One Hundred Dollars a Month

Do you ever get to that point in your gardening season when you start to think, “I can’t stand to eat/see one more {insert over-abundant crop here}?”  I know I do.  Then, come dead of winter, I always regret not savoring the season a little more.  Don’t it always seem to go?

This year, I am really making an effort to get the most out of every single thing I grow {or find for an awesome deal}.  In an effort to use it all up or preserve it, I thought I’d start a little series of posts on ways to diversify your harvests {not to be confused with your financial portfolio}.

Carrots are one of my favorite crops to grow.  They taste amaze-balls fresh out of the dirt and actually store really, really well.  So, here are some suggestions on ways to use ’em up:

Preserving

1. Slice ’em and freeze them.  They work great roasted or in soups and stews.  To freeze them, just wash, peel and cut them.  Then blanch them in boiling water for about 2 minutes {to preserve color}.
2. Puree and freeze them.  You can sub carrot puree for pretty much anything you would use pumpkin puree for–it just adds a different, but still delightful flavor profile.  Cook them until they are soft and then run them through your blender or food processor.
3. Make carrot cake jam.  It is jam that tastes like cake.  I shouldn’t have to sell it more than that.
4. Dehydrate them.  They work great re-hydrated in the winter months in soups and stocks.
5. Shred them and freeze them in pre-measured baggies.  Frozen carrots work great for my favorite carrot cake recipe.  {I don’t blanch shredded carrots.  I just shred them up and measure them directly into freezer bags}.
6. Can them, straight up.  I’ve never really done this one, but there are tons of how-to’s on the world wide web.
7. If you really can’t get to processing them, give them a quick scrub and toss them whole into a freezer safe bag.  Then, whenever you make chicken stock, vegetable stock, etc. you can quick grab a carrot or two and plop it in to simmer.

Ways to Enjoy Them Fresh

1. Make carrot salad.  It’s one of my favorite uses for fresh carrots.
2. Make heirloom carrot cake pancakes.  Get your veggies and your breakfast all in one.
3. They make an awesome addition to rice.
4. Add them to salads with reckless abandon.  Shredded, slice, you name it.

Desserts

1. Stay with me here:  Kale Brownies with Carrots.  Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it too?
2. Carrot coconut bread.   I contemplated giving this a breakfast category, because I totally eat this stuff for breakfast.  Quick breads are an easy way to use up lots of different kinds of veggies.
3. Old Fashion Carrot Cake Bars.  Translation:  sugar, flour, and butter with carrots.

~Mavis

Want to grow your own?  GO HERE for the low down.