How is it already mid-November?! I’m pretty sure it was just New Year’s Day 2019 and now the year is almost over…not to mention, the holidays are right around the corner. The countdown to Thanksgiving 2019 is on, and I have to tell you, as a pregnant woman in my second trimester, I’m ~~pretty~~ extremely excited! The pregnant appetite is real these days so I’m speculating I’ll down a second plate plus a dessert plate at least. Anyway, you’re not here for my Thanksgiving day dreams, you’re here for the carrots.

These are special enough for a Thanksgiving side, yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner. Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sweetness, which is only enhanced by maple syrup, counteracted by the tartness of Dijon mustard, and a touch of rosemary adds brightness. I struggle to get Zemirah to eat carrots, but she wouldn’t stop taking these right from the bowl while I was photographing them! I certainly hope your family will like these as much as mine did!

Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots

Servings: 6-8
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Ingredients

2 lbs of baby carrots, halved lengthwise (large carrots would work, too, but would need to be sliced into quarters)
1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
2 tbsp of butter (my favorite brand of grass fed butter) or ghee, melted (or substitute with your favorite cooking oil such as coconut or avocado)
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
2 tsp of dried rosemary
1 tsp of kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 F
Lay carrots flat on a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet
In a microwave safe bowl, melt your butter or ghee (if using a liquid at room temp oil, ignore this step)
Combine butter, syrup, mustard, rosemary, and salt
Pour mixture over carrots and stir to ensure all carrots are covered
Roast for 50-60 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fork tender
Store leftovers covered in fridge for a week to 10 days

Easy peasy and delicious! The carrots in my Roasted Chicken with Carrots are also amazing, and for more vegetable side dishes check out my Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Sweet and Sour Broccoli, ABC Brussels Sprouts, plus plenty of potato recipes. I hope this simple recipe inspires you for your Thanksgiving sides, or even as a way to make a weeknight dinner a little fancier – and it never hurts to cover your kids’ vegetables in syrup and butter 😛 Eat your vegetables, like them, too…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

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Money, Money, Money!

A hot topic when you’re trying to eat healthier is MONEY! How do you stay within a reasonable budget and feed your family well? It is not as hard as you may think; there are tons of creative ways to save money and stretch your dollar at the store. Healthy food doesn’t have to be expensive or pretentious. We’re about to get real here and talk… budget.

One of my favorite ways to save money is to buy a whole chicken. I roast it, we have leftovers for days, then I make broth with the bones. For our family of three, we can have four meals from one six pound chicken. Guess how much I paid for my last six pound chicken? $4.74!!! It was on sale for $.79 a pound! Add a $.79 bag of carrots and some potatoes (on average 2-4 dollars per five pound bag), and you’ve got a few healthy meals for under ten dollars! *insert happy dance here*

So was my cheap chicken organic and pasture raised? Unfortunately, no. While I want to be able to buy everything grass fed/pasture raised/organic, we are simply not able to do so on our budget. My husband is an E5 in the Marine Corps, and I am currently staying at home with our daughter; right now, we have a tight budget, but I am doing the best I can to feed our family healthy, real foods.

Don’t guilt yourself if you can’t afford to shop at Whole Foods, or if you have to dig through the “reduced” bin at the store; you’re doing the best you can for your family. What do you think is healthier: a “regular” chicken from the grocery store, or a bucket of Colonel Sanders’ chicken? The answer is obvious, and, actually cheaper! (4.74 vs a 20 dollar 10 piece bucket)

The bottom line is just do what is right for your family. If you can afford grass fed beef, pasture raised chicken, and organic produce, that’s wonderful and I’m a little jealous, but you should buy it! If you can’t, get what you can afford! I shop at our base commissary, Walmart, and Aldi; I use coupons, I buy in bulk (I bought a ten pound bag of chicken leg quarters yesterday for $5!), and I shamelessly dig through the “reduced” bin of frozen meat. All to save us money while still eating healthy. You know how people ask what you would do if you won a million dollars? Well, I would go to the grocery store and NOT get out my calculator! Big spender!

Okay, enough talk about budget, let’s get to the chicken. Some ideas for leftovers: shred and add sauces (like hot sauce or BBQ) to top baked potatoes or salads, make sandwiches, or chicken salad! Then be sure to save the bones for a nutritious, low sodium chicken broth for all the soups you’ll be making this fall! This chicken is simple, healthy, and cheap, and it makes the perfect centerpiece for either a weeknight or a nice Sunday meal. Add some of my Roasted Potatoes or Creamy Whole30 Mashed Potatoes for the side, and if you want more veggies other than carrots, try my Crispy Brussels Sprouts. There you have it; a simple, budget friendly, healthy, complete meal!

Roasted Chicken with Carrots

Serves 10.

Ingredients:

5-6 pound chicken
One lemon, cut in half
One head of garlic, cut in half widthwise
Two stalks of celery, cut in half
1/4-1/2 tbsp kosher salt (I use kosher because it makes a better crust on the skin)
1/4-1/2 tbsp pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
6-8 large carrots, quartered lengthwise

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F
Set quartered carrots on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish
Season with a little salt and pepper
Remove giblets and neck from bird, if necessary
Dry inside and out with paper towels
Season liberally inside and out with salt and pepper
Stuff the cavity with lemon, celery, and garlic
Season the outside with the dried herbs
Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with twine and tuck the ends of the wings into the bird
Set on top of bed of carrots
Roast for 70-90 minutes, until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F
Baste with juices
Let rest for 10-15 minutes

You will feel so fancy roasting a whole chicken, and it truly is a great way to save money. Not to mention, delicious! Feed your family well, keep your budget on track…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!