RECIPE

Carrot Cookies Carrot Cookies

By Amber Arevalos

Nothing says spring like carrots! Easter is when we celebrate with our family. These carrot cookies are delicious and can even be topped with frosting and decorated to match the season. Don’t let the delicious flavor fool you; it also has excellent nutritional value.

The top nutrition provided in this recipe is the root vegetable carrots. Carrots come in various colors, and although traditionally orange carrots are the most popular, you can use any color for this recipe. A half-cup of carrots can provide 25 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and .5 grams of protein. When it comes to vitamins and minerals, carrots pack 73% of the RDI of vitamin A, 9% of vitamin K, 8% of potassium and 5% of vitamin C. Carrots are known for their properties in promoting eye health, aid in heart health, boost the immune system and even control diabetes.

Vanilla adds such a delicious flavor to any recipe that calls for it, but it too has health benefits. Vanilla has an antioxidant, vanillin, that can be credited for having anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Vanilla is often used in mainly baking dishes, some breakfast foods and tea and ice cream. Some even use it to reduce the sugar craving. It has been linked to reducing high blood glucose levels.

Ginger has been used for health ailments for many years. It helps aid in digestion, reduces nausea, helps with viruses and is anti-inflammatory. With a good amount of antioxidants, ginger gives this recipe a boost.

There are many delicious carrot-based recipes, but this is perfect for handheld servings that everyone will enjoy. Adding frosting can make it extra sweet! If you are feeling creative, add design or sprinkles. INGREDIENTS • 1 cup butter softened • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 1 cup carrots shredded • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract • 2 egg yolks • 6 tbsp heavy cream at room temperature • 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp cinnamon • 1/4 tsp allspice • 1/2 tsp ginger • pinch cloves DIRECTIONS  Preheat the oven to 350F then line a baking sheet and set aside.  Cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together until smooth and creamy.  Mix in the shredded carrots, vanilla extract, egg yolk and heavy cream until smooth.  Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves and salt and mix just until the flour mixture disappears.  Scoop out 8 equal cookie dough balls, place them on the prepared baking sheet, gently flatten to about 3/4-1 inch in thickness and bake for 12 minutes.  Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Nutrition: Calories: 490kcal Carbohydrates: 57g Protein: 6g Fat: 27g Sodium: 646mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 1g Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 2128IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 2mg

GOING VEGAN wiaSatisfyingCrunch

PRIME PLANET’S NATIONAL BRAND OF GREEN PLANTAIN TOSTONES ARE VEGAN CERTIFIED  A BETTER WAY TO GO

Ever wonder about a vegan lifestyle, but not sure you can go without certain snacks or foods? Well, it’ s easier to adapt to this culinary approach than you might think, given the vast array of products available to vegan consumers who avoid use of any ingredients of animal origin including meat, fish,fish, dailydaily p product, eggs, and honey.

“If you ’ re a vegan who ’ s opted for a healthier lifestyle, but you still crave the crunch and flavor of a great snack, our delicious Tostones got you covered, ” stresses Marie Gonzalez, Business Development Manager for Miami-based Prime Planet, which markets a variety of flavors of the all-natural green plantain chip.

“By carrying the Certified Vegan logo on every bag of our Original, Lime, Sweet Chile, BBQ, and Habanero Tostones, we guarantee that they ’ re 100 percent vegan, ” she adds.

Veganism is on the Rise

T Though veganism is most commonly thought of as a diet, it is also a broader lifestyle. Either way you slice and dice it, in today ’ s world veganism is growing in popularity.

How do we know this? One way is to look at what people are buying. Retail sales of vegan products have been sharply increasing for years, as has the availability of products. In fact, plant-based food sales surpass $7 billion, sales up 27 percent in 2020. On the crunchier side of the spectrum, this suggests why sales of Prime Planet Tostones have also been skyrocketing.

Consumer reasons for “ going vegan ” vary considerably, based on their personal principles. Some choose a vegan culinary approach for a healthier lifestyle. Intent on replacing less healthy foods with nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts, their goal is to minimize illness.

From another perspective, some vegans feel strongly about animal rights and object to

“factory farms ” and the way that cows, chickens, or other animals are raised and used in agricultural production of foods. Other consumers are vegans because of strong concerns about food safety, believing plant-basedplant-based p products are much safer than meat or seafood products packaged in factories.

In addition, environmental activists often are vegans because they see farms that raise animals for food as reducing the amount of land devoted to raising crops needed to feed or house people across the globe.

A Tasty Crunchy Alternative

“If you ’ re already a vegan or simply thinkingthinking aboutabout youryour lifeslifestyle choices and starting to eat vegan foods, our Tostones are a great, healthy snack, ” says Gonzalez, noting that Prime Planet green plantains are handpicked, manually processed, and cooked under the highest quality standards.

OneOne piecepiece ofof advice?advice? ExpeExperts say that “ going vegan ” doesn ’t have to be a massive effort of willpower and struggle. Many suggest starting out with small steps and then add more vegan diet choices over time.

MoMore and more shoppers are discovering that Prime Planet’ s “better for you ” snack chips are a tasty, crunchy alternative. And now they ’ re grabbing the attention of vegans coast to coast. Can ’t wait? Order a supply online today or visit your local grocer ’ s snack food aisle. For information, visit wwwww.primeplanet.net.