Don’t get me wrong, I love marinara sauce, but sometimes I need a change. I had seen recipes around for cream and calorie laden carrot sauces, so I decided to take matters into my own hands to create a healthier version of these recipes. And guess what? It was REALLY good. And surprisingly really easy.
Per usual, I replaced the cream in this recipe with Greek yogurt. If you haven’t noticed, I am pretty obsessed with this substitution. Not only is Greek yogurt lower in saturated fat and calories than cream, but it is packed with lean muscle building protein and happy gut making probiotics. The best part is that you can’t even taste the difference!
Now lets talk carrots. Despite popular belief, carrots are NOT high in sugar! So go ahead and get that out of your mind. Here’s why carrots are the bomb:
- They are a good source of fiber (which helps with digestive health, bowel regularity, weight management, lowering cholesterol levels, and stabilizing blood glucose levels).
- They are a good source of vitamin A, which promotes good vision (gosh knows I need this) and a healthy immune system.
- They are a good course of potassium, which helps with blood pressure control.
- They contain powerful antioxidants, which ward off diseases and improve your immune system.
So all in all, this recipe is so healthy that you can easily justify your two glasses of wine that you may be drinking with it. 🙂
Creamy Roasted Carrot Sauce
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 425° F. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil, cumin, salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast until golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer carrots to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add yogurt, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and transfer to a serving bowl.
Mix sauce with base of choice (pasta, protein, vegetables, etc), top with basil and Parmesan, and enjoy!
**This sauce is great for topping just about anything, but this night I used it as a sauce for Banza chickpea pasta. Add pasta to sauce and toss gently with basil and Parmesan. Serve immediately.
**Top with protein of choice if desired. Pictured here is smoked rosemary pork tenderloin.
