My New Favorite Food

...is jicama. It's in season from November until May, and it's a root vegetable with all sorts of nutritional goodness. It tastes a little sweet and nutty, and it gives a nice little zip to salads and things. Here's a recipe for Jicama-Apple Slaw--I made it last night, and it's delicious. The fresh herbs made the difference, I think. Enjoy!
Makes 6 servings, generous 1 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1/3 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus leaves for garnish
1-2 tablespoons minced jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1-pound jícama (see Note)
1 tart green apple, cored (not peeled)
2 navel oranges
2 avocados, diced

1. Place 1/3 cup cilantro, 2 tablespoons mint, jalapeño to taste, sugar, salt, cumin and lime juice in a food processor. Process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides. With the motor running, add oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until the dressing is well combined. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl. Do not clean the processor, but change to the shredding disk.

2. Using a small, sharp knife (or a peeler), carefully peel jícama, making sure to remove both the papery brown skin and the layer of fibrous flesh just underneath. Cut the jícama and apple into pieces that will fit comfortably through your processor’s feed tube. Shred the jícama and apple in the processor. Add to the bowl with the dressing.

3. Using a sharp knife, remove the peel and pith from the orange. Working over the bowl with the slaw (to catch any juice), cut the orange segments from the surrounding membranes, letting them drop into the bowl (like you're sectioning a grapefruit). Squeeze any remaining juice into the slaw. (Discard membranes and peel.) Add avocados; gently toss to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and mint leaves.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 288 calories; 23 g fat (3 g sat, 10 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 8 g fiber; 296 mg sodium; 584 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (120% daily value), Fiber (32% dv), Potassium (17% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Servings