You can read more about these health benefits here.  And, you can find lots of great carrot recipes below, recipes that were brought to our most recent recipe swap, listed in alphabetical order.

Carrot Cake

submitted by dorota a.  •  prep time | 30 min  •  total time | 1 hr 40 min  •  difficulty | average

Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese (room temp.)
1/2 cup butter (room temp.)
1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Carrot Cake:
2 cups sugar, granulated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups canola oil
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups carrots, grated
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Cream Cheese Frosting:
In an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and butter on high until smooth. Then add confectioners’ sugar. Continue to beat on high until the lumps have all dissolve. Finally, beat in vanilla extract and lemon juice on low speed until the frosting is completely mixed.

Carrot Cake:
In a large mixing bowl combine, sugar, flour, salt, spices, and baking soda. Add oil to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add eggs; beat in one at a time.
Once the batter is properly mixed, stir in carrots and walnuts. Pour the cake batter into a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 F for 60 to 70 minutes or until golden brown.
Once cake has cooled, frost the cake.

Additional Information:
You can bake the cake in a regular 9″ x 13″ pan.

Carrot Crescents

submitted by becky r.  •  prep time | 20 min  •  total time | 1 hour  •  makes | 6 servings  • difficulty | difficult

Ingredients:

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Crescent Seamless Dough Sheet*
1 egg (whisked with 1 teaspoon of water to make an egg wash)
yellow and red liquid food coloring (the kind from the grocery store is fine for this recipe)
1 1/2 cups of your favorite egg, ham or chicken salad (I’ll include my chicken salad recipe below)
1 bunch of fresh dill or parsley

Special Equipment Needed:
pizza cutter or knife
6 metal cream horn molds
pastry brush
non-stick aluminum foil lined baking sheets

Chicken Salad:
2 Boneless Chicken breast halves, cooked
1 Stalk celery
4T Cole slaw dressing
1/4 Cup mayo or veganaise
3 T carrots
1 t onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
MIX all together in food processor until well chopped.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unroll the Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet onto a cutting board. Use a pizza cutter or a knife to cut the dough lengthwise into 6 equal strips. Brush one strip with egg wash.

Roll the strip into a 17″-18″ long log. I rolled the strip of dough up into a tube and pinched the seam shut. Then I rolled out the dough into a thinner, longer log by pushing and rolling the log with both hands

Repeat, brushing egg wash onto each dough strip before rolling each into logs.Create 6 logs.

Wrap one dough log around each cream horn mold, trying to keep the seam side against the metal mold. Repeat. Be sure your dough does not hang over the open end of the cream horn mold, as it will make it difficult to remove once baked.

Line a baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper. Squeeze about 30 drops of yellow food coloring into a small bowl. Add one or two drops of red. Stir to create orange. Brush the orange food coloring all over each carrot shaped dough. Set carrots on lined baking sheet.

Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. I suggest rotating the pan half way through the baking cycle for even browning. Allow carrot crescents to cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove the cream horn form by holding the carrot in one hand and using the other hand to twist the mold and gently pull it out.

Fill each Carrot Crescent with egg salad or ham salad. Press a few sprigs of dill or parsley into the egg salad for a decorative effect. Your carrots will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but are best served the day they are baked. Fill your carrots just before serving.

Additional Information:

You can view the blog post where Becky found this neat idea here, complete with step-by-step pictures.

Carrot Rice

submitted by carrie h.  •  prep time | 15 min  •  total time | 35 min  •  makes | 6  • difficulty | difficult

Ingredients:

1 Cup Basmati Rice
2 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Roasted Peanuts
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Onion, Sliced
1 Teaspoon Minced Fresh Ginger Root
3/4 Cup Grated Carrots
Salt to Taste
Cayenne Pepper to Taste
Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Directions:

1. Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and allow to steam until tender, about 20 minutes.

