Optional: To roast the pepitas, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Toss them with a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of salt. Spread them onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown, tossing them halfway through. Or puchase store-bought roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to save time.
Combine the carrots, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, fresh herbs, and pepitas (if using) in a medium bowl. Toss to combine until the carrot ribbons are evenly coated in the oil and juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
Peel the carrots and discard of the skins before grating or peeling the carrots for the salad.
Either peel the carrots using a Y peeler to create a ribbon-style raw carrot salad, or grate them on the largest holes of a box grater for a French-style grated carrot salad.
Use a microplane or fine grater to zest the lemon. It is important to only grate the outermost layer of the lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
Storage: Make this ahead of time to snack on during the week. Refrigerate any remaining Raw Carrot Salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days.