Spring Dinner: Orange Glazed Carrots

So far, this spring dinner has been distinctly verdant, but green is not the only color associated with the season. Looking in my backyard I see alongside all this green, pink, red, yellow, orange, and purple in every shade and variety. It seemed only appropriate that my spring table be equally representative. Orange is a great complement to the green and cream of my other dishes, but food is more than a visual experience. It is truly about taste above all else.

Carrots, tender and bright, are an excellent side dish in any season. In the fall and winter I like to glaze them with maple syrup for a sweet and juicy vegetable. But, spring is about a different palette of flavors. Growing up, my family’s traditional Easter breakfast was homemade biscuits with sliced ham and orange marmalade. The combination of salty ham and biscuits with sweet, bitter orange marmalade was unique and delicious. My vegan food life is less about finding one-to-one substitutions, like a vegan ham, but about identifying similar taste experiences. Carrots glazed with orange marmalade are bright and citrusy, but also savory and filling; the final piece of a light and vibrant dinner. 

Orange Glazed Carrots

4 carrots, sliced into 1/2” sticks
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Heat the oven to 375º. Place the carrots in an oven proof dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the carrots to coat. Bake until fork tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Spoon the marmalade over the carrots and stir to coat each carrot. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, until the jam spreads evenly over the carrots. Enjoy immediately!