Roasted and Fresh Carrots with Lentils

Roasted and Fresh Carrots with Lentils are a delicious addition to your holiday table or the perfect side to to any main.

We always have luck growing carrots in containers on our deck. Not so much luck with radishes (worms) or lettuce (aphids) however but we haven’t given up yet amidst trying almost everything. The kids love to plant seeds, and watch them grow. It’s something they look forward to every year. They especially enjoy the coloured carrots, and admittedly always plant way to many seeds so we end up with all kinds of carrot shapes, and sizes. But it’s fun, I let them do their thing, and they are learning so much from this process.

I was asked to submit some recipes for the Winter edition of a Gluten Free Magazine. Many of my salad or vegetable recipes tend to be gluten free, so I knew exactly what I wanted to make, sides for a holiday dinner. Which could also be a delicious meal for one with some added protein. I had ideas, well several so I decided to make a trio of sides for the magazine. It’s a day of chopping I will never forget as I somehow managed to chop off part of my finger while preparing the parsley for this dish. Fortunately the kids were home (my daughter came to my aid), and my husband just walking in the door. He cleaned the counter/cutting board, and re-chopped a fresh batch of parsley for me so I could get the dish finished, and photographed since the deadline was looming. Plus there was still work to be done, and a cut finger wasn’t going to stop me although it’s the first time I’ve cut it this bad since I worked in a butcher shop when I was 16.

The first time I tried crispy lentils was at a Food Blogger Conference in Vancouver. They were sprinkled on a fish dish (halibut I believe) and it was delicious. I came home and started making crispy lentils which I sprinkle on everything. I promise to post that recipe soon.

The Trio of Sides recipes I made for the magazine are these Roasted and Fresh Carrots with Lentils, Lemon Roasted Potatoes with Parsley Pistou and Brussels Sprouts with Candied Walnuts.

Roasted and Fresh Carrots with Crispy Lentils

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Course: dinner, gluten free, lunch, Salad, sides

Author: Wanda Baker

Ingredients

• 30 small carrots
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1 cup roasted green lentils
• Salt & pepper
• ½ lemon halved

Instructions

• Roasting Lentils: Pour 1 cup green lentils into a pot. Add 2 cups water, 2 bay leaves, half a lemon and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 25 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes or make the day before and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 400F. Pour one cup cooked lentils onto parchment lined baking sheet. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil and lightly toss. Spread out evenly and roast for about 10-15 minutes stirring once half way through. Set aside.
• Assemble: Preheat oven to 400F. Trim carrot tops and peel about 20 carrots. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss carrots on baking sheet with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Roast about 15-20 minutes. Remove & set onto platter.
• Peel the remaining carrots into long ribbons and place in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and squeeze of lemon juice. Toss lightly. Scatter over roasted carrots. Garnish with roasted lentils and season with salt as needed.