Tag

Carrot

Browsing

Introduction: What is a Chiko Roll?

The Chiko Roll is a popular Australian fast food snack that has been around for over 60 years. It was first introduced in 1951 by Frank McEnroe in Bendigo, Victoria. The Chiko Roll is a savory pastry tube filled with a mixture of cabbage, carrot, beef, and spices that is then deep-fried until golden and crispy. It is a staple snack sold at sporting events, food fairs, and convenience stores throughout Australia.

Ingredients and Preparation of Chiko Roll

The key ingredients in a Chiko Roll are cabbage, carrot, beef, and spices. The filling is made by finely shredding the cabbage and carrot and mixing it with cooked minced beef and a blend of spices such as onion, garlic, and pepper. The mixture is then rolled up in a pastry tube and sealed with egg wash. The pastry is made by mixing flour, salt, and water until it forms a smooth dough that is then rolled out thinly and cut into a rectangular shape.

Cooking and Serving Chiko Roll to Perfection

To cook the Chiko Roll, it is deep-fried in hot oil until it is golden brown and crispy. It is important to ensure that the oil is hot enough so that the pastry does not become oily or soggy. Once it is cooked, the Chiko Roll is served hot and crispy with tomato sauce or sweet chili sauce. It is a perfect snack for on-the-go or as a quick meal when paired with a side of chips or salad.

In conclusion, the Chiko Roll is a popular Australian snack that has stood the test of time. It is a perfect combination of savory meat and vegetables wrapped in a crispy pastry tube. With its simple yet flavorful ingredients, the Chiko Roll is a must-try for anyone looking to experience authentic Australian cuisine.

Thanks to their nutritional values, carrots are considered extremely healthy: they are rich in vitamins and minerals, but low in calories. The yellow beets not only provide your body with beta-carotene, but also with many other nutrients.

Carrots are versatile in the kitchen: They are popular as raw vegetables and salads, cooked as an accompaniment to many dishes and pureed to make delicious soups. They make a cake particularly juicy. Even more varied than the preparation options offered by carrots are their nutritional values. Carrots aren’t just “good for the eyes,” as you probably learned from your parents – they do a lot more for your health.

The nutritional values ​​​​of the carrot include many vitamins

Carrots are particularly rich in vitamins. Above all, they are known to contain larger amounts of the provitamin beta-carotene. The body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which plays an important role in seeing things like light and dark. Carrots are also a good source of numerous other vitamins. According to the Apotheken-Umschau, 100 grams provide the following nutritional values ​​on average:
Folic Acid – 15 mcg (micrograms)
Beta carotene – 9800 mcg
Vitamin B1 – 0.07 mg
Vitamin B2 – 0.05 mg
Vitamin B6 – 0.27 mg
Vitamin E – 0.5 mg
Vitamin C – 7 mg
Because they contain vitamin C, carrots can help boost the immune system against pathogens. This is confirmed, for example, by a study on the health effects of carrot juice. Vitamin A, on the other hand, not only has a positive effect on vision, but is also good for the skin. The same applies to vitamin E. Carrots are said to ensure a healthy complexion, improve skin impurities and prevent skin aging.

The nutritional values ​​of carrots also include antioxidants

With vitamins C and E, carrot nutritional values ​​also include antioxidants. Studies have shown, for example, that carrot juice increases antioxidant levels and can therefore play a role in preventing cancer. Antioxidants protect against free radicals. These are substances that damage the genetic material in the cells if they occur in too large numbers and can thus possibly lead to cancer. Beta carotene also has an antioxidant effect.

Carrots are healthy

Whether raw, cooked or as juice: carrots not only provide vitamins, but also a wide range of different ingredients. They are therefore particularly healthy. Their nutritional values ​​also cover a high proportion of various minerals. According to Apotheken-Umschau, 100 grams contain on average:
Potassium – 330 mg
Sodium – 60 mg
Calcium – 35 mg
phosphate – 35 mg
Magnesium – 15 mg
Iron – 0.4 mg
Zinc – 0.3 mg
In addition, carrots are a high-fiber vegetable: raw, they contain 3.6 grams of fiber per 100 grams. Fiber is good for digestion and blood pressure, among other things.

