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Recipes

Spiced Roasted Carrots over a Sweet Potato Mash

Written by: Jennifer Fisher | Published on:

SERVES 4 to 6  |

Ingredients

for the roasted carrots:

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1⁄4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger

1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt, or JF Spicy Salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 bunch large carrots (about 1 pound/455 g), trimmed and quartered lengthwise

for the mashed sweet potatoes:

2 sweet potatoes (about 11⁄2 pounds/680 g), peeled and cubed

1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt, or sub JF Spicy Salt, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter, chilled (I like Monty’s)

for the gremolata:

1 cup (40 g) roughly chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems

1⁄2 cup (70 g) sunflower seeds, toasted,
cooled, and roughly chopped

Jalapeño chile, seeded and minced

Zest of 2 limes

Juice of 1 lime, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt, or sub JF Spicy Salt

for serving:
1⁄2 cup (75 g) crumbled feta or vegan feta (I like Violife)

1⁄2 cup (90 g) thinly sliced red onion (preferably on a mandoline)

1 lime, for squeezing

Directions

This is a side that eats like a main, so it’s perfect to serve to your vegan/vegetarian friends at dinner parties. It also makes the best holiday or easy dinner side. But don’t reserve this for special occasions. The simple gremolata makes it feel much more formal and impressive for guests. It is so easy to throw together, and the best thing is, the ingredients are hearty shelf-stable veggies that should be found in your fridge on the regular, so you can make this on a whim at any time.
Make the roasted carrots

1. Preheat the oven to 375oF (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.In a bowl large enough to fit the carrots, combine the paprika, cumin, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Add the olive oil and whisk to form a paste. Add the carrots to the bowl and toss to coat in the spice blend. Spread out on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the carrots are tender and begin to crisp around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the mashed sweet potatoes

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt (or sub JF Spicy Salt), and enough water to cover to a boil. Boil until tender, about 5 minutes, then drain. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the garlic powder, olive oil, and remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Blend the cold butter into the mash—this helps emulsify the butter and make the mash super smooth. Alternatively, you can use a hand-held masher to mash all the ingredients together, then slowly melt the cold butter by whisking it into the mash to finish (this method will yield a less smooth mash, but it’s also fuss-free).

Make the grain-free gremolata

3. In a large bowl, mix together the cilantro, sunflower seeds, jalapeños, lime zest and juice, olive oil, and salt to taste. Alternatively, you can blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 30 seconds to create a coarser gremolata. Taste and season with more salt or lime juice, as desired.

4. Assemble the dish: Spread the mashed sweet potatoes on a large serving platter and place the roasted carrots on top. Sprinkle with the feta and top with the red onions, gremolata, and a generous squeeze of lime juice.

Excerpted from Trust Your Gut: Anti-Inflammatory Recipes for Feeling Unstoppable by Jennifer Fisher. Copyright © 2025 by Jennifer Fisher. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.