roasted carrot salad

I'm into roasted carrots at the moment, have you noticed? They're non-gassy and acceptable for baby who seems to be sensitive to many things. I came up with this salad last month and have made it approximately 7 times since then. It's actually become a go to dinner recipe as of late. Paired with quinoa of course.

It's easy and delicious and as you all know I'm not one for exact recipes, especially if I've made them up me-self. But here's an approximation:





Roasted carrot salad with chickpeas and fennel

A LOT of carrots. Like 3 big bunches from the supermarket or a big bag full if you're buying them from the farmer's market

2 or 3 small fennel bulbs, or 1-2 large (save some of the fennel fronds for flavor)

cumin seeds

1 can chickpeas

I bunch cilantro

feta (I'm using sheep's milk at the moment, but the other is fine too)

lime

salt, pepper, olive oil


Heat oven to 375. Peel and slice the carrots on the diagonal, so you have nice oblong pieces, not too thick and not too thin. Trim fennel bulbs, cut in half from top to bottom and then into thin wedges. Toss carrots and fennel with cumin seeds and a nice bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Line a cookie sheet with foil, dump carrots and fennel onto it, and slide into the oven and roast for as long as it takes the edges of the carrots to crisp a bit and the centers to be cooked through. Make sure you let some become nice and done so you get the crispy, caramelly taste every few bites.

While carrots are roasting, chop cilantro roughly. You might not need or want an entire bunch in your salad. I LOVE cilantro and believe it could almost be used as a salad green, which means I like a lot in this dish. But you can adjust the amount as you see fit. And you don't need pick the leaves off the stalks. Cilantro stems are just as delicious as the leaves. Pick a little pile of fennel tips off the fronds and set aside with the cilantro.

When the veggies are done, dump them into a large bowl. I usually heat the chickpeas in a saucepan first so they're nice and soft, but you certainly don't have too. Add chickpeas to the bowl, along with the cilantro and fennel tips. Drizzle a generous bit of olive oil over the top and mix everything up well. Add juice of one lime or so, depending on how limey you like it, and salt & pep to taste. Crumble feta over the top and eat. Out of the bowl is fine, but less civilized than actually heaping it on a plate.

I like to eat this with mixed greens and quinoa. But it's delish by itself or rolled in a toasted tortilla with avocado slices.