Heirloom carrot salad w dates, almonds & herbs

Delight in the delicious blend of heirloom carrots, sweet dates, crunchy almonds, and fresh herbs in this vibrant and flavorful salad.

Ingredients:

• Vinaigrette
• 2/3 cup Olive oil
• 1/3 Walnut, almond or grapeseed oil
• 1/3 Sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon date molasses, dark honey or grade bmaple syrup
• 1 squeeze lemon juice
• 1 shallot minced
• .5 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 really small garlic clove minced
• 1 cup almonds, marcona or blanched
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 2 bunches the most beautiful carrots you can find
• .5 cups slivered dates
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 1 cup mixed mint leaves, italian parsley, nastursium flowers (if you can find them)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix almonds with cumin, lemon juice, and salt. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake until toasted
3. After toasting, coat almonds with powdered sugar. Gently crush them using a chef knife for a rustic look. Set aside (can be prepared a day in advance)
4. For the Vinaigrette...mix shallots, garlic, thyme, lemon juice, date molasses, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in oils until well combined. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed (can be prepared a day in advance)
5. Clean carrots, peel them and remove the first layer if needed. Place a bowl of ice-cold water in the sink or on the counter
6. Using a vegetable peeler, continue peeling the carrots creating ribbons. Let the ribbons fall into the cold water to maintain crispness. Once all carrots are ribboned, drain and pat dry thoroughly (can be prepared a day in advance, store carrots in water in the fridge until ready)
7. Rinse and dry arugula and herbs
8. For serving: mix carrots with 2/3 of the vinaigrette, almonds, and dates. Toss well (can be prepared up to 1 hour in advance). Combine the dressed carrots with arugula and herbs, adjusting the amount of vinaigrette to taste.

Summary:

• Calories: 2826 kcal
• Fat: 218 g
• Protein: 42 g
• Carbs: 211 g
• Potassium: 4437 mg
• Magnesium: 582 mg