And to prove my point, a photo straight from one of my favorite websites, Dogshaming.com (published with permission)

Phil and I try to eat a varied diet.  We don’t exclude fats or  carbs, only moderate the intake of overly caloric stuff. Over the years we made some changes in our nutrition that we follow as strictly as possible.  We do the seafood at least once a week, often more.  We limit red meat to once a week. We save desserts for special occasions. Recently we decided to increase our consumption of carrots. Our goal is to have them as a side dish twice/week. Carrots are a fantastic source of beta-carotene, a compound that is metabolized into vitamin A and retinal in humans and other vertebrates. Retinal (vitamin A-aldehyde), is a key compound in the vision process.  Interestingly, carotenes are poorly absorbed from raw carrots. For optimal absorption, the carrots should be cooked, and preferably consumed with a little oil, as carotenes are oil-soluble.  I am sure the cute dog above compensates the poor absorption by maximizing uptake and grabbing each root available in the backyard…   😉  This recipe solves the problems for H.sapiens, as the carrots are roasted with a bit of olive oil. Plus, to pump the “good-for-you” index even further, they are mixed with pomegranates, themselves chock full of nutrients.  Interestingly enough, did you know that both carrots and pomegranates originated in Afghanistan?  That may be why they go so well together!

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES GLAZED CARROTS
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

8 carrots (any color), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

Heat oven to 425°. Combine carrots and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, spreading out in an even layer. Clean any excess oil left in the bowl and reserve it. Roast carrots, turning occasionally, until just tender, 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk honey and pomegranate molasses to blend in reserved bowl.

Transfer carrots to bowl with honey mixture; toss to coat well and spread out on baking sheet, scraping out any remaining glaze from bowl. Roast  until glaze is reduced and sticky and beginning to brown in spots, 5-8 minutes longer.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I loved this recipe not only for its flavor, but also its simplicity.  At first, I thought that the honey would make it overly sweet, because molasses sound sweet enough to start with. Not the case. The pomegranate component of the molasses wins the battle and the honey is needed to compensate its sharpness.  Since the final roasting takes less than 10 minutes, you can pre-roast the carrots in advance, and finish the dish right before sitting down to eat. I am all for easy during weeknights.

Note to self: make a lot more carrots than you think you’ll need. Yeah, they are that good…  😉

Note to readers:  if you are a dog lover and have not been introduced to Dogshaming.com,  make sure to stop by.  My day is not complete without a visit!

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