Carrot Avocado Salad

 I've been laid up the last ten days or so with an annoying knee injury. Between Drop Dead Diva and a stack of books, I've been doing okay in the battle against boredom. I'm usually a pretty good relaxer, but as soon as you're mandated to stay still, all kinds of absurd things start to sound appealing (Hiking! Dusting the baseboards! Trying on everything in your closet!). 

On Sunday afternoon, I hobbled into the kitchen to try a slightly ambitious salad I've had on my radar screen for a while. I paired it down quite a bit, but it was still one of the best things I've made in a long time. To round this out into a full meal, I think lemon chicken and couscous or quinoa would match up beautifully!

Carrot Avocado Salad

You will need:

4 peeled carrots, cut into 2 inch long pieces, about 1/2 inch thick
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 of a Meyer lemon
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 Haas avocado, cut into 1/2 inch slices
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a medium sauce pan 2 inches high with cold water. Add the carrots and turn to high. Let boil for a five minutes, then drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, a squeeze of the lemon (about 1 teaspoon of juice total), garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and thyme. Toss carrots and the lemon half together with the marinade. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes, until the carrots have a few dark spots. Remove from the oven and let the carrots and lemon come down to room temperature.

In the same bowl used to make the marinade, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the juice from the roasted lemon half, salt and pepper. Plate carrots, radishes and avocado. Toss with the dressing and serve.

P.S. More winter salads!