Pure Carrot Gold
My favourite vegetable has to be carrots,so much so I felt it needed its own blog post! Apart from the reaping benefits of good eyesight 😉 Its definitely the most sweeter of all the vegetables and for me one of the most versatile. I’ve put together my top three simple carrots recipes from sweet to savoury. Starting off with what I can say is the best cake I have made yet! But hold on before you bypass the other two!…. The sesame carrots are the best accompaniment for any dinner, so easy to make and insanely mouth watering! Lastly quick coconut carrots, its great for adding a hint of taste to any plan meat or fish dish!
* Good to have with plain white fish or plain grilled chicken, it adds a bit of flavour and makes eating clean a little easier!
Serves
Cooks in Minutes
Ingredients
SPICED CARROT & WALNUT CAKE
- 6 eggs separated
- 1/3 cup / 4 TBS honey – try get local honey!
- 1 tbsp orange rind (1 average orange grated)
- 2 cups grated carrots(3 med carrots)
- 3 cups almond meal
- Vanilla essence
- Walnuts crushed cup (optional)
- Spices optional:
(1 tsp Cinnamon, 1 tsp Nutmeg, 1 tsp Ginger)
ICING
- 1 cup of cashews soaked for at least 4 hours
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp maple syrup/honey
- Cap full of vanilla essence
- 5 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp coconut butter( available in some health store, different consistency to coconut oil)
Method
- *Preheat fan oven 180
- Cream eggs yolks & honey together
- Add in almond meal, carrots, orange, essence and spices if used
- In separate bowl whip egg whites till stiff and fold into mixture
- Add walnuts now if using
- Spoon mixture into a lined tin or silicone loaf tin
- Bake for 50-60 min, check using a knife, if it comes out completely clean its done (could take longer than 60 depending on oven…so don’t freak out). After 25 min I put tinfoil on top to stop the top from getting over cooked …
FOR THE ICING
- Drain water from cashews, blitz in blender until smooth
- Add the rest of ingredients and combine
- Wait until the cake has fully cooled before spreading on top or use like a butter and spread it on a slice!
* I’m sorry if you get addicted.
TOASTED SESAME CARROTS! – from ‘Its All Good ‘ Gwyneth Paltrow cookbook! w/a few alterations of my own!
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 large carrots cut into match sticks
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soya sauce
- 2 tbsp black sesame seeds or just toast regular sesame seeds
- In a hot pan heat up the oil and add in the carrots, stir and cook until carrots are turned golden brown
- Add in the seeds and let them toast alongside the carrots, check to see if the carrots are a little soft but not too over done you still want a little Al Dente!
- Add sesame oil, soya sauce and cook for a further 2 min
Such a simple dish but it is so flavoursome and after you make it once it becomes second nature, everyone who has eaten at mine thinks its taken way more time and is always impressed by it! Well now they know… just how easy it is!
COCONUT CARROTS
* serves 2
- 4 carrots peeled cut and steamed
- 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbs toasted ( coconut optional)
- Sea salt
- Simply blend carrots until smooth, stir in coconut oil and salt
- Garnish with toasted coconut