HEALTHY RECIPE - Roasted Rainbow Carrot "Fries"

With all this talk about cake already, with more on the way, I figured a healthy recipe was in order for a little balance :)

This is one of my absolute favorite side dishes. Ever.

Roasted rainbow carrot "fries" :)

I crave these regularly, and I like them so much that they've become a staple in my diet as a carb source that doubles as a treat!

Not only is this a delicious way to get an extra veggie into your meal, they’re sweet, salty, and beyond easy to make, which gained them an instant and devoted following at my house!

They're a nutritious, lower-carb and lower-calorie alternative to traditional potato fries… Not just due to the carrots themselves, but this recipe involves roasting rather than deep-fat frying, and uses just a spritz of cooking spray to get the job done.

Roasted carrots have around half the calories and less than half the carbs of potatoes per 100g, which means you can eat twice as much for the same nutritional cost - a huge win for those of us who like to eat big meals but want to stay on track!

It's easy for us here in Santa Barbara to get beautiful, organic rainbow carrots (an assortment of orange, white/yellow, and deep purple) in our local markets, but if you can't find them where you live it's totally fine to use any kind you can get your hands on - plain orange are just as good!

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One little note before we begin, to manage your expectations - although these mimic the shape of fries, and they are also delicious dipped in ketchup, they taste nothing like potato french fries. They’re sweeter, less crispy on the outside, and have more texture on the inside. They’re carrots after all, not potatoes. But humor me, and let me use a little artistic license here with the name :)

Give them a try and let me know what you think! You may just fall in love with them like I have!

Here’s what I do for perfect carrot "fries":

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. You can roast them at a cooler temperature if you have other dishes in the oven and need to multitask, they’ll just take a little longer but it’s no big deal :)

Wash and dry your carrots, and remove the tops. You’re welcome to peel them if you’d like, but I don’t bother - I don’t find it changes the texture appreciably and I don’t mind the skin.

Carefully cut your carrots in half across, then in half again lengthwise. Cut each long quarter into thirds or quarters again lengthwise, making long sticks or “fries.” Seriously, watch your fingers as you do this and always cut your carrots flat side down for stability!

Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Spread carrots out in one layer, with as much space in between them as possible for even cooking. When I make a big batch they often overlap, but even with inconsistent cooking they’re still delicious!

Spritz the carrots lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle generously with sea salt. You can add other spices or herbs now if you so desire.

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Throw them in the oven for at least 20 minutes, or until desired level of doneness, stirring once around the halfway point.

You basically can’t screw these up - cook them more or less, season them however you want, they always turn out great.

When they’re done, allow them to cool just slightly before serving. You can sprinkle them with fresh chopped herbs (parsley, basil, thyme) and extra cracked pepper for a nice finishing touch.

We like to dip ours in organic, low-sugar ketchup - I definitely recommend trying it!

Let me know what you guys think! These are such a fun and tasty way to get your veggies - kids might even like them too!

Here's to health, happiness, and balance for us all!

Please feel free to comment, upvote, or resteem if you'd like! All feedback is appreciated :)