As soon as Ellie started eating dinner with us, I immediately started worrying about our vegetable intake. I mean really. Could I be more cliché?

As far as vegetables go, Ellie is actually pretty responsive at this point, and I’m making the most of it while it lasts. The big problem we face is that her parents like very different vegetables. One of the veggies we all like are carrots. Pre-Ellie, we  almost never had them, which is silly, because they’re inexpensive and delicious. Roasted with olive oil, cumin seeds, salt and pepper they’re addictive. Lately, I’ve been serving them as a mexi-fries with turkey burgers, and we can’t get enough of them. Literally, I worry about making enough.

To make my mexi fries, you cut carrots into 1 – 2 inch matchsticks. Then, in a separate bowl, combine oregano, garlic powder, cumin, ancho chili powder and brown sugar. Add some evoo to make a slurry. Toss the carrots around in the bowl. Roast for 20 – 30 minutes and voila! Carrots!

Mexi-Carrots

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of carrots
• 1 – 2 tbsp. evoo
• 1/4 tsp. ancho chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• Salt

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. In a large bowl, add all of the spices except for the salt. Whisk together. Add 1 tbsp. or two of evoo, until you have a slurry.

Peel the carrots, cutting them into matchstick pieces. Small carrots can be sliced in half and cut into 1 to 2 inch long pieces. Medium or large carrots should be quartered and cut in the same length.

Toss the carrots into the slurry, coating them with the spice mixture.

Spread them evenly on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, turning them halfway through.