Roasted Agave-Mandarin Rainbow Carrots

The tulips have come and now they are nearly gone. As beautiful as they are, the various shades of purple, yellow and orange reminded me of rainbow carrots. Their beauty inspired me to once again unite food and nature. 

Carrots are naturally sweet and I decided to "spice" up these carrots with some extra sweetness. Honey roasted carrots are popular amongst non-vegans, and for us dairy-free folks, agave is honey's replacement. Agave, is a "spiritual" sweetener produced from Mother Earth. There is much controversy over this sweetener, but when used moderately it serves its purpose.  

According to the carrotmusem.co.uk, "To unravel the long history of the Carrot you have to go back a very long way. Fossil pollen from the Eocene period (55 to 34 million years ago) has been identified as belonging to the Apiaceae (the carrot family).  It is considered that the carrot dates back about 5,000 years ago when the root was found to be growing in the area now known as Afghanistan."

The early colonization of carrots cropped had yellow and purple skins. Some claim the first orange carrot originated in the 1500-1600's. The word carrot was first recorded in the English language in 1530, rooting from the Middle French word, "carotte." 

These "rainbow," or wild carrots are known as "Queen Anne's Lace" were introduced to America by our early settlers. And since I live in Queen Anne, I celebrate carrot's health benefits through roasting them with the sweet flavors of nature and a splash of mandarin to further promote Vitamin A consumption. 

Spiritually, food fascinates me and how our ancestors symbolized food and it's energetic meanings. Plants and humans are interconnected in ways that "blow" the logical mind away. Carrots, and orange-colored plants, are high in Vitamin A, which benefits eye health since the beta-carotenes restore vision. 

In today's world where the darkness is on the rise, carrots are the roots and energy from the land. Consuming this can help you see the light in dark times. And this healthy and sweet side dish will do just that. 

Carrots. They help you see in the dark. 

Roasted Agave-Mandarin Rainbow Carrots
​Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Tme: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients: 
1 lb. of rainbow carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp agave nectar
1 mandarin orange, sliced
Pinch of salt 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and cut the stems off the carrots. Next, slice the mandarin orange. Place the carrots in a bowl and mix the oil , agave and salt into the carrots. Don't be afraid to use your hands. 

Arrange the carrots on a baking sheet. Take the two cut ends of the mandarin orange and squeeze the juice on top of the carrots. Layer the remaining slices on top of the carrots. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until your desired texture. Enjoy! 

What's your favorite way to roast carrots?

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