Garlic-Roasted Carrots

These garlic roasted carrots are absolutely addictive! Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of carrots, and garlic and onion become sweeter with roasting as well. Recipe contributed by Norene Gilletz, reprinted by permission by Whitecap Publishers from Norene's Healthy Kitchen.* 

Serves: 6

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 pounds (1 kg) carrots, peeled and cut in 2-inch lengths
  (or use 2 pound fresh baby carrots, tops trimmed — you don't even
  need to peel them
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic (about 3 to 4 tsp minced)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh thyme leaves and thyme sprigs, optional

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9- × 13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Place the onion, carrots, and garlic in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste; mix well. If using fresh thyme, sprinkle with some of the leaves and save a few sprigs for garnish For best results, the carrots should be in a single layer in the dish.

Roast, uncovered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until golden and tender, stirring the carrots occasionally. Transfer to a serving dish; garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme, if using. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Keeps for up to 2 days in the refrigerator; reheats well. Don’t freeze.

Variations:

• Use half carrots and half parsnips. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice. Add your favorite herbs (try cumin, minced basil, oregano, dillweed, thyme, or rosemary). If using fresh herbs, add them during the last 5 minutes of roasting.

• Lazy Day Carrots: Substitute with bagged baby carrots, which require no peeling or cutting.

Garlic-Roasted Carrots and Potatoes

Use 1 pound carrots and 3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced. Add ½ cup water and roast as directed.

Garlic-Roasted Parsnips

Use 2 pounds parsnips instead of carrots.

Chef’s Secrets

• What’s in Store: Choose carrots that are firm and smooth, without cracks. Hairy white fibers are a sign of age. If carrots still have the greens attached, twist them off and discard as soon as possible or the carrots will spoil quickly.

• Size Counts: Small-to-medium carrots are best. Although large carrots take less time to peel, they usually have tough, tasteless, woody cores and are less sweet. One lb (500 g) contains 6 medium carrots and yields about 3 cups.

• How A-Peeling: Here’s an easy way to peel carrots, which I learned from a chef after I finished peeling 50 pounds of carrots in his kitchen! Holding the end in one hand, place the point of the carrot on a cutting surface. With a vegetable peeler, use long strokes, rotating the carrot until all the peel is removed; trim the ends. Get the point?

Nutrition Notes

• Myth-Information: Many people who are on a low-carb diet are afraid to eat carrots because they think they have a high glycemic index value, but their GI is 41, which makes them a low GI food. It’s important to note that the glycemic index is based on eating 50 grams of carbohydrate—that’s about 9 carrots or 11/2 pounds! One medium carrot contains 5.8 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g fiber, and 25 calories—how’s that for a “root awakening”? Munching on a crunchy carrot will have minimal effect on blood sugar, so munch without guilt. For more information, visit www.glycemicindex.com.

• What’s Up, Doc? Carrots are loaded with fiber, vitamin A, some vitamin C, plus beta carotene, which helps promote eye health. Look at the whole picture and don’t just choose foods based on their glycemic index value. Hopefully, now everyone will see eye to eye on this point.

• Here are more recipes featuring roasted vegetables.

Norene Gilletz is a Canadian food writer and is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. Visit her extensive food site, Gourmania.

• Here are more recipes for making the most of carrots.

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