I am so excited to be participating today in the Healthy Holidays series, hosted by Carly at Createlive. I love going to Carly’s blog for her great photography, creative ideas, and amazing recipes, so when I saw this series, I knew I wanted to join in.
Today, I’ll be sharing one of my favorite vegetable side dishes of all time: KC’s Dilled Carrots. Normally, I’m not a fan of cooked vegetables [at my house, we eat a. lot. of salads, cut up raw veggies, etc. instead], but I make an exception for this one. I think one of the reasons I’m not a fan of cooked vegetables is because they are either a) mushy [I like the CRUNCH!], b) slathered in a lot of other ingredients that change the flavor from fresh and light to heavy, or c) all of the above. My mom got this recipe from a family friend, whose initials happen to be KC, after eating at their house one year over spring break about four and a half years ago, and it has made an appearance on our table many times since then.
Oftentimes, cooked carrots are served with buttery, sugary, bacon-y glaze that is, of course, delicious, but also high in fat and calories. For a vegetable dish, this is problematic. KC’s Dilled Carrots solves the problem by significantly cutting down on the butter and sugar, adding a ton of flavor with a generous amount of dill, and incorporating just a bit of creaminess via sour cream or yogurt for a rich taste with more of the good stuff and less of the bad. Note, this of course translates to more pie, stuffing, or whatever is your cup of tea. I mean, in the name of health you could just cook up some carrots and call it a day–but wouldn’t you rather add a bit of pizzazz in a healthier way? I know I do. Enjoy, and be sure to check out the rest of the series here. It will be continuing for the next three weeks so there’s still time to contribute if you want!
KC's Dilled Carrots
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds carrots, cut in coins or julienned
- 2 teaspoons dill
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoons sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Directions:
Melt butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and stir to coat, sauteing and constantly stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir together dill, chicken stock, and honey in a measuring cup. Pour over carrots and stir to coat. Cover and cook for 4-7 minutes, until carrots are just barely tender. Remove from heat. Take carrots from the pan with a slotted spoon and place into a serving dish. Return skillet to the stove and cook over high heat for 1-2 minutes, reducing liquid until syrupy. Stir in sour cream or yogurt, pour over carrots, stir together, and serve.
[Click here for more Healthy Holiday recipes for a guilt-free holiday season!]
The Pajama Chef 
I also hate mushy cooked veggies (okay, unless I’m making ‘mush’ which has to be mushy). But roasted in the oven . . .or lightly cooked on the stove . . .YES! Your carrots look great.
LikeLike
I’ve recently come to ADORE dill, especially with a hint of honey! I know I’d devour pretty much an entire batch of this side dish. Which would be fine, because no one in my family eats veggies other than me.
LikeLike
Okay these sound so good! I would have never thought to mix dill and carrots together. We eat a lot of cooked vegetables, and I will need to try this. I bet it would be a great main dish if you added celery and potatoes too. Perfect!
LikeLike