Carrots have good nutritional values ​​but are low in calories

Basically, carrots are considered a low-calorie vegetable. However, the exact values ​​differ depending on how you prepare them – sometimes even significantly.

According to the nutritional table, 100 grams of fresh carrots have an average of 25 calories.
Carrot juice is also low in calories: With 100 milliliters you consume an average of 22 calories.
The situation is different with dried carrots. As is often the case with dry products, the calorific value here skyrockets to 194 calories per 100 grams.

Do cooked carrots have different nutritional values ​​than raw?

In the case of canned carrots, on the other hand, the calorific value even drops to 14 calories per 100 grams. In principle, cooked carrots have fewer calories than raw ones. Nevertheless, they do not necessarily make you slimmer: For one thing, we often prepare them with oil or butter, which of course increases the calorie count of the entire meal.

On the other hand, the so-called glycemic index (GI) is higher in cooked carrots than in raw vegetables. The glycemic index measures the effect of carbohydrate-containing foods on the blood sugar level: the more sugar they bring into the blood, the higher the corresponding value. Raw carrots have a GI of just 16, while cooked carrots have a GI of 49. While that’s still considered low, the difference is still noticeable.

However, the validity of the glycemic index is controversial. For example, the nutritionist Stefan Weigt points out that the measured values ​​always refer to 50 grams of carbohydrates. Because carrots basically contain hardly any carbohydrates, you would have to eat a whopping 800 grams of them to actually get a GI of 49. The measurement results are also often inaccurate and can vary greatly from person to person.

Does Fat Boost Carrot’s Healthy Nutritional Values?

It is often said that carrots can only develop their full health benefits together with oil or butter. It is true that beta-carotene is fat-soluble – which means that the body actually absorbs more of it in combination with fats.

However, a recent study has shown that how thoroughly you chop the vegetables has an even greater impact on the nutritional values. In the experiment, sliced ​​raw carrots released only three percent of their total beta-carotene into the body. Pureed carrots, on the other hand, provided 21 percent and cooked puree (e.g. in the form of soup) as much as 27 percent. However, added oil could increase these nutritional values.

Carrots freeze very well. In these instructions, we will show you how easy it is to do and what you need to consider before and after freezing.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when freezing carrots:

Only use carrots that are in good condition. They shouldn’t have any bad spots and should still be crisp. Freshly harvested carrots are best.
You can also freeze baby carrots. However, their taste could be softened.
Bunched carrots are best, especially medium-sized ones. These preserve the flavor best and you can freeze them with relatively little effort.

Freezing carrots: this is how it works

Prepare the carrots for freezing:

Thoroughly wash and peel the carrots, or scrape them with a knife. Then cut off the two end pieces. Tip: In principle, you can also freeze unpeeled carrots. But if you peel them beforehand, you will save yourself work later.
If you want, you can also cut the carrots into small slices. So you can process them directly when you take them out of the freezer.
Blanch the carrots before freezing them. Add the carrots to unsalted, boiling water for about 2 to 3 minutes. Of course you can also freeze raw or cooked carrots, but they won’t last as long.
Meanwhile, fill a bowl with cold water and some ice cubes. Place the carrots in the ice water for about 2 minutes. As a result, the carrots do not continue to cook and remain nice and crunchy.
If you have cut the carrots, place the pieces next to each other on a flat surface (e.g. on a baking sheet) and put it in the freezer for about an hour. This will prevent the pieces from freezing together.
It is often recommended to use cling film or freezer bags as containers for frozen vegetables. In order to avoid unnecessary plastic waste, however, we recommend that you do without it. Instead, you can use sealable stainless steel cans.


Alternatively, you can use thick-walled jars or cotton bags for plastic-free freezing. Don’t overfill the jars or they may burst.
Frozen carrots will keep in the freezer for at least six months, blanched carrots for around nine months.

You can easily make vegan hot dogs yourself. In this recipe, we show you how to make carrot dogs using carrots and other ingredients.

