Curry Carrot Salad
I am not even going to try to pretend. I am a flavor junkie who is always in search of different taste combinations that delight the palate. I love experimenting with food and coming up with new raw food recipes. Or new healthy twists on old recipes.
It seems that the healthier I eat, the more I want to challenge myself. And my latest challenge is to seriously cut down on fat but still feel like I am eating a luxurious meal.
You see, I have passed the 50 mark. In fact, I passed it a couple of years ago. Things change and even the term “healthy fat” takes on a whole new meaning. Is it an oxymoron? Not in every case. But I believe that we are drawn to believe that since things like nuts and coconut oil are considered to have health benefits, we don’t need to worry how much we consume.
I always cringe when people think that just because it’s raw (ie the desserts we all love so much), I can have a raw cheesecake for breakfast and it’s still healthy. If you would normally sit down to a bowl of cashews, coconut oil and sweetener for breakfast, then by all means go for it. But I would highly suggest that a better breakfast would be one that served up a whole dose of nutrients including the wonderful phytonutrients we get from fruits, veggies and greens.
Don’t get me wrong. Raw desserts are fabulous. But they are desserts and should be treated as such. Too many desserts, dehydrated nut-based crackers and the like can tip the scales in an undesirable way. Both for your weight and for your health.
That said, there are healthy ways to use nuts to add that little hint of creamy decadence that we all love. This delightful curry carrot salad has only 4 grams of fat per serving. The carrots are spiked with pea pods, pineapple, raisins and scallions and topped off with a delicious spicy curry sauce. Great for lunch or dinner, this salad is another recipe that you could easily take as a dish to pass and share, or entertain with! I am planning on bringing it to a get-together on Monday night!
If you love playing with ingredients, you will love my favorite go to book, The Flavor Bible
Curry Carrot Salad
SERVES 6
Salad
- 4 cups grated carrots, (approximately 10 medium carrots, grated)
- 2 cups snow peas, sliced into 1/2-inch long pieces
- 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
- 1/2 to 1 cup raisins
- I bunch scallions, sliced thin
Curry Dressing
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked for at least 6 hours and drained (I like these: Navitas Cashews
)
- 1/2 cup fresh almond milk (you can use water but it won’t be as flavorful)
- 2 teaspoons sweet yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon nama shoyu (or low sodium tamari)
- 1 tablespoon liquid sweetener of choice (I used raw, organic agave)
- Himalayan salt to taste
- Toss carrots, snow peas, pineapple, raisins and scallions together in a large bowl.
- Place all dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour dressing over salad and mix through to coat all pieces.
Chyrl wrote on August 2, 2013
I have a question about the agave. I may be asking a redundant question since you are using it but… 🙂 With all the talk about agave and the high fructose content and high temperature processing methods, what are your thoughts on the health risks of using it? I am a little confused because I see people using it in raw vegan dishes which lends me to believe it must be thought to be a healthy alternative to sugar or honey but then I hear that it is potentially harmful and we shouldn’t use it. Im hoping you can shed some light on this. And… I love your recipes and site! Fabulous.
Kyle Cullen wrote on August 2, 2013
Me and my girlfriend just had this for dinner and it was lovely. We switched the raisins for dried cranberries and added sweetcorn. We are trying to add a raw meal or two to our week and we definitely didn’t miss anything cooked with this one.
My girlfriend thinks it’ll be a good addition to a picnic 🙂
Faith wrote on August 2, 2013
looks like a great one, Hare Krishna!
Heather @Gluten-Free Cat wrote on August 2, 2013
Well said! And what a delicious salad. I love that just a few nuts increase the creaminess. Great lesson to learn! And I adore The Flavor Bible and don’t know what I’d do without it!
Heather
Shannon wrote on August 1, 2013
Simply awesome! Raw perfection! Thank you Susan for getting me super healthy and educated!
Suzanne @ hello, veggy! wrote on August 1, 2013
I just came across your blog; love it and love this recipe!
Christina Gee wrote on August 1, 2013
Hi Susan – great looking recipe! Can’t wait to give it a go.
Was just wondering what you mean by ‘I have passed the 50 mark’? Sounds interesting! 🙂
Susan wrote on August 1, 2013
Lol…50 years…
Marta @ What Should I eat for breakfast today wrote on August 1, 2013
I am a flavor junkie as well 🙂 Your salat looks interesting and by ingredients I may say I’ll like it 🙂
Lisa wrote on August 1, 2013
You have answered my prayers! I just started cooking for a family who is looking for more Indian-inspired raw dishes and I was at a loss-thank you for this wonderful dish!