Carrot Cake Salad

Yes, it's a little sweet for a salad - but nothing like as sweet as actual carrot cake, about which I was dreaming when I decided to make this instead (or perhaps I should say, at all). As such, it won't go with everything, but plainish grilled chicken or tofu would be lovely, or certain kinds of sandwiches would go nicely alongside it.

My raisins are not rotating like they used to, and they used to sit long enough to get pretty dried out, so I soaked them in a little of the pineapple juice. I added the left over juice, but I don't think it's a good idea; the dressing came out a little thin. My pineapple came out of a tin, and that's perfectly cromulent, but if you happen to have a fresh one around, a slice could be chopped to mingle unobtrusively with the other ingredients, but even more deliciously. 

Salt and pepper absolutely required - I peppered enthusiastically - because this is a salad, and not a cake, after all.

 

4 to 8 servings

 

Make the Salad:

2 cups grated carrots

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple tidbits 

1/2 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut

1/2 head greenhouse lettuce

 

Peel and grate the carrots, and mix them with the raisins, walnuts, pineapple, and coconut. Wash and dry the lettuce.

 

Make the Dressing:

1/2 cup thick yogurt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/16 teaspoon ground cloves

1/16 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

the juice of 1/2 lemon

Mix the seasonings into the yogurt, then mix in the lemon juice. Toss the carrots, etc, with this dressing then arrange the salad over the dried lettuce leaves. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Chocolate Cake with Roasted Strawberry Cream.