Last week I was experiencing a bit of what I call food fatigue. I was bored to death of planning meals, procuring meals, preparing meals… we have to eat every day? Multiple times a day?! It’s exhausting and I was over it. I walked in to the veg stand in a melancholy mood so I made myself shake it up and pick out something new. I’ve written these past posts “know your tropical fruit:” sapodilla, star fruit, and star apple and I would add sorrel to the list of unique produce you should check out. But last week what I grabbed was a jicama. It isn’t the first time I’ve had one, but it will be the last time (I swear it!). I didn’t like it before and I still don’t like it now. Who enjoys this?! I don’t even know what it is- a fruit or a vegetable? It looks like a big a$$ turnip. People have promised me ‘a good one’ can be a fantastic, crunchy yet juicy beach snack. You can put salt and pepper on it, or yogurt, or hot sauce, or any other number of suggestions. You know what I say to that? You can put lipstick on a pig too but it isn’t going to make her pretty.
Jicama is the worst! I told my friend Nina (she runs the Crepes and Churros truck I wrote about here) how disappointed I was in my veg stand decision and she said I needed to slice it thinner. Even if I could slice it thinner than a microscope slide I’d still hate it. She sent me this Jicama, Mango and Cucumber Salad recipe which I told her she’s welcome to serve at my funeral… because over my dead body will I be eating this sad excuse for a salad.
I keep trying to choke down my coarsely cut jicama and I just can’t. You’re probably thinking, “oh come now, it can’t be that bad.” No, it’s not that bad… as far as famine foods go. If I had no other choice for survival, then, sure I would eat jicama. That got me Googling to find out if jicama had notable nutritionally redeeming values. It does, so I’m less angry at it. Read this HealthLine report to see what I mean. It IS a root vegetable (I honestly wasn’t sure) and it’s a low carb, high fiber, vitamin and antioxidant power house. It even has good for your gut prebiotics. Ugh, I wish I liked it!
Wow – I guess suggesting you do an orange, Marie Sharp snack won’t entice you. I actually like it especially when I trying to be good on my diet – I like the crunch, with the sweetness of the orange and the pepper
Flavor – yum – what about cilantro – lots of folks don’t like that either ?
I like cilantro! Yeah I just don’t see how I could dress up the jicama enough to make it enticing. Maybe I’ll try again now that I know how good it is for you.
I remember it tasting a bit like a potato. I am glad to know that you at least tried it again. Thanks for sharing Meg ❤
I’ll take notes for things to bring to your next Birthday!!
come to my BBQ on sunday- jicama kabobs on the barbie… I’d rather stab myself with the skewer
The version you have available sound like nothing I have ever had. And I live jicama! They are crunchy like an apple and taste sorta like a peas. Maybe your versions are dry and fiberous. Sounds like you are eating last years crop or a different version than what we can buy at the store here in Colorado.
People keep talking about these fabled “good jicamas” that I have not been lucky enough to locate- I only know these dry and disappointing tubers
They are awful. That crunch – ugh. Righty up there with water chestnuts which I detest and both pretty tasteless. Couldn’t agree with you more!
hahahaha!