Carrots are a delicious orange root vegetable. They offer a great source of minerals and vitamins. They are especially high in vitamin A which our bodies need for healthy vision, reproduction and immune system. While they may not give us superpower vision like our parents told us when growing up, they are definitely a healthy food that should be eaten more often.
Many of us fall into the same routine when it comes to food. We grab and eat what is convenient and familiar to make things easy. However, if you can step out of that comfort zone for a minute you can quickly discover how much a delicious vegetable like a carrot can do for you. They’re inexpensive and can make many hearty and sweet recipes extra special. We have found 15 amazing yet healthy recipes highlighting carrots as the main and complimentary ingredient.
When it comes to snack foods, potato chips are what I often indulge in. They’re delicious but certainly not healthy. If that’s you too or you have kids who can’t give up the chips you’ll want to try this recipe. It turns something like salty bagged potato chips and puts a healthy spin on it.
Instead of potatoes, you’ll be using carrots. When sliced with a mandolin you can achieve evenly thin cut carrot slices. These carrot chips are naturally sweet and will crisp up nicely in the oven. They’re so addictive the bowl will be devoured in no time.
https://www.aspicyperspective.com/healthy-baked-carrot-chips/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: A SPICY PERSPECTIVE
We often make excuses when it comes to breakfast. There’s either no time or no appetite that can cause an awesome meal like breakfast to be skipped. For this reason, overnight oats are a great idea. For starters, it contains a whole grain food like rolled oats that will keep you full until your next meal. Next, chia seeds are added to contribute healthy omega-3 fatty acids. And lastly, cinnamon, allspice and shredded carrot are added to make this breakfast taste like a carrot cake dessert.
This recipe is so simple and only takes 10 minutes to throw together. You simply have to mix all the ingredients together and set in the fridge overnight. When you wake your breakfast will be ready to go whether you enjoy it at home or on the go. You’ll never want to skip breakfast again.
https://fitfoodiefinds.com/carrot-cake-overnight-oats// PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: FIT FOODIE FINDS
Adding a mineral and vitamin rich vegetable like carrots is a great way to get added nutrition to your smoothies. If you struggle with eating raw vegetables regularly then smoothies can be a great alternative for you.
This recipe has 5 simple ingredients. The fruit makes the smoothie nice and sweet while the carrots contribute the perfect tartness. Add in some greek yogurt for additional protein and probiotics, and you’ll have this delicious smoothie in no time.
https://www.primaverakitchen.com/peach-carrot-smoothie-recipe/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: PRIMAVERA KITCHEN
Creamy vegetable soups are one of my favorites, especially on gloomy days. There is something about a comforting soup that makes a gloomy day better, mostly because it feels like a warm hug when you eat it.
The main ingredient in this soup is carrots but is quickly complimented by delicious flavors of onions, garlic and ginger. This recipe can be easily adjusted to suit a vegan and a non-vegan diet so that almost everyone can enjoy this.
https://www.lifeslittlesweets.com/homemade-carrot-ginger-soup/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: LIFE’S LITTLE SWEETS
It’s really hard to resist cookies, especially warm gooey ones that are fresh out of the oven. So whenever a cookie can be made with a healthy twist, the better! You’ll be obsessed with these healthy carrot cake oatmeal cookies and you can feel less guilty about indulging in them.
These cookies have all the warm flavors we love about carrot cake but do not contain any refined sugars or flour. They do contain shredded carrot to give them an authentic taste and are sweetened with pure maple syrup.
https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2014/10/10/carrot-cake-oatmeal-cookies/?utm_medium=viraltag-content-network&utm_source=viraltag-post&utm_campaign=Viraltag PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: AMYS HEALTHY BAKING
Boiled carrots can get old fast and often make them taste bland. Roasting carrots would be the healthier alternative to boiling and it definitely makes them more delicious. The roasting method can even help intensify the flavor of the carrots that you didn’t even know were there.
Carrots are often that one vegetable we all keep stocked up in the fridge, they’re very inexpensive after all. These carrots look gourmet but take no time at all. The honey in this recipe helps to provide the carrots with a sweet flavor that makes them extremely pleasing. They’re great for serving to guests and everyone will love them.
https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/honey-roasted-carrots/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: DINNER AT THE ZOO
Energy balls are all the rage right now, especially the homemade kind. There are so many recipes that come in a large variety of flavors and ingredients making them all unique. It’s an easy way to pack a lot of nutrition in a small snack that will help satisfy you, provide energy, and keep you full until your next meal.
