Monday, October 29, 2012

Shaved Carrot Ribbons and Cranberry Salad




Two simple vegetables, the carrot and the cranberry ( a berry) create a fabulous fall salad!

Low calories, yet in high fiber and nutrition, carrots have a rich orange color that is especially appealing in the fall and add a subtle sweetness to so many recipes.

For lunch today ( trying to make healthy choices), I decided to shave a few carrots ( I used a regular vegetable peeler)  into carrot ribbons ( shavings)  and create a salad around it. My creation was absolutely delicious, simple, raw and vegan. I made the salad for "one" and ate it as my lunch,  You can double or triple it for a side dish with dinner.

 I bought a container of organic cranberries last week, so all of my salads this week have boasted a splash of cranberries. Not only do these seasonal berries add color to the salad , they add a welcome tartness. I also love the contrast of the orange carrot with the cranberries.

Since, cranberries are also great for your health. I try  to take advantage of the short season when fresh organic cranberries are available in the supermarket.

I dressed my salad with my sweet cranberry dressing from last week's post and really enjoyed  the combination.

When it comes to cranberries, a little goes a long way!

Health Benefits of Cranberries: ( Quoted from a website called Meals Matter )

" Cranberries contain a powerful cocktail of protective phytonutrients, plant chemicals that contain protective, disease-preventing compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids) that act as antioxidants in the body.

Cranberry extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of oral, colon, and prostate cancer cells, in addition to inducing cell death of breast cancer cells. Phytonutrients in cranberries may also be involved in inhibiting the spread of cancer cells throughout the body.
In addition to its anti-cancer properties, cranberries may also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol, inhibiting LDL oxidation (one of the first steps in the progression of coronary artery disease), lowering blood pressure, and inhibiting the formation of blood clots."   end of quote from Meals Matter

Shaved Carrot Ribbon Salad Ingredients: 
1 large fat organic carrot ( large wide carrots are easier to shave with your
vegetable peelers 5 white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 tomato, diced
5 fresh organic cranberries
1/4 cup of plump organic raisins ( optional)
10 raw cashews

Directions: Using your vegetable peeler, shave the carrot into ribbons ( peelings) and place on a plate. Add sliced mushrooms, diced tomato, and fresh cranberries and raw cashews. Add dressing and enjoy.

Use any vegetable peeler to shave down the carrot 

                           
Variation: If you do not want your salad completely raw, saute the shaved carrot peeling in a little bit of oil spray for a minute or two until the carrots become a little soft and start to wilt. This will make the orange color even more vibrant, the taste a little sweeter, and it will feel like you are eating a vegetable spaghetti texture.
sauteed in a little olive oil spray for 2 minutes

May be shared on a few of the following blog carnivals
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21 comments:

  1. I love shaved carrots. This looks like a delicious recipe.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Exede

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    Replies
    1. It was my first time shaving them, but it was really easy. I'll be making them again in the future!

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  2. This is a beautiful salad and would look great on a Thanksgiving table. I like to add cranberries to salad, but use dried since fresh can be hard to find here. That pop of bright color makes me want to dig in. Thanks for linking up!

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    Replies
    1. The dried are usually a little sweeter. I use them sometimes too.

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  3. Carrots and cranberries - what a beautiful, inspired combination!

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    Replies
    1. I do like the combination of the sweetness of carrots with the tartness of cranberries.

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  4. Hey from tessacotton! Love your creation, looks so healthy and delicious. I would be so thrilled if you would link up to my new, thanksgiving themed linky party, live today!
    http://tessacotton.blogspot.com/2012/10/thanksgiving-link-party.html

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  5. My kids love dried cranberries (must get it from their dad). So I've always got the dried ones on hand, and add them to all our salads. It's about the only way I can get my kids to eat a salad. I've never tried fresh cranberries.
    Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday!

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  6. I love how pretty the ribbons are! Sounds like a great salad. Thanks so much for linking to Wellness Weekend, too! :)

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  7. This sounds like a delicious seasonal salad! I like the addition of the cranberries.

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  8. Such a colorful and pretty salad--an excellent holiday side dish too. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week. ;-)

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  9. A fresh twist for salads. So colorful too. Thanks for sharing on BeColorful.
    p

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  10. Great idea of flavor combinations! Thanks for sharing on Natural Living Monday. I am excited to see what you have to share this week. http://wp.me/p2pBvv-F8

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  11. Colorful salads bring cheer to any table. Thanks for sharing on Hearth & Soul Hop. :)

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  12. Wow, there are some beautiful colors in this salad! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! :) We had 101 awesome recipes! What a great resource we are creating!! Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

    The winner of the Domata prize pack will be announced Thursday at the party!

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  13. Mmmm - looks and sounds delicious!
    I would love to have you share this on Thursday at Tasty Traditions http://myculturedpalate.com/

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  14. The cranberries make this really nice for the Fall. I hope you're sharing this today on foodie friday.

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  15. Oh, I love this raw, juicy salad! Love the idea of combining carrots and cranberries. Please come share it at Raw Foods Thursdays! http://www.glutenfreecat.com/2012/11/raw-foods-thursdays-112212/

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  16. Thanks for linking up at tessacotton! Looks so yummy. I'd love it if you'd join with all your winter/holiday crafts at our new Christmas linky party!
    http://tessacotton.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-linky-party.html

    ReplyDelete

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