Carrots Two Ways

Roasted Carrot Fries are a wonderful way to add more vegetables to your plate with plenty of flavor and more nutrition than you would get from a regular french fry.  This recipe can also be done with parsnips, zucchini or butternut squash and perfect for any clean eating diet.

After bringing home a beautiful bunch of carrots today, my mind started running.  What to do with these carrots?!  With this new clean eating trend going on in our household, I thought what better way than to update that side of fries with some carrot fries instead!

Better than french fries?  Yes!

This recipe has seen a lot of kitchens already, but for those who haven't tried the magic of a carrot fry, give it a go, you won't be disappointed.

When they are roasted in olive oil, garlic salt, ground black pepper, thyme and rosemary until the ends are just slightly crispy, you'll understand why these are an addiction.  To prepare them, set the oven to 400 and peel the outside skin of 6-8 carrots.  Cut the carrots into fours lengthwise to create a french fry shape, coating them in all the ingredients listed above.  I add a sprinkle of each - there are no actual measurements.  If you need numbers, go with 1 tsp of each and 1-2 TBS of olive oil.  Roast for 45 minutes or until browned and the ends of well done, stirring twice through the cooking process to re-coat the top layer of carrots.  Serve as a side to anything or as a snack and enjoy!

Need another idea?  Try mixing mashed sweet potatoes with mashed carrots for a delicious spin on a classic side dish - it's my Mom's go-to Thanksgiving must have.  Or try peeling them into noodles, mixing them with some Fresh Basil Pesto for a wonderful side dish.