Giving Barbara a Big Hug and a Bowl of Moroccan Carrots and Couscous

Many of you probably know Barbara of the wonderful Winos and Foodies. If so, then you know that for the last two years, she has hosted A Taste of Yellow, a food blogging event featuring yellow foods, to celebrate her survival of cancer and to raise awareness of the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Sadly Barbara's cancer has returned, and she is currently undergoing another round of chemotherapy. Her dear friends, Bron of Bron Marshall and Ilva of Lucullian Delights, have organized a secret blog event in Barbara's honor so that we might all give her a "big virtual hug," and post some recipes that she might find enjoyable right now.

Barbara has been craving fresh Asian and Moroccan flavors, so I created this Moroccan Carrots and Couscous dish for her. Carrots are powerhouses of beta carotene, an antioxidant that may lower your risk of cancer, as well as lutein, which promotes ocular health. The dish also contains ginger, mint, and fennel seeds, all proven to help alleviate nausea.

Since I created this dish with Barbara in mind, I avoided sweet flavors and kept things salty and savory. However, if you'd like, you could toss in some golden raisins or drizzle the servings with some honey.



After it rained the other morning, a glorious rainbow briefly filled the sky. A symbol of peace, hope, and safe travels, a rainbow seems just right to send Barbara's way.

Moroccan Carrots and Couscous
Makes 2 main or 4 side servings
Print recipe only here.

1 pound carrots, trimmed, peeled, and sliced on the diagonal
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt, to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (about half a small lemon)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup dry couscous
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons pine nuts
a generous sprinkling of salt
6-8 large mint leaves, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place sliced carrots in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons olive oil, cayenne pepper, and salt; pour over carrots and toss until coated. Place carrots in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until carrots are tender yet crisp and have a few brown spots.

In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and ginger; set aside.

In a small dry skillet over medium, toast fennel seeds and pine nuts for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly golden and aromatic; set aside.

Place couscous and water in a microwavable bowl; cook on high for 1 minute. Rest on counter top for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in toasted fennel seeds and pine nuts, and season with salt. Stir in mint.

Place couscous in a serving bowl, top with roasted carrots, and drizzle with the lemon-olive oil dressing. Season to taste with salt, and garnish with additional mint, if desired.



You might also like these cancer-fighting dishes:

Winter Jewel Fruit Salad




Wild Arugula and Blood Orange Salad with Prosciutto




Mediterranean Wheatberry Salad with Lentils and Chickpeas

Roasted Rainbow Carrots and String Beans with Citrus-Sage Glaze

When I made these roasted carrots and string beans the other night, I immediately thought of my mom who adores them both. Like me, she often uses fresh mint on string beans, but since I had a bunch of velvety soft sage just waiting to be plucked, that's what I used. I was not disappointed.



After I made the dish I called Mom to tell her. She and Dad had finished dinner, so, of course, I asked, "What did you eat?"

"I made a nice roast pork tenderloin marinated in balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, and I served it with carrots and string beans on the side," she said.

"Carrots and string beans, together?" I asked.

"Yeah, together, with some soy sauce, mint, and toasted sesame seeds. They were sooo good," she said.

"I called to tell you that I just made carrots and string beans with citrus and sage," I said.

"See that? You're in California and I'm in Rhode Island, and we made the same thing on the same day. How do you like that?" she said, with a warm laugh. (My mom just loves when things like this happen.)

If you haven't paired carrots and string beans yet, you're in for a vegetarian treat. Mini rainbow carrots have recently graced our farmers' markets, and the string beans get longer, plumper, and greener by the week.

"Mini" carrots, unlike orange “baby”carrots, are about 5-6 inches long and come in an array of fanciful colors. They're sweeter than regular carrots because they have a higher sugar content. That's why roasting them is so brilliant-- those sugars caramelize, creating a sweet, earthy, tangy flavor that is only enhanced by any variety of fresh herbs.

Carrots are highly nutritious as well. They are powerhouses of beta carotene, an antioxidant that lowers your risk of cancer, as well as lutein, which promotes ocular health. The Purple Haze carrots, like I used in my recipe, are high in the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to a reduced risk of macular degeneration as well as a reduced risk of many types of cancer including breast, colorectal, and esophageal.

String beans are high in vitamins A and C, important health-promoting antioxidants. So the combination of the two vegetables is a double whammy of cancer-fighting nutrients, which is why I'm sending this recipe to my friend Chris of Melecotte.

Chris is one of the first bloggers I met online. She's warm, funny, and generous. She's also a cancer survivor. April 29th marks her 7th year anniversary of being cancer-free, and to celebrate, she's hosting her Cooking to Combat Cancer event for the second year. Even if you don't know Chris, I'm sure you or someone you know has been affected by cancer. So why not send a cancer fighting recipe to Chris by April 29th?

