Whether you’re planning a cozy family dinner, preparing your holiday spread, or simply looking for delicious ways to add more vegetables to your table, these two recipes are sure to impress. Brown Butter Garlic Maple Roasted Carrots bring together sweet maple syrup, nutty browned butter, fragrant garlic, and fresh thyme for a beautifully caramelized side dish that is both comforting and flavorful. For something creamy and crowd-pleasing, Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip transforms simple ingredients into a rich, satisfying appetizer without any dairy. The creamy cashew base blends perfectly with spinach, artichokes, garlic, and onion, creating a dip that feels indulgent while remaining plant-based for a healthy twist. Easy to prepare and packed with flavor, both recipes are wonderful additions to gatherings, weeknight meals, or special occasions when you want wholesome vegetables to take center stage.
Brown Butter Garlic Maple Roasted Carrots
Buttery, tender carrots roasted with a simple-to-make maple garlic butter sauce. A lovely way to step up your side dish game!
Servings: 4-6
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut on a bias into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme plus more for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and cook over medium-high heat, whisking until the butter starts to become frothy and nutty-smelling and golden brown. This will take approx. 3-5 minutes. Then add the maple syrup, thyme, and garlic and remove from heat.
2. Place carrots in a large bowl and carefully drizzle the brown butter maple sauce on top. Toss until coated and spread evenly on a large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Cover with foil and roast for 10 minutes, then remove foil and continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes or until carrots are tender. If you want your carrots to have more golden crisp edges, continue to roast until they are cooked to your liking. Or you can broil them for a couple of minutes while keeping a close eye on them so that they don’t burn.
4. Transfer to a serving dish or platter and garnish with some fresh thyme. Serve immediately.
Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip (vegan, dairy-free)
This healthy and delicious spinach artichoke dip is creamy, flavorful, easy to make, and sure to be a family favorite. You'll never know it was dairy-free! But if you want to add some dairy, throw in an 8 oz. block of cream cheese and bring it to a new level.
8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews that were soaked overnight, so plan ahead!
- 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup water
- 8 oz. cream cheese (optional for when you want to use a little dairy)
- 16 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 13.5 oz jar of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- ⅓ cup onions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Add the cashews, mayonnaise, and ¼ cup water (8 oz. cream cheese, if using) to a food processor. Blend for 1-2 minutes, or until creamy.
Use a spatula to transfer the cashew mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and stir together.
Transfer the dip to an oven-proof dish and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with toasted baguette slices, cucumber slices, or other vegetables.