Shredded Root Vegetable Pancakes

Recipe by Daphne Oz

Fried potato in all its forms is endlessly comforting. French fries, obviously delicious. Potato chips, my guiltiest of pleasures (but I actually feel very little guilt because I enjoy them so much). Combine potatoes with some shredded onion, a few seasonings, and some binders, and you have delicious potato pancakes. The only problem is that potatoes, though a vegetable, aren’t that good for you. Especially when fried. They’re pretty high on the glycemic index, meaning they create a sugar spike (and resulting crash) in your body, much the same way other white foods do (white rice, white bread, white sugar, etc.).

In the hope of having my (pan)cake and eating it too, I’ve subbed in some veggies with less of that sugar hit — rutabagas and parsnips — that offer a similar texture and slightly lighter flavor. These root vegetable pancakes are a gift to eggs everywhere for brunch, served under a little crème fraîche and smoked salmon for a party app, or simply paired with sour cream and applesauce for an ideal sweet-savory combo anytime.

Originally published at Clean Plates.