Rutawhata?

Just wrapped up the first day of lab number one and I absolutely loved it.  We spent two hours talking about blood pressure responses, ventilatory regulation and other shenanigans.. it was a blast. Let me just be honest/nerdy and admit that I'm so happy to be back in a classroom. Wait, I mean ugh... it sucked, I hate school, learning sucks, I'm ready for summer etc. (insert other annoying college kid complaints). Actually, that last part is partly true; I'm totally ready for summer. Every time I think that I want to move to Colorado, I walk outside and remember that I'm unbearably cold even at 60 degrees. As my eyeballs were freezing on the walk from my car to the science building, all I could think about was how I'm so ready to live in a swimsuit and have 100+ face melting temperatures. Bring it on, global warming. 

Anyway, so I just got home and made a quick breakfast with possibly my new favorite vegetable, rutabaga! It's a cross between wild cabbage and a turnip. It has almost the exact same color, texture and consistency as a regular potato, but without the bad dietary starch and insulin-damaging properties.

 

I wasn't feeling creative so I just made my regular eggs, bell peppers and mushrooms, then added a side of thinly sliced rutabaga to act as hashbrowns. Whip up some homemade ketchup and you have a party in your mouth. Before I ate Paleo, I was really big into hashbrowns, so making this amazing substitute was exciting for me because I love experimenting with new foods and I'm really obsessed with breakfast. There are probably a million ways to make it, but I made mine pretty simply this time. All you have to do is peel it (like a potato) and either thinly slice and dice it, or stick it in the food processor. Then, throw it in a skillet in a little olive oil and add a little sea salt and pepper. Super easy and delicious. 

Here's some other info if you're a food nerd like myself.

Rutabaga Nutrition 

100 grams or 3 1/2 ounces

Nutrient	Cooked	Raw
Calories	39	36
Protein	1.3 g	1.2 g
Total Fat	.6 g	.6 g
% Calories from fat	5.1%	5.0%
Carbohydrates	8.7 g	8.1 g
Fiber	1.8 g	2.5 g
Calcium	48.0 mg	47.0 mg
Copper	.04 mg	.04 mg
Iron	53 mg	.52 mg
Magnesium	23.0 mg	23.0 mg
Manganese	.17 mg	.17 mg
Phosphorous	.57 mg	.58 mg
Potassium	326.0 mg	337.0 mg
Selenium	.7 mg	.7 mg
Sodium	20.0 mg	20.0 mg
Zinc	.350 mg	.340 mg
Vitamin A	561.0 IU	580.0 IU
Vitamin B1 ­ Thiamine	.082 mg	.090 mg
Vitamin B2 ­ Riboflavin	.041 mg	.040 mg
Vitamin B3 ­ Niacin	.72 mg	.7 mg
Vitamin B6 ­ Pyridoxine	.102 mg	.100 mg
Vitamin C	18.8 mg	25.0 mg
Vitamin E	.15 mg	.30 mg
Folate (folic acid)	.15 mcg	.21 mcg
Pantothenic Acid	.155 mg	.160 mg
Saturated Fat	.03 g	.03 g
Monounsaturated Fat	.07 g	.07 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	.04 g	.04 g

Since I worked a lot with a stethoscope today, that makes this picture not only the cutest thing on the interwebs, but also very relevant. Have a good day!