Carrots for dessert? Add grapes and go!

A duck walked up to a lemonade stand. And he said to the man
running the stand… “Hey…. Got any grapes?”

The man said, “No, we just sell lemonade.  It’s cold and it’s fresh and it’s all home made.  Can I get you a glass?” The duck said, “I’ll pass.” (waddle waddle waddle)

I feel just like that persistent little duckie in Bryant Oden’s wickedly humorous song who wouldn’t give up until he found some grapes.

Unlike the duck, when I find grapes I know just what I’ll do with them.

You see I’ve invented my very own completely new and most unusual but totally delicious and utterly ridiculous dessert.

It isn’t a cake. It isn’t a tart. And it isn’t a pie (waddle waddle waddle).

It’s Superbowl! This simple concoction of carrots, red grapes and Greek yogurt is brightened with apple juice and a little maple syrup or stevia. It tastes sweet and fresh, and delivers a pop. The cold, glazed carrots taste of caramel.

Superbowl is pretty enough to serve to the teacher the next time he comes for lunch, yet easy enough to make with your kids for a teddy bear picnic.

Even more surprising, it’s two treats in one. Serve it warm as a delicious side for chicken or pork. Or serve it chilled with a rich yogurt cream in crystal dessert glasses to top off a fine meal.

Carrots and grapes side dish
(serves four)

• 1 pound small, fresh carrots (choose a sweet variety), peeled, washed, and sliced into thin coins
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon stevia sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice mixed with 2 teaspoons corn starch
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 cup red grapes, halved (about 40)

1. Boil the carrot coins in a small pot with just enough salted water to cover them (about 5-7 minutes).
2. When they are fork tender, drain them and return the pot to the stove on medium-low heat.
3. Add the coconut  oil, the sweetener, and the apple juice mixed with cornstarch. Stir until the sauce thickens. Allow to cook for a minute.
4. If you are making the dessert version, cool the saucy carrots in the fridge.
5. If you are making the side dish, add the grapes and swish with the hot  carrots just until the grapes are coated with the sauce and have warmed somewhat. Add a dash of cinnamon. Serve immediately.
6. Don’t let the grapes cook over the heat, or they will release their water and won’t taste fresh.

Superbowl
(Carrot and grape cream-cups for four)

If you want to serve carrots for dessert, prep the carrots like you did for the side dish. Once the sauce has thickened, take the carrots off the heat and put the saucy coins in a small bowl in the fridge to cool. While waiting, make the yogurt cream.

A simple puree of carrots and apple juice flavor the Greek yogurt

Yogurt cream

• 30 grams carrots (about 2 small 4-inch carrots), washed and peeled
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1/2 teaspoon stevia sugar (or 1 tablespoon honey)
• 1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt

1. Puree the carrots with the apple juice and the sweetener until smooth.
2. Add 2 – 4 tablespoons of the carrot puree to 1 cup Greek yogurt.
3. Taste, and if you like it sweeter, add a little more stevia sugar (or honey). Keep in the fridge till ready to serve.
4. Layer the chilled and glazed carrots with the grapes and the yogurt cream in a clear dessert bowl. Try to get at least two layers of each ingredient into every bowl. Finish with yogurt cream. Add a dollop of orange carrot puree on top of the yogurt cream, to garnish.

This lovely dessert has all the goodness carrots, grapes and yogurt have to offer.

• Protein and calcium for strong muscles and bones  from the yogurt…
• lots of fiber from the fruit and veggie for better digestion and heart health…
• vitamins A , K and B6 from the carrots for good eyesight…
• and tons of vitamins C and K from the grapes.

Vitamin K is sometimes forgotten about. But it’s important for keeping your heart ticking along, for strong bones and teeth, and for proper blood clotting if you get a cut. And everyone knows that vitamin C makes for a strong immune system to protect against disease.

Serve this dessert as an alternative to berries and feel free to change it up to suit what you have in the cupboard. If the grocery guy doesn’t have any grapes (waddle, waddle, waddle), try it with nuts for a nice crunch, or with mangoes or bananas for a smooth hit of deliciousness.

The possibilities are endless. You can even use lemonade instead of apple juice or squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. Duckie might have had this in mind when he asked, “Got any lemonade?” before he waddled away.

PS If you haven’t had the pleasure of listening to Bryant Oden’s Duck Song, do it now, before you, too, waddle away. It’ll brighten your day :).