With Thanksgiving in the very near future my mind has been all about the upcoming feast. Even though the big bird tends to take center stage at the annual event, aren’t the side dishes the foods that make Thanksgiving special? Because, really, the various sides are hands down the best part about Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey-shmurkey.

I’ve had the same classic side dishes at my Thanksgiving dinner all my life, and celebrating the big day without any of them would be a crime. (Well except for last year where I celebrated in Thailand with an ESL teacher potluck featuring papaya, spring rolls, and copious amounts of spicy Thai food. It was amazing.)

Anyways, at my classic Thanksgiving feast first there’s the always potatoes; sweet and mashed. Then the stuffing, (my favorite) filled with crisp apples, hearty bread, vegetables, and a warming sage flavor. Plus the cranberry sauce – which hopefully came from the kitchen and not a can, the gravy, crisp green beans, fresh baked cornbread, and pumpkin soup too. This year I’m shaking up the party and making my chopped kale & apple salad with maple tahini dressing and these pretty, pretty carrots with – shocker – the exact same dressing that goes on the chopped salad. I’m addicted. As I see it, it makes Thanksgiving prep & cooking that much easier!

These carrots are beautiful, delicious, and bring a rustic and colorful addition to your Thanksgiving table. When they roast in the oven with coconut oil they naturally caramelize and create a soft and sweet texture. Drizzling the warm carrots with maple tahini dressing provides an essential nuttiness and extra sweetness to the earthiness of the carrots. These carrots provide your dinner table with some extra nutrition too, like Vitamin A for beautiful eyes, skin, and an immune system boost, which is ideal when you don’t want to O.D. on gravy and cornbread.

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes? I hope these carrots become one of them!

Roasted Carrots with Maple Tahini Drizzle

Roasted Carrots:
2 lbs of carrots
1 tsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
Freshly ground sea salt and pepper

Maple Tahini Drizzle:
2 ½ T tahini
1 T maple syrup
1 T lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp olive oil
Freshly ground sea salt and pepper

+ A hearty handful of pomegranate seeds

Procedure: Preheat oven to 350° F. Place carrots in a single layer on a baking tray and drizzle with coconut oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sea salt, and pepper and shake the tray back and forth to thoroughly coat carrots. Bake for 40-45 minutes, giving the tray a good shake after 20 minutes or so. Bake shorter time for crunchier carrots and longer time for softer carrots.

When the carrots are nearly finished roasting, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk in olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Set aside.

When carrots are finished roasting, place them on a platter and drizzle with the maple tahini dressing. Toss on a few pomegranate seeds if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!