Coconut Rice and Roasted Curried Carrots

When the weather outside is frightful...

eat coconut rice and curried carrots.

That's not how it goes...but it sure is a delightful meal that will warm you up!

As a whole this dish, in my opinion is simply perfect. It cooks up really quickly with very little prep-work, so you can have a steaming bowl full on the table before the snow has melted off your boots from shoveling. I seasoned the carrots to be a tad spicy, but they were mellowed by the coconut rice. The coconut, curry, carry, and nutty brown rice flavors all meld together very well. I look forward to creating different variations of this dish, and pairing this coconut rice with other meals.

Curry-Roasted Carrots

8-10 carrots, washed and quartered lengthwise

1-2 t olive oil
1 t curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to  400 degrees.
mix olive oil and curry powder in a bowl.
Add carrots.
Toss to coat.
Spread evenly on a cookie sheet (I did prepare my cookie sheet with cooking spray, just in case).
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast in oven for 20 minutes, or until done. They should be somewhat goldened on the outside and tender.

The great thing about roasted vegetables is that they are very versatile. You can use any vegetables and spices you have on hand and feel in the mood for that day. Feel free to change up this recipe (or any recipe for that matter) to suit your tastes. Please, play with your food.

 The key to this coconut rice is to toast the grains of rice before adding the liquid ingredients. This extra little step makes all the difference, and is step I've incorporated into many of my grain recipes. The toasting gives a nutty flavor that adds a warmth to rice.

Coconut Brown Rice
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice
1 cup light coconut milk
1.5 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

Toast the brown rice for a few minutes over medium heat in a medium saucepan, stirring frequently so the rice doesn't burn. Add the coconut milk, water, salt and pepper when you can smell a slight nuttiness from the rice. Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the rice to simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.

The roasted carrots are lightly based off of this recipe:
http://www.fullmeasureofhappiness.com/2011/09/19/herb-roasted-carrots/