Think Like A Vegan And Make Jicama Slaw
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July 14, 2011 ‹ newer older ›
Snack Girl listens to her readers and recently one (Danny) asked me to feature jicama. So, I decided to see if I could find it and figure out what to do with it.
Well, it turns out that they sell jicama at my local Stop & Shop (who woulda thought?). AND, I received a wonderful book - Vegan Family Meals by Ann Gentry with a jicama slaw recipe. Crazy, no?
The photo above is hers and represents the wonderful photography though out the book (just a wee bit jealous). The book, as the title suggests, is vegan and is full of new foods, flavors, and recipes to make vegan cooking accessible.
There is a bunch of ingredients in this book that I haven't worked with before such as tempeh, vegan mayonnaise, and JICAMA! And, I am excited to give these a try as my family moves toward eating less meat.
(yes, we are on the less meat = healthy planet and body train)
Here is a photo of jicama so you can identify it in your produce section:
(Photo by Eric in SF)
When choosing jicama at the store, look for medium sized, firm tubers with dry roots. Jicama will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.
The flesh is crunchy, mild, and even faintly sweet, and is often served with a little lime juice and chile powder to accompany Mexican dishes. This recipe is a bit more dressed up - check out those colors!
Have you cooked with jicama?
printJicama-Carrot Slaw Recipe
Reprinted with permission from Vegan Family Meals by Ann Gentry/Andrews McMeel Publishing
“Quick, easy, cheap”—those are three words you sometimes want to hear in your kitchen, and they describe this fresh slaw perfectly.
Serves 6 to 8 (makes about 4 cups)
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon agave nectar or pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¹⁄8 teaspoon chili powder
1 (1½-pound) head jicama, peeled and coarsely shredded (about 4 cups)
1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely shredded (about ¼ cup)
½ small white onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Whisk the lime juice, agave nectar, vinegar, salt, and chili powder in a large bowl to blend. Add the jicama, carrot, onion, and cilantro and toss to coat with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate until cold, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour.
For one serving (out of 6): 60 calories, 0.1 g fat, 14.2 g carbohydrates, 1.0 g protein, 6.0 g fiber, 169 mg sodium, 1 PointsPlus
Vegan Family Meals: Real Food for Everyone
$25.00 $15.96
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12 Comments:
I just tried jicama for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I am COMPLETELY hooked. SOOOO good! Not sure why I didn't try it sooner but it's on the agenda from now on!
CaroG87 on July 14, 2011
I have been looking all over for jicama, but so far no luck! I live in NYC, and have searched grocery stores, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's -- nothing. We went to a Wegman's in NJ which had everything...except jicama. Where do you find this?
Debra on July 14, 2011
@Debra - when I lived in San Francisco, I could find it at Latino markets. Since it is used in South American cuisine - it is a good bet that they will have it.
Snack Girl on July 14, 2011
I'm not much of a raw-veggies-as-snacks fan, but jicama is awesome cut up and eatten raw! Give it a try. Much better to my taste buds than celery or carrot sticks!
Shanna on July 14, 2011
We adore tempeh in our house so I really, really, really hope you feature it soon! Crumble it and stir in some mustard, veganaise and some spices and you've got the greatest sandwich filling in the universe!
Courtney on July 14, 2011
slice the jicama in chip slices and dip in salsa.. very tasty....and low in Points....
Maureen Spencer on July 14, 2011
I love jicama, thanks for the recipe. I'm going to try it this weekend.
maggie on July 14, 2011
Ah, that was me! Thanks SOOOOOO much for listening! I tried jicama with some homemade CHinese Chop Suey, and fell in love. Thank-you for showing me another way to enjoy this veggie!
Daniella Ivette on July 14, 2011
From a reader who wishes to remain anonymous (I am not kidding).
I have a really simple an delish way to eat jicama:
Cut it into sticks (I want to say "cuisinnaire rods" but no one knows what they are)(about 1/3inch by 1/3 inch by length of the jicama) and then squeeze lime over them. Then sprinkle with chili powder and yum yum. I learned this recipe from a guy who ran an after school program and asked the kids' mothers what they wanted him to serve for snacks!!
Snack Girl on July 15, 2011
I love jicama! Shredded with lime juice, a splash of salt, black sauce and a hint of spice.
Daisy on July 22, 2011
Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe. We too had never tried jicama but I easily located it at our local grocer (Publix in SC) and whipped this up in no time. Great as a stand alone slaw but also super yummy when added on top of veggie burgers or added to a pita with some homemade falafel!
Jesi on August 12, 2011
Heather on July 14, 2011