carrots Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing)

Naturally sweet and slightly tangy, Carrot Ginger Dressing is a light, refreshing salad dressing that is simply irresistible! (It’s like your favorite Japanese restaurant dressing, only fresher!)

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

There’s a little place near my house – Mr Bento’s – that serves the best teriyaki salmon burger! I always order it in a meal, which arrives on a quarter-sheet pan with four pot stickers and a cold, crisp green salad on the side. I look forward to that side salad nearly as much as the salmon burger itself: I just can’t resist that delicious Carrot Ginger Salad Dressing!

But like many of you, we’ve been eating home more lately. At one point about a month ago, I was jonesing hard for something fresh and light and bright to satisfy my umami urges. All I wanted in life was a big green salad doused with Mr Bento’s dressing. No salmon burger. No potstickers. Just the salad.

So I decided to figure out how to make Carrot Ginger Dressing for myself. Honestly, I was blown away when I learned how easy this salad dressing is to make!

Carrot Ginger Dressing ingredients on pan

Carrot Ginger Dressing has a simple, pantry-friendly list of ingredients.

I was a youth during the Japanese Steak-house trend of the late 80’s/early 90’s, and Carrot Ginger dressing has always been a favorite of mine, so I was thrilled to add this recipe to our rotation. If you aren’t making your own salad dressings yet, consider this: most dressings (including this one) take less than ten minutes to mix up. You save a ton of money, and the food you eat is fresher and healthier.

The only downside is, homemade dressings do not last ten or twelve months in the fridge. (On the other hand, is that really a downside?)

(If you love versatile, delicious, all-natural salad dressings, be sure to check out our Original Taco House Feista Dressing recipe too!)

This easy blender dressing recipe has so many great things going for it: it’s super-fast to pull together, naturally dairy-free and vegan, and has no added sugar. (The carrots add just the right amount of sweetness.)

In addition to the fabulous flavor, one of the things I love most about this dressing is the stunning color it brings to the plate, especially when paired with leafy greens.

One significant change I made to the basic list of ingredients was to add a teaspoon of orange zest to the mix, which enhances and brightens the natural carrot and ginger flavors.

5 from 2 votes

Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing)

Naturally sweet and slightly tangy, Carrot Ginger Dressing is a light, refreshing salad dressing that is simply irresistible! (It’s like your favorite Japanese restaurant dressing, only fresher!)

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian Fusion

Keyword: carrots, ginger, Sauce

Servings: servings

Calories: 57kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Blender

Ingredients

½ pound coarsely chopped carrots
⅓ cup extra-light olive oil or other light, neutral oil
⅓ cup fresh ginger peeled & coarsely chopped [1.5 ounces]
3 tablespoons red onion coarsely chopped
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon water as needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare (i.e., peel, chop, etc.) all ingredients as listed.
Combine all ingredients in blender cup.
Blend until smooth.
If your dressing seems too thick, you can thin it with a little more water.
Personally, I prefer to make this dressing quite thick, and then add water as needed. That way, it can also double as a dip.

Notes

Dressing may be refrigerated for a two weeks. (Probably longer, but it doesn't last that long at our house.)

Nutrition

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This Carrot Ginger Dressing isn’t just for salad! Try it on salmon (so good!) or other grilled fish, rice, spring rolls, sautéed greens, sandwiches, noodles, steak, shrimp, and roasted vegetables.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Grammi’s Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad (Sunshine Salad)

May 7 By Renée 4 Comments

Commonly known as Sunshine Jello, Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad is one vintage recipe worth making! Bright, refreshing, and surprisingly tasty, it’s a perfect side for any holiday dinner or family gathering.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I can’t remember a holiday growing up when we didn’t have a bowl of Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad on the table. We ate it with ham for Easter, with turkey at Thanksgiving, and with pumpkin pie on my mother’s birthday every October.

Carrot Jello Salad was one of the first recipes I ever helped my mom make. I was her official carrot grater and Jello stirrer. Once the jello was mixed and safely chilling in the fridge, she and I would share the last few sips of juice from the bottom of the pineapple can. Mom loved pineapple juice. Whenever we serve this salad, I recall those times long ago with great fondness, sitting there at our yellow kitchen table, grating piles and piles of carrots for my mom.

When I had kids of my own, Carrot Pineapple Jello became Mom’s traditional offering when we gathered at my house for family holidays. She took great pride in still being able to make the Grammi Salad (as it came to be known at our house) all by herself until she was nearly ninety. After that, I took over the Jello salad making, keeping the tradition alive for my girls.

Mom gave me her “I Love Lucy Ivy” china years ago, when she and Dad moved out of my childhood home, so my girls grew up with it. One batch of Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad fits perfectly inside one of the large serving dishes. I never make it in anything else.

