24-caret Carrots?

If you haven't tasted freshly picked carrots, you've missed out on the true flavor of the vegetable. Growing up, we always ate store-bought carrots, and I thought they were good. I'd willingly eat them whenever they were offered. But, man oh man, the first time Jay brought me a carrot fresh from the garden, I realized what I was missing. I don't know if it's the sugar content or just a more vibrant flavor, but they are delicious.

Of course, carrots are good for your eye sight. But, did you know the vitamin A they provide is also good for your skin and immune system? Unlike many vegetables, cooking carrots actually increases their vitamin content, increasing the vitamin A from 150 to 270 percent of your daily recommended amount.

The Fruits and Veggies Matter site, which I use for most of my nutritional info, made me laugh a bit tonight. It says, "Pick carrots that are deep orange in color." They obviously don't know how Jay gardens. The site goes on to say, "More beta carotene is present in carrots that have a darker orange color. " So, I did some research. Do the other colors have less nutritional value? According to this source, they actually provide more health benefits. Even more reason to pick a purple carrot. If you are interested in this science behind it, here's what they wrote:

Anthocyanins and pigments of the flavonoid (as opposed to carotenoid) class are found in purple carrots. In the human body these pigments act as powerful antioxidants, immobilizing harmful free radicals. Anthocyanins can also help reduce the risk of heart disease by slowing blood clotting.

This year, we will have four different colors of carrots: orange, yellow, red, and purple. The red and purple will be planted this fall, but this orange and yellow varieties (Napoli, Yaya, Nelson, Mokum, and Amarillo) are now big enough for harvest. The ones I pulled tonight are about 7 inches long and about an inch in diameter. Their skins are so tender, there is no need to peel.

Most of the time, we eat carrots raw or boiled to fork-tender with a bit of butter. To change things up, I might sweeten them with honey (also from our Farmers Market), agave nectar, or a bit of ginger. I love that, when I ask our girls what they want for supper, Natalie will always say, "how 'bout tarrots!"

Earlier this year, there was a month or so when we had more carrots than customers. That gave me a chance to try out some new carrot recipes, stretch my culinary wings. Here are a few my favorites:

• Paula Deen's Carrot Souffle
• Simple Roasted Carrots
• And, of course, Jay's amazing Cream-Cheese-Filled Carrot Cake

24-caret Carrots?