Potatoes, while newly embraced by the Paleo community at large, are still a very common food sensitivity owing to the fact that they are a Gluten Cross-Reactor and a member of the inflammatory nightshade family of vegetables (see What Are Nightshades? and The WHYs behind the Autoimmune Protocol: Nightshades). Nightshades are not included in the Autoimmune Protocol. I personally can’t tolerate any nightshades but have found some very inventive ways over the years to replicate the flavor and texture of this once favorite food (like my Chunky No-tato Leek Soup, Cassava Oven Fries and Mofongo).
This recipe is entirely Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)-friendly and tastes amazing! You can also customize it with what root vegetables you choose. You can stick with starchier choices, less starchy choice, a mix, pick your faves, or mix it up every time you make it!
Every once in a while someone gets very alarmed by my use of palm shortening in a recipe. The standard practice for harvesting palm trees for palm oil destroys tropical forests and habitats of endangered species, so it’s definitely an important concern! I buy Tropical Traditions palm shortening, which comes from “small scale family farms in South America. These farmers are certified by ProForest, which ensures that they meet strict social, environmental and technical criteria. With regard to environmental criteria, the assessments are carried out at the landscape and operational level at both the farms and processing facilities. These assessments cover environmental impact on the soil, water, air, biodiversity and local communities. The lands the farmers use are not lands that were deforested. The lands used to grow the palm fruit are lands previously used for agricultural purposes (cattle, rice, banana).” [quote from TropicalTradidions.com]. Palm shortening is very useful in Paleo baking due to its unique chemistry. I typically use it in place of butter (because I can’t do any dairy) in baking or when the lack of flavor is important in a recipe. It can be used to make some very delicious smooth frostings and it’s also a great fat for deep frying. In this recipe, palm shortening (and a few other ingredients) takes the place of mayonnaise.
Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients (for Salad):
- 12 cups total of at least 3 types of vegetables cut into 1/2” pieces (choose from turnip, rutabaga, daikon radish, parsnip, celery root, green plantain, white sweet potato). 1 pound will equal 3-4 cups for most of these vegetables
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
Ingredients (for Dressing):
- 3 tablespoons palm shortening
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup plain coconut milk yogurt or kefir (or substitute coconut cream and an extra teaspoon of lemon juice)
Directions (for Salad):
- Steam vegetables separately (since each will take a different amount of time to steam) in a steamer basket on the stove top. Daikon radish and parsnip take 8-10 minutes; celery root, plantain, and white sweet potato take about 15 minutes; turnip and rutabaga take about 20 minutes. Steam until soft when poked with a sharp knife, but not mushy.
- Place in a bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours, then add the red onion and celery.
Directions (for Dressing):
- Beat dressing ingredients together until combined and light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes with a hand mixer.
- Fold dressing into root veggie mixture and serve!
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