When I first read an article about radishes mimicking potatoes when roasted, I was immediately skeptical. More than that. I was ready to email the author of the article and call them a liar to their face (so to speak). There was no way, in my mind, that amazing, delicious potatoes could be replaced by bitter, gritty radishes. But to keep my dinner carb-friendly and because I wanted…. no, NEEDED to see for myself, I made these low-carb roasted parmesan faux potatoes.
In some rare culinary miracle the likes of which I have never encountered, they were DELICIOUS. So delicious, I was sad that I hadn’t made more.
This is the stuff of witchcraft. This is utter and complete sorcery and I now consider myself at the very least a basic witch in the kitchen.
Radishes are not my favorite thing. Actually, I rate them down by broccoli on the nasty meter. I haven’t had one since I was very small and until last night thought I would go to my deathbed claiming they were disgusting, bitter, lesser veggies.
So let’s talk about radishes for a second.
Radishes are actually a really good veggie to have in your cooking arsenal.
(Yes, it pained me to type that.)
They help cleanse our liver and stomaches. Radishes have been used to help treat jaundice for centuries, because they help you excrete excess bilirubin. They also help with diabetes by ” enhancing the antioxidant defense mechanism and decreasing oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, improving hormonal-induced glucose hemostasis, promoting glucose uptake and energy metabolism, and reducing glucose absorption in the intestine.” You can read the whole boring article here if you would like.
They are also packed with potassium (helps blood pressure), vitamin C (helps your immune system), anthocyanins (help your heart) as well as loads of other vitamins and minerals.
They are uber versatile.
You can eat radishes raw by themselves, cut them up into salads, or throw them in a soup. I have even seen people grill them.
For this recipe, however, we are roasting them.
Roasting Radish Warning
Radishes take a LONG time to roast. Since they have such a high water content, it generally takes about 45-60 minutes to roast them. If you try and sample one before this time, be warned that all the bitterness may not be gone from them.
Give them the full 45-60 minutes and you’ll be left with a savory, tender veggie that goes great with just about anything.
I personally recommend pairing it with bacon-wrapped chicken or burger bowls.
Low-Carb Roasted Faux Potatoes
These faux potatoes are so good, you may never go back to their starchy, carb-laden counterparts. Recipe makes 2 servings.
Ingredients
- 10 or more red radishes, quartered
- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1/2-1 tsp salt and pepper
- 1/2 C parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Throw all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
- Place radishes in dish in a single layer.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes.
- Top with parmesan cheese and wonder why you haven't done this sooner.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Net Carbohydrates: 2g