If you’ve never had Sunshine Jello, you may be in for a surprise. Jello salads, as a group, have a reputation for being outdated and even downright weird, and their close culinary proximity to aspics (aka meat jello) does their status no favors either.

This Carrot Pineapple Jello, however, is unique in its field: unlike some more kooky gelatin concoctions, this combination is light, fresh, and very tasty. The carrot and pineapple pairing may sound a little strange at first, but if you give it a try, you will find that they play very nicely together!

5 from 2 votes

Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad (Sunshine Salad)

Commonly known as Sunshine Jello, Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad is one vintage recipe worth making! Bright, refreshing, and surprisingly tasty, it's a perfect side for any holiday dinner or family gathering.

Prep Time15 mins

Refridgerate3 hrs

Total Time3 hrs 15 mins

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrots, Holidays, jello, pineapple, retro recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 74kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

2 packages lemon flavored gelatin 3 ounce packages
2 cups boiling water
1 cup ice water
8 ounces canned crushed pineapple with juice (DO NOT USE FRESH PINEAPPLE)
2 cups grated carrots
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of boiling water into lemon gelatin.
Stir constantly until gelatin has completely dissolved.
Add one cup of ice water, and stir until ice has melted.
Stir in one small can of crushed pineapple (with juice), and lemon juice.
I usually move everything to the bowl I plan to serve it in at this point, but you can also make the whole recipe in a large bowl and then transfer it to your chosen vessel (i.e., bowl, dish, gelatin mold, etc.). Your choice.
Stir in grated carrots.
Some people like to add a pinch of salt at this time. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
Some people also like hold off and stir in the carrots after the rest has had a chance to set up for about an hour. You can do this if you want, but I don't find that it changes the results. Instead, I stir them all in at the same time and refrigerate: that gives me one less thing to have to remember when I'm preparing a holiday meal.
Refrigerate 3 hours, or until set.

Notes

Use canned pineapple for this recipe. Fresh pineapple contains enzymes that will prevent gelatin from jelling.

How to Make a Molded Jello Salad

This recipe works well as a molded Jello Salad. To do this, refrigerator in mold several hours until firm.

To unmold, dip the bottom of mold form in hot water for 3-5 seconds. Invert onto a large plate, tap the inverted bottom of the mold firmly and shake slightly to release.

Nutrition

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Do I have to use Jello® for this recipe, or can I use any powdered gelatin?

Jello®, as I’m sure you are aware, is a specific brand of powdered gelatin; however, like Kleenex and Xerox, it has become a brand-turned-household name. I’ve never in my life called this a “gelatin” salad, and I’m not starting now. However, just to clarify, of course you can use any brand of gelatin.

This post is dedicated to my daughters –
mostly so I can send them here when they need the recipe.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Fresh & Bright Carrot Salads

Armenian-style Eggplant & Carrot Salad

Inspired by the cuisine of Armenia, this Eggplant & Carrot Salad combines simple ingredients to create a supremely satisfying savory-sweet bite – perfect for everything from a light spring lunch to an autumn potluck.

Grammi's Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad (Sunshine Salad)

Commonly known as Sunshine Jello, Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad is one vintage recipe worth making! Bright, refreshing, and surprisingly tasty, it’s a perfect side for any holiday dinner or family gathering.

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta & Fresh Herbs

Moroccan Carrot Salad is an exotic mix of zesty citrus, sweet carrots, fresh herbs, and feta, dressed with a warmly spiced, piquant honey-lemon vinaigrette. Makes a quick, refreshing side that is ready to serve in just 15 minutes!

Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}

Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons' popular Kale & Carrot Salad.

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta & Fresh Herbs

May 4 By Renée 10 Comments

Moroccan Carrot Salad is an exotic mix of zesty citrus, sweet carrots, fresh herbs, and feta, dressed with a warmly spiced, piquant honey-lemon vinaigrette. Makes a quick, refreshing side that is ready to serve in just 15 minutes!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

A while ago, Mr B and I took a cooking class at our local Sur La Table, and not only did we have a fabulous time together, but we left with some amazing recipes to try at home, too!

Our instructor for the day was Chef Priscilla Umeda, a beautifully warm, captivating woman with great passion and skill for cooking. Chef Priscilla, originally from Nigeria, shared with us that she grew up as the oldest female child in a family of eight children, so it fell to her to “insure her siblings were fed.” Thus, the seeds for creating delicious food and educating others in culinary arts were planted early.

Now a trained, professional chef (with a degree in Business Administration) Chef Priscilla is actively engaged in the culinary training of both home cooks like us and professional chefs.

Post Updated May 4, 2020 (Originally published September 6, 2016)

Before we got to work, Chef Priscilla gave us a little history about Moroccan cuisine. We learned that Moroccan cuisine is considered one of the most important cuisines in the world, due in great part to the remarkable diversity of colonizers and immigrants who have influenced it over the last millennia.

