As a mother, you may find it hard to make your child eat vegetables. After all, they don’t taste as good as fries or burgers or noodles. Every vegetable has its own health benefits, and carrot is no different. The orange root vegetable is packed with a variety of nutrients that are essential for maintaining good health. So, on International Carrot Day, which falls on April 4 every year, let’s go beyond gajar ki sabzi and gajar halwa. You can make your kid eat carrots by preparing delicious meals!

Health Shots reached out to Dr Namita Nadar, Dietician, Fortis Hospital Noida and she shared a long list of health benefits of carrots.

She says this root vegetable contains antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamin C, which help to strengthen the immune system.

There are foods for good eyesight, and carrot is one of them. They help to maintain healthy vision, which is why ophthalmologists always advise you to have carrots. It is also a good source of fiber, which helps to promote healthy digestion.

It has a low glycemic index, which means that they don’t cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. This makes carrots a good choice for people with diabetes.

Carrot recipes for kids

It’s easy to make healthy and tasty carrot recipes even if you want to experiment with different styles of cooking! Here are some healthy suggestions.

1. Carrot salad

Ingredients

• 2 apple slices
• 3 cups of shredded carrots
• 200 grams of pineapple chunks
• 3 tablespoons of raisins
• 1/4 cup of yogurt with a vanilla flavour
• 1/4 cup of plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• Whipped cottage cheese
• Salt (as per taste)

Method

• Mix the apple into some of the pineapple juice that has been drained. • Mix the carrots, apples, raisins, and pineapple pieces in a large bowl.
• Lemon juice, cottage cheese, yogurt, and salt should all be combined in a bowl.
• Mix well before adding the carrots and fruit mixture.
• Keep it in fridge for half an hour and then offer chilled.

2. Carrot soup

Ingredients

• 10 grams of butter
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 celery stalk, 1 chopped onion and 2 garlic cloves
• 5 cups of chopped carrots
• 1 chopped parsley
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups of water

Method

• Begin by adding oil and butter to a pan.
• Once the butter gets melted, add the onions and celery and cook until tender.
• Add garlic and parsley, and cook them for a brief period.
• Add water, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper along with the chopped carrots.
• Cook the carrots for half an hour, or until they are soft. This should be blended until smooth and then deliver it hot.

3. Carrot smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup of shredded or chopped carrots
• ½ a cup of sliced banana
• ½ a cup plain thick yogurt
• ½ a cup of milk
• ½ a cup of chopped pineapple
• 1 tablespoon of toasted walnuts
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
• A pinch of nutmeg

Method

• Blend the yogurt, milk, pineapple, walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a blender with the carrots, banana, and other ingredients until smooth to make the smoothie.
• It can be served cool or in room temperature.

4. Carrot rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup broth (vegetable or chicken)
• 1 quarter of carrot juice
• 2 tablespoon of melted butter
• ½ an onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons of parsley or coriander

Method

• Put the broth, carrot juice, and two cups of water in a pan and bring this to a simmer.
• In another pan, melt some butter and add the onions.
• Sauté the onions, and for taste, season with salt and pepper.
• Cook for four minutes after adding the rice.
• Stir in half a cup of the broth mixture until it is absorbed.
• Add cups of the broth mixture at a time until the rice is thoroughly cooked.
• Mix in a teaspoon of butter and the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.

5. Carrot dosa

Ingredients

• Dosa batter
• Grated carrots
• 1 small piece of chopped ginger
• A few chopped curry leaves
• Finely chopped coriander
• Half onion (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste

Method

• Stir in the carrots, curry leaves, ginger, coriander, and onions in the batter.
• If necessary, season with salt.
• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan.
• Spread one ladle of batter into a flat circle in the pan.
• Cook until the edges of the pan turn golden brown.
• Cook for a few seconds on the other side before flipping the dosa.
• Serve the dosa with tomato chutney on a plate.

Aren’t these interesting carrot recipes? Do try them out!