Glutenfree, Good food on a budget, Lactose-free, Recipes, Salads, Sauces and dip, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Lifehack carrot

written by Isabel

Sometimes you look into the fridge and think there is NOTHING there. Really nothing but maybe some potatoes, some onion and carrots. And then you really have a lot … Today I put the spotlight on the carrot and put it in its correct light.

Actually, the carrot is probably a chameleon. Hidden in the everyday convenience and as filling to the lunch salad, sadly placed into an ergonomic deep aluminum tin in any mediocre restaurant.
Or just pulled out of the ground, only flushed in the rainwater tank and and with the first bite already taken in the morning light standing in your pjamas and rubber boots. Well, that may be the situation when the carrot taste at its best …

Or maybe you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a big, sweet winter carrot on the food market  in the beginning of April? Sturdy roots that have grown slowly, stored with love and gained a rich and somehow earthy aroma. Such a totally different taste and experience than the new summer carrots! Yes, indeed it must be a chameleon of vegetables.

Today I play with winter carrots, spices and different cooking methods. Common denominator is that it works whenever, everyday or for a party.
Today I give you Lifehack – Carrot or simply “tricks with carrots to take you through the everyday life” (when you thought the fridge was actually empty).

Carrots with whole anise

4 servings
Ingredients
300 grams of winter carrots
about 2 tablespoons neutral oil
1.5 teaspoon whole anise seeds
2 tablespoons of date syrop
About 1 dl /100 gram water

How do I do it?
1. Peal or scrape the carrots. Cut them into slices about 1/2 cm each. Pre-boil the carrots for a few minutes in boiling water to shorten the cooking time. Pour off the water and allow to drain. 2. Take a deep frying pan and add some oil to it. Add the pre-cooked and drained carrots and cook for about 5 minutes or until the carrots have a some baked surface.
3. Add the whole anise seeds to the frying pan and turn it around. Cook for a few more minutes, then add the date syrup and about 1 dl of water. Turn everything around and allow the liquid to come to a boil. Now the carrots should be ready and still have some bite left. If you prefer, you van continue baking them for a few more minutes for less bite.
Season with salt and white pepper. Add some roughly chopped and roasted hazelnuts if preferred.
Serve the carrots hot or cold. It will be good either way.

Tzatziki with carrots

4 servings
Ingredients
2 large winter carrots
about 300 grams/2 dl (soya) yoghurt
1 garlic clove, grated
About 1 tablespoon of olive oil
A pinch of salt and white pepper

How do I do it?
1. Peel and grate the carrots roughly.
2. Mix the yoghurt with grated garlic, olive oil and a little salt and pepper well.
3. Add the carrots and toss it around so that everything is covered with yoghurt. Leave the tzatziki in the fridge an hour before serving.

Morotstzatiski_med_sojayoghurt

Mashed carrot puree with fresh ginger

2-4 servings (depending if you serve it as part of a starter or a main course))
Ingredients
250 grams of winter carrots, peeled and cooked softly
About 20 gr / a half-inch fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tablespoon of plant based  cream (I took unsweetened rice cream)
Salt and white pepper 10 grams of herbal butter / margarine

How do I do it?
1. Peal or scrape the carrots. Cut them into smaller pieces, it’s not so important how they look, they should still be mixed. Boil the carrots until they have become soft. Pour off the water and allow to drain.
2. Pour the carrots in a high mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Keep in mind that fresh ginger can be stronger than you think, try it out!
Serve the puree hot or cold.

Salad with carrots, black mustard seeds and mint

4-6 people
Ingredients
1.5 teaspoons of black mustard seeds
4 carrots, grated
1 teaspoon of salt
The juice of 2 lime
A handfull roughly chopped mint leaves

How do I do it?
1. Start by roasting mustard seeds in a dry baking pan. Roast until they begin to “pop” (cover with a lid so that they don’t all jump out of the pan). Remove the pan from the heat and pour immediately the seeds into a bowl, allow to cool.
2. Peal and grate the carrots. Place them in a bowl.
3. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Ready!

Salad_with_carrots,_black_mustard_seeds_and_mint

These recipes are free from gluten and lactose.