Vegan hot dogs

These Carrot Dogs consist of a carrot sausage that is cooked, marinated and fried. The bun for the vegan hot dog consists of spelled yeast dough.

You can also buy ready-made hot dog buns from the grocery store. However, home-baked rolls are usually less processed and therefore healthier. They also have lower CO2 emissions.

Tip: You can use the preparation time optimally by preparing the carrots while the yeast dough is resting.

Ingredients:

600 g spelled flour (type 630)
350 ml warm water
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon oil 1 cube fresh yeast

Directions:

Weigh all the ingredients and put them in a bowl. Crumble the yeast into small pieces so that the yeast is evenly distributed.
Knead the yeast dough for five to seven minutes. If the dough is still sticking to your fingers, you can add a tablespoon or two of flour.
Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

After the resting time, the yeast dough should have doubled in size. Knead it well again and divide it into six equal pieces. Then form the individual pieces into small oblong buns.
Then place the buns on a baking sheet and cover the whole thing again with a cloth. Now let the yeast buns rise for another 30 minutes.
Put the baking tray in the oven and turn it on at 200 degrees convection. You don’t need to preheat the oven for this recipe.
Bake the buns for 20 minutes and then let them cool. To check if the buns are done baking, you can tap the bottom. When a hollow sound is heard, they’re done.

Cook the carrot for the vegan hot dogs

Now only the vegan carrot sausages are missing so that the Carrot Dogs are ready. You can prep them while the buns are rising or baking, saving you time.

Ingredients:

6carrots
1 tbsp vegetable broth
10 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp hot peppers
2 piece ginger (thumb size)
2 clove(s) garlic
3 tbsp oil
600 ml water
1 pack(s)Hot Dog Pickles
6 tablespoons roasted onions
3 EL mustard
4 ELKetchup

Directions:

First peel the carrots and put them in a saucepan.

Add 500 milliliters of water for each tablespoon of vegetable stock to the saucepan with the carrots. Turn on the stove and bring the water to a boil.
Cook the carrots for about 10 to 15 minutes. As a test, you can try to carefully poke a fork into the carrot. If you can stick a fork through the carrot, the carrots are done.
Drain the hot water and leave the carrots in the pot.

Cut the garlic cloves and ginger into small pieces. Now mix all the other ingredients for the marinade together.

Then pour all the ingredients over the carrots and add another 100 milliliters of water.
Leave the carrots in the spice marinade for an hour.
Then take the individual carrots out of the pot and put them in a pan.
Fry the carrots in the pan over high heat for about 10 minutes. Turn them regularly so they don’t burn.
Finally, remove the carrots from the pan.

Complete vegan hot dogs

Now you can fill and serve the vegan hot dogs. To do this, cut the buns lengthwise and top them with the cucumbers. Then place the carrot in the hot dog bun and top with homemade ketchup and mustard, if you like. Finally, sprinkle the fried onions on the finished vegan hot dog.

When you cook carrots, you ensure that your body can better utilize the healthy nutrients. Here you can find out what else you should consider when preparing carrots.

Vitamins and nutrients in carrots – It depends on the cooking

Carrots taste wonderful in a salad or as a snack between meals. But did you know that their valuable ingredients can be utilized even better by your body with the right preparation method?

A study conducted in Sweden in 2012 examined how the availability of the healthy, fat-soluble carotene varies depending on how it is prepared. The conclusion was that both adding fat and cooking the carrots made the valuable ingredients easier for the body to utilize. Above all, however, chopping the vegetables has a positive effect on availability, as reported by ZEIT online.

According to the study, around three percent of the carotene in whole or roughly chopped carrots passes into the gastric juice.
By cooking, the amount can be increased to six percent.
By adding additional oil, the value increased to eight percent.
However, if the carrots were strained or grated before consumption, the value increased many times over: the availability of beta-carotene in boiled and grated carrots increased to a full 27 percent. With additional oil, the value even increased to 45 percent.

