Carrots are a simple, sweet, crunchy vegetable dense with nutrition that lend themselves to a surprising number of different types of dishes - from the more obvious roasted and salad preparations, to cakes and pastries, to my favorite Japanese salad dressing, to a wide range of soups.

Why Eat Carrots?

There are many reasons to eat carrots. They are rich in beta carotene, fiber and antioxidants plus a number of vitamins and minerals. Many of us grew up with Bugs Bunny and the understanding that carrots are good for our vision and eye health, but eating carrots also:

• Helps reduce cholesterol
• Boosts heart health
• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves skin and reduces signs of aging
• Aids in digestion
• Protects against cancer
• Assists in oral and dental health
• Boosts immune system
• Helps regulate blood sugar and control diabetes
• Provides a variety of vitamins and minerals

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Don't Forget the Carrot Tops

When you have the option, buy your carrots with the green tops still on. These greens have 6 times more vitamin C than the root and are rich in potassium and calcium. Throw the greens into soups, salads or even scrambled eggs.

Rainbow Carrots

You know those beautiful multi-colored roots you find at farmers' markets? The red, orange, purple, white and yellow carrots? Turns out each color offers its own unique nutrition. So go ahead and eat your carrot colors.

• Purple - Extra Vitamin A, anthocyanin, beta and alpha carotene provide anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral benefits
• Red - Lycopene and beta-carotene provide powerful antioxidant benefits
• White -- Rich in fiber
• Golden - Contains xanthophylls, a phyto nutrient and lutein which protects against macular degeneration

Trader Joe's now offers Les Petite Carrots of Many Colors, a one-pound package of small 3" multi-colored, washed and peeled carrots. Eat them out of the bag or throw them in a hot 400 degree oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper for a delicious veggie side dish.

#24carrotgoals -- a Collaboration of International Foodies

This week I had the good fortune to collaborate with some 70+ international food bloggers, cooks, chefs and bakers to celebrate these crunchy roots. We each posted one of our favorite carrot recipes on Instagram. And wow! What a collection of great recipes. Take a look at what these creative bloggers posted. I'm particularly impressed with the bakers' doughnuts and pies. You will be amazed at the many sweet and savory ways to add carrots to your diet. Read to the end of this post for links to their recipes. Or check out #24carrotgoals on Instagram.  

Our Favorite SNFD Carrot Recipes

Minted Sous Vide Carrots with Balsamic Vinegar and Goat Cheese

Who knew that cooking carrots sous vide results in such rich carrot flavor? A quick saute with some butter and balsamic reduction, plus a sprinkle of goat cheese and some fresh mint and you have a delicious side dish.  

Ginger Carrot Dressing

Popular in Japanese steakhouses, this addictive dressing may be my favorite way to add lots of fresh carrots to your diet. Make a big batch and serve it as a salad dressing or with roasted or other fresh vegetables. I just learned about adding a little miso to this dressing from Mom's Kitchen Handbook. See her recipe at the bottom of the collaboration list.  

Roasted Carrot and Coconut Soup

This is a warming cold-weather soup that gets extra flavor from tomatoes and a satisfying mellowness from coconut milk.  

Spiced Carrot Soup

This spicy soup is delicious served hot or cold, but my personal preference is served cold on a warm night.

Grown Up Carrot Cake

This adultified version of the carrot cake we loved as a kid is spicy, moist, made with olive oil and a splash of bourbon, but finishes with the cream cheese frosting many of us can't get enough of even as adults. This is a huge cake that feeds

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More Recipes From Our #24carrotgoals Collaboration

Check out more delicious and healthy carrot recipes:

• Square Meal Round Table’s Rainbow Carrot and Ricotta Tart
• The Cooking of Joy’s Candied Carrot Rose Tart
• Better with Biscuits’ Carrot Souffle
• This Healthy Table’s Beet and Carrot Galette
• Always Eat Dessert’s Carrot Cake Squares with Orange Glaze
• Figs & Flour’s Thai Peanut Pizza
• Fufu’s Kitchen’s Oven Baked Carrot Fries Drizzled with a Tahini Sauce
• Flours in Your Hair’s Carrot Pecan Cookies
• Hola Jalapeño’s Roasted Carrots with Chipotle-Honey Butter
• Worthy Pause’s Paleo Thai Curry Carrot Soup
• What Great Grandma Ate’s Paleo Carrot Mug Cake
• More Icing Than Cake’s Spiced Quinoa & Roasted Carrot Salad
• Hot Dishing It Out’s Vegan Carrot Whoopie Pies
• Katie Bird Bakes’ Carrot Cake Scones
• Confetti Kitchen’s Harissa-Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Yogurt
• Easy and Delish’s Carrot Spaghetti
• Pie Girl Bakes’ Five Spice Carrot Bundt Cakes with Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze
• Smoothies and Sundaes’ Carrot Cake Sourdough
• Zestful Kitchen’s Moroccan-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
• Food by Mars’ Paleo Carrot Walnut Loaf Cake
• Cosette’s Kitchen’s Sumac Carrot and Feta Salad
• Measuring Cups Optionals’ Carrot Curry Soup
• Rezel Kealoha’s Turkish Yogurt Carrot Dip
• Pies and Prejudice’s Carrot Pie with Maple & Cardamom
• Amanda Skrip’s Rainbow Roasted Carrots with Citrus Fennel + Arugula
• Baking The Goods’ Roasted Carrot & Herby Feta Galette
• Marianne Cooks’ Carrot and Zucchini Mini Muffins with a Cinnamon Frosting
• Rumbly in My Tumbly’s Chai Carrot Pie
• Cook Til Delicious’ Mini Carrot Cake
• What Annie’s Eating’s Roasted Carrots with Herby Carrot Top Salsa Verde
• It’s a Veg World After All’s Zesty Sunflower Carrot Spirals
• Butter Loves Company’s Iced Carrot Cake Cookies
• Le Petit Eats’ Carrot Cake Breakfast Bars w/ Maple Coconut Icing
• Smart in the Kitchen’s Curried Carrot Ginger Soup (Whole30)
• Cocoa and Salt’s Classic Carrot Cake
• Dirty Whisk’s Carrot and Herbed Ricotta Tart
• A Modest Feast’s Pomegranate-Molasses-Glazed Carrots With Crispy Chickpeas and Feta
• Lemon Thyme and Ginger’s Sweet n’ Spicy Herbed Carrots
• Jessie Sheehan Bakes’ Chocolate Carrot Loaf Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
• Prickly Fresh’s Carrot Cake Blondies with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Sweet Pillar Food’s Carrot and Date Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette
• Mom’s Kitchen Handbook’s Salad with Miso Ginger Carrot Dressing
• What’s Karen Cooking’s Spiced Cornbread w/ Carrots, Pecans & Chili Butter
• Blossom to Stem’s Caramelized Carrots with Fennel, Ricotta, and Walnuts
• A Modest Feast’s Pomegranate-Molasses-Glazed Carrots With Crispy Chickpeas and Feta