root vegetable, try another. They make an excellent addition to any gluten-free diet,and you can depend on them to be uncontaminated before preparation.