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Carrots are Crazy!

By Mandi Mellen

Posted on March 11, 2013

For a super long time I only bought baby carrots. Little did I know I was being crazy! When I started reading the growing list of scary things about how baby carrots are actually made, I wised up and said no more! I started buying regular old carrots. First off, they are cheap, only seventy-nine cents a bag at Trader Joes. HOT DAMN! These carrots are sweeter, unprocessed and can be done up so many different ways. Versatility rocks!

That’s right ladies and gents; you can do anything you possibly want with carrots. They can go in salads, be chopped up and dunked in ranch dressing or dipped in humus, roasted and seasoned with savory spice or even, dare I say, sweet spice! You can chop up your carrots and boil them, season accordingly and have them as a side dish. Or peel them and serve them as carrot “pasta.” Delicious! They’re great in soups and way delish just on their own. Wow.

I’ve been having an obsession lately with these magical carrots, specifically in two amazing forms. The first one is by juicing! My favorite juice right now is carrot, ginger (I go heavy on that ginger), cucumber, spinach, a few strawberries and blueberries. It’s delish! The cucumber cuts the carrot, but the carrots add a much needed sweetness which is amazing! Trust me. Try it out! Make sure you strain the pulp first, mix with or without sparkling water, and enjoy your carrot infused juice as breakfast, lunch, or snack.

My true obsession is with the simple beauty of carrot “fries.” And there’s no frying involved! I’ll be honest with you, I love French fries, but I hardly ever eat them. They aren’t worth it, too unhealthy and I’m always proud when I resist the urge. I just can’t bring myself to eat all those empty calories! Let’s face it; they can add an extra five hundred calories or more to your meal. In struts the carrot! These wonderful carrot fries are the perfect mix of crunchy, salty and healthy. You can indulge in them and not feel guilty at all! Not only are they delish, but they’re so easy to make! Peel those carrots, cut them skinny, and put them on baking sheets. Then sprits some olive oil, pepper, garlic salt and chili powder (if you dig on spice) on top. Bake them at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Depending on your oven you might need lower heat or less time. My oven seems to take a while!

Ok, now it’s time to serve! Carrot fries add amazing color to your meal as the perfect side dish. I always dunk them in a little ketchup or BBQ sauce. Trust me! If I could eat these every day I would. You’ll want to at least use a full bundle of carrots if not more. One bundle for two people is a decent estimate.

So carrots taste great, are easy to cook, but let’s not forget they’re also way healthy! Some doctors now say carrots help prevent cancer, improve your skin, improve vision, prevent heart disease, and reduce the risk of stroke. Oh Snap! Those are some amazing health benefits. Carrots improve your body; they’re super easy to add into your diet and are cheap too. Woo! Versatility! Go out and buy some carrots.