Carrot-Ginger Dressing

I recently purchased the Candle Cafe Cookbook.  If you live in New York City, you should definitely check out both of their restaurants, both on the Upper East Side.  It's a vegan restaurant but even if you are not on a vegan diet you can still enjoy great soups, salads, entrees, and even desserts!!  I particularly love their dressings, they have about 8 to choose from! Here's an adapted version of their Carrot-Ginger Dressing.

Carrot-Ginger Dressing
(makes 2 cups)
3 knobs of peeled ginger, about 1-inch each, minced
2 garlic gloves
2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup vegetable or safflower oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Place all ingredients in the food processor or a blender and process until smooth.  Taste to adjust seasoning.  Keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 10 days.  Pour over your favorite mixed greens and enjoy!

Carrot Ginger Soup

I love soups during these cold Winter days.  I've made Butternut Squash soup, Potato Leek Soup, Poblano Potato Soup, and French Onion Soup.  Now I'll share with you the recipe for a Carrot Ginger Soup.

Carrot Ginger Soup

(makes 10 cups)

2 medium onions, chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 2-inch knobs of ginger, peeled and grated 

2 lbs baby carrots

2 tablespoons chicken consomme + 6 cups water OR 6 cups chicken/vegetable stock + 2 kosher teaspoons salt

pepper, to taste

Saute onions in olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add freshly grated ginger to the pot and stir.  Add baby carrots and cover with your preferred liquid and seasonings (either water+consomme or stock+salt).  Cover and let boil for 1 hour, or until the carrots are fork tender.  If you want to make the cooking time less, slice the carrots.  

Use an immersion blender, food processor, or blender to puree soup into a velvety delicious soup full of flavor!  

There's only one knob of ginger here because at first I was only using one, but after I tasted the soup during cooking, i decided it needed more ginger so I added another!  Feel free to add as much as you can handle!

Before being blended  

Silky smooth Carrot Ginger Soup!  Delish!

Carrot Protein Muffins

The inspiration for this recipe came from my friend who's actually having a baby this week!!  She had told me that she loves carrot muffins and would love to be able to bake a bunch and keep them in the freezer to have for breakfast.  Then my mom gave me a recipe for her carrot cake which I altered to make it a better breakfast option, with less calories than your typical bagel shop muffin and more protein.  This recipe makes about 16 muffins, I made 12 large and 12 mini muffins.  Each large muffin has about 250 calories and 9 grams protein, without the nuts.  Have a muffin and 5 egg whites (100 calories, 12 grams protein) scrambled or boiled and you have a healthy protein filled breakfast!! Here's the recipe!!


Carrot Protein Muffins
(makes about 16 large muffins)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 pinch salt
3/4 cup high protein flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil or apple sauce
4 eggs

3 cups shredded and then chopped carrots (or 2 bags shredded carrots, chopped into small pieces)

1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Whisk to combine.  In another bowl combine the wet ingredients, except for the nuts, if using.  Whisk to combine and then slowly add the wet into the dry ingredients.  Do not overmix.  Add nuts now if desired.  Spray muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and using a large ice cream scooper, scoop mix into each muffin tin.  Bake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

NOTE: If you want to have a chunky consistency in your muffin make it the way I described above...IF NOT, place all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth, then pour into muffin tin and bake!  

Next time, I'll definitely chop the shredded carrots!

These are the mini muffins!

Clearly I put too much batter in each muffin tin, but once they cooled off and were cut they were fine!! 

See??!  Amazing!