Eat your vegetables!!!!!  How many times have you heard that before? Over the years, I have learnt that vegetables need to be seasoned, loved and cared for just like everything else that goes on the plate, and carrots are not an exception. No more boiled carrots unless they are in a stew or curry thank you!

If you’re looking for a light, healthy dinner or a glossy side dish at the family dinner table, try out these carrots.

They are well seasoned, with a spicy array of ingredients brought together by a wonderous natural sweetener - date nectar! You can also use honey or sweet potato nectar, among other things. This addition will intensify the flavours from the spices, help with caramelization, and add to the inherent sweetness of the carrots. Since date nectar is a natural sweetener, you don’t have to worry about the guilt so much!

You can pair these carrots with anything - a juicy steak, a whole stuffed fish or chicken breast, some pasta, or another vegan or vegetarian dish.

Ingredients

1 large bunch of carrots (about 8)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup date nectar

1/8 cup cooking wine

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon sriracha sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon chipotle

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon garlic powder or freshly minced

Instructions

Wash, peel, and slice your carrots diagonally as pictured above.

In a large bowl, starting with the date nectar, whisk all the ingredients together. Toss the carrots in the well-mixed glaze until all everything is evenly coated.

Spray a baking tray with olive oil and scatter the carrots - try not to overlay them on top of each other to ensure each piece is cooked evenly.

Bake in a 400F oven for 30-35 minutes until the carrots start to soften but still have a nice bite to them - no need to overcook.

Stir and scoop over some of the glaze 2-3 times during the cooking time.

Sprinkle with more sriracha sesame seeds and herbs, serve immediately or hot!