The cuisine of Morocco’s first inhabitants, the Berbers, still exists today in dishes like tagine and couscous. It took on spices, nuts and dried fruits, and the sweet and sour combinations from Arab invasions; olives, olive juice and citrus from the Moors; pickling from Moroccan Jews; and kebabs from the Ottoman Empire. The short-lived French-Moroccan colony left behind a culture of cafes, pastries, and wine.

During our class, Chef Priscilla walked us through the preparation of four traditional Moroccan dishes: Chicken Tagine with Dried Fruits (the foundation for my Apricot Chicken Tagine with Ginger & Mint recipe), Couscous with Saffron & Ginger, Cardamom Madeleines with Rosewater Glaze, and the bones for the recipe I’m sharing today: Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta & Mint.

Moroccan Carrot Salad – It’s a Matter of Taste

This Moroccan Carrot Salad is definitely a matter of taste. Mr B, for example, is not fond of it; while I very much enjoy its zesty, citrusy bite and warmly spiced mix of fresh flavors.

Here’s a test:

Think about biting into a fresh lemon slice.

If the mere idea of biting into a lemon slice squeezes your entire face into a frowny furrow, this may not be your favorite carrot salad ever. (If that’s the case, try our Kale & Carrot Salad or Armenian Eggplant & Carrot Salad instead.)

Don’t get me wrong: there are plenty of other flavors besides lemon in this salad, including honey, which balances and softens the punch of the lemon; but if you don’t enjoy the sharp, astringent side of the lemon wheel, this salad may not be your favorite.

However, if the idea of biting into a lemon slice immediately makes you pucker up and smile, you should definitely give this Moroccan Carrot Salad a try.

Preserved lemons are among the primary ingredients in this Moroccan Carrot Salad, and the reason for that intense lemon flavor in the recipe that I just mentioned. An indispensable ingredient in Moroccan cooking, the unique pickled taste and texture of preserved lemons cannot be duplicated with fresh products.

Is there any good substitute for preserved lemons?

Preserved lemons are not something everyone keeps in the pantry, and sometimes you just don’t have the means to get them. (And sometimes you just want to make a dang salad recipe off the internet without having to go out and find some fancy ingredient you will only use once! I get it.)

For this recipe, you can buy preserved lemons in specialty stores, or make them at home – or make my Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute.

Because guess what?! I don’t always have preserved lemons either. (Like, for example, during a pandemic.) So, while not optimal, I’ve created a passable preserved lemon substitute – essentially a quick-brined lemon rind – that works well with this salad recipe.

You can find step-by-step instructions for how to make my Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute following the recipe below.

How does using quick-fake Preserved Lemons compare to using the real thing?

Comparing the flavor of this salad with and without real preserved lemons, I have to say; Yes, authentic preserved lemons do add a deeply complex, unique flavor to this Moroccan Carrot Salad. There is no way a 1-hour hack can even come close. So if you have them, by all means, use them.

However, if you don’t have them on hand, go ahead and make my Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute. I find that, while the quick-fake lacks the depth of flavor that the preserved lemons impart, it is otherwise a quite satisfying lemony, bright, and mildly briny substitution in this salad.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

An exotic mix of zesty citrus, sweet carrots, fresh herbs, feta, and warmly spiced, piquant Moroccan honey-lemon dressing, this Moroccan Carrot Salad makes a quick, refreshing side.

Adapted from a recipe by Chef Priscilla Umeda.

Prep Time15 mins

Total Time15 mins

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: French-Moroccan

Servings: Servings

Calories: 184kcal

Author: Renee | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Grater
Mixing Bowl
Small Skillet

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves minced
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground caraway seeds
½ tablespoon harissa
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
1½ tablespoon honey
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 preserved lemon rind only, finely minced
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound grated carrots peeled and julienned or coarsely grated
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
4 ounces feta crumbled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oil in small skillet over medium heat.
Add garlic, cumin, caraway, and harissa. Cook until fragrant; about one minute.
Remove from heat and add the cinnamon, paprika, honey, lemon juice, and preserved lemon. Stir to combine.
Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine carrots, herbs, and feta.
Toss until evenly mixed.
Pour prepared sauce over carrot mixture.
Mix until well combined.
Chill before serving.
Garnish with additional fresh herbs, feta, and lemon slices.

Notes

PRO TIP: If you want to serve this for a party, take the time to julienne the carrots: it makes for a prettier presentation. For everyday serving, grating them works just fine.

Nutrition

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Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute

Essentially a quick dry-brined lemon rind, this Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute makes a passable substitution when recipes call for the rind of a preserved lemon.

