Roasted Balsamic Orange Carrots

Carrots are a special vegetable in that most people like them, even those who don’t voluntarily eat or enjoy other vegetables. They have a natural sweetness and nice crunchy texture when raw, but roast them and the sugars caramelize and the taste gets richer and deeper, taking on a whole new level of deliciousness. Carrots are famous nutritionally for their high amounts of carotenoids, plant pigments, which are best absorbed when consumed with some healthy fats like olive oil. Beta-carotene, a prevalent carotenoid in carrots, acts either as a powerful antioxidant or is converted to vitamin A in the liver and helps maintain healthy skin and eyes. For this version I added in some garlic, balsamic vinegar and orange juice to add some subtle flavors that enhance the carrots without overpowering them.

Roasted Balsamic Orange Carrots
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 cups carrots, sliced thinly (peel them if not organic)
  • 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice (freshly squeezed if possible)
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Toss all the ingredients together on a parchment paper lined baking sheet until the carrots are evenly coated and bake for 40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. They are done when the carrots look wrinkled and slightly browned.

 

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