Here's wishing Chris and all cancer survivors many more years of good health and good eating.



Roasted Carrots and String Beans with Citrus-Sage Glaze
Makes 4 servings
Print recipe only here.

1/2 pound mini rainbow carrots, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced lengthwise**
3/4 pound string beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice
coarse sea salt and 6-7 cranks of fresh black pepper
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place carrots and string beans in a large rectangular baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt & pepper. Pour over vegetables and toss until coated. Cover tightly with tinfoil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tinfoil. Add honey and fresh sage and toss to coat. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender yet crisp and a few brown spots appear.

Transfer vegetables to a platter or large bowl and drizzle with juices from the baking dish. Season with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and garnish with additional sage, if desired.

**I used mini rainbow carrots, but any type of carrot is fine. I recommend slicing them to the approximate size of the string beans so they will cook evenly.

You might also like these nutritious cancer-fighting dishes:

• Creamy goat cheese and beet green pasta
• Wild arugula and blood orange salad with prosciutto
  
• Shrimp tacos with citrus-avocado salsa
• Potato, pepper, and onion frittata
• Goat cheese and poblano quesadillas with habanero salsa
  

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Why I Live in California Reason #2: Carrots

Despite grueling traffic, exorbitant real estate prices, and perpetual smog, Jeff and I have decided to stay in Southern California when he completes his residency in June. We have discussed this ad nauseum: we have wonderful families back in RI, the reimbursement is higher and the cost of living is lower there, and not to mention, there's no good Italian bread here.

There is no single reason we have made this decision, but one factor stands out above others: the weather. It's probably why most of the 15 million people who call Southern California home choose to live here. For Jeff and me, the second factor is one my food blog friends can appreciate: the produce.

Recently at our farmers’ market Jeff and I chatted with Neil, a local farmer, who is originally from London. (We adore London, the site of our honeymoon.) Curious why an aesthete Brit would move to Southern California, I asked Neil why he stays here.

“The weather,” he said. “I simply can’t live without the sun, and it’s sunny here all the time.”

“But don't you miss London with its rich history and culture?" I asked.

“Look, London is great,” he said, “but it’s always grey and rainy. In fact, I believe summer fell on a Wednesday there last year.”

Neil has a brilliant personality; so does his produce. He is from Weiser Family Farms where they sell organic, charismatic produce: blithe blue potatoes, cheeky green and purple cauliflower, and cheerful colored carrots.


Every week market-goers animatedly question him about his unique produce, which lately has included Jerusalem artichokes, Romanesco cauliflower, and crosne (Chinese artichokes, pictured below).

Neil, like so many farmers, is always informative; he teaches you about the produce and offers cooking tips and recipes as well.

One of our favorite vegetables from Weiser Family Farms is carrots. Not prosaic orange carrots, but kaleidoscope carrots with appealing names: Yellowstone (ripe lemon yellow), Purple Haze (rich, royal maroon), Nantes (deep pumpkin orange), and Atomic Red (firecracker red).


Unlike the orange “baby”carrots you find in the supermarket, these “mini” or "rainbow" carrots are about 5-6 inches long and come in a variety of colors. Though delicious raw, I prefer to roast them, allowing their natural sugars to caramelize. They are enhanced with any variety of fresh herbs; for this recipe, I used savory fresh thyme and chives which contrast beautifully with the carrots’ sweetness.

Carrots are as healthy as they are delicious (as I learned from researching my Fit Fare post). They are powerhouses of beta carotene, an antioxidant that lowers your risk of cancer, as well as lutein, which promotes ocular health. If you're crazy about carrots, then check out the World Carrot Museum. Yup. There's a virtual museum for carrots with more than you'd ever care to know about the world's #2 vegetable (potato is #1).

I am submitting this post to the Meeta for this month's Monthly Mingle which features spring food.

I also wish to apologize to Tigerfish of the delicious Teczcape who tagged me a while back about a favorite food gem, to which I have not had the chance to reply. It's clear that Neil and Weiser Family Farms is a diamond among jewels and an easy choice for "favorite food gem."

Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Makes 4 servings.
Print recipe only here.

Carrots:
1 lb. mini carrots, peeled or unpeeled (any color/variety available to you)
1-2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
A generous sprinkling of salt and pepper

Glaze:
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
A couple of pinches of lemon zest
2 tsp honey
Salt and pepper, to taste
Additional chopped fresh thyme and chives for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and peel carrots, and pat dry. (I actually leave the skin on since it is so tender and full of nutrients). Lay carrots on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil. Add chives, thyme, and salt & pepper. Toss well to coat. Roast for about 15-20 min., turning once. The skins should slightly brown and blister.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey until well combined. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Drizzle glaze over the cooked carrots, and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh thyme and chives.



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