Carrot ‘Fries’
Move over potatoes, there’s is a new root vegetable in town. These carrot ‘fries’ are absolutely delicious alongside your favorite burger, with some bonus nutritional benefits! With no frying at all, these carrots are roasted on a sheet pan so you can focus on prepping other parts of your meal while they cook.
After julienning the carrots into the shape of a fry, simply toss them in olive oil and maple syrup. Then sprinkle with minced garlic and your spices, toss with your hands to coat evenly and pop in the oven. The carrots need stirred a few times during cooking to ensure they cook evenly. Right out of the oven they are crispy, caramelized, and savory sweet. The perfect addition to any barbecue!
Kitchen Tip!
Cutting carrots can be a kitchen hazard as they tend to like to roll out of the way right when you would like to cut. I myself have received a few deep cuts on my fingers a few times due to a run away carrot, beet, and winter squash. A good rule of thumb in the kitchen is to create a flat surface on hard round vegetables to securely cut on. After peeling my carrots, I use the vegetable peeler to shave off some ribbons on one side of the carrot, creating a flat surface to lay on the cutting board. Then keeping your fingers away from the sharp blade, rock the knife back and forth over the carrot surface without applying too much pressure until you are able to make a cut.
Nutrition Tip!
Did you know that cooking carrots increases their availability of certain nutrients? Carrots contain an antioxidant called beta-carotene, a common compound in many red-orange, and dark green fruits and vegetables. While many nutrients are more available when the raw version of produce is consumed, our ability to use beta carotene increases when carrots are cooked. Additionally, cooking carrots with a drizzle of olive oil further enhances our ability to utilize these compounds. Beta-carotene is a precursor to fat soluble vitamin A, which means it is best absorbed when consumed with a fat such as olive oil.
Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant which helps to fight free radicals, and oxidative stress in our bodies. Ongoing studies are being performed on the role of antioxidant consumption on certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and age-related macular degeneration.1 While research on antioxidants as individual food components such as beta-carotene is limited, we know that eating a diet with a variety of phytochemical and antioxidant containing fruits and vegetables is beneficial to disease prevention, management and overall health.
Carrot 'Fries'
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch carrots, about 5-6 medium
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 paprika
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch salt and pepper
- optional: a pinch of cayenne pepper for extra heat
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400 F.
- Peel carrots and slice into thin strips, about 3 inches long (think the shape of a French fry). Place on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Toss carrots in olive oil and drizzle on maple syrup. Sprinkle garlic, paprika, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and options cayenne pepper. Give the carrots a quick toss to evenly coat carrots with spices.
- Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the carrots start to get golden brown with some crispy bits. Give them a quick stir every ten minutes during baking.
- Enjoy while they are warm!
Notes:
References
Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intake for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and Carotenoids. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 2000.
