03 Jul Power Food: Parmesan Garlic Carrots

The Power Food this week is the Carrot! Carrots are a root vegetable with the most commonly eaten part being the taproot. Unbelievably, carrots have one of the highest natural sugar content than almost all vegetables. This is why they make a wonderfully nutritious snack when eaten raw and make a tasty addition to a variety of cooked dishes. Usually orange is the primary color for them, but carrots can be a variety of other colors as well as purple, red, white, and yellow. The vegetable is often pulped, mashed, boiled, puréed, grated, fried, steamed, stewed, baked, juiced or eaten raw. Carrots are typically used in stir-fries and salads, but also in soups and added to baby foods or pet foods. They can be dehydrated or deep-fried to make chips, flakes, and powder. A baby carrot isn’t exactly a baby or tiny carrots. Baby carrots come from a large carrot that has been rolled over blades and thrown around in a metal cage to be rubbed down to a short, round-ended baby carrot.

Health Benefits of Carrots

Carrots contain Vitamin A perhaps best known for its role in aiding vision. Vitamin A not only promotes healthy vision, but also helps bone growth, and creation of healthy skin.  Vitamin A enables your eyes to adjust to light changes, keep them moist, and also improves night vision. It can also prevent many conditions like dry eyes and night blindness by increasing the adaptability of the human eye to both bright light and darkness. This is why Carrots are the power food for NIGHT VISION!

Delicious Parmesan Garlic Carrots

Carrots are the perfect addition to any meal, with their sweet flavor they can be a great substitute for sugar or a nice balance to a savory meal. Our friends at Juice Plus shared with us this delectable recipe for Parmesan Garlic Carrots!

Carrot Recipe:

• 1 pound medium carrots, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Preparation: Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
3. Toss carrots, oil, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl.
4. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
5. Turn the carrots over and sprinkle with Parmesan and garlic.
6. Roast until the carrots are tender and the cheese is melted; roughly 10 minutes.

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