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Our First Recipe Swap Featuring Carrots & My Favorite Pickled Carrots

January 10, 2013   38 Comments

Don’t those look delicious? Mmmmm, carrots.

Carrot Recipe Swap

I came up with the idea of a Snack Girl reader recipe swap while on the treadmill at my new gym. I have started walking inside because it is so bleeping cold outside.

This sweet woman next to me was talking about how she was working off all of the holiday cookies that she inhaled. She told me that she gets together before Christmas with 7 of her friends. They all make 8 dozen cookies, bring one dozen to eat at a party, and then give each other the rest.

I envisioned 7 dozen cookies in my house and asked her if they ever shared anything healthier, like a salad swap. Needless to say, she moved treadmils :)

You couldn’t do a salad swap, of course, because you would have a ton of salad to eat in a short period of time. But, you can still swap recipes! I decided it would be fun for all of us to share our favorite recipes so we could all get inspired to eat more vegetables.

This month, we will attempt carrots. Why carrots? They are in season, inexpensive, and everyone can find them.

For February, we will work on cauliflower and March will be cabbage. Then, we get to start on the exciting spring vegetables that start showing up in the produce section and Farmer’s markets. It will be warm again and I will be walking outside not like a gerbil in a cage. Aaah....

I was going to create an original to Snack Girl carrot recipe, but I ran out of time. The recipe below for pickled carrots is my FAVORITE. You cannot go wrong. They are delicious with a sandwich or as a crunchy pre-dinner snack. Please try it and let me know what you think.

Please share your winning carrot recipes.

Pickled Carrots Recipe

(no reviews yet)

(4 servings)

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Ingredients

1 pound carrots (baby carrots will work)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup rice vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon caraway seed
1/2 teaspoon coarsely crushed black peppercorns (optional)
1/4 finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Instructions

Peel and slice carrots into sticks. If you are using baby carrots you can skip this step. Pour water and rice vinegar into a small saucepan. Mix in sugar, salt, caraway seed, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar and salt have dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the carrots and parsley. Cool to room temperature and transfer to a storage container. Can be eaten in one day or up to one month.

Nutrition Facts

79 calories, 0.3 g fat, 14.1 g carbohydrates, 1.1 g protein, 3.2 g fiber, 81 mg sodium, 0 Points+

Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes

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38 Comments:

I love the idea of a vegetable swap! lol! The cookie swaps kill me! Love the recipe for pickled carrots, great idea!!

Is that a quarter cup of parsley? This looks really useful as a lunch box treat. Do you store in fridge?

I like to take baby carrots (but you could use peeled large carrots too), brush a bit of olive oil on them, then season them with some herbs, and roast them till they are soft. You can mix them with other veggies or have them alone. Its a great easy side dish!

I always keep a bag of baby carrots on hand and I am going to make this this weekend. Thanks. Looking forward to all the great vegetable recipies that will be coming our way. I have a feeling I will be doing alot of cut and paste.

Ok this is more of a recipe request lol. Anyone got a crockpot sweet carrot recipe? I have a huge bag of carrots and I love them roasted with brown sugar, but I'd like to just do it in the crockpot today.

I cut carrots into sticks, mix with a little olive oil, thyme and black pepper and roast in the oven. It brings out the great sweetness in the carrot and is a great winter side dish. Like Cindy said, you can mix other veggies with them, like potatoes, rutabagas, parsnips, turnip...oh the possibilities!

I like to cut carrots (or parsnips) into sticks and put on a cookie sheet with a drizzle of sesame oil. Shuffle the carrots around so they're coated (sometimes I add a little grapeseed oil to thin out the sesame oil) and sprinkle sesame seeds all over the carrots. Roast in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until tender. Sesame seeds and oil have a lot of good nutrients and this is a good way to sneak them in!

Love, love, love this idea. Will be making pickled carrots soon. Looks delish!

One of my favorite ways to cook up carrots is roasted them in the oven. Cut lengthwise and coat in a mix of balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and a little olive oil and lemon juice. Cook for about 2-30 minutes at 400 degrees and you have a very simple, healthy and delicious little side dish!

I made these the other day. Yummy! Next time I will let vinegar cool first, as it 'cooked' the carrots a bit by dumping the hot mixture on them. Kids liked them too!

A recipe swap! Excellent idea!

