Recipe: Carrot Salad

Carrot salad is packed with nutrition and relatively easy and inexpensive. It's best to begin with freshly grated carrots rather than pre-grated packages found in the supermarket which tend to be tough, dry and stale. Choose smaller carrots for your salad as they are usually juicier than the big fat ones which can be dry and woody.

Ingredients

* 1 pound of carrots
* 1 cup of mayonnaise
* 1 small can of crushed pineapple (Do not drain)
* 1 cup of raisins
* 1 table spoon of lemon juice (optional)
*1/4 cup of sugar (optional)
* ¼ cup of almond slivers (optional)

Begin by peeling the carrots with a vegetable peeler or scrape them with a knife. This is important as the peel is darker and will discolor the salad. Grate the carrots with a common hand grater or an automatic grater.

Add the lemon juice and mix thoroughly to help preserve the fresh orange color. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Let the salad stand at room temperature for about thirty minutes to allow all of the juices to blend. Mix well and chill.

Lemon juice is optional but it not only helps preserve the color, it also adds a bit of zest to the salad. Some people like their carrot salad very sweet but between the raisins and pineapple it's already sweet so taste test the salad before adding sugar. Almond slivers can be mixed in with the salad or sprinkled on top as a garnish. Carrot salad goes well with any meal but it is especially good with chicken, pork, and ham.

Want a little more flare? Carrot salad can be mixed with Jell-O which makes a very attractive addition to any meal. Follow the directions on a large package of lemon, lime or orange Jell-O and chill. Don't let it set firm. When you see the Jell-O beginning to set, fold in the prepared carrot salad. It can be chilled in any container or pour into a prepared Jell-O mold and chill until completely firm. (About two hours)

There are a number of ways to serve this salad. If chilled in a regular bowl simply scoop it out with a serving spoon into desert or salad dishes and serve as a side. If chilled in a mold, turn it out on a platter of lettuce. It can also be chilled in an oblong pan, cut into squares and served on salad plates spread with lettuce with a teaspoon of mayonnaise on top.

There really is no fuss or huge expense associated with carrot salad and its bright orange color can really brighten up an otherwise dull meal. It's quick, it's easy, it's nutritious, and it's inexpensive. What could be better than that!