Do you ever feel like vegetables are boring? Well, if you do, I am here to show you how to make them better. I think if you show veggies a little love they are infinitely more exciting than a steak can ever be.
Here are five ways to transform your vegetables:
1. Roasting
Gone are the days of boiled brussel sprouts and steamed broccoli- that’s a recipe for sad, limp veg. Roasting brings out the natural sugars in vegetables, making them taste sweeter. Roasting also encourages caramelization, which gives nice colour and those crunchy crispy bits (my favourite!).
2. Seasonings
You really only need two things to add flavour- fat and spices. A little olive oil and salt and pepper is simple and delicious. Try spices like smoked paprika, cumin, and curry powder to ramp up the flavour, or add a little sweetness with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey to accentuate roasted vegs’ sweet taste.
3. Acid
Finishing with a little bit of acid adds a bright pop that completes any vegetable dish. This can come in many different forms, from something as simple as a squeeze of lemon juice to a vinegar-y salsa verde. Some of my favourite things to add are pickled onions or a lemon-shallot vinaigrette.Here, I’ve gone with a savoury yogurt, which also adds a nice creaminess.
4. Crunch
Adding a textural element makes anything more exciting to eat. My favourite way to achieve this is by using toasted nuts or seeds. Toasted breadcrumbs or pomegranates are also good options!
5. Fresh Herbs
Nothing transforms a dish quite like fresh herbs. Add a handful of chopped parsley, cilantro, mint, or basil to quickly elevate your veggies.
Following this formula I ended up with spicy-sweet caramelized carrots with a salty,zingy yogurt sauce, crunchy dukkah, and parsley.
Give one (or all) of these five ideas a try and see what you can come up with!
Honey-Harissa Roasted Carrots with Salty Olive-Oil Yogurt
serves 4 as a side
For the Carrots:
2 lb small carrots, washed and peeled
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp harissa
¼ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
For the Salty Olive-Oil Yogurt:
1 cup greek yogurt, 0-2%
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp olive oil
For the Dukkah:
⅓ cup hazelnuts
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Parsley
Chilis, sliced, optional
Preheat oven to 400 F.Trim the green tops off the carrots, wash and peel them. Whisk together olive oil, honey, harissa, cumin, salt, and pepper. Reserve 1 tbsp of mixture for later. Brush the carrots with the honey-harissa mixture and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast at 400 F for 20 minutes, turning the carrots halfway through cooking, until tender and caramelized.
While carrots are cooking prepare dukkah and yogurt. To make the dukkah toast hazelnuts in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add in the cumin and coriander seeds and sesame seeds and toast for 2 minutes longer. Place toasted hazelnuts and seeds in a blender, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle and add the salt. Grind/pulse until hazelnuts are coarsely chopped (a few seconds).This will make more dukkah than you need for this recipe, so store the rest in a jar for later. To make the yogurt whisk together yogurt, olive oil, and salt in a bowl until well combined.
To serve: Spread yogurt on a plate, lay carrots on top and sprinkle some of the dukkah, parsley, and chilis (if using) over top.
Save any leftover dukkah for sprinkling over roasted vegetables, eggs, soups, and dips