This recipe couldn't be simpler. You roast carrots with olive oil, salt, pepper and a smidgen of cumin. When they’re done, you top them with slices of fresh avocado, some squeezes of lemon juice and fresh seasoning. And that’s it. But this is so much more fun than your standard roasted carrots, ubiquitous alongside every winter roast. It's just getting warm, we don't need some heavy side of mashed potatoes. No, these are summer roasted carrots, sweet and toothsome, contrasted with fresh ingredients. Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad Inspired by The Spotted Pig

• 1 pound carrots, scrubbed or peeled and cut into two-inch segments (angled if you’re feeling fancy)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 an avocado, pitted and sliced

• Juice of half a lemon

Roast the carrots: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Toss the carrot chunks in a medium bowl with two tablespoons of the olive oil, cumin and as generous of a helping of salt and pepper as you like.

Spread them on a roasting sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, or until tender and browned. Of course, roasting time will vary depending on the thickness of your carrots.

Finish the salad: Once the carrots are roasted, arrange them on a serving platter with slices of avocado on top. Drizzle the salad with the last tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice and extra salt and pepper, if it needs it. Eat immediately.

from The Smitten Kitchen, featured image from alon salant