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In Season: Carrots

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:29:21 PST

You eat carrots regularly - but how much do you know about them? Although they can be grown year-round, all root vegetables thrive during the Winter season, protected from cooler temperatures by the earth. Carrots are known for their vibrant orange color, but there are also purple, red, yellow, and white varieties - mostly grown as novelty crops. The root itself is crunchy and sweet, while the leafy greens tend to be on the bitter side.

To learn more about carrots and discover new dishes, just keep reading

Sit Down to Jamie Oliver's Fall Feast in Just One Hour

Lauren Hendrickson — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:21:05 PDT

I have loved Jamie Oliver since his days on The Naked Chef and have definitely picked up each one of his cookbook along the way! His latest, Meals in Minutes, is a new take on the cookbook: rather than being individual dishes, the recipes are full meals that, in his words, only take about 30 minutes to prepare with some practice.

Fall is arriving in San Francisco, so it was the perfect opportunity to try out one of his comforting meals of chicken pot pie, smashed carrots, French-style peas, and a seasonal fruit shortcake-like dessert. Rather than make use of prepared ingredients like pre-sliced mushrooms to save time, he calls on home cooks to use whole ingredients and pull out their food processors for quick prep. This amazing dinner took me about an hour (including the photos along the way), so it really was a delicious and doable weeknight meal. So see if you can beat my time for this fast feast when you keep reading for the recipe.

Baby Carrots: Love 'Em or Hate 'Em?

Tara Sharp — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 03:13:38 PDT

The baby carrot marketing blitz we showed you last year is accomplishing what it set out to do - giving bite-sized veggies a junk food makeover. A recent Fast Company article digs into this new campaign, which has taken cues from companies like Doritos and Coca-Cola to rebrand baby carrots as a cool, snackable alternative to both traditional carrots and unhealthy salty and sweet options. Using clever commercials, social media, chips-like packaging, and out-of-the-box strategies like baby carrot vending machines at schools, these lil guys are making a comeback.

But what do you think about baby carrots? Some find them overrated, but I think they are super convenient for a healthy, midafternoon snack, especially since they don't require the standard fresh fruit and vegetable prep.

And I have to say it's a lot better to be absentmindedly munching on baby carrots at my desk than, say, gummy bears. What do you think?

Source

5 Healthy Ways to Eat Your Heart Out

Michele Bell — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 04:00:12 PST

It's easy to roll out the sugar cookie dough and toss on some sprinkles for a quick Valentine's Day treat. While a cookie may taste delicious, it can be the downfall to a healthy diet. 'Cause who can truly make a batch of cookies without licking the bowl and eating about half a dozen when they are baked in your kitchen? Instead of tempting yourself with the usual suspects, consider showing your sweetheart or your girlfriends how much you care about them and their health with these simple and easy Valentine shaped dishes. They're sure to win their hearts over.

Have You Ever Received, Given, or Carried an Alterna-Bouquet?

Julia Walsh — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 10:00:00 PST

I'm getting a major kick out of this shot from No Strings Attached, which opens Friday. Ashton Kutcher cleverly offers a "bouquet" of carrots to Natalie Portman as a work-around of their "strictly sexual" relationship. When I was researching the no-flowers phenomenon last May, I discovered 15 alternative wedding bouquet ideas, including everything from macarons to seashells to balloons, but the orange root vegetable certainly wasn't one of them. Have you ever received, given, or carried an alterna-bouquet? If so, tell me which kind in the comments!

5 Foods to Help Keep You Out of the Doctor’s Office This Winter

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 01:00:00 PST

Don't spend this Winter in the doctor's waiting room! You may take your lil one for her flu shot and wash your hands incessantly, but there's still more you can do to help prevent the flu from entering your home this year. Boosting tots' immune systems from the inside out – packing them with nutrient-rich foods – may be the ticket to health. Check out the five foods your kids should be eating to help ward off illness in the midst of cough and cold season.

Celery vs. Carrots

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 05:50:55 PDT

How many times have you been at a soirée and picked at sticks of celery and carrots, occasionally dipping them into a bowl of ranch dressing? A typical party hors d'oeuvre, the veggie sticks are often the healthiest option at a buffet table.
While you can't go wrong with either of them, there are distinct differences between the two, which may have you trying to balance out your consumption.

Want to find out what they are?

Healthy Foods Your Kids Should Be Eating

babysugar — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:00:00 PDT

Revamp your weekly menus! We know that kids need a bowlful of vitamins to keep them healthy and strong, but getting the nutrients into them isn't always easy. I recently shared five foods kids should be eating to fill them up with protein, fiber, and iron. Here are five more foods hidden in some tot-friendly recipes.

Carrots Add More Than Crunch to Tots' Diets

babysugar — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 06:00:50 PDT

Get crunching! More than just rabbit food, carrots are a nutrient-dense vegetable that have been linked to eye, prostate, and blood health. A recent story by Consumer Reports shed some light on the benefits of the popular orange veggie, including vitamin A and beta-carotene leading me to consider new ways to incorporate the easy-on-the-wallet vegetable into my lil ones' diets. Take a look at these carrot-rich recipes and share your favorites with me in The Children's Table group over in the LilSugar Community!

Make This: Carrot Sesame Salad

Fit Community — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:00:27 PDT

Check out this recipe for a carrot salad that FitSugar user wiggle shared in our Healthy Recipe community group.

This is so easy to make if you have a food processor. I use "seasoned" rice vinegar since it has a little sugar and salt added to it. If the salad feels too dry, add more sesame oil to the mix.

See the recipe when you