What is Jicama?

Yesterday was a BUSY day. Of course it was Father's Day so my husband (and the most extraordinary father to my son) went golfing with his father in a tournament.  Good day for them, 1st Place 2nd Flight.  Great Job Guys.  Bryson and I spent the day outside, inside, and everywhere.  Took our puppy Bo to the park to practice walking on the leash. Bryson pedaled his trike I walked Bo.  He is doing pretty well with it, still kind of all over the place but learning.  Then after dinner and naps, we ran( I ran, Bryson rode comfortably in the stroller) into town to play at another park.  We got our exercise in today, that is for sure!

In between park visits, I decide to make Kyle one of his favorite snacks for Father's Day. Fiesta Pretzels.

2 bags of Fat Free Pretzels(he didn't know that)

Mix

About 3/4 of Olive Oil

1 pkg of Fiesta Ranch Seasoning by Hidden Valley

about 1 tsp of dill

about 1 tsp of garlic powder

You can add pretty much whatever other spices you want, sometimes I add cumin, sweet paprika..whatever I am feeling like (or whatever is in the pantry)

                     

 Dump pretzels in plastic bag, pour sauce over, seal, shake, and mix

Place in the oven at 250 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes for an hour and VOILA, fiesta pretzels

A spicy, crunchy snack for those afternoon munchies

When we ran in the Team Thomas Relay Marathon, they had a bunch of different sites set up at the Expo before race day.  One of the things to try was Jicama and I loved it, and always wanted to get it but just never remembered. Finally I got one. Jicama is a crispy, sweet, edible root that resembles a turnip in physical appearance, although the plants are not related. Jicama has been cultivated in South America for centuries, and the vegetable is quite popular in Mexican cuisine. Jicama has a unique flavor that lends itself well to salads, salsas, and vegetable platters. The roots can sometimes grow to be quite large, although when they exceed the size of two fists, they begin to convert the sugars that give jicama its sweet flavor into starches, making the root somewhat woody to the taste.

                                    
              To prepare:  Peel of the skin with a vegetable peeler, then cut in strips to the size you would like or cubes, your preference. Pretty easy.  I cut them in strips this time.  I put them in my salad for today.  I am looking up different recipes on how to cook them for supper tonight. 

    
                                    

                                 Breakfast today: Fiber One with Almond Milk, 1 peice of honey wheat toast
                                    

                                    Lunch today:  A spinach salad with jicama, carrots, and tomatoes
                                     
                          Morning Snack Today:  Cottage Cheese with fruit
                          Afternoon Snack Today:  Apple of the Week, Pink Lady Apple and a cheese stick

Long post.  Sorry.  Have a great day!  Planning on either running tonight or a little Jillian Michael's.  What are you doing today?