This is one of those small, quick side dishes that can make a big impact on any meal.
A lot of people find the idea of adding vegetables to every meal to be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Quick Prep Work
These roasted whole carrots, for example, require nothing more than a quick washing and seasoning before you throw them in the oven.
It takes only a few minutes and it’s well worth it. You can then prepare the rest of your meal while the carrots are roasting in the oven.
Don’t Throw Out the Greens
Most of us are probably accustomed to buying carrots that have been separated from their greens.
If you grow your own carrots, find them in your CSA box or at your local farmer’s market, you’ll probably see them with the greens still attached.
Eating lots of leafy greens is always a good idea and carrot tops fit the bill.
Just like we advocate eating the whole animal (for extra nutrients, as well as to avoid waste), we also recommend eating the whole vegetable.
There are plenty of nutrients to be had by eating the carrots with their tops and there’s no sense in throwing out perfectly good food.
Carrot tops tend to be a bit pungent and herbal. It complements its orange roots perfectly and there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain by eating your carrots alongside their tops.
How To Prepare Them
I used avocado oil instead of olive oil to roast my carrots because avocado oil has a higher smoke point. Avocado oil also has many of the same health benefits as olive oil.
It has a similar fat profile (mostly healthy monounsaturated fats, followed by saturated fat and only a small amount of polyunsaturated fat). Avocado oil also comes loaded with micronutrients and antioxidants, so we don’t have to worry about it going rancid in the oven.
I think coriander and cinnamon are a great combination that blend well in this dish, but feel free to play around with the herbs and spices in your kitchen to create your favorite flavor combination!
Alternative Preparations
Instead of cooking the carrots and tops all at the same time, you can chop the tops off and prepare them as you would make kale chips.
Separate the leaves so they’re spread evenly on a baking sheet. Oil, season and then bake them into a delightfully, crispy snack.
