Grated carrots with cranberries and grapes

Version française disponible ici !

Well, I warn you, it’s an easy one today! But even easy recipes should have their own article! And this starter gets its original touch thanks to a sweet&salt association - really not usual to me but which still really pleased me! So I hope you will also be pleased :)

When I went to the market, I fell on a bunch of fresh Swedish carrots. Even if it could feed a hundred of people, I couldn’t resist it… And there were nice bunches of green grapes too – well, not Swedish ones but we can’t have everything! So one more thing in my basket backpack :)

Here is how this little fresh recipe is born; full of crunchiness & taste and that slowly brings us into autumn with season products:

• 5 carrots
• Juice from one big lemon (at least)
• Some green grapes
• Some dry cranberries
• Some nice crunchy salad leaves / baby spinaches
• Sesame seeds

Idea for the vinaigrette

• Rapeseed oil (2 tsp for example)
• Sesame oil (1 tsp for example)
• Lemon juice (1 tbs for example)

We start by cleaning, peeling and grating our nice fresh carrots. Put them into a hermetic container if you make them a bit before serving the course.

Squeeze lemon and quickly pour the juice on carrots to avoid them getting oxidized. Mix well and keep aside in your fridge. Otherwise, directly put in a nice serving plate!

Just before serving it, add cranberries and cleaned and cut in half grapes. Prepare plates by putting carrots on the crunchy salad. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. If you want everything to be wetter, you can add some vinaigrette made of rapeseed oil, sesame oil and fresh lemon juice.

Set the carrot leftovers on the table for those who may want more of it :p Yes because there is a lot of carrots I have to say^^

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Here is the kind of tastes I never associate but I really enjoyed it yet! Sweetness from fruits goes very well with the one from carrots which is more subtle – everything is awoken by the lemon taste that I particularly love :)

The nutritional info of the day…

Carrot of course! It’s known for its richness in carotenoids (which includes carotene), that explains its nice orange color. Carotenoids are antioxidants which help your body to get rid of free radicals.

Note that several carotenoids help your body to produce vitamin A – vitamin known for its beneficial effect on eyesight and skin. So to sum it up, carrot is good for health :D

Carotenoids are liposoluble compounds, it means there are good friends of fat substances. So, you really should add some vinaigrette (made of oil) to this recipe, it will help you assimilate carrot antioxidants!

I wish you a nice beginning of autumn, see you very soon!

Rose.