Boil the carrots or cook them in a sieve

In order to preserve as many of the healthy ingredients in the carrots as possible during cooking, you should cook them as gently as possible. That’s how it’s done:

Using a vegetable brush and water, scrub the carrots thoroughly to free them from soil.
Cut off the base of the leafy greens and the carrot into small pieces – as you need them for the dish.
Just barely cover the vegetables in the pot with water. The carrots don’t have to be completely immersed in water to cook, as the vitamins are lost in large quantities in the cooking water.
Steam cooking with a sieve insert is even gentler. This allows the carrots to lie in the sieve without coming into contact with the cooking water. Vitamins and nutrients are optimally preserved. Make sure to close the pot and sieve insert with a suitable lid. This will ensure that the steam cooks the carrots properly.
The cooking time in the sieve insert is slightly longer than when cooking in water. Depending on the size of the pieces, carrots require between 10 and 15 minutes. Before the time is up, test your carrots for consistency by puncturing them with a sharp knife. Anything you like is allowed! If you prefer your carrots to be soft, let them cook a little longer. If you like them crispier, shorten the time accordingly.


Season the carrots with as little salt as possible. Salt removes water from the carrots and thus the healthy nutrients.
Tip: Use carrots from organic farming. It has been scientifically proven that organic vegetables and fruit contain more vitamins than conventionally farmed vegetables. Enjoy your meal!

 

Carotenoids are natural pigments that give carrots their orange color. They are also essential nutrients. Here you can find out what they can do and where you can find carotenoids.

Carotenoids and Vitamin A

Carotenoids are a whole group of phytochemicals. According to the medical portal DocCheck, over 1,000 different carotenoids are known in the plant world. The plant substance is fat-soluble pigments that color plants from yellow to red. The color of fruit or vegetables gives you an indication that they might contain carotenoids. Yellow, orange or red fruits and vegetables are usually rich in carotenoids.

But there are exceptions. Carotenoids can also be found in green leafy vegetables. Here the green leaf pigment covers the reddish carotenoids.

Of the numerous carotenoids in the plant kingdom, six are vital for the human organism:

  • alpha and beta carotene
  • lycopene
  • lutein
  • cryptoxanthine
  • zeaxanthin

Carotenoids – here they are contained everywhere

Of the carotenoids, beta-carotene is the most common in our food. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) explains that the body can process beta-carotene most easily.

You can find beta-carotene in a variety of different vegetables and fruits. According to the DGE, the following foods are good sources of the plant substance:

Vegetables: carrots, sweet potatoes or squash.
Fruit: apricots, honeydew melon, but also persimmons or persimmons.
Leafy greens: kale, spinach, or lamb’s lettuce.
These vegetables also contain essential carotenoids:

Tomatoes: they mainly contain lycpoin.
Paprika or chili: here the carotenoid capsanthin not only provides the color but also the spiciness. You can use the hot chilies in a peach chutney with tomatoes, for example.
Maize or einkorn: Maize and the ancient grain einkorn contain zeaxanthin. You can make a protein-rich snack yourself from roasted corn.
With these recipe ideas you bring the healthy carotenoids to the table:

Stuffed Pumpkin: A recipe with spinach and feta
Kale: vegetarian recipe ideas to cook at home
Tomato and polenta casserole: A simple recipe
Paprika vegetable recipe: This is how you prepare it deliciously
Oil or fat is an important ingredient when preparing meals containing carotenoids. Carotenoid is a fat-soluble plant compound. The fats make it easier for the body to absorb the substances. According to the DGE, 2.4 to five grams of fat per meal are sufficient. Fry the vegetables with a little oil or serve creamy quark with the fruit salad. The vegan solution is to add some linseed oil to the dressing.

The carotenoids are essential nutrients

Carotenoids are an essential nutrient for humans. The body needs the plant substances, among other things as a precursor for the vital vitamin A (retinol). The medicine portal Netdoktor explains that vitamin A is important for healthy bones, teeth and eyes. It is further involved in the structure of the skin and plays a role in the development of the fetus during pregnancy.