Prep Time5 mins

Rest Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

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Course: Condiment

Cuisine: French-Moroccan

Keyword: lemons

Servings: Preserved Lemon

Calories: 31kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 lemon
¾ teaspoon kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For each preserved lemon rind, you will need one lemon and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
Using a sharp paring knife, cut off the lemon rind. I aim for halfway between the fruit and the zest, in the middle of the rind.
Mince the lemon rind, but don’t pulverize it.
Sprinkle salt over lemon rind, and work together with the back of a spoon.
Allow to sit for at least one hour, and preferably overnight before using.
Use as is. Do not attempt to rinse lemon rind.

Nutrition

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PRO TIP: If you’re anything like me, you may not keep ground caraway seeds around all the time. Whole caraway seeds can easily be ground using a small mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or clean coffee grinder.

This Moroccan Carrot Salad pairs well with our Apricot Chicken Tagine with Ginger & Mint.

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}

January 22 By Renée 8 Comments

Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons’ popular Kale & Carrot Salad.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

I think I have mentioned that back in my college days, I used to wait tables at Farrell’s, an old-timey restaurant and ice cream parlor. Every Saturday morning, it fell to me to prep and set up the salad bar before we opened. The last task on the list, after all the veggies were cut and the dressings were poured, was to put everything out in the ice-filled salad bar and cover all the crushed ice between the bins with dark green curly kale. Kale, back then, was strictly ornamental: no one (in our world) even considered eating it.

All that changed when kale became the It Vegetable of the mid-Twenty-teens, if there is such a thing. All of a sudden, you could find kale everywhere, in everything. In the heat of this kale-fueled moment in culinary history, one of our daughters brought home a bag of kale and made kale chips, because they were so popular and so good for you.

She really wanted to like them. We all did. But no. NO. I know that this may bring the wrath of the Vegan/Paleo/>insert personal eating style here< community, but I just cannot endorse kale as a Chip. Not then, not today, not ever. It’s a personal choice, I know, and my personal choice is – No.

That said, we now had a big bag of kale and needed to figure out something to do with it – and I knew exactly what that something was: make one of my favorite New Seasons salads: Kale & Carrot Salad.

Our local New Seasons stocks this tasty, sunflower-studded salad in the Grab-n-Go case, and on more than one occasion, I had overpaid for a handful of kale just to enjoy its sweet umami flavors and satisfying crunch. With a stockpile of kale staring me down, I decided that it was high time I figured out how to make it at home.

New Seasons shares a recipe for Kale & Carrot Salad on their website; but we tried it, and we don’t think it tastes like the salad at our local store. Maybe the cooks at our store doctor the company recipe a little, or use an earlier version: who knows? Anyway, I ended up making a few small but important adjustments to the ingredient list.

The biggest change I made to the original recipe, however, wasn’t so much related to the What (what goes in it) as the How. I add one small but vital step to the process: I blanch the kale first. As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to kale salads, blanching makes all the difference! (Broccoli salads, too.)

Blanching is the quick, simple process of flash cooking a food in boiling water, and then immediately plunging it to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Blanching kale helps soften the tough fibers and makes it easier to chew, and also makes the natural kale flavor more accessible, making the it more far more palatable.

Our copycat recipe comes darn close to the original, and it got rave reviews from both Mr. B and Gramma Edith, so it’s a keeper! Enjoy!

5 from 2 votes

Kale & Carrot Salad

Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons' popular Kale & Carrot Salad.

Prep Time20 mins

Total Time20 mins

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Course: Salad

Keyword: carrots, ginger

Servings: large servings

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

3/4 lb fresh kale
2 large carrots peeled and grated
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons tamari or light soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced (I usually add a little more.)
½ teaspoon cumin scant
¼ teaspoon cayenne scant, or ½ t. Sriracha
2-3 cloves garlic minced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Using a sharp knife, remove tough center veins and stems from kale. (This is easier to do if you fold the leaves in half first.) Discard stems & veins.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high medium-heat.
While the pot is coming to a boil, fill a large mixing bowl halfway with ice. Add water up to the ice line.
Put the cleaned kale into the boiling water.
Cook 2-3 minutes.
You want the kale to relax, but you don't want it to become limp.
(I do this entire step in my sink: no mess.)
Drain kale in colander and immediately plunge kale into prepared ice-water bath.
Drain kale in colander again. Squeeze kale to remove excess water.
While the kale is still in a kind of wet wad, take a large kitchen knife and slice it into small, thin pieces.
Put cut kale into a bowl and separate the pieces using your fingers. Add grated carrots and sunflower seeds.
In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir vigorously to combine. Immediately pour dressing mixture over kale mixture and toss thoroughly to combine.

Notes

Salad will keep for a number of days in the fridge.

