Christmas Carrots + How To Dress 'Em Up
Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Want a quick holiday side that you can make ahead? 2 words rainbow carrots.
Rainbow carrots will fill your holiday table or family salad with color. Simple to prepare and a gift that keeps on giving they're deliciously sweet when roasted. Plain roasting has always been my thing, that way I can make a veggie sing afterwards.
What do I mean by making a veggie sing? I mean adding a flavor bang! Like a good dressing!
Below you'll find my roasting notes along with a few tips on dressings, vinaigrettes and how to get your flavor bang on. You'll also see how I'm plating these carrots for Christmas as a side winter salad, made of roasted kale, watermelon radishes, rainbow carrots and tahini dressing. To give you an idea.
Read on my good home cooks!
XO
Roasting Notes
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Cut carrots however you like, I'm the lazy/RUSTIC home cook so I simply halve those long lean color sticks and call it a day
- For every 2 lbs of carrots toss in 1 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil
- If you have herbs on hand, top with said herbs
- Pop in the oven for 25-30 minutes until nice and tan, I mean roasted and brown (how I like my own skin in the summer)
- Allow to cool and store in a glass container in the refrigerator
- To use in a salad on Christmas Eve or Day, remove from the refrigerator and serve at room temperature
- To serve warm, reheat in the oven at 350 degrees in an oven proof dish covered with foil
Dressing Notes
A good vinaigrette will save a salad or veggie side. It will elevate. It will make your mouth water. The trick, a 3 to 1 ratio is a good rule of thumb (unless you’re me, in which case you eyeball directly on your greens and then taste, that’s how I learned).
3 parts oil 1 part acid. 3 T. oil to every 1 T. of acid/vinegar.
Pinch of salt. Grind of pepper. Boom.
PEACE OUT WISHBONE! TASTE AS YOU GO! NEVER BE AFRAID TO TASTE YOUR FOOD! IT’S HOW YOU’LL LEARN! COOKING IS AN EXPERIENCE!
Red Wine, Balsamic, Apple Cider or any vinegar/acid (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, tomato insides/seeds) with oil and salt will give you a dressing!
Lemon, Oil, Salt + Honey mixed together make a great topping for salads and bowls! *we did ¼ c. lemon juice, ¼ c. olive oil + salt
Add dijon mustard to any of the above to make a creamier dressing, put a little honey or maple syrup in to give a sweet smack!
Avocado, Yogurt, Tahini + Other nut butters make dressings creamy!
Wanna go Asian? Add a little soy sauce, peanut butter, honey + apple cider or rice vinegar with some sesame * garlic + ginger are a bonus!