Y’all, our very first Luv Cooks video debuts today!! See the full recipe here:
As a kid, I hated carrots. There weren’t many things in life I wouldn’t eat (I’ve been a bottomless pit since I was three), but my memories of carrots were either of the raw variety, zip-locked into my school lunch bag in order to balance the Oreos, or boiled until mushy and piled onto a spoon at my church’s Wednesday night suppers.
Needless to say, neither was appealing to my growing palette (which also preferred Nutter Butters over actual peanut butter, and a fruit roll-up to fruit).
But as my cooking progressed, I learned that you can’t always take a vegetable at face value. Sometimes a cooking method transforms the slight flavor of a raw orange stick to something ethereal- even addictive. Especially when swathed in The Oil and Vinegar Cellars’ Pecan Praline aged balsamic vinegar, roasted to a deep sweetness, then topped with chopped pecans. Delightful.
Carrots are also amazing for you. They have tons of antioxidants, and eating lots of carrots could help protect against unhealthy levels of cholesterol. Consumption of carrots can also help to ease stomach issues, and they are killer for your immune system!
So in the midst of this dreary, cold weather, pull out some carrots, roast those babies, hope for Spring, and enjoy a deliciously sweet vegetable surprise.
Pecan Praline Balsamic Roasted Carrots
This take on a traditional roasted carrot brings out the beautiful sweetness of carrots via aged pecan praline (or your favorite balsamic) vinegar by allowing the carrots to caramelize a bit in their juices. Crunchy pecans on top bring a rich texture into the mix.
What You Will Need:
- 1 16-ounce bag baby carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pecan praline aged balsamic vinegar*, plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- sea salt and black pepper for seasoning
- fennel fronds, for garnish
What You Will Do:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray.
- Toss your baby carrots in a large bowl with olive oil. Add the balsamic vinegar, and stir together until the carrots are evenly coated.
- Pour carrots and their balsamic glaze onto the roasting pan and make sure they are spread out evenly in a single layer.
- Roast the carrots in the oven for about 15 minutes.
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Toss carrots with chopped pecans, drizzle with another light layer of balsamic vinegar (about 1/2 tablespoon). Stir the carrots together once more, making sure the carrots and pecans are evenly covered with balsamic.
- Add a light sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Put the carrots back into the oven to roast for five minutes. Once done, top with fennel fronds if you like. Let cool slightly, and enjoy!
*I love Taelor’s pecan praline vinegar, but any specialty or high-quality balsamic vinegar would be delicious.
