Carrots are a kitchen workhorse. They’re second only to onions as one of the most common ingredients in our savory, and occasionally sweet, recipes.  They go in our salads, stews and soups. We eat them raw with dip, roast them, or quickly sauté them for dinner.

Spiced Carrot Soup with Lime is a recipe that moves away from the traditional, one-dimensional, sweet, thick carrot soup.  Using a technique known as tarka in Indian cuisine, cumin and mustard seeds are sizzled in coconut oil, adding extra flavor.  Ingredients needed for this creation include coconut oil, medium onions, chopped ginger, minced garlic, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, salt, young carrots, daikon radish, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, serrano pepper, cilantro leaves and lime wedges.

This soup may be served hot from the pot for dinner, or it may be served chilled during the day.  It is best with young, long and slender carrots, which are considered fresher and tastier than the carrots from jumbo bags.

Carrots are a vegetable with many health benefits, including the improvement of vision.  Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the liver.  Vitamin A is transformed in the retina, to rhodopsin, a purple pigment necessary for night vision.  Beta-carotene has also been shown to protect against macular degeneration and senile cataracts.  Carrots also help prevent cancer, slow down aging, promote healthier skin, and help prevent infection.

Now is a good time of year to enjoy just-harvested new-crop carrots.  So let’s get cooking!

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