If you want to prepare a meal that pleases children and adults alike, prepare a carrot cream, a vegetable that besides its sweet taste represents a healthy option; for example, it has anti-carcinogenic and skin/hair/nail restoring properties thanks to its beta-carotenes that it contains, it speeds up the mind because of its composition of phosphorus and potassium, it regulates the digestive function through the fiber, it is diuretic because it is made up largely of water.
We can’t forget that one of its best known characteristics is to protect vision. How does it achieve this? For its rich composition of beta-carotene, a substance that in the body is transformed into vitamin A and prevents the appearance of cataracts, macular degeneration or diseases of the retina. For these reasons and for all the vitamins it provides, it is of great use in the Mediterranean diet.
The recipe below can also work as a base to add more ingredients and create a more complete meal in the nutritional sense, for example, this carrot puree with apple. That is to say, the possibilities are endless, you have a cream that you can fuse with chard, spinach, celery, chicken and anything else that integrates with good flavor. Start creating! We give you the platform.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 7 carrots, sliced or diced.
- ½ large onion, diced.
- 3 crushed garlic cloves.
- 900 ml of broth. You can use vegetable, carrot, chicken or whatever you prefer.
- ½ cup of heavy cream.
- A dash of olive or vegetable oil.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation of the carrot cream
- In a pan with oil, cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Then add the chopped carrots and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Add the broth and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. The idea is that the carrot acquires a soft texture and releases all its sweetness.
- Place the mixture in a blender and blend until you see a creamy consistency. At this point you can add the cream, depending on whether you want it to be thicker or thinner.
- Some of the tricks you can implement are as follows: To give it a different touch add a pinch of curry to the broth; if you want to thicken it add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch when you blend in the blender and then place the mixture on low heat for a couple of minutes more; if what you want is to make it more liquid you can add more broth, liquid cream or milk to the smoothie; some people sauté the onion in oil with 2 tablespoons of margarine, this way they accentuate the salty flavor.
Carrot cream for your baby
Carrot will be pleasant for your baby’s palate and will provide him with many vitamins and minerals that will contribute to his development. However, we must clarify that incorporating it into your diet should only be done after 6 months of life, since before that time should only be fed with breast milk, as it is the irreplaceable nutrient for healthy growth.
Of course, more than a cream it will have the texture of a puree because it should only be made with the vegetable. If your child loves it and is tolerant to this preparation, then you can add other ingredients such as celery or potato, but never, under any circumstances, add sugar.
You will need 2 medium carrots, 1 ½ cups of water and a splash of olive oil. In a saucepan bring the water to boil and when it is boiling add the chopped vegetables, leave to soften for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and proceed to grind in a blender with the oil, although it is also possible to do it with a fork. If you need the mixture to be more liquid, add breast milk.
To encourage the chewing process in the child you can leave some pieces of the vegetable, which are soft and easy to chew. Celery is a good companion for this recipe and will provide more nutritional value, just boil it and mash it with the carrot.