To ensure an adequate supply of the important vitamin A, the human body has two options:

Carotenoids from plant food – They are a precursor, also called provitamin A. The body then uses it to build vitamin A itself.
Get vitamin A from foods of animal origin. The organism of animals also builds vitamin A from carotenoids in vegetable feed. That is why ready-made vitamin A is already contained in cheese, milk or meat products, for example.

Carotenoids are much more than just a precursor to vitamin A. They themselves are also involved in important functions in the body:

One study found that the retina of the eye contains carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Beta-carotene is also necessary for vision.
Carotenoids strengthen the immune system and act as antioxidants. They help keep body cells intact. This is what DocCheck calls beta-carotene or lycopene in connection with cancer prevention. Studies indicate, for example, that lycopene could reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Carotenoids are part of the human pigment melanin and are therefore involved in the formation of the color of skin, hair and eyes. The pigmentation acts as a natural protection against UV rays.

Carotenoids in a vegan diet

The body can usually cover its vitamin A requirements well with the carotenoids from plant-based food. The DGE explains that there are no thanks for a vegan diet and healthy fat digestion.

But there are exceptions: If fat digestion is disturbed or you have problems with the pancreas, you should seek medical advice to be on the safe side. This also applies if you have an increased need for nutrients, for example if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Oversupply and undersupply of carotenoids

Don’t worry about oversupply. The DGE explains that too much carotenoid from natural sources is hardly possible. In addition, no health risks were found when carotenoids were ingested through vegetables and fruit. For this reason there is no limiting value.

On the other hand, there is a maximum amount for beta-carotene as a coloring agent (E 160a). It can be added to foods such as fruit juices, butter, margarine or cheese. The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has set a minimum amount per day for this. The tolerable amount is six to 15 milligrams a day.

The DGE also points out that improper intake of high-dose vitamin A or beta-carotene in food supplements can cause long-term vitamin A intoxication (poisoning) with liver damage.

Vitamin A deficiency is extremely rare. According to the DGE, a deficiency in our latitudes can usually only be caused by illness. For example, in the case of chronic intestinal diseases or severe burns, the body has an increased need for vitamin A. Symptoms that can indicate a deficiency are very dry skin and mucous membranes as well as loss of appetite or night blindness.

Who doesn’t know it: You left carrots for too long and now they’ve gone soft? No problem! This simple trick will make them crunchy again.

If you leave carrots for too long, they will become soft and take on a rubbery texture. Of course, they are still suitable as an ingredient in cooking – but most people simply prefer crunchy carrots in salads or as a raw food snack.

Luckily, there’s a simple trick you can use to refresh soft carrots. Not only do you enhance their taste, but you also avoid potential food waste.

Tip: When buying carrots, make sure that they are organic if possible. You are supporting ecologically more sustainable agriculture that, for example, does not use chemical-synthetic pesticides. Root vegetables such as carrots absorb these pesticides particularly strongly from the soil. The organic seals from Demeter, Naturland and Bioland are particularly recommended.

Make soft carrots crunchy again: Here’s how

Here’s the trick to making soft carrots crunchy again:

Place the carrots in a tall glass.
Fill the jar with cold water so that all the carrots are covered.
Place the jar in the refrigerator or other cool place for at least 8 hours.
After this period of time, you can take them out and enjoy them fresh.

In another article, you will learn how to store carrots correctly so that they can be kept for a long time.

Making carrots crisp again: important tips

Depending on how soft the carrots are, they can take up to 48 hours in water to crisp up again.

Tip: tend to put the carrots in a larger glass, as they often become plumper and therefore more voluminous in the water.

Good to know: You can also freshen up other root vegetables such as radishes or turnips with this trick.

Carrot salmon is quick to make and a surprisingly good substitute for smoked salmon. We will explain how to make the spicy carrot strips yourself.

Salmon is one of the most popular edible fish, but there are many reasons not to eat it: Overstocked aquaculture, ethoxyquin, endangered wild stocks – the fish comes with many problems on the plate.

The carrot salmon does not have these problems. In addition, it looks quite similar to smoked salmon and even tastes like the original. Carrot salmon is also a great way to rediscover the vegetable.

