Roasted carrots with scallion vinaigrette

May 1, 2019 Belinda

I get more excited about interesting vegetable dishes than meat or fish. Although I couldn’t be a vegetarian, I could happily eat this sort of dish 5 out of 7 days a week.
This recipe comes from the great food blog, #theoriginaldish Recipe by Kayley Howey

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Scallion Vinaigrette

1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4 scallions
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/3 cup neutral oil (safflower, grapeseed, vegetable, etc.)
½ cup raisins
kosher salt

Roasted Carrots

½ cup raw hazelnuts
2 bunch long baby carrots, scrubbed and halved
olive oil
kosher salt
feta cheese, shaved or crumbled (as much as you’d like)
carrot top leaves, to garnish (optional)

Scallion Vinaigrette

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the shallots. Cook until tender and caramelized, just a few minutes, stirring often.
Lower the heat and toss in the scallions. Continue to cook for another minute.
Stir in the white wine vinegar and honey. Let the mixture come to a bubble and simmer for a minute. Turn off the heat.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and slowly drizzle in the neutral oil until emulsified. Fold in the raisins. Season with salt to taste.
Let the vinaigrette sit while you make the carrots.

Roasted Carrots

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Lay the hazelnuts out onto a baking sheet. Roast for 5 minutes. Let cool just slightly and use a kitchen towel to rub the hazelnuts between your hands in order to remove the skins. Discard the skins. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside.
Meanwhile, lay the halved carrots out onto a baking sheet. Toss with enough olive oil to coat them well. Spread them into one, even layer. Season with a pinch of salt.
Roast the carrots for 12-15 minutes, or until tender and slightly caramelized (time may vary depending on your oven).
Toss the warm carrots with the scallion vinaigrette. Serve them with the chopped roasted hazelnuts, feta cheese, and carrot top leaves (optional) on top.

Baking · Dessert · Do-ahead

Easy carrot cake for a crowd.

March 30, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

What is better than carrot cake? More carrot cake! It’s my husband’s favorite cake so I’m always looking for new and different recipes for it

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Serves: 10-12

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups freshly grated carrot
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp orange zest

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 8-ounce block of cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, fennel seed, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix both oils with the sugar.
Once combined, add in the eggs one at a time.
Next, add the flour mixture in batches on low speed. Once fully combined, turn off the mixer and remove the bowl from the stand.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in the carrots, raisins, pecans and orange zest.

Pour the batter into a prepared 13×9-inch baking pan and bake 45-50 minutes.
Remove cake from oven and let cool.
Place the cream cheese and butter into the mixer bowl and beat with a paddle attachment until smooth.
With the mixer on low speed, add the remaining two cups of confectioners’ sugar a spoonful at a time until completely incorporated.
Once all the sugar has been added, add the vanilla and salt.
Spoon the icing over top of the cake and then spread evenly with a spatula.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Nuts · Salad · Vegetable sides · Whole30 compliant

Carrot and Beet Slaw with Pistachios and Raisins

March 13, 2019 Belinda

Another beauty of a recipe that use beets in a very different way.
(Recipe by Joshua McFadden & Sara Kramer, Photo by We Are The Rhoads)

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Serves 6
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
6 medium carrots (about 1 lb.), peeled, julienned
2 medium beets (any color; about 1 lb.), peeled, julienned
1/2 cup (packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted, shelled raw pistachios

Preheat oven to 350°.
Spread out pistachios on a small rimmed baking sheet; toast, stirring occasionally until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.

Combine garlic, raisins, and vinegar in a large bowl; let sit 1 hour.

Remove garlic from raisin mixture and discard. Add carrots, beets, pistachios, parsley, mint, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Add oil; toss gently.

Gluten Free · Salad

Kale, carrot & date salad with tahini/yoghurt dressing

February 27, 2019 Belinda

Why is it so hard to get an interesting and tasty salad in a restaurant? With such a wealth of fresh ingredient choices and interesting dressings out there, they’re usually so boring and bland.
This recipe is c/o Bite, the New Zealand food magazine and I was drawn to the combination of flavors. I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting salad recipes.

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For the dressing
½ cup Plain unsweetened yoghurt
2 Tbsp Tahini
1 tsp Liquid honey
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp Smoked paprika
2 Lemons, juice of

For the salad
3 Carrots, small, peeled and shredded or coarsely grated
2 cups Kale leaves, finely shredded
6 pitted Medjool dates, chopped
3 Tbsp Sesame seeds, toasted
⅔ cup Roasted cashew nuts, salted
½ cup Pumpkin seeds
½ cup Roasted almonds, chopped
⅔ cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
⅔ cup Fresh mint, chopped

Combine all dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine the carrot, kale, dates, sesame seeds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and almonds, coriander and mint and divide between plates.

Drizzle over dressing just before serving.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Roasted carrots with cilantro yogurt and peanuts

October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 Belinda

A new and interesting recipe from Con Poulos for The New York Times.

Carrot takes center stage in this easy-to-assemble side dish. Tangy Greek yogurt is combined with cilantro, coriander and lime juice to create a creamy bed for carrots that have been roasted until just caramelized. Salted peanuts finish the dish with a nice little crunch. If you can find rainbow carrots, this dish becomes even more vivid, but straightforward orange ones work just as nicely.

