Yes, these carrots are sticky, sweet (but not too sweet) and oh so good! As I was eating them, I kept saying to Walker, "these are the best carrots I've ever had in my life". He was laughing at me because I must have said it 8 times.
They are the perfect addition to your family Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend!
I got the inspo for these sticky carrots from none other than Jamie Oliver. Whenever I am lacking in inspiration I watch a Jamie Oliver video. Not unlike many of you I'm sure, he's one of my biggest inspirations in the kitchen, aside from Ma McCarthy of course. I just really connect with his true love of real food and nature. I feel like I can smell and taste what he's making. Is that weird?
It's fair to say Jamie Oliver is my boy crush, but don't worry Walker, not in that way!
Recently, I picked up some carrots from my local health food store, The Sweet Potato, and thyme, because I don't have any growing in my herb garden.
Mmmm, just the smell of that thyme makes me want to cook these up again tonight! It was a nice switch to using this herb because I've been basil-obsessed since my balcony herb garden exploded from the heat and sun we've had in Toronto. However, there's definitely a crisp feel in the air on my early morning walks with Vienna and Walker which made me crave these sticky carrots.
Now as I mentioned, it was Jamie Oliver's classic recipe for Glazed Carrots that was the inspo behind my joyous recipe. I just changed up a few ingredients to make it joyously approved!
If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can use coconut oil or one of those vegan butters, but please oh please, avoid anything with soybean oil. It's one of the most genetically modified crops on our planet. The processing of it is also gross because hexane, which is neurotoxic, is often used to extract the oil from the bean (double gross!) If you are going to use a vegan butter, just make sure it's certified organic then you don't have to worry about that stuff. But read on, because I would much rather you use ghee.
So you might be wondering why I used ghee?
I'm not anti-butter. In fact, I use butter in cooking from time to time, but I really love ghee because it's the pure butter fat (aka clarified butter), it's a non-allergenic food, meaning it's great for those with dairy sensitivities who want to enjoy a buttery, creamy taste and you can bring it to a high heat when cooking. Ghee contains no dairy protein which is why it is totally okay to use in my latest book Joyous Detox. Plus, it tastes delicious!!
Before we get to this recipe, take note of how wonderful carrots are for your health!
Here's a couple of reasons why:
Carrots keep your peepers healthy!
You likely already know that carrots are a great food to eat for eye health. But I recently did a genetic test that told me I have a pretty strong prediposition to developing macular degeneration so you can bet I eat lots of foods rich in carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. These phytonutrients are great for your peepers and reduce the risk of eye degenerative diseases.
Carrots support Bone Health
Research has shown that women who eat at least one serving a day of yellow and green veggies had healthier bone mass than those who ate less than one serving. Bone mass is important to think about in your 20's and 30's to maintain healthy bones as you age.
Of course you will have some vitamin and mineral loss from cooking these carrots, but I recommend you eat plenty of raw foods all throughout the year too, to get a variety of nutrients.
These sticky carrots are the perfect addition to your Canadian Thanksgiving festivities this weekend!
Here's the recipe!
Ingredients
- 3-4 heaping tbsp Organic Ghee
- 2 bunches organic carrots, roughly 12 carrots
- 4 cloves garlic
- Bunch of fresh thyme
- Juice from 2 oranges
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- Pinch of sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Trim the greens off the top of carrots. Wash and do not peel them if they are organic.
- Melt the ghee in a large fry pan over medium heat. Place garlic into melted ghee and saute for about a minute.
- Add the sprigs of fresh thyme, juice from the oranges. maple syrup, then finally add the carrots. Try to spread them out evenly in a single layer if possible.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper if using. Jiggle the pan around to get the carrots coated. Add a splash of water if necessary if liquid is drying up too quick.
- Cover fry pan and reduce heat to medium low for 15-20 minutes or under carrots are fork-tender.
- Then remove the lid and cook for another few minutes until the sauce has reduced down and started to caramelize. Make sure the carrots get turned and well coated.
- Enjoy immediately!
Notes
Serves 4 as a side.
I recently got some new pans, as you can see from this photo. I'm testing them out for book #3!!! I haven't made an official announcement about this on the blog yet, but maybe you saw my instagram about it? This is from Staub – it's super heavy duty and can go from stove top to oven. I love the versatility of it! But most importantly, I will probably have this when I'm 75 years old and still making delicious joyous meals! :)
And before I go, I want to tell you how grateful I am that you're reading this recipe post right now! I've been blogging since 2009 (earlier on another wordpress site) about my love and passion for wellness, a healthy lifestyle and yummy, nourishing food. The reason I continue to do this is because of you. So thanks for taking the time to read this, my joyous reader. I hope it nourishes you and your family :)
As always, tag me @joyoushealth #joyoushealth if you post it to your social channels like instagram because I love seeing what you guys create!
Happy Thanksgiving sweet friends!
Love the McJordans,
Joy, Walker and Vienna
These sound delicious Joy. I'm making these tonight. I also love basil and grow my own except in our Canadian winters! Love the colours of your carrots, I also of a bunch of these! Thanks for recipe
ReplyHey Sharon, Let us know how you like them! Joy is absolutely obsessed (I'm still itching to try them myself). And too much basil is never a bad thing right? :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
What can I replace orange juice wit? I can’t have citrus fruits.
ReplyHey Noreen, There's not exactly a perfect swap for it, however you could just omit it altogether :) It might not taste exactly the same, but they'll still be delicious and they should be somewhat sticky too because of the maple syrup! Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Hello :) excited to try this recipe for dinner. Would I be able to bake the carrots instead? What adjustments to the recipe would you recommend? Thank you, Lauren
ReplyYou had me at ghee. Lovely recipe. Looking forward to trying it soon!
ReplyGhee is AMAZING! Hope you enjoy this recipe :) Rachel - Joyous Health Team
How do I join your blog? I don’t see a link. Everything looks great!
ReplyHey Donna, Thanks so much for your kind words! If you subscribe to our newsletter over here, you will be notified when we make updates to the blog on a weekly basis :) http://hi.joyoushealth.com/newsletter/ Rachel - Joyous Health Team
Love this recipe! Absolutely joyous! The Staub pan looks pretty sweet as well!
ReplyIt's an awesome pan!! Glad you love this recipe Robyn!!
Just made this today for Thanksgiving in the U.S., and it was delicious!
ReplySo happy to hear that!!