Carrot Salmon: The Recipe

Ingredients:

3carrots
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
2 tsp soy sauce
0.5 tsp smoked salt
1 teaspoon horn syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Peel the carrots and slice them lengthways into thin strips with a vegetable peeler.
Boil the carrots in unsalted water for 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse them with cold water and let them drain.
Mix together the remaining ingredients for the marinade.
Mix the carrots thoroughly with the marinade. Tip: The carrot salmon tastes particularly good after it has been allowed to sit in the fridge for a day or two. Keep it airtight and shake the storage jar every now and then to distribute the marinade well. The carrot salmon tastes particularly good on bread with (vegan) sour cream. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and finely chopped dill for added flavor.

Ingredient tips for carrot salmon

The carrot salmon comes even closer to the original if you also stir finely chopped seaweed into the marinade. For example, you can use dried nori seaweed or wakame. You should note a few things:

Many seaweed farms are far away in Southeast Asia, so the seaweed has to travel a long way to reach us. However, there are also algae farms in Europe. If possible, buy seaweed that has been proven to come from Europe.
An organic seal certifies that the algae come from a body of water with good water quality.
Algae sometimes contain a lot of iodine. If possible, buy products that list the iodine content – ​​because while iodine is very important for the body, an overdose can cause problems. Important: If you have thyroid problems, an iodine overdose can be particularly critical. It is therefore better to avoid algae or seek medical advice.

Tip: You can also use Liquid Smoke instead of smoked salt. You can also give the carrot salmon even more flavor with a pinch of smoked paprika.

 

Carrots are a widespread product all over the world. It is valued not only for its beneficial properties but also for its pleasant taste, rightfully being an ingredient in dishes in the cuisines of various nations of the world. Long centuries of a selection made this vegetable sweet and tasty, although initially people only ate carrot seeds and tops for food.

Harvesting bunch of fresh washed carrot on the old wooden background
  1. It is not known for certain where carrots began their distribution around the world, but most researchers are inclined to believe that they first appeared on the territory of modern Afghanistan.
  2. Until the 17th century, carrots were tough, bitter, and purple. But thanks to the efforts of breeders, it acquired the form that it has now.
  3. Eating large amounts of carrots can change the color of the skin, adding a yellowish-orange tint to it. In the case of birds, the same will happen with plumage.
  4. This root vegetable significantly lowers blood cholesterol levels.
  5. In the USA, in the town of Holleville, once a year there is a carrot festival. What they just don’t do with her – they decorate the city for her, and eat, and throw at targets …
  6. As a result of heat treatment, carrots lose some of the nutrients, but they are better absorbed.
  7. The longest carrot ever grown was 584 centimeters long – almost six meters.
  8. Carrots, if chewed thoroughly, may well replace a toothbrush and toothpaste, perfectly cleaning teeth and gums.
  9. In many European countries, it is considered a fruit, not a vegetable.
  10. Carrot jam is extremely popular in Portugal.
  11. Fried carrots can be used to brew a drink that tastes like coffee.
  12. In nonsmokers, carrots reduce the risk of lung cancer, while in smokers, on the contrary, it increases.
  13. Freshly squeezed carrot juice is very rich in antiseptics, and if consumed regularly, it significantly reduces the risk of a heart attack.
  14. Eating carrots in moderation helps you tan faster in the sun as it speeds up the production of melanin.
  15. The most massive carrot weighing 8.61 kg was grown in the USA, Alaska.
  16. The first officially registered variety of carrots was developed in the 16th century in the Netherlands.
  17. Carrots contain a record amount of vitamin A.
  18. Carrots are the most commonly eaten taproot vegetable.
  19. In India, carrots are an ingredient in many different sweet desserts.
  20. The voice of the popular cartoon character, Bugs Bunny the rabbit, known for his love of carrots, has always said that he hates carrots.
  21. The diet of elephants kept in the zoo includes up to 5 kilograms of carrots daily.
  22. The United States ranks first in the world in the production and processing of this root vegetable, as well as in its consumption per capita per year – the average American annually consumes about 4.8 kilograms of carrots in one form or another.