Carrot Salad

This is a tasty side for any grilled protein. It's easy, colorful, made from ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen and can be made ahead of time. In fact, I think the flavor improves everyday it rests in your refrigerator. It's my version of a Nigella Lawson recipe, that she calls "the Rainbow Room's Carrot and Peanut Salad." There are a lot of carrot salad recipes out there, but this is by far my favorite. 

I like to spriralize my carrots. If you've ever considered purchasing a spiralizer, now is the time to get one. Chances are you have a little extra time on your hands right now. I find spending it doing things like turning everyday carrots into playful "coodles" is satisfying and I dare say restorative. I like to call it food therapy. I love my Paderno spiralizer. It's like a Play-Doh Fun Factory for grown ups. If new kitchen tools don't bring a smile to your face like they do for me, a good old fashioned shredding on a box grater works too. 

As the weather warms up and we all begin to fire up our grills, this salad is a sunny alternative to the same old slaw or your everyday day mixed green salad. I'm guessing that right about now, all our menus could all use a little cheering up. 

These days, if I'm not designing reusable cloth masks or whipping up something in my kitchen, I'm watching the governor's briefing. The family knows- no talking during Cuomo.

Chances are, you already have these ingredients in your pantry.

Coodles (carrot-noodles.) What's not fun about that?

The humble box grater, an alternative to the spiralizer. I rescued this box grater from my
grandmother's kitchen so many years ago. In a pinch, it still does the job.

Carrot Salad

About 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tbl red wine vinegar

2 tbl sesame oil

4 medium carrots, washed and peeled

2/3 dry roasted, salted peanuts

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro 

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine red wine vinegar and sesame oil.

2. Spiralize or grate your carrots and add them to the mixing bowl.

3. Add chopped peanuts and cilantro. Toss.

4. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with remaining peanuts and enjoy.