Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Are you already thinking about our great American tradition of stuffing our faces with all the traditional comfort foods while spending time with your loved ones??
Think of a juicy turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, baked stuffing, crispy bread rolls, and flavorful veggies drowning in delicious brown gravy. If that doesn’t have your mouth watering, then maybe a few days off of work or spending time with your kiddos since they are off school will get you excited to celebrate this great American holiday.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday but to be honest, I am not a big fan of most of the Thanksgiving American comfort foods, except for the stuffing. But even my stuffing is upgraded made with my day old sourdough bread and lots of veggies sautéed in coconut ghee. I always find ways to lighten up family favorites but trust me, they are just as delicious..
This past Sunday I hosted a Friends-Thanksgiving and it was LOVELY! I have some friends visiting from out of town so it seemed like the perfect theme for our dinner party.
My husband and I teamed up to make the most magnificent spread we have made in a very long time. We were both so happy how everything turned out. My husband was in charge of the bird but instead of turkey, he grilled a large farm raised organic chicken on his Green Egg. I made all the sides:
- Honey Roasted Carrots with Fresh Sage
- Brussels Hash with Cumin and Lemon
- Savory Mashed Sweet Potato
- Sourdough Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
- Fresh Greens with Pommegranite seeds
Absolutely no one went away hungry! It was the perfect way to celebrate an early Thanksgiving. My friends loved everything and I am not sure if anyone had a favorite since everything if I must say was incredibly tasty. I was especially proud of my sourdough pumpkin dinner rolls. They definitley were a huge hit! I convinced everyone to spread them with plenty of butter and then sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Flaky sea salt is my best friend.
Speaking of flakey sea salt….I have a new favorite way to roast carrots thanks to Erin over at Erin Lives Whole. I love the salty sweet combo of these oven roasted honey carrots. They’re made with my local honey, garlic, and fresh sage and they paired perfectly with our roast chicken and other sides.
Here’s what ya need friends!
Carrots have never been at the top of my list for veggies but in in our last CSA Fall box we received the sweetest best tasting carrots I have had ever! For this recipe we’ll be using a fun mix of ingredients.
- Carrots: Start with 3 lbs of carrots. They need to be peeled and sliced on a diagonal.
- Olive Oil. Use just 1/4 cup and the remainder before serving. This will help the carrots reach a nice glaze and will help the other spices and ingredients stick.
- Honey. Best part of this dish….Salty/Sweet
- Garlic: 3 cloves of minced garlic will add a delicious, intense flavor to the carrots.
- Sage: 2 tbsp of fresh, chopped sage will add a nice herby flavor.
- Salt & Pepper: Finish things off with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.
- For tossing: Finally, toss with 1 tbsp each of honey and olive oil
Ingredient swap options
- Since I love fresh sage I opted to use it in place of the parsley which is in Erin’s recipe. Feel free to use parley or a mix of both.
- In place of the Olive Oil you could easily swap it for avocado oil, butter, or coconut ghee which is my choice. They all will give you a that golden color.
- If you are out of honey you can use maple syrup! Though the flavor will be slightly different, this option will still create a nice sweet glaze on the carrots. I recommend starting with less than 1/4 cup and adding more to taste as needed.
- Need more flavor? you can use anything from rosemary and red pepper flakes (for extra heat) to a sprinkling of brown sugar or cinnamon!
I hope you love these as much as we did! Enjoy and please share what you paired these with. I can’t wait to hear from you.
Oven Roasted Honey Carrots with Fresh Sage
(adapted from Erin Lives Whole)
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced on a diagonal
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup local honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh sage or parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp olive oil for tossing.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F and line baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean up.
- In a large bowl, add carrots, olive oil, honey, garlic, sage, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat and then pour onto baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp olive oil, toss, and bake for another 8-10 minutes.
- Top with fresh sage or parsley. Serve.
What is your favorite holiday?
Are you running a turkey themed 5K this year?
Favorite Thanksgiving comfort food?
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