Plant-Based Monday: Carrots

We’re kicking the week off with these bright orange beauties. This plant-based Monday, we’re diving into the world of carrots. Anyone in love with carrots? They’re almost always in our refrigerators and ready to rock in all kinds of recipes.

Orange is probably the first color that comes to mind when you think of carrots (see opening sentence), but carrots actually come in an array of colors. They can grow in orange, red, purple, white, and yellow. As far as taste, the different colors may taste slightly different, but nothing drastic. Red and orange carrots are sweet with a slight earthy flavor whereas purple and white carrots tend to be much sweeter. The color of carrot won’t make or break a recipe though so use whatever you have on hand or find at the local farmers market.

Carrots are highly nutritious. They are a high in vitamin A and vitamin K, as well as a good source of potassium and vitamin C. Carrots are a good source of fiber, which many Americans don’t get enough of. Fiber helps to regulate the GI system, so carrots are one way to boost that fiber intake. Interesting tale? Carrots were originally grown for medicinal uses, not food uses.

Buying carrots is a fairly simple task. If you’re in a grocery store, you might find that they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Whole, baby, shredded, crinkle cut. Some things to keep in mind are what your recipe calls for and convenience versus price. When choosing carrots, it is more cost effective to purchase whole carrots. You can buy a whole pound of carrots for pretty cheap and have them on hand for a variety of different uses. Other cuts of carrots might be more convenient if you’re short on time. If this is the case, choose the cut that fits your lifestyle and recipe best.

We love buying whole carrots and saving them for all kinds of things. To start, wash the carrots and cut off the tops. The carrot tops can be (and should be!) saved. You can sauté them up with a little bit of olive oil and garlic. As for the rest of the carrot, peel and chop the carrot into strips, rounds, or whatever you like best. To store them, throw into a bath of cold water and keep refrigerated. Keeping in water will help to keep the carrots hydrated and crisp for weeks. If the water begins to get cloudy, switch out the water bath for clean, fresh water.

Our best carrot recipes are:

• Spiralized Summer Salad
• Curry Roasted Carrot Parsnip Fries
• Spicy Carrot Immune Boosting Fall Tonic

We love grabbing a handful of carrots for a simple, deliciously crunchy snack too. What are your favorite ways to enjoy carrots? Drop us a comment and give us your faves!