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Serves 4 to 6

FOR THE CARROTS:
1 ½ lbs medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise (quartered lengthwise if large)
2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander

FOR THE YOGURT:
1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
¼ tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp lime juice, (about 1/2 lime), plus more for serving (optional)
Pinch of Aleppo pepper or red-pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher salt
¼ cup roughly chopped roasted, salted peanuts
3 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only
Flaky salt, for serving

Heat oven to 400 F.
Make the carrots: In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, add the dried coriander, and toss the mixture to evenly coat. Place the carrots cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, flipping about halfway through, until the carrots are golden brown and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

While the carrots roast, make the cilantro yogurt: In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, cilantro, ground coriander, lime juice and Aleppo pepper or red-pepper flakes, if using. Stir well to combine and salt to taste.

Spread the cilantro yogurt on the bottom of a plate or platter and arrange roasted carrots on top. Scatter peanuts and scallions on top, and finish with flaky salt and a squeeze of lime juice, if using.

Dairy-free · Salad · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa and Avocado

October 20, 2018 Belinda

This recipe is from the food blog “Alexandra Cooks” and is such a lovely combination of flavors and textures, especially served with garlic rubbed ciabatta toast.

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3/4 lb. carrots, scrubbed, root ends trimmed, but unpeeled
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Harissa to taste, I use about 1/4 cup of homemade Harissa, but I suggest starting with a teaspoon if using store-bought.
1/2 tsp sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
½ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley or cilantro or a mix of the two
1 avocado, halved and thinly sliced

Send the carrots down the chute of your food processor with the shredder attachment in place. Transfer shredded carrots to a large bowl. Alternatively, coarsely grate with a box grater.

In a small saucepan, toast the cumin seeds over medium heat until they begin to darken and smell fragrant. Add the garlic, Harissa, sugar, salt, and olive oil, and bring to a sizzle. Cook until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove pan from the heat and add the lemon juice.

Pour the dressing over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix again.
Add the avocado, if using, and toss again. Serve immediately or let stand for an hour or so before serving.

Note: If you would like to make this ahead of time, hold the avocado until just before serving.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Soup · Vegan

Carrot gazpacho with lemongrass

September 24, 2018September 7, 2022 Belinda

This recipe is from the first cookbook of the lovely food blog, “Love & lemons” #loveandlemons
It combines all my favorite flavors and is so easy to prepare.

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Serves 4

1 stalk lemongrass
16 oz carrots, peeled and sliced, about 2 bunches
1 (14-oz) can light coconut milk, reserve ¼ cup for garnish
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp red curry paste or freshly minced ginger
½ cup water
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
optional garnishes: hemp seeds, toasted pepitas, microgreens

Prepare the lemongrass by cutting off the root end and tough upper stem of the stalk. Remove the first several layers of outer leaves and finely chop the tender, aromatic part of the lemongrass.

Using a high-speed blender, combine the lemongrass, carrots, coconut milk, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, red curry paste, water, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
If you’re not using a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, strain the soup and blend again until completely smooth.

Chill for at least 4 hours. If the soup thickens in the fridge, stir in a little more cold water. Add more salt and pepper, to taste.
Drizzle with olive oil and serve with desired garnishes.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides

Warm salad of roasted carrots with cilantro avocado sauce and chili salt

September 22, 2018 Belinda

Matt Wilkinson is known for his adventurous salads and this one is a beauty. The caramelized roasted carrots sit on the colorful, creamy cilantro/avocado sauce, kicked up with the chili salt.

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1/4 cup + 4 tbsp olive oil
4 large carrots, quartered lengthways
Juice of 2 oranges
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3 star anise
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped,2 tbsp whole leaves reserved
1 good sized avocado, roughly chopped
1 long green chili, seeds removed, chopped

Chilli salt
3 tsp salt flakes
1 tsp dried chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large frypan over high heat. In batches, cook the carrots, cut-side down, for 3 minutes each side or until golden.
Transfer to a roasting dish, pour over the orange juice, then add the cardamom and star anise. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender and caramelized. Cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whizz the garlic, cumin, sugar, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, avocado, chili and 1 tsp salt in a food processor to a puree. Stir through remaining 3-4 tbsp of oil.

For the chili salt, using a mortar and pestle, grind salt and chili to a rough powder.

Spread the puree over a serving plate and top with warm carrots, chili salt and extra cilantro leaves to serve.

Beverage · Breakfast · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Carrot cake smoothie

October 10, 2017September 7, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

I happen to be married to someone who adores carrot cake, so when I found this recipe recently, there was no way I wasn’t going to include it. I mean, a healthy smoothie tasting like carrot cake??

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1 cup carrots, peeled and then grated (if you have a high powered blender like a Vitamix, you could probably just roughly chop them)
1 organic banana, frozen
1 1/2 cups coconut/almond milk(or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
1/4 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked for two hours (or 1/4 cup homemade cashew nut butter)
1 tsp good vanilla extract
1 good sized Medjool date
1 tbsp organic raw shelled hemp seeds, or protein powder.
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger or 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Optional – instead of the hemp seeds, for additional nutritional support, you could also opt for a scoop of Protein Powder, either the Vanilla Chai or straight Vanilla would be great.

Directions: Add all of the ingredients to your high speed blender and process until smooth and creamy. Top with a little cinnamon and a pinch of grated carrots. Enjoy immediately.