Oh, the lovely carrot.

Though usually orange in color, this root vegetable can range from white, yellow, purple, and even black. The carrot we know today has been domesticated from the wild carrot which was originally cultivated as for its leaves and seeds as medicine. It was then selectively bred for its more enlarged and more palatable, less woody-textured taproot. Some close relatives of the carrot are still grown for their leaves and seeds – like parsley, coriander, cilantro, fennel, dill, anise, and cumin. Carrots take anywhere from 70-120 days to mature from seed. They are an excellent source of vitamin A as they are loaded with beta carotene, a natural chemical that the body changes into vitamin A. Carrots are also a good source of vitamin K and vitamin B6.

You can prepare them in various ways. Try them raw, as a colorful addition to a salad, roasted or stir fried. They can also be juiced or cooked into a soup. Even the greens of this versatile vegetable are edible – they make a great, earthy addition to a pesto!