Moroccan Carrot Salad

This recipe is from Sprouted Kitchen. It’s a very simple carrot salad that is surprisingly good. I made a vegan version, but you can add feta if you want – I think this would also go well with goat cheese. Note that it would look prettier with a mix of purple and orange carrots, but orange was all I had on hand and it was fine. I served this with crisp chicken with lime dipping sauce.

For the salad
4 cups grated carrots
¾ cup cooked lentils, rinsed and drained (chickpeas would work, too)
7 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
¼ cup minced red onion or shallot
5 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
½ cup toasted pistachios
½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional, see note above)

For the dressing
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
zest and juice of 2 limes
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. turmeric
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
¼-½ tsp. sea salt, to taste
½ tsp. fresh ground pepper

In a large bowl, combine the carrots, lentils, dates, red onion, scallions and cilantro. Break up any bits of dates that are sticking together.

In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, zest and juice of the limes, cumin, nutmeg, turmeric, red pepper, salt and pepper (or shake them together in a jar).

Pour the dressing over the carrot salad and toss to coat. Give the pistachios a rough chop and sprinkle on top along with the feta cheese. Serve as is or cover and chill in the fridge.