Are your dinner sides getting a little boring? Need a change from the same vegetable routine? Try curry oven-roasted carrots with hot honey for a spiced up change.
Balanced meals
Especially when my boys were little, our meals always consisted of a protein, a starch, and a vegetable. They were very picky eaters which meant creating some magic with meals. One thought he was a vegetarian but only for the vegetables he liked. The other one only wanted meat, especially cheeseburgers. I often thought I would have the perfect eater if I could just combine them.
So I resorted to tricks that a lot of parents try. I hide vegetables, especially in recipes like sloppy joes or spaghetti. We also gave food funny names to distract them from what they were eating, like broccoli. Better known as trees in our house, the boys always thought that was a humorous name.
In a rut
Now that my kids are older, I can change some of the tried and true veggie sides we have for dinner. This curry oven-roasted carrot recipe is one of my favorites. Combine the carrots with red onion and Granny Smith apples. Tossed with curry powder and oven-roasted, this is a one-pan deal.
Size matters
Roasting the vegetables for different lengths of time is important because of the difference in density. However, consistency in size is important. Cut everything into batons measuring ⅜s of an inch thick and 2 ½ inches long. Toss everything with olive oil and curry powder for roasting. Super yummy! When roasted, toss the veggies and apple with slivered almonds.
Hot honey
But the best ingredient is hot honey. It accentuates the sweetness but ramps up the flavor profile in a big way. That hit of spice is just what these veggies need to go from another ho-hum dinner side to something a little special.
And how do I know this recipe is good? There are no tricks or silly names involved when served to the teenagers. I didn't have to resort to any sleight of hand. But I did get a lot of thumbs up. So up your dinner game with curry oven-roasted carrots. This recipe definitely adds some personality to carrots, red onions, and Granny Smith apples.
Recipe
Curry Oven-Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
Hot Honey
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes amount of spice is up to you
Fruit and Vegetables
- 1 pound carrots peeled
- 1 cup red onion about ½ onion
- 1 Granny Smith apple I did not peel the apple. But feel free to peel if you prefer
- 2 tablespoons olive oil separate
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon parsley minced
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Hot Honey
- Heat honey in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir in the red pepper flakes. Set aside for later.
Fruit and Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Slice carrots into sticks about ⅜ of an inch thick and 2 ½ inches long.
- Slice the red onion into the same thickness as the carrots.
- Slice the Granny Smith apple into the same size as the carrots.
Roasting
- Put the almonds on a tray and put in the oven to roast. Set a timer. Nuts burn really fast - I forget them all the time until the nuts are too dark. Only leave them in the oven for 3-4 minutes.
- Place the carrots on a sheet tray. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, and curry powder. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, take the tray out of the oven and add the onions. Combine with the carrots. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, take the tray out of the oven. Add the apples and the last tablespoon of olive oil to the vegetables. Mix all the ingredients together. Place back in the oven
- Roast for 5 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven. Put the carrots, onions, and apples in a bowl. Toss with the hot honey and the almonds. Adjust seasoning if need be.
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