This weekend I was invited to attend one of my best-friend, Lauren's, Canadian Thanksgiving dinner. I have never celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving, so this was an event I was looking forward to, very much. I offered to bring a side dish but when it came time to decide what to bring, I was stumped. A salad is always my go-to, but no one ever eats salads when there are other, more delicious dishes to partake of. What I needed was a healthy holiday side dish that would be too good to resist...
Enter my Sweet Roasted Carrots and Green Beans Side Dish recipe. I came up with this as I wandered around the grocery store, just searching for inspiration, and I'm so pleased with how it turned out. It is completely delicious and made a big statement at the party - especially when served on this gorgeous wood chevron cutting board.
How to make the Sweet Roasted Carrots & Green Beans Side Dish:
5-6 Large Carrots
3 handfuls Green Beans (so technical)
1 Garlic Clove
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 small Apple
1/3 cup Asiago and Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Apple Smoked Bacon
Herbs of Choice
Directions:
Begin by pre-heating your oven to 400° F and placing your uncooked bacon onto a baking sheet (no need to grease). Once your oven has fully heated, bake the bacon for 20 minutes (for extra crispy). While your bacon is baking, peel and chop your carrots, mince your garlic, chop your apple and herbs, and chop off the ends from your green beans. Place your vegetables onto a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, then top with garlic, herbs, and apple slices.
Once your bacon has finished cooking, simply remove the pan from the oven and replace it with your vegetable pan. Roast your vegetables for 15-20 minutes, until they are tender. While that dish is roasting, chop up your bacon (mine was so crispy I almost didn't need a knife - just how I like it) and set it aside. Once the vegetables have cooked, remove them from the oven and place them onto your serving tray. Top with asiago and parmesan cheese while it's still warm, to melt the cheese, then add the bacon bits. Serve warm.
So, if you're heading to a holiday party here soon and are stumped on what dish to prepare, give this one a try! It's incredibly easy, quick, and of course - delicious!
P.S. I've been obsessed with that little blue bowl in the pictures (I bought two). You can snag your own here.
