Versatile carrots, good in many ways

When I was a little girl, I once watched an episode of “The Magic School Bus,” in which one of the characters turned orange from eating too many carrots. From then on, I was deathly afraid that, if I consumed too many carrots, I too would turn a pale shade of orange.

I have realized, if only recently, that that is not in fact what happens to those who eat carrots — although there was something called The Orange Man Project, where a guy tried to turn orange by eating only carrots. I think he may have actually succeeded.

Carrots derive their orange color from the beta carotene found in their roots. Beta carotene is a potent natural anti-oxidant and helps protect the body from injury.

It also functions like vitamin A, improving things such things as vision (and, for couples eager to have children, sperm production).

Carrots are also high in vitamin C, which helps maintain healthy teeth and gums and, famously, can ward off colds.

In addition, carrots contain folic acid, vitamin B-6, thiamin and pantothenic acid, and they’re a source of fiber.

Personally, I find carrots beneficial because they can be put in anything. They can be eaten plain, thanks to their sweet, crunchy and flavorful nature. But they’re also versatile enough to blend with most flavors and foods.

While a host of vegetables lose  their nutrients when cooked, carrots actually become more nutritious — which incidentally makes them even more versatile as an ingredient. They go with anything, from pineapples to cilantro, from fresh cream to sour cream dip. Cold carrot and dill soup is a particular favorite of mine. So are roasted carrots, with cinnamon and a sprinkle of sugar. But best of all, I like carrot muffins.

Carrot cake muffins

16 to 18 muffins

1 cup white sugar;   1/2 cup butter;   2 eggs;    2 teaspoons vanilla extract;   1 cup of carrots (or up to 2 cups of carrots depending on how “carrot-y” you would like the muffins to be);  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour;   1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder;   1⁄2 cup coconut;   1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts;   1 tablespoon cinnamon;   1/2 cup milk

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners (you will probably need two pans).

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then stir in the vanilla and carrots. Combine the flour and baking powder, walnuts, coconut and cinnamon, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Add the milk and stir until the batter is smooth. Pour or spoon the batter into the muffin tins.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean (or until you can tap the center of the muffin and have it bounce right back up).

Sophie Schechter, a student at Kenyon College, was a 2011 Lakeville Journal intern.