Is all food created equal or there are some more beautiful than the others? Let’s make rutabaga fries and find it out!
Our perception of life is based on the cultural groundwork we have been bred and fed, even before we come to the light of this world.
Is the beauty really inside?
Studies at kindergarten concluded that children as early as 3 years old, are culturally biased towards beauty ideals without them realizing where those things coming from. 3 years old children usually don’t have strong opinion about subjects such as race, gender or anything in general nor negative past experiences that would plant prejudices in their selection process.
Yet kids at that early stage can conclusively select beauty ideals expected by cultural standard, regardless of their gender or ethnicity.
Such unconscious behaviors then continuously reinforced as we are moving through life by all the unconscious cues and the not so unconscious ones. Even if we don’t turn out to be cheerleaders at the local KKK gatherings, the prejudices that we grow up with, are deeply engrained into the decision making of our day-to-day life.
Are prejudices useful?
Of course, prejudices are there to save our life or at least save a couple of minutes at the cash register when dodging a line with elderly couples and single moms with 3+ kids.
But as it is with prejudices and cashier lines, the helping hands of kids can be blessing and age isn’t directly related to become a sloth. Our desperate need to control the uncontrollable plant seeds in our mind that can quickly grow to trees or even impenetrable forest, preventing us to move freely through our life.
Yet those trees are what we really call culture. A bunch of prejudices, habits, and rituals that’s origin and real meaning is long forgotten and only saved through collective memories.
Is rutabaga beautiful?
Culture is like curved glasses that can modify the rays of the light, altering the picture we see through them. It can amplify matters that would go otherwise unnoticed or play the significance of serious issues. Culture as lenses can distort the vision if used disproportionately or clarify it if used properly.
A simple thing like rutabaga could mean many things if it viewed through the lens of cultures.
For many, it is just another root vegetable that can be used to substitute potato in a poorly planned and sloppily executed low carb diet venture. While for others it’s the symbol of endless suffering, war, and famine.
While probably few of those are alive today who still holds any memories of the First World War, many would remember rutabaga with loath. Even if this humble vegetable saved the life of many, being the only edible thing for many during the 1916-1917 Turnip winter, few remembered for those meals fondly.
Is rutabaga useful?
Rutabaga or Swedish turnip -as it was called of old- was used as a potato substitute but it has half the carbs and protein than potato. Although rutabaga has nutritional value (most notably Vitamin C) meeting the 1000 calorie daily minimum with rutabaga only, as it was the case during the First World War, is quite a challenge.
Such poor energy supply comes quite handy though when we are not willing on sacrifice of the amount of food we eat. We can use rutabaga fried, roasted, cooked just like we do with potatoes or even raw without the additional baggage of calories that come from the potato’s carbs content.
Ingredients
- 1lb / 500g Rutabaga
- 3 tablespoon / 50ml Cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon / 5g Salt
- Optional
- 1 teaspoon / 1g Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon / 1g Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon / 1g Thyme
- 1 teaspoon / 3g Paprika or chili powder
- …
How to make Rutabaga fries
- Peel the rutabaga. It has somewhat thick skin and the bigger the rutabaga is, it gets even worse.
- Cut the rutabaga as we would do it with french fries about half inch / 1cm wide wedges. Try to cut them evenly otherwise the small pieces will get burnt while the big chunks hasn’t even warmed up.
- Rub them with cooking oil and salt. Add optional spices and herbs if desired.
- Place them onto a rack, parchment paper or baking sheet.
- Put them into a 400°F / 200°C oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
- Or just simply deep fry them as regular french fries until golden brown.
Enjoy!
Rutabaga Fries Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Rutabaga
- 3 tablespoon Cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- Optional
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Paprika or chili powder
Instructions
- Peel the rutabaga. It has somewhat thick skin and the bigger the rutabaga is, it gets even worse.
- Cut the rutabaga as we would do it with french fries about half inch / 1cm wide wedges. Try to cut them evenly otherwise the small pieces will get burnt while the big chunks hasn't even warmed up.
- Rub them with cooking oil and salt. Add optional spices and herbs if desired.
- Place them onto a rack, parchment paper or baking sheet.
- Put them into a 400°F / 200°C oven for 30 - 40 minutes.
- Or just simply deep fry them as regular french fries until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin now, Enjoy later!
