Maple Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Name: Maple Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 12 carrots
Ingredients: 12 carrots; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp maple syrup; sprinkle of salt

August 18, 2020 by Joanna

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Maple roasted carrots are painted with olive oil, caramelized to perfection, and roasted until tender in this easy and delicious side dish. If your child hasn’t liked cooked carrots before, give this recipe a chance. They are sweet, tender, and simple to make. Plus, kids will love trimming the rainbow carrots with scissors and painting them with a paintbrush.

Packed FULL of Beta Carotene

Carrots get their orange color from the plant pigment beta carotene. Carrots are one of the best sources of beta carotene. The body uses this orange phytonutrient to:

Fight cancer
Keep the eyes healthy
Boost the immune system
Make vitamin A

child eating a maple roasted rainbow carrot

TO PEEL OR NOT TO PEEL?

The carrot skin and just below the skin are a concentrated source of healthy substances like antioxidants and phytonutrients. When you peel them, you are peeling this away.

However, some kids prefer the taste and texture of peeled carrots. A vegetable your child will eat is better than one they won’t. Plus, even peeled, the carrot is still packed with lots of healthy nutrients.

RAINBOW CARROTS FOR EXTRA NUTRIENTS

Different colored carrots have different nutrients thanks to the plant pigments called phytonutrients.

Red carrots contain the red pigment lycopene
Yellow carrots contain the yellow pigment lutein
Purple carrots contain the purple pigment anthocynins

Just like beta carotene, lycopene, lutein and anthocynins help keep your child healthy in different ways.

SERVE CARROTS WITH HEALTHY FAT

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin
This means your child’s body absorbs more of it when it is eaten with a little fat, like the olive oil in this recipe
If serving carrots raw, offer your child a dip, like hummus, to boost vitamin A absorption

TIPS FOR MAKING MAPLE ROASTED CARROTS

Include extra carrots for your child to munch on while they cook.
Use smaller carrots as they taste sweeter. However, large carrots will work too, but slice them in half lengthwise before you begin.
Carrots with the greens attached work best. This way, your child can hold onto the stem as they “paint the carrots.” However, if you don’t have them, have your child hold onto the base of the carrot while “painting”.

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MAPLE ROASTED CARROT INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Prepare the carrots

Using child safe scissors, have your child trim the carrot stems and cut off the stringy root at the tip. Here is a link to the scissors we like.

Step 2: Paint the carrots

Have your child hold the carrot by the stem facing downward and “paint” the carrots using a pastry brush or clean paint brush. Then place them on a baking tray and sprinkle with salt.

Step 3: Roast the carrots

Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until fork tender. The exact time will depend on how big your carrots are. Let them cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

SPECIAL MATERIALS

Child Safe Scissors
Small pastry brush or paintbrush to paint the carrots
Sheet pan
Parchment Paper

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