Fun with Jicama
At week #32, baby is a jicama in size. That’s right, a jicama. Starts with a J and sounds like an H.
Jicama is a globe-shaped root vegetable with papery, golden-brown skin and a starchy white interior.
Raw, it tastes similar to an apple. It crunches like one too and is a tasty addition to salads.
Cooked jicama takes on the flavor of whatever you season it with.
You can substitute jicamas for potatoes. The good news is that they are low in carbs, fat, calories, and sugar. They are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, calcium, fiber, and prebiotics (they help increase the good bacteria in your gut).
Unlike a potato, you must peel jicama before eating. This is best accomplished with a sharp knife.
The way I buy jicama is already peeled, cut, and packaged. Yes, that’s correct. I cheat. 
Ways to include jicama in your life:
- Add it to a vegetable salad for extra crunch
- Combine with mango, pineapple or papaya for a tropical fruit salad
- Cut it into thick slices and serve with a dip like guacamole or hummus
- Add it to a vegetable platter
- Stir-fry it with sesame oil and rice vinegar
- Sprinkle it with lime juice and chili powder for a spicy snack
Jicama can be baked just like a potato. Simply pierce the whole, washed jicama with a fork and bake it at about 375 degrees until softened, approximately 45 minutes. Serve it, sliced open, with butter, sour cream or Greek yogurt and chives.
Or make jicama fries:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Either microwave the jicama in a bowl of water for approximately 6 minutes or pour boiling hot water over the jicama fries and allow to set for 10 minutes. This gives them the crispy French fry quality when roasted. Drain jicama fries and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toss with salt or seasonings of your choice. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
Have fun experimenting with jicama.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Much love,
Carol
“Cooking is like love: It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” — Harriet van Horne