maple

Side dishes are often overlooked when it comes to freezer cooking. But having them in the freezer as well will make dinner even easier. These honey maple-glazed carrots can be made ahead and frozen. Doing the work ahead of time, especially if you make several bags of these at one time, makes suppertime so much easier. They make a perfect side dish to go along with most mains. This also makes an excellent side dish for holiday meals.

Having this side made ahead makes Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner that much easier.

Carrots are a vegetable that most kids will eat, especially when sweetened with both honey and maple. Trust me, these are not a hard sell!

Since the carrots are frozen before they are cooked, they don’t take on that mushy texture that some frozen vegetables can. Mushy is not something I strive for in any of my cooking!

Honey Maple Glazed Carrots Recipe:

• 3 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. honey, melted
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• pinch pepper

To note: 3 1/2 cups of carrots will be approximately 5 carrots, depending of course on their size.

1. Peel and slice the carrots.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the carrots with olive oil, maple syrup, melted honey, and all the seasonings. Make sure the carrots are well covered. Alternately, you can put the carrots in the bag and mix everything in by giving it a squish.
3. Place it all in a medium resealable freezer bag. Take out the excess air and seal before freezing.

On the day of cooking:

1. Take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil.
4. Dump the contents of the bag onto the greased sheet.
5. Put the pan in the oven for 10 minutes, stir. Return to the oven for another 12-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Carrots are done when they are tender and some of the edges are browning.
6. Scoop the carrots into a serving bowl. Serve while still warm.

Ideas for main courses to serve with the honey maple glazed carrots:

Apple Pork Chops

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Chili Glazed Chicken

Tequila Lime Shrimp

Asian Meatballs

pictured below with Honey Sesame Chicken, rice, and salad

Other make-ahead side dishes that may interest you:

Make-Ahead Rice Pilaf 

Freezer Garlic Bread 

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Honey Maple Glazed Carrots Recipe

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: carrots, honey, maple

Servings: 6

Calories: 75 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. honey melted
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• pinch pepper

Instructions

1. Peel and slice the carrots.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the carrots with olive oil, maple syrup, melted honey, and all the seasonings. Make sure the carrots are well covered. Alternately, you can put the carrots in the bag and mix everything in by giving it a squish.

3. Place it all in a medium resealable freezer bag. Take out the excess air and seal before freezing.

On the day of cooking:

1. Take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil.
4. Dump the contents of the bag onto the greased sheet.

5. Put the pan in the oven for 10 minutes, stir. Return to the oven for another 12-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Carrots are done when they are tender and some of the edges are browning.

6. Scoop the carrots into a serving bowl. Serve while still warm.

Recipe Notes

3 1/2 cups of carrots will be approximately 5 carrots, depending of course on their size.