Cheesy Carrots — A Vegetable Side for the Low-Carb Rotation

Early March. Dustin’s low-carb shift is at thirty-eight days. The numbers from his March follow-up bloodwork at the apprenticeship-shop clinic Wednesday were good — the borderline pre-diabetic number had moved into the normal range. The doctor said to continue the dietary attention through the May follow-up to confirm the change.

Sunday I made cheesy carrots because Dustin had been wanting a vegetable side that wasn’t broccoli or green beans (the two staples I had been falling back on across the low-carb-cooking weeks). The dish: roasted baby carrots glazed with butter and brown sugar, topped with crumbled feta and fresh dill. The brown sugar is a small carbohydrate but the per-serving amount is low enough to fit within the dietary parameters.

The procedure: trim and halve baby carrots lengthwise. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a parchment-lined sheet pan at four-twenty-five for about twenty minutes until the carrots are tender and the cut sides have caramelized. Toss the warm carrots with a tablespoon of melted butter and a tablespoon of brown sugar to glaze. Transfer to a serving plate. Top generously with crumbled feta cheese and fresh chopped dill. The salt-and-tang of the feta plays against the sweetness of the brown-sugar-glazed carrot, and the dill adds a fresh herbal note that lifts the whole plate.

Mama’s Wednesday call was the small mid-week anchor. She talked through the cafe’s small breakfast-and-lunch numbers, the small Cody-news, the small Aunt-Linda update. The cafe is in its small steady-state rhythm. Cody is at the small operational-lead for the lunch-and-dinner rotation. Mama is on the small breakfast-and-brunch shifts. The small Sapulpa-cafe-life continues the way it has been continuing for years.

The technique-detail I always lean on: the rest at room temperature for at least twenty minutes before the small final cooking step. The rest gives the small protein-or-dough time to relax into its small final-form. Skip the rest and the texture goes wrong. Honor the rest and the texture honors you back.

Cheesy Carrots

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika, for topping

Instructions

1. Cook the carrots. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sliced carrots and cook for 8—10 minutes, until just fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Make the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 4—5 minutes.
3. Season and add cheese. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar until fully melted and smooth.
4. Combine. Add the drained carrots to the cheese sauce and gently stir to coat evenly.
5. Top and broil. Transfer the cheesy carrots to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar over the top and dust with paprika. Broil on high for 3—4 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.
6. Serve. Let rest 2—3 minutes before serving alongside ham and the rest of your Christmas spread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 185 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 15g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 310mg