When I was in New Zealand for my honeymoon, I went to a tapas restaurant in a town called Wanaka and we had these roasted, spiced carrots over an almond hummus. It was so delicious and I decided I needed to try my own version once we got back. And that’s exactly what I did! I find that adding a little flare to veggie dishes make them so much more exciting and delicious. Having some sort of sauce or dip always elevates the flavor and makes a dish feel special!
Ingredients
(Serves 2)
For the carrots
6 carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
1 tbsp avocado oil
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt
For the white bean and almond hummus
1 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans (or 1 ½ cups cooked beans)
3 tbsp almond butter
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper
1 tbsp water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Toss carrots with avocado oil, cinnamon, cumin, and salt. Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, tossing occasionally until tender and browned.
Meanwhile, prepare the hummus by combining beans, almond butter, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and water in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. If too thick, add another tbsp of water.
Spread hummus on a serving plate and place slightly cooled carrots on top. Garnish with parsley (optional)
NOTES: Other white beans, such as butter beans, will also work here! Using dried beans are a better bang for your buck. Also, canned beans can be high in sodium, so if you have the time and ability to forward-plan, I recommend using dry beans (soak them and cook them), but if you’re like me, I resort to using the canned kind most of the time!
Health Benefits of Cannellini Beans:
They are an inexpensive source of high-quality protein, which keeps us full and our muscles working properly. A half cup gives you about 8 grams of protein!
White beans are an excellent source of insoluble fibre, which helps maintain a healthy digestive system.
Their high soluble fiber content can help provide you with stable energy levels throughout the day and also helps to remove toxins from our bodies.
Cannellini beans are rich in magnesium, which aids in optimizing blood flow and keeping arteries healthy
They help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, which is important in preventing diabetes
Sources and additional reading:
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/health-benefits-of-cannellini-beans/
https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/11-benefits-cannellini-beans/
https:/draxe.com/nutrition/cannellini-beans/