There’s just something about oven roasted glazed carrots. They are tender, sweet and make the perfect side dish for a variety of meals.

What Kind of Carrots Do You Use

I personally love using fresh carrots I’ve picked from the garden. You can use traditional orange carrots or the pretty tri-color (purple, yellow, orange) ones. The little mini ones in the grocery section are good to use too.

If you are using fresh picked carrots, leave just a little of the to still on. It makes such a pretty presentation.

How to Make Oven Roasted Glazed Carrots

Cut off the tops, leaving about an inch on top. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the thin layer that has the dirt on the carrot. Now, wash them.
Cut the carrots in half as shown above. If using mini carrots, just wash all of them. These are already peeled so that step is done for you.
Next, lay your carrots on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Drizzle across the carrots with the olive oil. Next, layer a drizzle of either honey or maple syrup.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary or thyme.
Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the carrots. They should be nice and soft and have a nice caramelization on them.
Serve at once.

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Are Carrots Nutritious

We’ve all hear that carrots are good for eyes, but is it really true?

Several studies have identified lutein and zeaxanthin to be essential components for eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments that impart yellow or orange color to various common foods such as – you guessed it, carrots. Their role in human health, in particular the health of the eye, is well established from epidemiological, clinical and interventional studies. They constitute the main pigments found in the yellow spot of the human retina which protect the macula from damage by blue light, improve visual acuity and scavenge harmful reactive oxygen species. They have also been linked with reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. Research over the past decade has focused on the development of carotenoid-rich foods to boost their intake especially in the elderly population.

Carrot intake was linked to a lower risk of multiple cancer outcomes including breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, urothelial cancer, and prostate cancer. Carotene intake was linked to a lower risk of fracture, age-related cataract, sunburn, Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer, and head and neck cancer (HNC).

As far as how carrots are grown, organic farming in comparison with conventional farming has shown 70% higher levels for magnesium and 10% for iron. Low nitrogen fertilization level may cause up to 100% increase in terpene content, minor increase in dry matter (+4 to +6%) and magnesium (+8%) and reduction in β-carotene content (-8 to -11%).

So, I say, eat your carrots!

Tools You May Need

Parchment Paper

Cookie Sheet

Vegetable Peeler

Chef’s Knife

Vermont Maple Syrup