Cumin-Roasted Carrots

I find that there are two pretty universal challenges for people when it comes to cooking.  First, the assumption that really good food is complicated, time-consuming, and requires exotic ingredients.  Second, that opinion that vegetables are bland, generally made as an after thought, steamed or boiled after the meat and starch have been carefully prepared.

Well, neither of these statements are true.  Good food can be amazingly simple, and vegetables can be delicious with just a little care taken.

The ingredient list here is simple- six total, and half of them, the salt, pepper and olive oil, are things that sit out on my counter all the time.  That just leaves carrots that become caramelized and sweet, cumin that complements the earthiness of the carrots, and a little lemon juice to balance the sweetness with some acidity.  Toss everything together, slide into a hot oven, and you're free to spend as much time and effort on the rest of dinner as you want.

Cumin-Roasted Carrots
adapted from Mark Bittman

What's in them:

1 lb. carrots, peeled and halved or quartered
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of half a lemon

How to make them:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine all ingredients but the lemon juice, making sure the coat the carrots evenly with the olive oil and seasonings.  Spread the carrots on a baking sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes, until slightly caramelized.

Squeeze lemon juice lightly over the carrots, and serve hot, warm or cold.