The Carrot Defect

As you might have guessed by now, carrots are most probably my favourite vegetable. So versatile, so delicious in almost every way - only not overcooked, please - and as an extra plus, good for you! And frankly, it's not always something that's good for you tastes all that good...

Sometimes I think that my fascination about carrots - which sort of haven't really begun to blossom until about 10 years ago - can be something of a hereditary defect. The Carrot Defect. Which is basically a very positive thing, really.

Just as long as one keeps it under control and don't develop any side-effects like growing too much fur, longer ears, whiskers, really big front teeth and jump around a lot *two out of five ain't too bad, I guess...*

One wouldn't want to end up like the dreaded Were-Rabbit... No, no fear, I'm most certainly more of a Lady Tottington, living the good life and caring for animals in need.

My dear mother ate carrots and drank a lot of carrot-juice when I was still living the more compact living of a good life in her belly. When I decided it was time to change my living quarters, I came out very orange.

That very intense orange colour has since then faded, but still, all that beta-carotene getting into my system as a foetus might have something to do with the fact that I easily absorb sunshine ever since. Getting a more pleasingly tanned look than a really orange one though. But hence the Carrot Defect *Thank you, mum.*

A busy Lady Tottington-kind of life does include experimenting with vegetables in food - a very basic part of caring for animals and their well-being is not eating them - and for some reason I've never come around to baking carrot-bread until some weeks ago.

I don't know what kept me, since the carrot-grater sort of has become, if not an extra limb attached to my semi-furry body, but a self-evident part of the emergency kit I always carry with me in my handbag du jour. Still, that carrot-bread of my very own baking has really shone with its absence.

Until now. And my oh my, will I make it again! And again. And again. And... Probably important to always keep in mind the darker, jumpier downside of the Carrot Defect though...

The bread is so easy to make, and since it contains baking powder instead of yeast, you don't have to worry about that yeasty kind of tang that unfortunately tags along with a lot of breads and buns containing yeast.

Carrot bread

3 dl grated carrots (about 200 g)
3 dl nonfat sour milk or yogurt or soygurt/oatgurt for a vegan bread
1 tsp salt
1 dl whole wheat flour
5 dl plain white flour
2 tbsp baking powder

Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl. Then add the dry ones, a bit at a time. Pour the mixture in a well-greased 1,5 l baking tin. Bake it in the lower part of the oven for about 45 minutes-one hour, at 175 C. It should be a bit doughy in texture when ready. Let it rest a while in the tin before tip it on a plate or a grid. The bread is best enjoyed the same day as baked, but can be kept a day or two in a plastic bag.

Enjoy!!