Roasted Carrots

Some nights call for a dish that asks almost nothing of you, and this is that dish. 5 ingredients and 1 pan, and the oven does the rest. Keeping a few honest, easy meals like this within reach is part of what makes whole-food cooking sustainable, night after night.

What roasts out of the carrots is real nourishment. Carrots are a source of beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, and vitamin A is involved in immune and mucosal health, the lining work that matters when you are calming an immune system on high alert. High heat sweetens them, the thyme grounds them, and a little ginger at the end brings the warmth that black pepper would, without the pepper itself.

These are whole roots, grown in soil, not something manufactured. When you pull the pan out, scatter the lemon zest so it catches the light, and let the plate be a little beautiful before you sit down with it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb carrots, chopped
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (omit for low-histamine or interstitial cystitis)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Omit the lemon zest if you are working low-histamine or managing interstitial cystitis. The dish stays warm and complete with just the thyme and ginger.

Method

• Heat the oven to 450F.
• Toss the carrots with the coconut oil, thyme, and salt in a baking dish. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
• Off the heat, stir in the lemon zest and ginger just before serving.

Air fryer variation

Toss the carrots with the oil, thyme, and salt. Air fry at about 400F for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice, until tender and browned at the edges. Stir in the lemon zest and ginger before serving. (verify - untested conversion)

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*