Roasted Carrots and Peas

6 large carrots, peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed
Your seasoning of choice.

Prepare carrots, place in ziploc bag with oil and your seasoning (dill is excellent.)

Preheat oven to 450

Spread carrots on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.

Roast for 25 minutes, tossing halfway.

After 25 minutes, add the peas, toss and roast another 10 minutes.

Serves 4

Calories:119 Fat: 4g Sat fat: 0.6g Chol: 0mg

Sodium: 136mg Carb: 17.9g Fiber: 5.6g Protein: 4.3g

CARROT BISQUE RECIPE

Mince or grate 2 inches fresh ginger, chop 5cups carrots, 1lrg onion, 1red pepper, [can use food processor] saute all, add 6-8cups ''Better Than Bouillon'' no-chic broth*, simmer til soft, whirl with immersion blender, stir in 1tsp. curry, taste for s/p seasoning, garnish with parsley or snipped chives. Sometimes toasted sesame seeds too. [At my healthfood market I found a sm. seed grinder called a 'slicky' which I keep filled with toasted sesame seeds next to the s/p; a fresh grind releases so much flavor I add a turn or two to lots of soups, salads, etc.]

*I find this brand of broth paste to taste very homemade and it makes over 9qts per jar and costs $6! I use it sparingly even tho its low in salt.

I don't blend this bisque totally smooth; it stays a bit lumpy which is a great texture.

It gets 5 stars. I saw this in TV the other night.

Alton Brown's glazed carrots

1 lb carrot, approximately 7 medium, peeled and cut on the bias 1/4-inch thick

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pinch kosher salt
1 cup ginger ale (good quality)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:

In a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat, combine the carrots, butter, salt and ginger ale.

Cover and bring to a simmer.

Once simmering, remove the lid, stir, and reduce the heat to low.

Cover again and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove the lid, add the chili powder and increase the heat to high.

Cook, tossing occasionally, until the ginger ale is reduced to a glaze, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour into a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley.

Absolutely love your idea! Can't wait for more!

Carrots a la orange
ingredients
1 lb. peeled and sliced carrots
1 tbs. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbs. butter
How to make it

Cook carrots in boiling salted water until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and ginger.

Add orange juice.

Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Cook 1 minute longer; stir in butter until melted.

Pour over hot carrots, tossing to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

Aloha all! Carrots are my best friend! I add them to everything. Pancakes, yes; smoothies, yes; muffins, yes; chili, yes; spaghetti, yes; soups, yes; salad, of course; meatballs, yes; meatloaf, yes; burgers, yes; pasta salad, yes; oatmeal, yes.....the list goes on! I shred them, put them in snack bags, freeze them, and then add them to everything! :) Happy shredding. :)

I love glazed carrots:

boil baby carrots until tender-crisp, drain add orange juice (about 1/2 cup)and honey (good squirt) let simmer until glazed.

This is my famous carrot cake: http://www.anorganicwife.com/2011/05/recipe-77-carrot-cake.…

generally Iam not a salad person,but I make a carrot salad which tastes great and goes really wwell with BBq foods. It's grated carrot,chopped up prunes,walnuts broken up into pieces and a drizzle of walnut oil.I also sometimes add little pieces of serrano ham,but it is great without.

I love carrot raisin salad but I don't eat it very often because it's loaded with mayo. I don't like the taste of the lighter versions of mayo so does anyone have any suggestions for a substitution that would taste similar or maybe even better?

Cynthia - have you tried using Greek Yogurt instead or a mixture of the two?

I have not tried Greek yogurt with this. I'll have to try it. Who knows, I may like it better because mayo is not very tasty to me anyway.

Oh, love the recipe swap idea. Carrots in place of pasta is my favorite use of carrots, carrot "fettuccine":

http://www.jaxhouse.com/2011/07/11/in-the-box-csa-week-12-c…

Roasted Root Vegetables:

2 medium carrots, sliced about 1/2-inch rounds

1 lb brussel sprouts, washed, trimmed and cleaned

1 onion, quartered

2 medium beets, cleaned and peeled, cut 1-inch cubed

1 T. olive oil
1/4 t. salt
Fresh rosemary, enough to flavor

Turn oven to 375. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Spread evenly onto cookie sheet and roast 20-25 minutes, then turn only once and roast an addt'l 20 minutes.

This is terrific for your liver and gallbladder, and thankfully it tastes great!

