Recipes & Cooking Tips

Maple Roasted Baby Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto

6 April 2017

As the Easter long weekend approaches, we love trialling new recipes that we know the family will enjoy. This one uses simple ingredients that can be acquired in large amounts and at a good price.

• 1 bunch of baby carrots
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• one pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

Wash and trim the carrots, reserving the tops for your pesto

Slice any larger carrots in half lengthways

Mix the oil, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and thyme in a bowl and toss the carrots through so they are coated evenly

Place a baking sheet on an oven tray (this will make clean up easier)

Tip the carrots into the tray and roast for 20-25 minutes

Add a generous sprinkle of salt flakes over the carrots. (After they are tipped onto the baking tray)

While your carrots are roasting, it’s time to make the pesto!

• Carrot tops- roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2tbs lemon juice
• 2tsp Lemmon zest
• 2tsp salt
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put everything in a food processor and blitz until you have a consistent texture. You may need to add more oil or salt. Once finished, drizzle over the roasted carrots.

You will end up with more pesto than you need but we recommend putting it in a jar and use it to dress salads, drizzle over chicken, or toss it through some pasta with grated cheese!