Thyme Roasted Carrots

          As we discussed last week, many root vegetables are too often overlooked and under served at the family dinner table.  Carrots are perfectly wonderful to serve all year around, not just at your annual holiday meal.  In fact, you can actually grow carrots all year, in your own backyard, without waiting on one particular season.  If you have picky eaters (both adults and children) who shun the carrot and think it taste like rabbit food, introduce them to the roasted carrot, also known as vegetable candy.  Carrots are the perfect roasted root vegetable.  I mentioned last week that roasting concentrates the flavor of the vegetable and caramelizes its natural sugar content. Carrots naturally contain greater amounts of sugar, and roasting this vegetable only magnifies its sweetness.  I have made these carrots for many, and some can tell no difference between the roasted carrot and the roasted sweet potato.   Try something new next week for dinner and make an effort to add roasted carrots to your upcoming meal plan.

Recipe adapted from Poor Girl Gourmet

Ingredients

·         2 pounds carrots, peeled, halved, and cut into 2 to 3 inch chunks

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         ½ teaspoon dried thyme

·         1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

·         ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2.      In a medium sized bowl, toss together the carrots, olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Spread the carrots in one even layer onto the prepared baking sheet.  Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, flipping once, until the carrots are nicely browned.  Serves 4.  

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