As a tribute to honey bees, one of our most important pollinators, this month’s recipe features honey! Even your children will be begging for more of these sweet and savory roasted carrots. The secret to this delectable dish is the honey ginger glaze. When choosing your ingredients for this dish, make sure to avoid synthetic pesticides and support pollinator health by choosing organic!

The Research

A study published in PLOS ONE tested honey, pollen, and wax for pesticide residues. They found a total of 121 different pesticides across almost 900 samples tested. The most common pesticides detected were synthetic miticides—synthetic pesticides that are applied directly to hives and bees to combat parasitic mites and which are prohibited in organic beekeeping. But that’s not all. Numerous studies have shown that organic farms play an important role in keeping our pollinators healthy by reducing their exposure to agricultural pesticides, creating better habitat and providing them with more nutritious food sources when compared to conventional farms. Bee sure to keep an eye out for our upcoming publication which provides an in-depth review of all the ways that organic farming contributes to the health of our pollinators!

Photo credit: Erica Wines

The Recipe

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. thin organic carrots
• 2 tbsp. organic olive oil plus some for drizzling
• 4 tbsp. organic honey
• 2 tbsp. organic ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. fresh organic lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh organic parsley, finely chopped
• Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the carrots in a baking pan. Drizzle olive oil on them and stir them until they are completely coated. Bake for about 45 minutes stirring half way through. Thicker carrots may need to cook for a little bit longer—you’ll know there done when they are tender when poked with a fork.

While the carrots are baking, combine 2 tbsp. olive oil, honey, ginger, water, lemon juice, and parsley in a sauce pan. Cook the mixture over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes, then remove from heat.

Remove carrots from the oven, drizzle with honey sauce and gently toss to coat. Salt to taste and serve immediately.

Banner Photo Credit: Matilda Bellman; unsplash.com