Easy-Easy Slow Cooker Honey Carrots ♥

Today's slow cooker recipe: Simple, tasty cooked carrots, either baby carrots (I know, I know, read on!) or real carrots (better still!). Just dump 'em in with a few pantry ingredients and let the slow cooker go to town. The kitchen will smell so good! Kids and grownups like these approachable carrots and they add great color to a buffet or dinner plate. Inexpensive. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Cal. Gluten Free. Primal. Vegetarian.

Okay so no April Fool's joke here but for the first time ever, I'm gonna say, "Okay, okay. Go ahead, use baby carrots."

Surprised? Because we remember the outright lies fiction about so-called "baby" carrots, right? I first started spreading the word way back in 2005 on Day Twelve of A Veggie Venture. The truth is, baby carrots aren't the young, tender carrots they're marketed to be. The fact is, baby carrots are giant carrots shaved down to bite-size carrot bullets. Snopes even claims that carrots destined for infantilization what the carrot industry now calls "baby-cut" carrots are especially bred for sweetness and bright orange color. Really, that's necessary? What's next, carrot Fruit Loops?

BUT. I digress. Because the real news here is that whatever their faults, for once, baby carrots actually taste halfway decent. Back last year, my notes read, "Used bullet carrots, stilll pretty good, so totally easy might be worth it." So sure, go ahead, choose baby carrots!

BUT. Let me also say. In my kitchen, I'll only make this easy slow cooker vegetable with real carrots, ones I've peeled and cut up myself. Because when I made them a second time for Thanksgiving dinner, with real carrots, my notes read, "Used 5lbs real carrots. Sooo easy. Very tasty. No more baby carrots for me."

RECIPE for EASY-EASY SLOW COOKER HONEY CARROTS

Hands-on time: 5 minutes with "baby" carrots, 10 minutes per pound for "real" carrots that require peeling
Time to table: 3 hours
Serves 4 per pound at regular meals, 8 or 12 per pound for big multi-course meals such as Easter or Thanksgiving

PER POUND OF CARROTS, easily multiplied
1 pound baby carrots or real carrots
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Drop or two of Tabasco
Generous salt & pepper
Fresh cilantro, for serving

If using baby carrots, rinse under running water. If using real carrots, peel and trim, cut into bite-size pieces (I like to cut them on a diagonal). Combine the carrots and all ingredients except the cilantro in the slow cooker. Cover and let cook on high for 3 hours. To serve, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
I've made the carrots three times, twice with baby carrots and once with real carrots. The first batch with baby carrots were decent, even quite good. The second batch with baby carrots wasn't as good. I think - can't know for sure but suspect - that the cooked carrots weren't as good because the raw carrots seemed "wet and watery" (like they'd been soaking to plump up or something) with no real flavor. They didn't even taste good raw, let alone cooked. So watch out for that ...
Salt is really important here, do be generous with the seasoning. Tabasco is important too, I wouldn't skip it but even a tiny titch makes a difference.
You'll want to make enough carrots to fill your slow cooker at least half way.
The real carrots are really good cold the next day, easy to snack on or add to salads.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Serving, Assumes 8/4 Servings: 44/88 Calories; 1/3g Tot Fat; 1/2g Sat Fat; 3/7mg Cholesterol; 56/112mg Sodium; 8/15g Carb; 2/3g Fiber; 5/10g Sugar; 1g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS: WW Old Points 1/1 & WW PointsPlus 1/2 CALORIE COUNTERS 100-calorie serving, 1/4 of recipe plus a little.

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MORE FAVORITE CARROT RECIPES
~ Bourbon-Glazed Carrots ~
~ Creamy Carrot Puree ~
~ "Wonderful" Glazed Turnips & Carrots ~
~ more carrot recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture

~ Laura's Healthy Carrot Soup ~
~ Mashed Potatoes & Carrots ~
~ Baked Cabbage Wedges ~
~ more carrot recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column

A Veggie Venture is home of 'veggie evangelist' Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
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