Orange-yellow, green, blue-purple…this salad of fresh root vegetables, licorice-flavored fennel bulb, and citrus is a vitamin drenched edible rainbow!

Carrots are in our local farm markets in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. All are terrific cancer-fighting vegetables, high in beta-carotene and potassium. Carrots are naturally sweet and vary in sweetness according to size and color… the brighter the color, the more intense the flavor. Look for firm carrots with smooth skins and choose carrots sold with greens attached when possible. It is not necessary to peel fresh, young carrots. If time is an issue, pre-packaged, table-ready carrots should also have the best quality during the traditional growing season.

Fennel is a spring and early summer vegetable that has such a refreshing flavor that it serves as a breath freshener and digestive aid in some cultures. It is a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Fresh, local citrus dressing adds vitamin C to our salad. Choose juicy Meyer lemons for a sweeter, deeper flavor. You can substitute the dressing recipe for a bottled low-fat slaw dressing with added citrus juice and zest. Try fresh or pre-cut cabbage slaw with shaved fennel for a milder flavor. Use the slaw as a topping for grilled fish, poultry or baked tofu.

Ingredients
2 cups carrots, grated
2 cups fennel, thinly shaved
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro, parsley or herb of choice, chopped
½ cup orange sections, for garnish

Dressing:
¼ cup juice and zest of a lemon and ½ orange
2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
¼ teaspoon garlic, frozen cube or minced
½ teaspoon coriander, ground
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine dressing ingredients. Toss vegetables and herb with the dressing. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to intensify flavors. Garnish with orange sections.

# of Cups: 4
Calories per cup: 55
Vegetable Servings: 4

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Source: The Healthy Table

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 at 3:54 pm and is filed under Recipe Buzz. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.