I am looking at healthy options this month and I am also trying to not eat meat at least twice a week. Carrots are one of the brightest vegetables and of course are usually available all year round, but they do taste very nice at the moment. I developed my Lemon Carrots one day when trying to use up some lemons and my family love them. Just a little bit of butter and lemon gives the Carrots an interesting twist and they go with any meal, including a roast.
Have you ever wondered how to make a Pakora? Any vegetable goes well in a pakora including cauliflower and of course Carrots.
Buen Apetito
Carrot and Potato Soup
4 med potatoes; peeled
3 med carrots; peeled
2 med onions
Small amount of olive oil
Pinch Salt and pepper
I pint boiling water
1 cup of saved water from the cooked vegetables
1 cup of cream or evaporated milk
Pinch cayenne
Pinch celery salt
Paprika
Dice potatoes, carrots and onions and fry in pan with olive oil. Add salt and boiling water. Cover and cook gently until tender (about 15 minutes). Mash the vegetables thoroughly in their liquid. Combine with cream and heat just to scalding.
Add cayenne and celery salt, reheat and serve at once.
Add paprika on top of each serving.
Carrot and Bean Minted Salad
2 tbsp mint, chopped
½ tsp minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Pepper
Large carrots, sliced
Handful green beans, chopped into 1” pieces
Whisk together the first five ingredients for the dressing. If using a fresh carrot, boil it for about 4 minutes, then drain. Pour dressing over carrots and green beans and serve.
Lemon Carrots
Several carrots
50g butter
2 fresh lemons
Peel and slice carrots and cook until just firm. Melt butter in pan until just runny, add juice from the lemons and stir. Add carrots and stir until coated with sauce. Serve immediately.
Carrot Pakora
½ pound chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander seed powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp black pepper
1 medium onion – chopped finely
1 large cooked potato – ¼” cubes
Oil for deep-frying
Water (enough to make paste)
Carrots peeled and cut into long sticks and cooked until still firm.
Mix the first 8 ingredients together in a bowl and add enough water to make a paste. Mix well. Take a spoonful at a time from the bowl of paste, cover the carrot and deep fry it in hot oil until golden brown. Serve with dipping sauces.
Carrot Fudge
4 lg carrots
1 sachet gelatine
Orange essence/juice from 2 oranges
Finely grate carrots and cook four tbsp in just enough water for 10 minutes. Add flavouring (orange squash with grated rind if you haven’t got any orange essence). Add melted gelatine to mixture and cook quickly for a few minutes, stirring all the time. Spoon into a flat dish and allow to set. Cut into cubes.
Carrot Cake
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots (about 7)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
Cup chopped nuts
In mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Mix in carrots. Combine in a separate bowl, flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Sift. Add flour mixture to carrot mixture. Mix and add nuts. Pour into greased and floured two round cake pans. Bake in 325°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until cake test done. Sprinkle chopped nuts over top for garnish.