Nutrition

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Fresh & Bright Carrot Salads

Armenian-style Eggplant & Carrot Salad

Grammi's Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad (Sunshine Salad)

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta & Fresh Herbs

Kale & Carrot Salad {New Seasons Copycat}

Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons' popular Kale & Carrot Salad.

Sweet Potato Carrot Hash

January 16 By Renée 16 Comments

Earlier this week after I got done making Butternut Samosas, I had some leftover ingredients, so I threw this quick hash together. I didn’t think much of it at the time – I mean, we all do that, right? Throw things in a pan just because we have them and we think they might taste nice together? But from the first fork full, I knew I had to share this “recipe” with you: the rosemary complements the sweet potatoes deliciously, and the grated carrot adds just the right amount of interesting texture. Finish it off with the obligatory poached egg and you have a lovely, healthy little meal in just 15-20 minutes.

5 from 2 votes

Sweet Potato Carrot Hash

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

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Course: Breakfast or Brunch

Servings: servings

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed 1/4"
1/2 large sweet onion chopped
3/4 cup grated carrot
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-4 poached eggs depending on how many you want!

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet.
Saute onion and sweet potato in oil until onion and sweet potato is soften and begin to get slightly brown.
Add grated carrot and saute just a few minutes more.
Add chopped rosemary and give it one or two more good stirs.
Top with poached egg and serve.

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Pops Vegetable Soup {Recipe}

January 5 By Renée 13 Comments

When I was a little girl, my parents and I spent most Sunday evenings at my Poppy’s house. The four of us – Dad, Mom, Pop and I – would eat dinner and then settle in to watch Lawrence Welk and The Wonderful World of Disney together before Dad drove Mom and me home. On cold, dark winter nights, dinner was (more often than not) a piping bowl of Pop’s homemade vegetable soup, served with as many Saltines as I could eat.

Pop was my maternal grandfather and I was his only granddaughter, so we had a pretty special relationship. Anyway, back then I was not much of a vegetable lover (I still hate cooked peas), and until I was about four, I would not eat more than a few token bites of Pop’s soup, subsisting Sunday nights almost entirely on crackers and milk. But then Pop pulled a trick out of his sleeve – he started adding a can of Campbell’s Alphabet Soup to his soup just for me, and those mushy little pasta letters changed everything.

I loved to hunt for the letters to spell my name, or the dog’s name, or anything really. I’d collect letters on my spoon, read them to everyone, and then gobble them up in one bite. Spell a word, eat a bite. Spell another word, eat another bite. In the process, I completely forgot to be picky about what surrounded them, and before I knew it, I was eating Pop’s soup like it was going out of style. To this day, I still include that silly little can of soup, and every overcooked letter on my spoon reminds me of my sweet Poppy.

There aren’t many pictures in this post: there doesn’t need to be. There really is only one real step: put everything in a pot and let it simmer. Like most soups, this is much better the day after, so plan for leftovers. And serve with Saltines.

Pop's Vegetable Soup

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Ingredients

1 large Beef soup bone (optional)
2 quarts water or 2 qts. vegetable stock if not using soup bone
2 bay leaves
1 Tbs salt
3 stalks celery chopped
4 medium carrots sliced
1 medium turnip pared and chopped
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup corn
1/2 cup peas
1 large onion chopped
4 medium potatoes peeled & cubed
2 1- lb. cans cut tomatoes I use Petite Cut with Onions & Garlic
1/3 cup pearl barley
1 can Campbell's Alphabet Soup Optional
Season with salt pepper, basil, oregano and hot sauce as desired

Instructions

Place soup bone in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Add bay leaves. Simmer 2 hours. Remove soup bone and give it to the dog! Let stock cool and skim fat. (For Vegetarian soup, and just use vegetable stock instead and skip ahead.)
Add all remaining ingredients except Campbell's Soup and simmer 2 more hours.* Adjust seasonings. Add Campbell's Soup if desired.

Notes

*You can also cook it in a slow cooker: Low for 8 hours, or High for 4 hours.

This soup is really better the next day when the flavors have had a chance to blend. Other vegetables can be added and amounts adjusted to suit your taste.

Freezes well.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Caribbean Chicken Stew

May 2 By Renée 8 Comments

This Caribbean Chicken Stew is a rich, warmly spiced stew that thickens beautifully over time, creating a hearty, deeply satisfying meal. {Includes vegetarian-friendly directions for “Mixed Table” preparation}

It seems that I am on a Caribbean kick. I wanted to make a hearty stew that would go with my Caribbean Mango Salad – and one that would work for a recipe redo I have in mind for later this week. After a little digging, I found this delicious-sounding recipe for Caribbean Chicken Stew created by Melanie over at A Beautiful Bite. But as most foodies will tell you, it’s awfully difficult to follow a recipe exactly when you are feeling creative, so here is my take on Melanie’s recipe; which is, in turn, her adaptation of Trinidadian Chicken Stew from Giada De Laurentiis, of the Food Network’s “Giada at Home.” (How’s that for a little recipe lineage, huh?) But you gotta give credit where it’s due, so there you go!

