Name an orange vegetable. It's obvious! The carrot. But did you know that carrots used to be white or purple? Indeed! Orange carrots as we know them today, are the result of cross breeding - specifically so, rumour goes, to celebrate the Dutch Royalty, called House of Orange-Nassau.

While we're not 100% sure about the royal connection, the Dutch did produce the orange carrot, filled with carotenoids responsible for the colour and all the powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and a host of other nutrients that help lower bad cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, neutralize damaging free-radicals, promote the formation of collagen and help maintain healthy joints and bones.

As we are travelling the globe with Leopard's Leap and celebrating April in Amsterdam, it seems fitting to opt for orange!

Need to add more carrots to your diet? We have the most fun ways to do just that!

• Carrot Top Taboulleh - The ultimate side - carb and salad in one - made from carrot tops!
• Carrot Pickle - A charming little sweet and sour condiment that will become a staple on your table!
• Carrot Cake - It's tea and cake time, but you can also opt for wine!
• Carrot Jam - Perfectly orange and sweet on your Dutch-inspired cheese platter.
• Carrot & Orange Cooler - carrots, tequila and Sauvignon Blanc? You bet!
  
  
• Carrot puree

A delightful and bright side to almost anything. We love it with grilled chicken!

Ingredients

500 g carrots, peeled and chopped

500 ml  milk

500 ml  vegetable stock

1 clove garlic

¼ tsp nutmeg

Salt

1 cup cream

Method

Place the chopped carrots into a pot and add the garlic, nutmeg, salt, vegetable stock and milk. Bring to the boil.

Cook, with a lid on, for 30 – 45 minutes or until the carrots are soft, and most of the liquid has cooked away. Add the cream and cook until thickened.

Place everything into a blender and blend to a smooth puree. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve warm.

• Carrot Tart

An alternative to the popular pumpkin pie. Naturally sweet with a delightful earthiness and the crunch of pecans! Perfect with a braai.

Serves 8

Ingredients

125 g butter, room temperature

150 g sugar

3 eggs

140 g cake-flour

15 ml baking-powder

Salt

400 g grated carrot (raw)

½ cup chopped pecan nuts

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 °C.

Cream the butter and sugar together and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and place inside a baking-tray.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through.

Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly and cut into portions. Serve warm.

• Charred baby carrots 

Replace your French fries with these flavourful charred baby carrots - just delightful with steak! Light a fire!

Ingredients

1 punnet baby carrots

Olive oil to drizzle

1 clove crushed garlic

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

Method

Prepare coals next to the burning fire.

Make a foil parcel and place the carrots inside. Drizzle with olive oil and add the crushed garlic clove and thyme. Season. Close the parcel and place over medium hot coals for 45 minutes.

Make sure the parcel is properly sealed, and turn the parcel over the coals every so often.

Once the carrots are cooked, remove them from the foil and place them on a grid over the coals. Char the carrots slightly.

• Carrot tops and sorrel pesto 

Root to stem cooking at its best. Full of flavour and super versatile – stir through tagliatelle or serve with charcuterie and cheese!

Ingredients

1 handful carrot tops

1 handful sorrel leaves

½ cup cashew nuts or flaked almonds

1 clove garlic, grated

30 ml lime juice

60 ml olive oil

½ cup grated Parmesan

Salt

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend to a coarse pesto.

• Carrot chips

If you are a slave to the crisp, try this healthier alternative!

Ingredients

500 ml canola/sunflower oil

3 large carrots

Salt

Paper-towel to dry

Method

Wash and peel the carrots.

Heat the oil in a pot on the stove.

Using a peeler, peel ribbons of carrots, as wide as possible.

Drop the carrot ribbons into medium hot oil. Gently fry the carrots until crisp.

Remove from the oil and leave to drain thoroughly. Leave to cool completely before storing the chips in an airtight container for a week.