All the beautiful summer vegetables are beginning to emerge as temperatures heat up in the Northern Hemisphere and that gives everyone the chance to round out their diets through an abundance of healthy, nutritious options.

One of the easiest to grow in your own backyard is the carrot. You can find them in all shapes, colors and sizes, and it’s a nutrient dense root vegetable.

Carrots are packed with beta-carotene that’s  converted to Vitamin A in the body. It also has dietary fiber, potassium, and several other valuable vitamins and minerals.

Since they’re so plentiful and so good for you, why not eat more of them? This recipe below uses a variety of crunchy carrots mixed with other popular summer fruits, vegetables, and herbs to create beautiful a dish that’s a feast for your senses. Find the full recipe below.

Carrot & Dill Ribbon Salad

Nutritional Information: 1 cup serving  

Calories 90, Total Fat 6 g, Total Carbohydrate 8 g which includes Sugars 5 g (none from added sugar), and Protein 1 g

Servings: 1 Cup

Ingredients:

• 6 medium rainbow carrots, sliced thin with vegetable peeler
• 1 small golden beet, sliced thin
• 1 small watermelon radish, sliced thin
• 1 small red beet, sliced thin
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ grapefruit juice
• 2-3 pieces fresh dill, chopped
• 3 packets of tabletop stevia
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. For extra crunchy vegetables, place all shaved vegetables in cold ice water for at least 20 minutes.
2. Combine olive oil, grapefruit juice, stevia, dill, sliced onion, salt, and pepper.
3. Drain vegetables and dry almost completely.
4. Dress vegetables with dressing.
5. Allow vegetables to marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.

Visit our recipe page and find more salads and salad dressing options to lighten up your summer.