I made some significant changes to Melanie’s recipe and also adapted it so that it can be prepared for Mixed Tables, but I think the heart and soul of the original is still in there. The result is a rich, warmly spiced stew that thickens beautifully over time, so that twenty minutes after the picture above was taken, my stew was… well, a lot more “stewy” looking, with a hearty gravy coating the vegetables and easing into all the little crevasses in the chicken. I Love what the marinade does for the chicken too, and grilling the meat first gave it the most wonderful crispiness. Between the delicious outcome and the relative ease of preparation, this may very well become one of my new favorites.

Caribbean Chicken Stew

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time1 hr 30 mins

Total Time2 hrs

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Caribbean

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Marinade

1 cup cilantro chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
1/3 cup plain yogurt Greek or regular
2 Tbs. olive oil
½ tsp kosher salt
5-6 turns freshly ground pepper

Chicken (or Vegetarian) Stew

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion diced
1 can light coconut milk
2 tbs. tomato paste ketchup will work here
¼ cup water
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp cinnamon
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed'
2 medium white potatoes
1 large yam peeled and cubed
1 lb. baby carrots or 1 lb of carrots, peeled and chopped
1 plantain sliced in thick rounds (I am not a fan of plantains, so I won't be adding them, but use them if you like them.)
3 – 4 pounds of skinless bone-in chicken (I used legs & thighs.) Mixed tables: adjust amount accordingly. For example, if one fourth of the people you are feeding are vegetarians, you only need 2-3 pounds of chicken.

Instructions

Marinating the Chicken:

Combine cilantro, garlic, brown sugar, chopped pepper, yogurt, oil and salt and pepper in a blender and process until almost smooth. If you use Greek yogurt, you may need to add a little water to give it enough liquid to process.
Pour marinade into a large Ziploc bag. Put the chicken pieces in the bag and toss everything around thoroughly to coat all the chicken pieces. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour, and as long as twenty-four hours.
Mixed Tables only: Before you pour the marinade into the bag, set aside about 2 tablespoons to flavor your vegetarian portion later.

Making the Stew

Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown chicken pieces. Remove and set aside. Mixed Tables only: Brown your chicken in a separate pan. I used a grilling pan to get those lovely grill marks.
In Dutch oven, sauté onion until translucent in whatever is left in the bottom after browning chicken. Mixed tables: Sauté onions in about a tablespoon of olive oil instead.
To the onions in the Dutch oven, add coconut milk, tomato paste, water, minced fresh ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook for a few minutes more. Mixed tables only: Take a portion of the sautéed onion mixture out and put it into a small casserole dish. For example if you want ¼ of your meal to be vegetarian-friendly, take out ¼ of the onion mixture, etc. Stir in the 1-2 tbs. of reserved marinade, to taste. The flavors will mellow significantly during cooking.
Place chicken pieces back in Dutch oven on top of sauce. ( MIxed tables: Feel free to add your favorite faux meat here on your veggie portion if you're into that kind of thing. )
Put the cubed vegetables on top of the chicken. (You may want to put the potatoes in after the whole thing has cooked for about half an hour to keep them from getting too mushy.) Mixed Tables only: Put the appropriate amount of vegetables in the casserole and mix with the sautéed onion mixture. Drizzle the entire mixture all with just a little additional olive oil.
Salt and pepper generously.
Cover tightly and cook in oven for 75-90 minutes.
Serve over rice.

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P.S. I just got a new camera, and I can’t stop taking pictures with it!

Best Shepherd’s Pie Ever: Comfort Food for Body & Soul

February 10 By Renée 13 Comments

Shepherd’s Pie is classic comfort food – rich, warm, and deeply satisfying. One bite of this time-tested family favorite will wrap you in a blanket of goodness as cozy as a winter fire. It’s just that good.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Some years ago, on the day after St Patrick’s Day, my daughter Gracie and her father were t-boned by a truck-driving teenager. Gracie sustained multiple life-threatening injuries, and was admitted to ICU, where she stayed for nearly a month.

At the time, in addition to nine-year old Gracie, we had four other young children, including an eight-week old newborn. While the girls’ father held down the fort at home, Baby Em and I slept and lived at the hospital with Gracie. I survived the first week almost entirely on saltine crackers and Jello Pudding cups from the ICU refrigerator.

It was several days before I finally made my first real trip home – to take a real shower, revive my spirits, and visit my other girls and their father.