Cynthia,my dressing for carrott salad is fat free vanilla yogurt and cinnamon. tastes like a dessert but its so good for u!

That sounds really good, thanks!

I got this from my M-I-L years ago. I love it but the family doesn't so every once in a while I make it just for me or take it to a party and keep some for me. It will keep in the fridge at least a week.

Carrot Salad
1 lb carrots, peeled & sliced
1 can tomato sauce
6-7 equal or splenda packets
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup wine vinegar
1 tsp dry mustard
salt and or pepper to taste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

dash hot pepper sauce (optional, I never add it)

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 16 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped celery

Boil carrots in salted water until just tender, drain and place in 2qt casserole with other vegetables. Combine tomato sauce, sweetener, oil, vinegar, Worcestershire and mustard and mix well. Pour over carrots and other veggies and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

This is from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone... My go-to book. It is a simple carrot soup topped with a zesty relish that perks it right up!

Carrot Soup with Onion Relish
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 pound carrots, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons white rice
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
7 cups water or vegetable stock
Directions:

♨In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, bay leaf, parsley, and rice; cook to soften the onion, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the spices, ½ teaspoon salt, and some pepper and cook 5 minutes longer. Add the water and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes.

♨While the soup is cooking, make the relish by mixing all the ingredients together. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Puree the soup leaving just a bit of texture. (Always be carefully when doing pureeing hot soup--it tends to spray out the top!) Serve in bowls and top with a spoonful of onion relish.

Onion Relish:

⅓ cup finely diced white onion or pickled onions

1 serrano chile, finely diced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

a few leaves of cinnamon basil (or regular basil)

grated zest and juice of 2 limes

Mix all ingredients together and use immediately. (The acid bleaches out the greens in time.) From Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

We love carrots. I steam baby carrots but instead of water I use chicken broth. Super simple and very tasty.

Dinner tonight: Carrots and beets cut in a dice, drizzled olive oil and season salt, then roasted in a 450 degree oven until carmelized. Then tossed with red quinoa, some lemon juice and a bit more olive oil and some seasonings.

I like shredded carrots with julienne red pepper, apple and thinly sliced red onion. Add just a little raisins or dried cranberries. Some peanuts on top. Add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, tad pinch of sugar, lite oil like a nut oil or sunflower oil with S & P. Sometimes I like to add a spice to the vinaigrette depending on my mood like ginger or nutmeg or cinnamon.

I also like a carrot raisin salad. I grate carrots, add raisins, add a small drained can of mandarin oranges (as low sugar as I can find), a small drained can of crushed pineapple (again - lowest sugar possible), a few stalks of chopped celery and a chopped apple. I add lots of pecans if it's for me and back off if for a group because not everyone likes or can have nuts. While you "can" add light mayo - I have made it without any dressing and just 1-3 Tblspns of the pineapple juice as a dressing. SO great the next day!!! YUMMM!

The pickled carrots recipe says nothing about cooking the carrots first. Do you cook the carrots or leave them raw?

Have not tried these but I think about them A LOT!

http://cannella-vita.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/carrot-cake-pan…

I'm a little late to the recipe swap, but my recipe is super easy: Just cook carrots in a saucepan to desired tenderness and drain. Stir in (to taste) cinnamon and orange marmalade or apricot or peach jam (low sugar or all fruit versions are good).

This is one of our favorite salads. There is something about the crunch of the nuts, and carrots, plus the sweetness of the cranberries, that lends itself well to the addition of a mustardy dressing. It goes very quickly when I make it.

Carrot Salad with Cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 bag (10 0z) shredded carrots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients, and mix well.

Cover and chill two hours or overnight.

I have made this substituting yellow mustard, green onions, and cashews, with equally good results. I use two bags of baby carrots, shredded in a food processor, and then eyeball the dressing ingredients.

Glazed Carrots
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup water
1tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs packed light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt, plus more for seasoning

¾ pound carrots, cut on the bias into coins

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp minced fresh parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

In a small skillet, combine the broth, water, butter, brown sugar, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the carrots, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until just tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Uncover the pan and let the liquid cook down until it reduces to a glaze, about 2 to 3 minutes. Toss the carrots to generously coat them with the glaze. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

My husband likes this whole wheat honey carrot cake for his birthday:

http://purposelyfrugal.com/2011/07/02/whole-wheat-honey-car…


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