These energy balls are healthy and taste like a carrot cake. This is also a no-bake recipe which means they will be ready to eat in even less time. They’re full of wholesome ingredients which include oats, shredded carrot and nuts. The dates are what make these carrot cake balls really sweet and have you coming back for more. Chocolate protein powder can be added to provide a generous dose of protein.
https://www.sweetashoney.co/carrot-cake-balls-vegan-no-bake-healthy/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: SWEET AS HONEY
These carrot muffins stay healthy because there is no butter, oil or refined sugars invited to this recipe! They are sweetened with pure maple syrup and coconut sugar and remain super moist from greek yogurt. While the rolled oats give these muffins a good dose of fiber.
These muffins are soft and fluffy but if you prefer texture in your muffins you can easily add in nuts or raisins. They’re also really easy to make and will only take 10 minutes of your time.
http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2016/03/01/carrot-oatmeal-greek-yogurt-muffins/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: RUNNING WITH SPOONS
If you love food preparation that comes together quick and easy then you’ll want in on this recipe. It’s a delicious and bold salad that only takes minutes to make. The color alone stands out on the table but the flavor is what shines in this recipe. This salad is full of wholesome ingredients making it a serious powerhouse salad that you’ll want to try.
It is made from shredded beets, carrots and apples. While beets may be quite tart in flavor the sweetness from the apples help balance the salad out. If you don’t eat beets all that often then you’ll definitely want to start. They’re full of minerals and lots of vitamins and even offer a generous amount of dietary fiber.
https://www.stupideasypaleo.com/2016/08/20/beet-carrot-apple-salad-recipe/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: STUPID EASY PALEO
This recipe is a vegan version of “pigs in a blanket,” or simply put, hot dogs rolled and cooked in a pastry. Even if you aren’t vegan this recipe takes a classic recipe and alters it in a fun way to introduce more veggies into your entire families diet.
The delicious flavors come from the carrots. They are pan-fried in oil and are perfectly seasoned with fresh dill. To make this recipe even easier you can use store-bought frozen puff pastry. Serve them as an appetizer at a party or for healthy snacking, everyone will have fun with these.
http://www.vegansandra.com/2013/10/carrots-in-blanket.html PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: VEGAN SANDRA
Scalloped potatoes make an awesome comforting food because they’re filling, creamy and savory. Adding carrots to a scalloped potato recipe is a great way to get more veggies on your plate too. These scalloped potatoes and carrots will only take 10 minutes to put together. As it bakes, the delightful smell will fill your kitchen.
There aren’t any canned cream soups in this recipe because this creamy mixture is homemade! You definitely won’t have any leftovers and this side dish will make the perfect addition to many meals.
https://www.thereciperebel.com/garlic-parmesan-scalloped-potatoes-and-carrots-recipe-video/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: THE RECIPE REBEL
Pulled pork sandwiches are a summer classic. They’re juicy, tender and delicious. Whether you follow a plant-based diet or not, exploring meatless dinners can be a fun adventure. It’s a great way to get more healthy foods like veggies into your diet.
This recipe takes pulled pork and puts a unique spin on it. In this recipe instead of pork, you’ll use shredded carrots. The carrots are roasted with onions which enhances their flavor and texture. They are then smothered in a home-made BBQ sauce that will amaze you.
https://www.veganosity.com/pulled-bbq-carrots/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: VEGANOSITY
Potatoes are a vegetable but a high in carbs vegetable. When you’re trying to watch your carb intake but have a serious fries craving you’ll want to give these healthy carrot fries a try. Unlike many vegetables, you can actually obtain more nutrition from carrots once they have been cooked.
Cooking carrots will help release carotenoids such as beta-carotene. Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A and we need that for healthy skin, immune systems and for healthy vision as we learned earlier. All the more reason to eat more carrot fries! This recipe also comes with a dairy-free curry dipping sauce that might just be better than ketchup!
https://eatthegains.com/healthy-carrot-fries-with-curry-dipping-sauce-2/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: EAT THE GAINS
This isn’t your traditional chili recipe and it definitely will not disappoint. Instead of ground meat, red lentils are the star of this show. They also happen to be protein-packed and a good source of fiber so you won’t miss your meat mixture anyway.
This chili also includes kale for an added dose of healthy greens and the sweet potatoes and carrots make it hearty. It’s naturally sweet yet still contains the savory flavors we love about chili. It is also thick and creamy making a perfectly healthy and comforting meal.
https://www.emilieeats.com/red-lentil-sweet-potato-and-carrot-vegan-chili/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: EMILIE EATS
There is no doubt that tacos are delicious. However, the taco shells aren’t really low-carb friendly. If you’re following the Keto diet or just simply trying to watch your carb intake then an alternative like these carrot taco shells are a great option for you.
These carrot taco shells crisp up resembling a crunchy taco shell perfectly. The shells also only call for 6 simple ingredients and take 15 minutes to make. The mixture of shredded carrot and grated cheese might just make a tastier version of store-bought tacos too.
https://www.sweetashoney.co/healthy-taco-shells-recipe-baked/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: SWEET AS HONEY
