Carrots

Carrot, a root with a characteristic orange color, is by far the most consumed vegetable in Italy: children love its sweet taste and it is suitable for both savory recipes and cakes ... (don't you believe us? Consult our recipes with carrots!)

Market

There are several varieties of carrots, with a more or less large size. The carrot season lasts all year, from September to August, however the best time is the months of January-February: if the summer was hot and the autumn mild enough, the carrots in January will be very sweet, a real delight! New carrots can be found on the market counter in March-April.

Good to know: carrot leaves are edible! Instead of throwing them away, use them to flavor soups and salads.

In the kitchen

Raw

Carrots are mostly served grated in salads, but they are even better mixed with raw zucchini or grated coconut. To surprise and change, you can also cut them into wheels and marinate them in olive oil, lemon juice and cumin: you will get a Middle Eastern aperitif. Carrot sticks to dip in guacamole or yogurt sauce are always very popular in the evenings with friends, and are also much less caloric than pizzas and chips.

If you have a juicer, don't hesitate to make yourself a nice carrot juice in the morning!

Cooked

Carrots are suitable for any type of preparation! Fried or baked, in puree or julienne, sautéed in the wok or chopped in a vegetable puree ... but you can also use them to prepare gnocchi, a soufflé or vegetable tartlets (along with potatoes and courgettes).

In desserts

Carrot cake is very popular in Anglo-Saxon countries and is really delicious! You can also throw yourself into carrot, honey and raisin ice cream, carrot pudding or creme brûlée, always with carrot ...

The right accompaniments

Herbs

Mint, coriander, parsley, tarragon, thyme

Spices

Cumin, curry, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon

Cheeses

Hard cheeses (parmesan, parmesan ...)

For a sweet note

Coconut, honey, raisins, plums, figs, apricots, apples

Seasonings

Lemon or orange juice, balsamic vinegar, walnut or peanut oil

Meat.

Carrots can accompany any type of meat (poultry, fish, game) and go along well with all other vegetables!

Some cunning

Broth

To get a really tasty broth, boil a carrot cut into small pieces, an onion in which you have stuck some cloves, a leek leaf and a little thyme and parsley.

Softened carrots

If you want your carrots to become crunchy again, soak them for a few hours in cold water to rehydrate.

Less acidic ragù and peperonata

Add half a chopped carrot: the carrot will release sugar which will compensate for the acidity of the tomato.

Even more vitamins

Do not peel the carrots, clean them with a brush. As with almost all fruits and vegetables, vitamins are contained in the peel.

Improve digestion

Carrot fibers are very useful for the intestine: raw they help intestinal transit, cooked they calm it down ...

With the children

Generally, the first baby food that is given to children is carrot because this vegetable does not attack the intestine and, moreover, children love its sweet taste.

Easy recipe: baked carrots

Cut 6 carrots into sticks and mix them with a tablespoon of olive oil, a little thyme or coriander, pepper and coarse salt. Pour everything into a baking dish and cook for an hour at 180 °, stirring halfway through cooking. You will get candied and fragrant carrot sticks… a real delicacy!

For the skin

Carrot is rich in carotene (provitamin A), a molecule that fights free radicals and skin aging, and reacts to UV causing tanning. To have a radiant skin even in winter, therefore, follow the carrot diet! But be careful, carrots must be fresh otherwise they will be low in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Don't overdo it with carotene-based food supplements, sometimes they contain too much and once in the sun you risk turning orange ...

Zoom nutrition

Eating a carrot for lunch is not a solution to weight loss, first of all because it is not nutritious enough and secondly because the carrot is high in sugar and therefore risks causing hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar), followed by a ' hypoglycaemia (sudden drop in sugar). As a result, you will feel tired and exhausted… In short, for a diet it is much better to associate it with other foods!

Discover titte recipes based on carrots!