When I arrived, I found my dear friend Bev and some other ladies in my kitchen, delivering dinner to my family. After a short visit with the ladies, I went to shower and clean up. I read the girls a book, sang them a song or two, and packed up for the next week.

Almost as an afterthought, I spooned some of the potato-topped casserole that Bev had left us into a plastic tub to take with me, and then I buckled Em back into her carseat and sped off to the hospital.

It wasn’t until late in the night, as my injured child slept amidst her web of tubes and wires, that realized I was hungry. When I opened the plastic container, the sterile hospital air filled with amazing savory goodness.

Padding down to the Parents’ Kitchen, I microwaved it, and then, fork full by fork full, I let that Shepherd’s Pie wrap me in a blanket of warmth, kindness, generosity – and hope. Even today, the memory – standing there alone in the hospital kitchen eating Bev’s Shepherd’s Pie – brings me to tears.

From that time on, making Shepherd’s Pie has been a labor of love, and in that spirit, we have made it a Valentine’s Day tradition. It is warm, comforting, enduring, and hope-filled – and serving it to the people who mean the most to me in this world is one way I show my love to them.

Bev’s original recipe was A-Mazing, but over the years I’ve made a few tweaks. Most notably, the original recipe calls for peas, but I substitute diced yams because, as I mention frequently, I strongly dislike cooked peas.

5 from 6 votes

Shepherd's Pie

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

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Course: Main Dish Casserole

Cuisine: Comfort Food

Servings:

Calories: 400kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Filling

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
2 Tbls olive oil
1 small yam peeled and diced ¼"
1 large onion minced
2 medium carrots peeled and diced ¼"
1 lb mushrooms chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
5 Tbsp flour (I use Wondra to avoid clumping)
1 Tbsp ketchup or more if needed
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 ¾ cup vegetable broth
¾ cup red wine or apple juice
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp fresh thyme chopped

Topping

1 ½ lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ lb sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp butter
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 375°.

Filling

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Remove from skillet, drain and set aside.
In the same large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add yams, onions, and carrots and cook, stirring frequently until everything is tender.
Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms soften and release their juices.
Sprinkle flour over everything, and then squirt in ketchup. Stir and cook over medium-low heat for about one minute.
Add cream and cook about another minute. Add wine or juice, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme.
Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, 5-8 minutes.
Add browned ground beef to the mixture in skillet and stir to combine. Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish.

Topping

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring potatoes, sweet potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to boil.
Reduce and simmer until tender, 15-20 minutes; until tender.
Drain potatoes. Add butter and cream to potatoes and mash until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Carefully spread prepared potatoes over meat and vegetable filling, using a spatula or large spoon to smooth the top.
In a small bowl, make an egg wash by whisking together 1 tablespoon water with egg.
Brush the top of the potatoes with egg wash, and then drag a fork across the top to make ridges.
Put in oven and bake until the filling is bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.
Turn on broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
Remove and cool 10 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

**Is this Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie?**

Technically, this is a recipe for Beef Cottage Pie.

**What’s the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?**

The ingredients and directions for making Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie (also known as Farmer’s Pie) are exactly the same, except for the primary protein.

Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally made with lamb. (Hence, the Shepherd.)

Cottage Pie is named for its primary protein: Turkey Cottage Pie, Chicken Cottage Pie, Beef Cottage Pie, etc. You get the idea. The only protein that doesn’t go into Cottage Pie is lamb or mutton. (Because that would make it Shepherd’s Pie.)

Why don’t you change the name of this recipe to “Beef Cottage Pie” or “Beef Farmer’s Pie”?

First off, I believe that the delineation between shepherd and cottage and farmer is in great part a regional issue. In my neck of the woods, if you go into a restaurant and order Shepherd’s Pie from the menu, you will almost always be served a beef-based pie. If you invite us to dinner and tell us that you will be serving Shepherd’s Pie, we will not be expecting lamb. More to the point though, I have been making this casserole and calling it Shepherd’s Pie for two decades, so I’m sticking with it.

Bottom line: this the best in cozy comfort food, no matter what you call it!

Hope that clears everything up for everyone.

I took these images while on a Valentine’s Getaway in the Columbia River Gorge. My thanks to the Columbia River Gorge Hotel for loaning me a fancy plate!

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of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Who in your life would savor some Shepherd’s Pie?

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Looking for a unique, budget-friendly Valentine’s Day treat?

Check out these Personalized Homemade Fortune Cookies, complete with Takeout Box DIY and Printable Valentine’s Day Fortunes!

Armenian-style Eggplant & Carrot Salad

August 6 By Renée 4 Comments

Inspired by the cuisine of Armenia, this Eggplant & Carrot Salad combines simple ingredients to create a supremely satisfying savory-sweet bite – perfect for everything from a light spring lunch to an autumn potluck.

