Why We Should Eat Carrots

Carrot is a root vegetable that is filled with beta carotene which is good for our eyesight. It is one of the vegetables that
you can cook and eat raw at the same time. It is very versatile. In 2005, Great Britain made carrots as their third favorite vegetable. It is commonly orange in color but there are some varieties that are red, purple, white and yellow. The orange color is produced by beta carotene and it is converted by our digestive fluids into Vitamin A which is good for eyesight. The root part or the tap root is the edible part of the carrot plant but the leaves are also edible. 3% of the beta carotene is found in raw carrots. You can pump it up to 39% after cooking, sautéing or stir frying it. You can also boil it; add into soups and stews, baby food, salads, roasted, juices and for cakes and pastries.

The possibilities are endless. In India, they normally use carrots for salads and they add lots of spices. Baby carrots are now found everywhere even in supermarkets and you can eat them as snacks. If your children are picky eaters and they don't like vegetables, you can sneak some carrots in recipes or juices together with apples and they cannot tell the difference.

One of the best recipes to sneak in carrots is carrot cake. Children like sweet pastries and cakes. This cake is very healthy because it is made up of carrots and it is easy to make. It is moist and sweet just like the cakes we love. You can add this recipe in your recipe box. Here is a simple carrot cake recipe.

Moist Carrot Cake

Dry ingredients
2 1/2 cups of regular wheat flour
2 TB of whole wheat pastry flour for kneading
1 1/2 teaspoon of tartar cream
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet ingredients
1/3 cup of pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups honey
2 egg unbeaten egg whites
2 egg lightly beaten egg whites
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 4 oz. jars carrot puree.
1 1/2 cup of peeled and grated carrots
1 cup of raisins

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325F.In a mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients all together and sift it three times to remove lumps. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients and add the dry sifted ingredients until it is well blended. Add 1 cup of raisins and fold the lightly beaten egg whites. Pour the mixture into a greased cake pan or small muffin pans.

Bake in 325F for 40-45 minutes until toothpick comes out. Let it cool for 20 minutes. To serve it, you can make a cream cheese frosting by creaming caster sugar and cream cheese in a mixer.

Sneaking in carrots in your daily dishes can make your family meals healthier. Carrots are one of the super vegetables along with broccoli. Teach your children early in eating vegetables, and you will feel the benefits.


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