Maple Glazed Carrots

Eat your vegetables! It’s something we’ve been hearing our whole lives, but most of us are reluctant to obey. On the American plate, vegetables have been relegated to a sideshow; the opening act that no one really wants to see. Vegetables are The Hollies to meat’s Rolling Stones. The amount of care and effort we put into our meats completely overshadows the attention we show our vegetables. Perhaps this is why we feel so lukewarm toward them. We steam them, sauté them, or just eat them raw, maybe some salt, some ranch dressing, maybe not. This is no way to treat vegetables! Plants deserve to be center stage; they deserve to be diced, julienned, and chifonnaded, marinaded, grilled, and roasted; they deserve to be the heart and center of every meal. In my vegan transition, I began by substituting vegan meat for animal meat, tofu meatballs for example. Then I started using beans and tofu and tempeh for the center of my plate. Now, I simply eat vegetables: vegetables and grains, vegetables and noodles, vegetables and legumes, vegetables and vegetables. Becoming vegan means reconciling your relationship with vegetables, and this recipe is a great first step toward achieving vegetable love!

Maple Glazed Carrots

2 cups carrots, sliced (or, you can use baby carrots)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Heat oven to 375ºF. Prepare carrots, and place in an oven-proof dish. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until well coated. Roast until fork-tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup and return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the syrup is thick and sticky, and the carrots are coated with glaze. Enjoy immediately!