^{This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.}

Some years ago, my daughter married a charming Armenian who can cook like there is no tomorrow. Over the years since he joined our family, Vahe has introduced me to the foods and culinary traditions of his native country, and one of my favorites is a little rolled vegetable preparation called Armenian Eggplant Rolls. Wrapped in long strips of garlic-infused fried eggplant, these are delicious little carrot-stuffed beauties hit all the best savory buttons, with just the right amount of sweet undertones.

As much as I love Eggplant Rolls though, I’m not a fan of making them. The original recipe is heavy on oil (eggplants are real sponges when you fry them!), and somewhat labor intensive. Instead, I created Eggplant & Carrot Salad – a simple alternative that tastes great, cuts the fat to almost nothing, and is very easy to make. And while the end result isn’t quite as pretty as the little beauties my daughter makes, it does make a good presentation – vibrant, colorful and delicious, and perfect for everything from a light spring lunch to an autumn potluck.

🥗 Armenian-style Eggplant & Carrot Salad 🥗 Mostly savory, slightly sweet, and totally De-lish! #gf #glutenfree #recipes #vegetarian #RecipeOfTheDay Click To Tweet

Armenian-style Eggplant & Carrot Salad

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Armenian

Servings:

Author: Renée ♥

Ingredients

4 cups grated carrots about 1 lb.
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
1/2 cup shelled edamame optional - I add these to the mix because I like the extra crunch.
1/3 cup walnuts finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic minced
3/4 cup light Sour Cream
About 3/4 tsp kosher salt or to taste
1 large eggplant roasted, cooled and chopped into 1/2 cubes

Instructions

Mix together all of the ingredients except eggplant, using only enough sour cream to moisten the mixture. Gently fold in chopped eggplant.
Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

This recipe is Vegan- friendly: Simply substitute in a vegan sour cream.

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^{Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

Naturally sweet and slightly tangy, Carrot Ginger Dressing is a light, refreshing salad dressing that is simply irresistible! (It’s like your favorite Japanese restaurant dressing, only fresher!)

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Carrot Ginger Dressing (Japanese Restaurant-style Salad Dressing)

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

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Commonly known as Sunshine Jello, Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad is one vintage recipe worth making! Bright, refreshing, and surprisingly tasty, it’s a perfect side for any holiday dinner or family gathering.

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Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad (Sunshine Salad)

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

How to Make a Molded Jello Salad

Nutrition

Do I have to use Jello® for this recipe, or can I use any powdered gelatin?

This post is dedicated to my daughters – mostly so I can send them here when they need the recipe.

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Moroccan Carrot Salad is an exotic mix of zesty citrus, sweet carrots, fresh herbs, and feta, dressed with a warmly spiced, piquant honey-lemon vinaigrette. Makes a quick, refreshing side that is ready to serve in just 15 minutes!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Post Updated May 4, 2020 (Originally published September 6, 2016)

Moroccan Carrot Salad – It’s a Matter of Taste

Think about biting into a fresh lemon slice.

Is there any good substitute for preserved lemons?

How does using quick-fake Preserved Lemons compare to using the real thing?

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Quick Preserved Lemon Substitute

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition

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Kale, carrots, sunflower seeds, and fresh ginger combine to create this bright, delicious, satisfying copycat of New Seasons’ popular Kale & Carrot Salad.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Kale & Carrot Salad

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

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Sweet Potato Carrot Hash

Ingredients

Instructions

Pop's Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

This Caribbean Chicken Stew is a rich, warmly spiced stew that thickens beautifully over time, creating a hearty, deeply satisfying meal. {Includes vegetarian-friendly directions for “Mixed Table” preparation}

Caribbean Chicken Stew

Ingredients

Marinade

Chicken (or Vegetarian) Stew

Instructions

Marinating the Chicken:

Making the Stew

Shepherd’s Pie is classic comfort food – rich, warm, and deeply satisfying. One bite of this time-tested family favorite will wrap you in a blanket of goodness as cozy as a winter fire. It’s just that good.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

Filling

Topping

Instructions

Filling

Topping

Nutrition

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

Is this Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie?

What’s the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?

Why don’t you change the name of this recipe to “Beef Cottage Pie” or “Beef Farmer’s Pie”?

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Who in your life would savor some Shepherd’s Pie?

Looking for a unique, budget-friendly Valentine’s Day treat?

Inspired by the cuisine of Armenia, this Eggplant & Carrot Salad combines simple ingredients to create a supremely satisfying savory-sweet bite – perfect for everything from a light spring lunch to an autumn potluck.

Armenian-style Eggplant & Carrot Salad

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

This post is dedicated to my daughters –
mostly so I can send them here when they need the recipe.

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

**Is this Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie?**

**What’s the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie?**

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!