2. While rice is cooking, grind peanuts in a blender and set aside. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned golden brown about 10 minutes. Stir in ginger, carrots, and salt to taste. Reduce heat to low and cover to stam 5 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper and peanuts. When rice is done, add it to skillet and stir gently to combine with other ingredients. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Additional Information:

Courtesy: allrecipes.com

Chicken Pot Pie

submitted by tami z.  •  makes | 4-6  •  difficulty | average

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp Italian dressing
2 cups frozen mixed veggies (including carrots for this swap!)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 pound Velveeta Cheese cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Cook and stir chicken in dressing in skillet on medium until chicken is done. Stir in veggies and soup and spoon into greased 9″ square baking dish. Top with cheese.
2. Unfold pastry sheet and cut into 1/2 inch to 1 inch wide strips. Lay strips in rows about 1/2 apart. Fold every other strip half way back and starting in the center, add strips and right angles, lifting every other strip as the cross strips are put down. Repeat until a lattice top is formed. Trim strips even with dish.
3. Brush with egg and bake for 30 minutes at 400 or until crust is golden brown.

Additional Information:

Cutting pastry with a fluted edge blade (crinkle cutter or pastry wheel) makes it look fancy, but you can use a regular knife just the same as well. You can also use the whole pastry sheet if you want a solid top instead of the lattice — just cut a few slits in the top.

Chicken Pot Pie

submitted by marci s.  •  prep time | 15 min  •  total time | 45 min  •  makes | 6  • difficulty | easy

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (CARROTS, peas, corn, etc.)
1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 400ºF. Mix vegetables, chicken and soup in ungreased 2-quart casserole. Stir remaining ingredients in small bowl with fork until blended. Pour into casserole. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Additional Information:

This recipe is from www.bettycrocker.com

Easy Chinese Stir Fry

submitted by jodi r.  •   prep time | 10 min  •  total time | 30 min  •  makes | 4  •  difficulty | easy

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices
4 carrots, sliced
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing
2 Tbsp. hoisin sause (substitution: 1 part ketchup, 1 part molasses)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup white rice

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high. Add meat and sliced carrots; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in dressing and hoisin sauce; stir-fry for 7 minutes, or until carrots are tender and crisp (stir frequently.) Add onions. Cook an additional minute. Serve over hot cooked white rice.

Italian Pasta Salad

submitted by sarah b.  •  prep time | 15 min  •  total time | 3 hours  •  makes | 12  • difficulty | easy

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope Italian or Zesty Italian dressing mix
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 cup chopped red peppers
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup sliced carrots
3 cups tri-color rotini pasta

Directions:

Mix first 3 ingredients until well blended. Stir in vegetables. Fold in pasta.  Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Shepherd’s Pie

submitted by lois v.  •  prep time | 30 min  •  total time | 1 hr  •  makes | 8  • difficulty | easy

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
Salt & pepper to taste
1 can carrots, drained
1 can peas, drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cook ground beef in large skillet over med/high heat breaking it up into small pieces.
Add salt & pepper.
Drain any grease.
Add onions cook and stir ’till onions are lightly browned.
Then add carrots, peas, and cream of mushroom soup.
Stir all together.
Put into casserole or pie plate.
Mix mashed potatoes and cheese together.
Layer on top of meat mixture.
Put in oven and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Additional Information:

This is a good way to use up leftovers.  Vary vegetables as needed.

Spiced Carrots

submitted by lisa h.  •   total time | 20 min  •  makes | 8-10  •  difficulty | average

Ingredients:

2 lb carrots
1 can tomato soup
2 onion, sliced
2 green pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 c sugar
1/4 c. vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard

Directions:

Cook carrots until tender. Chop onion and green pepper and saute in butter. Add tomato soup to vegetables. Add remaining ingredients and simmer about 15 min. Serve hot or cold!

Additional Information:

You could add a can of crushed pineapple!

•••
Thanks to all the ladies who have attended our recipe swaps, here are some other delicious recipes to try:

Recipe Swap | 5 Ingredients or Less

Recipe Swap | Appetizers & Desserts

Recipe Swap | Brunch

Recipe Swap | Carrots

Recipe Swap | Cookout Time!

Recipe Swap | Green

Recipe Swap | Healthy Eating!

Recipe Swap | Holiday Favorites

Recipe Swap | Italian Foods

Recipe Swap | Mexican Foods

Recipe Swap | Pinterest Inspired

Recipe Swap | Pizzas

Recipe Swap | Something Cold

Recipe Swap | Something I Make Every Week

Recipe Swap | Soups, Salads, & Breads

Infused Water: Simple & Refreshing