Carrot Dogs

• servings: 8 carrot dogs
• total time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

8 large carrots

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dry mustard

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Dash ground cloves

8 whole wheat hot dog buns, toasted if desired

½ of a red onion, finely chopped (¼ cup)

3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard

½ of a medium cucumber, spiralized

Directions

Peel carrots and trim to 6 inches long. Trim wide end to make a consistent thickness. Place carrots in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Cover pan and bring to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cook carrots 8 to 10 minutes, until just tender. Drain well.

Place carrots in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, in a bowl combine the next 11 ingredients (through cloves) and ½ cup water. Pour over carrots; seal bag. Chill 4 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and discard marinade.

Grill carrots, covered, over medium-high 5 to 8 minutes or until grill marks start to appear, turning occasionally. Or place carrots in a foil-lined baking pan and bake at 450°F 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned on edges.

Place grilled carrots in buns. Top carrot dogs with red onion, mustard, and cucumber.