Carrot, Cranberry, and Orange Salad
You won’t see many salads out there where the carrot is the main ingredient. This salad is so delicious, especially in the summer when you are looking for something cold and fresh.
There is another version of this salad where white sugar and lemon juice are used instead of cranberries and orange juice. But, since we are keeping the recipes in the Laila approach healthy and nutritious, I experimented and came up with this even better recipe!
As I said above, the main ingredient in this recipe is a carrot. Carrots are micronutrient dense, high in antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber. This orange root vegetable has a glycemic index that ranges from 35 raw to 39 cooked, in one cup. Due to high fiber content, not all the calories are absorbed when eaten raw, making this vegetable an excellent choice for weight loss. Carrots are rich in beta carotene which our bodies convert to vitamin A. They are also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, phosphorus, and calcium.
It is best to make this recipe a few hours before it is served, or the night before. Place in the refrigerator to let it get chilled and let all the flavors soak together. That way, all the flavors from the orange juice, orange, carrots, and cranberries meld together for a delicious salad. I swear you will think you are eating dessert instead of salad! Another thing that is great about this salad is any leftovers will taste awesome the next day after spending even more time soaking in the juices during the night in the refrigerator.
Serves 4 to 5
Ingredients:
One pound of carrots which is about 5 to 6 medium carrots, shredded
½ cup of dry cranberries
Two Oranges
Pinch of poppy seed to garnish (optional)
Directions:
Wash the oranges well
cut one orange in half, and squeeze the orange juice
Add a ½ cup of dry cranberries to orange juice
Clean and remove the outer skin of the carrots
Shred the carrots with a food processor or use a grater, so they look like the thickness in the picture
Peel the other orange, slice thin, and cut into small triangular shapes like the picture
In a bowl, mix the orange juice, orange triangular pieces, dry cranberries, and shredded carrots. Mix well and place in the fridge for a few hours to allow all the flavors to meld together. Garnish with poppy seed if desired, Enjoy!