Reading Time: 3 minutesPart of the trick of eating well and staying with your food plan is having ingredients on hand that hold well and are flexible in their use.
A bag of organic whole carrots is a great thing to keep on hand. Raw carrots sticks can be a portable snack food, can be cooked as a colorful side dish, and are useful as a vegetable ingredient in different soups.
Another handy item to keep on hand are apples. But, I always buy organic apples — and let me explain why.
A study on apples grown in Poland, Health risk for children and adults consuming apples with pesticide residue, looked at 182 pesticides. (Who knew there were so many different pesticides that could be used on apples!) Multiple residues were detected in 35% of the samples.
These pesticides do not come off when you polish the apples on your shirt or rinse them in water. Some of these pesticides even penetrate the peel. So, all that makes a compelling case to me to always buy organic apples or do without them if I can’t find organic ones.
Note: if, for whatever reason, you are unable to buy all organic produce, it is great idea to consult the Environmental Working Group Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. These lists can help you prioritize which items are most important to purchase organic.
So, the bottom line of all that is: since I keep some carrots in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator and organic apples on the counter, I can put this carrot apple salad together at the last minute for a refreshing burst of sweetness and tang.
Carrot Apple Salad with Vinaigrette
Since I always keep some carrots in the vegetable drawer and organic apples on the counter, I can put this salad together at the last minute for a refreshing burst of sweetness and tang.
Ingredients
- 4 cups carrot grated (about 4-6 carrots)
- 1-2 organic apples cored (but not peeled) and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1-2 cloves garlic pressed or minced (about 1/2 tablespoon)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 lemon zested and juiced skip if you haven’t got the lemon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
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Place carrots and apples in a medium bowl.
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In small bowl or jar, combine: white wine vinegar, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Mix well.
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Pour vinaigrette over carrots and apples. Toss until combined.
Recipe Notes
For a fancier variation: switch out the olive oil for walnut oil, and top the salad with 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
After many years on a low-fat vegetarian diet, she made a complete turn-around after studying the work of Dr. Weston A. Price. She is now an enthusiastic supporter of the nourishing benefits of traditional foods and fats, especially butter.
Currently she is writing a cookbook integrating her love of cooking, gardening, and home remedies. When not writing, she is enjoying her family of two boys, six ducks, four chickens, two cats, and her chiropractor husband, Darrel Crain.
