Carrot Gardening 101 + Rooibos Tea Sauteed Carrots

 

Since my kids have been little, we have always grown carrots.  Sprinkling the seeds and watching them grow; they are one of the first vegetables my kids loved.  And because the green tops of the carrots get so big, it entices my kids to pull them, just to see what’s underneath the soil.  An easy way to teach the kids that carrots are good for our eyes (and so much more, like skin and immunity due to high vitamin A) is to slice them and look at the slices.  They look like our eyes!

Carrots are so easy to grow – all you need is space that allows the seed to take root and grow deep into the soil.  Loose soil is best to avoid misshapen carrots.  Plant the seeds about 4 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart.  Water + sun + good soil is all you need.  You could plant them in a large container as well, as long as you don’t transplant them – if you do: crooked carrots.

Here are a few varieties we love:

  • Kaleidoscope Mix: If you love all colors of carrots, this is the one for you. Purple, yellow, orange, dark orange and even white. It’s a surprise every time you pull one out of the ground.
  • Danvers 126: An excellent, traditional, bright orange carrot that grows 8 inches long and is sweet to taste.
  • Nantes: Nearly perfect in shape and a sweet flavor making them delicious raw, roasted, or sautéed.
  • Chantenay, Little Finger or Thumbelina: These carrots are smaller, reaching about 2 inches in length and grow quickly, reaching maturity in about . They grow well in hard-packed soils or containers.

You can harvest carrots at any time, once they reach the size you like.  But, if you leave the carrots in the ground after the first frost in the fall, they may be a little sweeter.

And this is a recipe you will want to make with those carrots once they are ready for harvest.  Seriously.  They are delicious.  And simple.  And easy.  And…need I say more?

Enter in Rooibos tea.  A tea I love and have not thought of doing anything else with but drinking it.  But, I was put to the challenge of incorporating it into a recipe with this month’s Recipe ReDux theme. 

Tea cups around the world are bubbling up with bold new flavors: From cardamom chai and sencha green to bubble teas and veggie teas. We wish we could attend the World Tea Expo the end of this month – but in lieu of a plane ticket, we’ll be cooking and baking and stirring up tea-inspired healthy dishes.

Three ingredients + five minutes = successful side dish.  It’s a must try.

sauteed carrots

 

Rooibos Tea Sauteed Carrots

Jen Haugen
A simple and delicious way to prepare fresh carrots from the garden!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Breakfast
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1-1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon  ground Rooibos tea leaves (from tea bag)
  • 1 cup fresh sliced carrots

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter over medium-high heat in sauté pan. Add ground tea leaves and cook 30 seconds while stirring.
  • Add sliced carrots and toss to coat in tea and butter mixture. Cook 4-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Prick with a fork to determine when crisp-tender.

Notes

Try not eating them right out of the pan!
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3 Comments

  1. Serena on May 22, 2014 at 9:10 am

    I love, love this post. Great tips on carrot varieties. The kids and I planted some this year in the garden – but not these. May have to go get a few more seeds – as these are so enticing! And rooibos tea – I discovered in South Africa – but this sounds almost better than drinking!

  2. Deanna Segrave-Daly (@tspbasil) on May 22, 2014 at 8:04 pm

    Love the names of those carrots – that alone would appeal to kids (and adults.) I’m sure when I make these I’ll be eating them out of the pan 🙂

  3. Sarah Grace on May 23, 2014 at 7:30 pm

    What a great way to add a little extra flavor to your veggies!

    xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.

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