Carrot Salad with Balsamic Dressing

 

A Desert Observation

The yellow fruit from the barrel cactus is a desirable treat for the javelinas. So during the evening, while one is asleep, they are out and about in herds, munching along the neighborhood, feasting. But what's new for me to see are the pinkish buds above the yellow fruit. Obviously, the javelinas overlooked our yard when out on their nightly adventures. Most of the time, the barrel cacti are "picked dry" by morning.

Carrot Salad  with Balsamic Dressing 

Cook's Notes: I realize this salad photo does not look like the carrot salad I had planned to post. Again, I was an epic failure at sticking to the recipe Michael recently posted at Inspired by Charm. https://inspiredbycharm.com/roasted-carrot-salad/ I gave the recipe an Ever Ready twist to make it customizable using simple ingredients. Options to add include diced cucumbers, dried cranberries, and toasted nuts.

The recipe serves 4, but you can easily increase the ingredients to serve more.

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups diced carrots  (1/4 inch thickness) 
• Olive Oil
• Honey
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 clove of garlic, minced 
• 1/3 cup diced red onions 
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup walnuts or almonds
• 1/4  cup pepitas  
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• Shredded romaine

Directions:

• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Slice carrots on the bias.
• Place carrots in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and honey. 
• Add in parsley flakes, minced garlic, cranberries, nuts, and diced red onions. Mix well. 
• Spread carrot mixture out on a baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. 
• Plate with shredded romaine and top with carrot mixture. Drizzle with balsamic dressing 

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons good quality dark balsamic vinegar or Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3-4 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 4 tablespoons  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:

• Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix well. 
• Store in a screw-type jar and refrigerate leftovers.