Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

Do you ever feel like you’re in a cooking rut? I definitely feel that way sometimes. It seems that when we are busy I tend to put little thought into meal prep and instead cook the quickest and easiest thing, which usually results in a fairly boring meal. I really enjoy being creative in the kitchen but it often requires a little more time and some planning beforehand. A lot of times I use all my creative juices on the protein of the dish and the sides are an afterthought, which usually means a roasted or steamed vegetable.

I decided I wanted to steer away from our regular vegetables and try one that we don’t usually eat, carrots. I love raw carrots but have never really been a fan of cooked carrots. I wanted to give them a chance to make it into my favorites by cooking them with a little extra flavor. I chose to roast my carrots in balsamic vinegar and honey and have officially converted to a fan of cooked carrots. Below I will describe how I made these delicious honey balsamic roasted carrots.

Toss 1 pound of baby carrots in 1 1/2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. (I used the tricolor carrots because I think they photograph better and half of being a blogger is having pretty food that tastes good.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the coated carrots out on the pan. Bake the carrots in the oven for forty minutes. Once finished cooking, you can season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley and a little more honey.

These honey balsamic roasted carrots have officially been added into our dinner routine and have been a welcomed addition. What are some of your favorite side dishes to fix? I would love to hear new recipes that I could give a try. If you feel you are in a cooking rut try this cauliflower cornbread recipe, or this roasted acorn squash recipe.