Enriched with enzymes, B, C and E vitamins, carrots are valuable allies for our health. But in order to retain all their benefits, it is better to eat them raw. Instead of the classic grated carrot not to everyone’s taste, here are some ideas for healthy and gourmet recipes. To your apron!
Carrots are cooked: we know the expression, but when it comes to nutrition, according to doctor Réginald Allouche, it’s better to eat them… raw. Asked Parisianthe author Hepato-detox methodpublished by Albin Michel, confirms that it is preferable to consume this vegetable raw and not cooked.
In question? “When carrots are raw, their glycemic index, which measures the effect of their consumption on blood sugar levels, is low (16) despite their slightly sweet taste.”explains the specialist Parisian. “When boiled, this index is three times higher, which promotes weight gain, the development of diabetes and the infiltration of fat into the liver. In addition, raw carrots contain more vitamins and mineral salts than cooked carrots.” However, be careful not to overuse it. According to the doctor, the ideal dose is about twice a week.
With that observation out of the way, how do you cook carrots other than serving them grated with a vinaigrette? From appetizer to dessert, of course, through the main course and side dishes, here’s something you can enjoy with carrots without going through the cooking pot.
Starters and aperitifs
Raw carrot rolls
Prepare 2 carrots, rinse them with clean water and scrub with a soft brush. Peel them and make strips with a vegetable peeler. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with salt, pepper and fresh herbs of your choice. Place a teaspoon of ricotta, salt and pepper on each carrot slice. Roll each strip onto itself, then poke the end with a toothpick or peck to secure the strip. Then dip the roll into a saucer with sesame seeds.
Lacto-fermented grated carrot
If you don’t like grated carrots because they bring back bad memories of school canteens, here’s an alternative that might please your taste buds: lacto-fermented grated carrots. To do this, get one or more special Le Parfait jars, wash them thoroughly in hot, soapy water and dry them with a clean cloth. Wash the carrots (this recipe from The Prince’s Small Dishes applies to one kilo of carrots), peel and grate. Nothing complicated so far.
Then peel the garlic (3 heads) and cut into thin slices. Mix the garlic with the carrot and 8 grams of coarse sea salt (without additives). Book for 15 minutes. Stir again before pouring the carrots into the jars. Tamp well, being careful not to overfill the jars. Leave at least 2 centimeters of free space under the lid. Close the lids tightly and place the jars at room temperature. Wait about ten days: then store the jars in the refrigerator, pantry or cellar. You can open them and therefore taste carrots after a month.
If small bubbles appear in your jars, don’t panic! This is completely normal: it means that the fermentation is working well. Is there a bad smell when you open the can? This is a sign that the fermentation has not gone well. In this case, unfortunately, there is no choice but to throw your carrots into the compost.
Carrot pickle
Same principle, but shorter fermentation time: here are carrot marinades. The blog “Du bio dans mon bento” offers a version with ginger and orange, but you can also replace them with other ingredients of your choice.
As with the fermented carrots, prepare the jar before washing and peeling the 2 carrots. Make small slices or thin strips with it. Next, peel a piece of fresh ginger and slice it into thin slices. Squeeze the orange to juice, keep the juice aside and cut the peel to make the peel, remove the white part.
Pour orange juice, 60 ml of white vinegar or cider vinegar, 600 ml of water, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of fine salt into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn off the light.
Fill your pots, starting with a large handful of carrots, add ginger slices, orange peel, coriander seeds and repeat. Once the jar is full, pour in the liquid, it should completely cover your carrots. Cover tightly and let stand for at least 48 hours. Then you can taste your pickles. After opening, the can should be kept in the refrigerator.
A wrap of raw carrots
Prepare the carrot and grate it finely. Season it with olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Take a wrap, spread sesame puree (tahini) on it, add a thin strip of feta, arugula, a portion of grated carrot and sesame seeds. Roll it up and hold the wrapper with a beak or toothpick.
Road and additives
Oriental salad
Wash, rub and grate the carrots. A book. Squeeze half an orange into a bowl, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of mustard, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, pepper and salt. Chop a few sprigs of fresh mint or coriander. Divide the grated carrots between two plates or bowls, add the herbs, some seeds of your choice, a handful of raisins and dried dates, then pour over the vinaigrette and toss. Serve chilled.
Raw carrot puree
To make this recipe you will need:
- about 10 carrots
- 2 tablespoons brewer’s yeast
- 1 tbsp sesame puree (tahini)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 coffee cup of cold water
- cumin powder
- salt pepper
Follow the steps for the recipe in this YouTube channel “Une Tout Zen” video:
Raw carrot tagliatelle
As always, wash, peel and peel the carrots. Make carrot strips for tagliatelle with peeler. Mix the sesame oil with the olive oil and fig vinegar in a bowl and brush the tagliatelle with it. Soak for 15 minutes.
Toast a handful of sesame seeds (without adding fat) in a pan. When they are nicely browned, remove them from the heat and grind them into a powder with a mortar and pestle. Serve tagliatelle, sprinkle with sesame and fresh parsley. You can add seaweed toast to your raw carrots. You can find the full recipe for this dish on the Maison Louno blog.
Raw carrot falafel
Mix 2 carrots (washed and peeled) with 1 handful of sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed, 1 pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, chopped cilantro, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, and 2 tbsp. green onion, also finely chopped. After obtaining a homogeneous dough, make small falafel-sized balls. Place the falafels on a drying rack and cook in a dehydrator at 115 F for two hours. Then remove the sheet and replace it with a mesh sheet. Dehydrate for another 2 hours. Serve with hummus.
Dessert
No-bake carrot cake
Carrot is a root vegetable that is also eaten in sweet recipes, for example in the very famous carrot cake. No cooking is required to enjoy this gourmet dessert, especially appreciated this season. To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- 140 grams of pitted Medjool dates
- 100 grams of hazelnuts
- 80 grams of walnut kernels
- 85 grams of raisins
- 1/2 tsp gingerbread spice
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 150 grams of grated coconut
- 1 half apple
- 200 grams of carrots
The rest of the recipe can be found on Sarah JUHASZ – Pimp Me Green YouTube channel:
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