Obviously this is the orange dip in the photo and very delicious it is too. I can eat the whole batch myself with a teaspoon quite happily. It's quite Middle Eastern in flavour and goes well as part of a mezze, in wraps at lunch or just with chopped up raw veg and warm pitta bread.
500g organic carrots
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika (smoked if you have it)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple balsamic (or other good sharp vinegar)
Salt to taste
Roughly chop the carrots and put in a pan (there is no need to peel them if you have organic ones). Cover with boiling water and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the carrots and leave in the sieve.
Heat the oil in the pan and add the peeled garlic, cooked carrots and spices. Cook on a gentle heat for a couple of minutes.
Remove from heat and add vinegar. Puree with a hand blender (or if you prefer you can mash by hand but the texture will be less smooth) until just blended.
Season to taste.
Variation:
Replace 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with 20 grams of nuts or seeds for a earthy flavour and slightly grainy texture - hazelnuts, brazil nuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds all work very well.
Arthritis diet notes:
Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant, which your body also turns into vitamin A. Beta-carotene has been shown to be protective against some cancers and some studies have shown that those with rheumatoid arthritis have low levels of it.
500g organic carrots
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika (smoked if you have it)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple balsamic (or other good sharp vinegar)
Salt to taste
Roughly chop the carrots and put in a pan (there is no need to peel them if you have organic ones). Cover with boiling water and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the carrots and leave in the sieve.
Heat the oil in the pan and add the peeled garlic, cooked carrots and spices. Cook on a gentle heat for a couple of minutes.
Remove from heat and add vinegar. Puree with a hand blender (or if you prefer you can mash by hand but the texture will be less smooth) until just blended.
Season to taste.
Variation:
Replace 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with 20 grams of nuts or seeds for a earthy flavour and slightly grainy texture - hazelnuts, brazil nuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds all work very well.
Arthritis diet notes:
Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant, which your body also turns into vitamin A. Beta-carotene has been shown to be protective against some cancers and some studies have shown that those with rheumatoid arthritis have low levels of it.
Cumin is used in traditional herbal medicine to soothe digestion which might help you if you find your arthritis medication causes you a sore tummy or nausea,
