healthy swaps: jicama

Today is a day for resurrecting old blog features, wahoo! After realizing that Thanksgiving is almost upon us (it happened so fast, where did this year go?) I thought that healthy swaps would be a good thing to bring back to lark & lace. During this time of the year, we love to gorge ourselves for the sake of "tradition." I don't eat much for the holidays themselves, but all of the extra cheer in the air makes me feel like I have the freedom to snack a little more. You can often find me with a bag of pretzels in my hand during this time of the year, it's just not good. To answer the question on all of your minds right now, yes, even vegan-friendly snack foods can be bad for you! Going vegan isn't going to save you from gaining a few pounds, it actually might make you gain more weight this time of the year since fresh veggies are harder to find and (if you're Italian like me) there is bread EVERYWHERE. No need to fret though. I've been looking for healthier options and here is one that I've been loving! 

I've heard that jicama tastes like a mix between a potato and an apple with a little twist of water chestnut. I can see that but to me, it's a crunchy stick of bland'ness that is somehow also delicious. If you're not a huge fan of celery but love the idea of a low-calorie snack that you can gorge on, certainly give this delicious root a try. I like mine with a twist of lime and dash of sea salt but I've heard that its very delicious with some chili powder also. In its raw form, it's perfect for snacking but it also makes a good component for stir-frys in place of water chestnuts. Just toss it in just before serving. 

Happy snacking!

xo, 

e.m.