Dayrecipe Food Community

Not your average carrot cake! This is a recipe that I devised when I acquired a lot fresh garden carrots. It’s much lighter in fat than any carrot cake I know of and as well as using Splenda I skipped the pineapple to reduce the sugar content as much as possible. The walnut amount in minimal and nuts have heart healthy fat. Using fizzy soda not only adds some flavor but also helps to leaven the cakes.

MAKES: 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup Splenda sugar substitute (can use up to a cup if you like it sweeter)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1/4 cup walnut oil
• 1/2 cup egg whites (or 2 lg eggs)
• 3/4 cup Sprite Zero (or Diet 7-UP)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F
2. In a small bowl mix baking soda and applesauce into a fluffy mixture, set aside.
3. In large bowl mix flour, Splenda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt, mix well with a spoon.
4. Stir into the dry mix the walnuts and carrots
5. Mix the eggs and oil together, blending very well with a fork.
6. Add to the bowl with the dry ingredients along with the applesauce mixture.
7. Stir well and add in the Sprite Zero.
8. Mix until evenly moistened.
9. Spoon mixture into mini angel food pans that have been sprayed with a non stick vegetable spray.
10. Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool in pans for 5 mins then carefully twist the cakes without lifting at all to loosen them. When they are all turning well carefully remove them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Gah Yan Tsui writes, via gourmet.com: “I recently enjoyed a delicious lunch at Aquavit in New York City. Marcus Samuelsson makes an incredible mussel and carrot soup. Would it be possible to acquire the recipe?”

This soup tastes much better when made with fresh carrot juice. If you don’t have a juicer, you can get some at your nearest natural foods store.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 2shallots, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/4cup finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 4garlic cloves, chopped
• 2teaspoons curry powder
• 1cup dry white wine
• 2(3-inch) fresh tarragon sprigs
• 3lb mussels (8 dozen; preferably cultivated), scrubbed well and beards discarded
• 1cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 3cups fresh carrot juice
• 2(8-oz) bottles clam juice
• 1/3cup fresh lime juice
• 1tablespoon sour cream

DIRECTIONS Heat oil in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook shallots, ginger, garlic, and curry powder, stirring, until shallots are golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine, tarragon, and mussels and cook, covered, until mussels just open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring opened mussels to a bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 6 minutes.) Add stock, carrot juice, and clam juice to pot and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Whisk lime juice into sour cream in a small bowl. Add lime mixture in a stream to soup, whisking until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. Return mussels to pot and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just heated through (do not let boil).

Wolf Blitzer’s family serves this moist, not-too-sweet Bundt cake as a side dish. A warm slice would also be delicious for breakfast. Use the large holes of a box grater to prepare the carrots.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4teaspoon salt
• 3/4teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon ground allspice
• 1cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1cup (2 sticks) unsalted margarine, room temperature
• 4large eggs
• 2cups (packed) coarsely grated peeled carrots
• 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2teaspoons grated lemon peel

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and margarine in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs. Add sifted dry ingredients; beat until blended. Stir in carrots. Beat in lemon juice and lemon peel. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake carrot ring until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool carrot ring in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn ring out onto platter and serve warm. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350°F oven 10 minutes before serving.)

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 50 min

Makes about 3 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2tablespoons sugar
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8teaspoon cayenne
• 1lb carrots, cut into julienne strips (4 cups)
• 1/2cup thinly sliced soft dried mission figs (6)

DIRECTIONS Whisk together lemon juice, sugar, salt, cumin, and cayenne in a large bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add carrots and figs and toss well. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until carrots are wilted, about 30 minutes.

“Many of the everyday dishes I made when I was raising my daughters are recipes I learned from my mother while I was growing up in the suburbs of Paris,” writes Fanny Carroll of Eugene, Oregon. “She was quite a cook, and with a husband and seven kids to feed, everything had to be fast. It’s nice that the dishes I learned as a girl are enduring favorites in my own family. I still make the carrot and rice soup for my daughter Eileen.”

A colorful soup that’s smooth and rich.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2bacon slices, chopped
• 1small onion, chopped
• 1/4cup long-grain white rice
• 6cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 4cups sliced carrots (about 6 large)
• 1/2teaspoon sugar
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1/4cup whipping cream
• chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS Cook bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel to drain. Add onion to drippings in pan. Sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add broth, carrots, sugar and nutmeg and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrots and rice are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup in batches in blender; return to pan. Mix in cream. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with bacon and parsley and serve.