As summer arrives, we often crave lighter dishes on our plates. Many of us swap pastries and meat dishes for vegetable-based meals. In today’s article, the star of the show will be carrots, which many of us enjoy for their flavour.
In addition to its beautiful vibrant colour, carrots are rich in vitamins B, C, D, and E. They contain pectin, which serves as nourishment for beneficial bacteria found in the colon, thereby supporting the maintenance of a healthy gut flora balance.
Carrot soup
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Have you ever considered that besides the classic broccoli and spinach, which most of us have tried, carrots can also be the main vegetable in our soups?
To prepare it, you’ll start with one onion, a clove of garlic, olive oil, and seasonings to taste. In a pot, sauté this mixture and add diced carrots, about half a kilogram. Once everything softens, blend it and add broth. It’s best if you keep a bit of broth after Sunday’s lunch and let it sit in the fridge for two days.
After this step, all that’s left is to let everything simmer beautifully and taste it. A secret tip to give the soup a wonderful rich flavor is to add cumin right at the end. Serve it with toasted bread or sunflower seeds.
Carrot jam
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Yes, you read that right, we can prepare carrots in a sweet way too. Besides the well-known carrot cake, we introduce carrot jam. For its preparation, you’ll need just one kilogram of carrots, lemon juice, and sugar according to your preference, typically between 500 to 800 grams.
The process is really simple. First, prepare a sugar syrup with half a liter of water and sugar, melting it in a pot. Remember to stir the mixture regularly. Then, add the lemon juice. Finally, add finely grated carrots and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the jam is ready, divide it into sterilized jars, seal tightly, and turn them upside down. These final steps are similar to preparing any other fruit jam, but our star ingredient here is carrots!
Carrot fries with agave
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Although there are many great carrot recipes out there, a lot of them can be quite complicated. It’s worth remembering that classic roasted carrots make a fantastic side dish for various meals.
To make the best carrot fries, start by cutting carrots into matchstick shapes and boiling them in water for 10 minutes. Then, coat them in cornstarch and add coarse salt. Bake these prepared fries in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius.
If you prefer to keep things simple, serve the fries as they are. For a taste adventure, try drizzling them with agave or rice syrup before serving.
