This is a flexible recipe that can be endlessly modified, and can be tweaked to pair well with many flavor profiles. Below is the combination of ingredients that I use most often. The carrots and toasted nuts provide pleasing textural contrast, while the dressing strikes a balance between sweet, sour, salty, and tangy. Cumin and coriander are both excellent with carrots and they're even better together.

I don't measure anything when I make this, and it can be prepared in amounts ranging from single serving to buffet table. You should have just enough dressing to lightly coat the carrots — they shouldn't be swimming.

Salad Ingredients:

• Carrots
• Toasted nuts or seeds, such as pepitas or sunflower seeds

Dressing Ingredients:

• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• Honey
• Dijon mustard
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Black pepper
• Salt

Method:

• Toast your nuts while you prep the carrots and dressing. Place them in a single layer in a skillet or baking sheet, and heat over low heat, stirring and checking periodically. They will toast faster at higher heat, but you'll have to watch them obsessively. Some browning is fine, but don't let them burn.
• Grate the carrots. Place them in an appropriately sized bowl.
• Combine all dressing ingredients.
• Pour the dressing over the carrots, add the toasted nuts, and toss to coat.
• Serve cold or at room temperature.

Tweaks:

• Recipes for carrot salads like this usually call for olive oil, but I leave it out. Add it if you need something oily in your meal.
• Add dried fruit, cut into small pieces if necessary. Raisins, apricots, and cranberries are nice.
• Add (or substitute) other grated, thinly sliced, or slivered vegetables, such as beet, radish, fennel, sweet pepper, or hot pepper.
• Add fresh herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, or mint.
• Use whole spices and toast them with the nuts. Cumin, coriander, poppy, sesame, and fennel are good choices.
• Add some heat in the form of paprika or cayenne, or consider using small amounts of flavored oils such as sesame oil.