Looking for a delicious side dish to impress your friends or significant other with? Try our Roasted Carrots with Ricotta Cheese. You don't need to buy any fancy ingredients, but the dish will still be delicious and impressive!

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 whole bunch of carrots
• Olive oil (enough to coat carrots + 1 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup pine nuts or silvered almonds
• 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• Balsamic vinegar (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Chop the stems off the carrots and lay on a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat the carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Roast for 20-30 minutes in the oven until carrots are browned.
5. While the carrots roast, in a small frying pan, add in olive oil and pine nuts (or slivered almonds).
6. Roast in the frying pan for 2-3 minutes until the nuts are lightly toasted.
7. On a serving plate, spread the ricotta cheese. Layer the roasted carrots on top, and then top with toasted pine nuts. If desired, add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top. Enjoy!

Carrots contain vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and flavonoids that may prevent cancer and enhance immune system. They are available all year round, inexpensive, and lasts longer than most veggies so it's a great vegetable to always have in stock. 

REFERENCES:
1. João Carlos da Silva Dias. Nutritional and Health Benefits of Carrots and Their Seed Extracts. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2014, 5, 2147-2156. http://file.scirp.org/pdf/FNS_2014120411490798.pdf