Happy 2015! I took a few weeks off of blogging – spent time with family and friends, enjoyed the holidays, read a few cookbooks, relaxed a lot – and now I’m back in the game with this super simple and majorly delicious carrot salad! I’m tempted to say this is for a New Year’s healthy eating resolution, but it’s not. It just happens to be a healthy salad that came about from me getting a new vegetable peeler that I’m in love with. It’s got a super sharp blade, is light and easy to hold and really fun to use…plus it’s very inexpensive! I did make one resolution this year, though, and that was to give more high fives. Yeah!
So, instead of resolutions, which for some reason is just too daunting to me, I wrote down a list of food/cooking goals for this year:
- Learn to cook rice (i can’t get it right, it’s just…hard for me)
- Make more bean dishes (i have loads of dried beans, i need to use them darn it!)
- Experiment with 2 – 3 ingredient ice creams
- Incorporate more tempeh into meals
- Make veggie burgers and freeze them for week night meals
- Use more oats
- Experiment with biscuits – sweet, savory, toppings, sauces
- Cook more things “whole” – cauliflower, cabbage, squash
- Incorporate more vegan meals into our diet
Most of these are pretty simple things, nothing too major, but they’re things I’ve been meaning to do and it feels good to finally have them written down. To start things off with a bang, this vegan carrot salad is EVERYTHING! There are few ingredients involved and you don’t even make a separate dressing – you just squeeze lime juice right on top of the salad and drizzle with walnut or olive oil and a little agave nectar. The seasoning comes from a sprinkle of cumin powder and a little course salt. Toasted sunflower seeds give it that nutty balance and cilantro ties it all together.
This is perfect as a side salad, or make it the main entree by adding some chickpeas, avocado slices and golden raisins. I’ve already made this twice for my family and it’s on the menu again this week for packing lunches. Quick and easy, no separate dressing containers, and super healthy!
I’m so over juilienned carrots…shredding is WAY easier! Grab a vegetable peeler and a carrot (peel on) and shred away! I had these lovely orange and purple carrots from a bonus winter CSA box!
Just a smidge of agave nectar helps balance the acidity of the lime. I like walnut oil for it’s light, nutty flavor, but olive oil would also be good.
Scoop up the carrot shreds and divide them among serving bowls.
Sprinkle some sunflower seeds, chopped cilantro, cumin powder, and course salt on top. Zest a bit of lime over each salad before cutting it in half to juice. There aren’t any measurements to this salad, just add the amount you like – taste and adjust.
Squeeze half of a lime over each salad and drizzle with just a bit of agave nectar and walnut oil. The carrot shines and the ingredients are simple but the flavors are huge! High fives all around!
This recipe has been submitted to the Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck.
Shredded Carrot Salad with Cilantro and Lime
handful of cilantro, chopped
toasted sunflower seeds
1 – 2 limes
cumin powder
course salt
agave nectar
walnut oil or olive oil
Divide the carrot shreds among serving bowls. To each salad, add desired amount of chopped cilantro, toasted sunflower seeds, lime zest, cumin powder (roughly 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon each) and course salt. Cut the lime in half and squeeze juice over each salad; one-half of lime per salad. Drizzle with agave nectar and walnut oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
Alternatively, you can add all the ingredients to a medium bowl, mix, and serve. Enjoy!
the Seasonal Veg Head 
LOVED YOU RECIPE—– WE ARE MEAT FREE– SUGAR FREE– GLUTEN FREE– GMO FREE AS POSSIBLE– & TOXIC CHEMICAL FREE IN OUR EATING—— AND I GAVE UP ON RICE & BOUGHT A RICE STEAMER- MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!!!! 🙂 I MAKE ICE CREAM IN OUR VITA-MIX WITH FROZEN FRUIT– & COCONUT MILK—–& SINCE WE ARE VEGETARIANS – I MAKE TONS OF BEAN DISHES!!!! YOU GO GIRL—- YOU & YOUR FAMILY WILL TOTALLY BENEFIT FROM YOUR CHOICES!!!!!!!!!
Awesome!! Thanks so much for the for suggestions! 🙂
This looks delicious and I almost always have these ingredients on hand. I think my daughter would like this. I’ll have to try it. Thank you!
Great, I hope you and your daughter like it! It’s kinda addicting, which is a good thing for a salad this simple and healthy!
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