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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Golly Ghee!

Before my first round of Whole30, I had never heard of ghee, and wasn’t even sure how to pronounce it. I’m nearly 100% certain that it rhymes with “key”, but my mom, because of her Armenian heritage, adds a guttural sound to it. Either way, I have now learned of the many health benefits of ghee! Ghee is butter that is heated to separate the milk solids; it aids in digestion while reducing inflammation, has plenty of healthy fats, and helps with weight loss. All while giving a buttery, yet nutty and toasty flavor!

So for the centerpiece of your Christmas dinner, I have a delicious turkey recipe for you, starring ghee! It is rubbed with plenty of ghee; it’s higher smoke point helps keep the bird moist without burning the skin, garlic and rosemary for a delicious herbaceous flavor, and lemon, and *surprise!* grapefruit for a citrus-y punch. It seems complicated written down, but I will include some helpful pictures of what it looked like before it went in the oven, and it honestly isn’t complicated at all; no need to be scared of a little turkey! I was babysitting my nephew on the day I made this turkey; both babes were napping at the same time, and I had this turkey cleaned, seasoned, stuffed, in the oven, and dishes washed in about an hour! It is a simple recipe that produces such a flavorful, buttery, moist turkey with perfectly crispy skin…and the gravy it makes is out of this world! Is your mouth watering, or is it just me? Let’s get to the recipe!

Ghee, Garlic, and Herb Turkey with Gravy

Recipe is for a 12-14 pound turkey; if your bird is larger or smaller, adjust accordingly.

Ingredients:

One 12-14 pound turkey
1.5 cups of ghee, at room temperature
5 cloves of garlic, minced
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves chopped finely, plus 4 additional sprigs for stuffing
2 tsp of dried thyme leaves (ours froze in the garden, but I would say about 4 tsp of chopped fresh if you have it)
One lemon, halved, for stuffing and for zest
1/2 of one large grapefruit, halved and peeled
About 1 tbsp of salt
About 1 tbsp of black pepper
For the gravy:
- 1/2-1 cup of water
- potato flour
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 F
In a small mixing bowl, combine ghee, garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped or dry thyme leaves, and lemon zest
Clean out turkey cavity by removing the neck and giblets, trimming off any excess fat, and drying inside and out with a paper towel
Season liberally inside and out with salt and pepper
Rub about 2/3 of the ghee mixture under the skin as you can
- you will need to slightly (and gently!) separate the skin from the meat
- be sure to rub the ghee mixture on the breast, but also down on the legs
With remaining ghee mixture, rub all over the top of the turkey
Stuff the cavity with lemon, grapefruit, and remaining sprigs of rosemary
Position turkey on roasting rack with wing tips facing up
Tie the ends of the legs together with twine
Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165 F
Move turkey to platter to rest and make gravy
Pour turkey drippings into a deep pan
On medium heat, heat the drippings until just starting to bubble
Lower heat, and add water and potato flour
Whisk until thick and well combined, season to taste with salt and pepper
Add more water for a thinner gravy and more flour for a thicker gravy
Slice turkey and serve with gravy
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 5-7 days

I have a beautiful red and green Christmas-y side dish coming in a few days, but if you are dying to try this recipe out (I won’t complain about that!), I have my Roasted Potatoes or Creamy Whole30 Mashed Potatoes, as well as Crispy Brussels Sprouts for side dish ideas! My Creamy Tomato Basil Soup would make a great appetizer, and my Classic Garlic Hummus with veggie sticks would be a great hors d’oeuvre…just sayin’ 😉 I also have many desserts to choose from, including some Christmas-y classics, like Two Layer Paleo Fudge, Molasses Cookies, and Death by Hot Chocolate or Slow Cooker Apple Cider to go with dessert. I’d love to hear what your menu looks like for Christmas Day; let me know! No matter what you end up making, I hope you enjoy celebrating with loved ones. Remember the Reason for the season…and enjoy your pinch of crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small pantry fund for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!