Cooked Carrots

A couple of weeks back we got these GORGEOUS rainbow carrots in our box of organic produce and when my son saw them he honestly didn’t believe me that they were carrots. They ranged from a deep purple to red and even white. They were just too pretty to get tossed into a salad or cooked any ordinary way. I wanted these to stand on their own. I know I have mentioned in many previous posts that I am always looking for fun and healthy after school snacks for my little man so we decided to make roasted carrot fries. They were awesome! I just sliced, baked, and served them with a little side of ranch (because every 3 year old loves to dip their food in sauce). These were super quick and a wonderful way to enjoy these rainbow carrots.

INGREDIENTS
4–5 large carrots (I used rainbow carrots)
olive oil for drizzling
salt
ranch for dipping (optional)

STEPS

Preheat oven to 425º.
Carefully cut the carrots into “fry sized” pieces.
Place the carrots on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Toss the carrots to coat and season with salt.
Bake the carrots for 15–18 minutes or until crisp tender, flipping once halfway through cooking.
Remove from oven and transfer to a serving dish or plate.
Serve with a side of your favorite dressing or enjoy all on their own.

I am a lover of all things carrot. Just not when they are steamed all on their lonesome. If I am eating cooked carrots I want them to have some pizzazz. This is by far my favorite way to enjoy cooked carrots, covered in a sweet and buttery glaze. So good! These are very simple, and in fact you probably already have all the ingredients on hand. These take less than 10 minutes and are a fabulous addition to any dinner.

Note: This recipe is intended to be prepared with petite carrots but I have made it with both carrot sticks and baby carrots and had equally great results. They petite carrots just make for the nicest presentation. I had whole carrots on hand so that’s what you see in the photo.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp white vinegar
salt
5 large carrots, cut in half lengthwise and then quarters (See above note for a variety of carrots that can be used.)

STEPS

In a large sauté pan combine the honey, vanilla, butter, vinegar, and salt.
Heat over medium-high heat.
Once the butter is melted whisk the glaze until well combined.
Add in the carrots.
Cook until the majority of the liquid is gone and the carrots are fork tender, about 8–10 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally.