Carrot Pecan Dip

This recipe sounds interesting, and it is! Even better though, is the decadent flavor— Enjoy!

 

1 pound peeled carrots

1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; divided use

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

¾ cup pecans

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, more for garnish if desired

Juice of one lime ~ 2 tablespoons

 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut carrots into ½- inch pieces of similar thickness and toss with 1 tablespoon oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
  1. While the carrots cook toast the pecans. Place a dry non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the pecans to the pan (don’t walk away they will burn quickly). As they begin to heat up you should notice a nice aromatic smell, at that point shake the pan or stir the nuts to toast the other side. Once the nuts are toasted transfer them to the bowl of a food processor (they can cool a spell while you prepare the onion and garlic). Cut the onion into quarters; then cut each quarter in half again. Next peel the garlic and set aside.
  1. After the carrots have roasted about 20 minutes add the onion and garlic to the baking sheet and drizzle with the remaining ½ tablespoon oil. Stir the carrot mixture around to make sure everything is coated with oil to aid in more even cooking. Roast another 10-15 minutes or until everything is soft (test with a fork, you want all of the carrots to be soft).
  1. While the carrots finish cooking grind the pecans in the food processor until a nut butter forms (two or three 30-second pulses-think coarse ground almond butter). Once the carrots, onions and garlic are done, add them to the food processor with the pecans and process until smooth, add the seasonings, parsley, and lime juice and mix thoroughly. Garnish with more parsley if desired. .

 

Enjoy on crackers, sandwiches and veggies (cucumbers, bell peppers, even carrot sticks).

Yield: 1 ¾ cup (Serving size: 2 tablespoons)

Nutrition Breakdown: Calories 80, Fat 6g (0.5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 100mg, Carbohydrate 6g, Fiber 2g, Protein 1g.

Percent Daily Value: 110% Vitamin A

Carbohydrate Choice: 0 Carbohydrates

Diabetes Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1Fat