20 Apr 10 ways with a Carrot or two

Cheap and cheerful, full of beta carotene and always great to add a bit of colour to your plate. There is so much to do with these delicious, sweet vegetables that were never even orange in the beginning! Did you know that?

Carrot and cumin pie

This is one of my favourite tarts, it is truly delicious.
175g plain short crust pastry
35g butter
2 onions, finely chopped
550g carrots, cut into short thin strips
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 heaped tbsp. cumin powder
2 tsps. caster sugar
½ tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
150g double cream
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
Grease and line a round quiche dish with the rolled out pastry and bake in the oven blind for 10 mins. In the meantime chop and lightly fry the onions in butter and steam the carrot strips until softened. Once cooked add to the onion mix for a few minutes and then place in a blender with the lemon juice, cumin powder, sugar, seasoning and enough cream to make it manageable. Place the mix into a bowl and put to one side. In another bowl, beat the egg and egg yolk and the rest of the cream then mix into the carroty mix before placing into the cooked pastry case and popping in the oven at 200 °C for 25 minutes. Serve with a green salad.

Purple coleslaw

Brighten up your coleslaw with equal amounts of grated purple carrots and shredded red cabbage, finish with some thinly cut red onion and a good dollop or two of Mayonnaise. It will certainly look different and all that purple is super good for your health.

Homemade hummus with carrot batons.

Warm through the contents of a carton of chick peas until they start to soften, then drain off most of the liquid and add it to a blender with the juice of 1 lemon, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. Tahini (sesame seed paste) and enough good quality olive oil to blend it all beautifully together. To give it a little kick add in 1 tsp. of chipotle or Harissa chilli paste. These two also make great sandwich fillings, use grated carrot with a thick layer of hummus.

Roasted carrots with fresh orange juice

Throw a load of carrot batons into an ovenproof dish, drizzle with olive oil and stir in the zest and juice of one orange. Bake in a 200°C oven for about 25 mins

Carrot chips

Cut into chip sizes, season and drizzle with olive oil then oven back at 200°C for 20 mins, serve as you would any chips, these can be great mixed with other root veg chips.

Carrot and lentil soup

A hearty soup to get you through any day, and help you lose weight too, if you so desire.
Chop and fry 1 onion in a good knob of butter until starting to soften then add 2 chopped carrots, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 litre vegetable stock and 85g lentils. Leave to simmer for 20 mins then add a good handful of parsley before serving. Leave chunky or blend if you prefer. Serve with a good chunk of sourdough.

Carrot cake

This is a classic and always feels slightly more righteous than other cakes! Here is my all time favourite recipe.
275g (10oz) Caster sugar
240ml (8floz) sunflower seed oil
3 eggs
175g flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves,
½ tsp. salt
225g grated carrots
100g chopped walnuts
Frosting
85g cream cheese
40g butter
3 tbsp. icing sugar

Put everything except the carrots and walnuts in a bowl and blend with an electric cake mixer until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients and then bake in a good-sized, greased cake tin for 1 hour. Mix the frosting ingredients together and when cool spread evenly on the top

Carrot, orange and ginger smoothie

Perfect if you have a super blender, throw in 1 carrot, 1 orange, barely peeled (leave the pith) and a knob of fresh ginger, blitz and drink straight away.

Carrot Biryani

A classic Indian dish turned vegetarian
Fry 1 chopped onion and1 chopped green chilli with a good pinch of salt in a little coconut oil until softened. Then add in 1 tbsp. garam masala, 1 tsp. turmeric powder and 2 cloves of garlic with a splash of water followed by 3 grated carrots, stir well to combine the flavours before including 400g pre cooked brown basmati rice, 150g frozen peas and 50g roasted cashew nuts. Turn up the heat and cook through for a few minutes then serve with chopped coriander and yoghurt.

Spring veg stir fry

Baby carrots, courgette, spring greens make a great start of the season side to any meal. Chop finely and fry lightly in butter with sprinkle of sea salt.

Carrots are also perfect grated into casseroles, bolognese, soups, salads or sandwiches.

Carrot top parsley

Cut carrots tops and use just like you would parsley, they are full of goodness