This is the time of year when the cool spring vegetables are finished and the warm summer vegetables are on. The beets and carrots are getting just big enough to harvest.  They are small, but I think the small root vegetables are the most tender and sweetest, I’m always excited when I can start harvesting them.

For Sunday dinner I braved the blistering 100+ degrees and trekked into the garden to dig up a few of the bigger carrots and beets that I had left, not taking them to market the day before so we could enjoy them for dinner.  My four year old Jack followed me out and delighted in pulling up the carrots after I loosened the soil around them.  He would exclaim, delighted, every time a long carrot root popped out.

When they are this young young I don’t bother peeling them, the skins are still thin and easy to eat.  I do scrub the dirt off well and cut the tops off, leaving a bit of the stems, I think it looks pretty and it gives the roasted veggie a bit of a sweet crunch.  I cut the beets in half, that way they roast at the same rate as the carrots.  Then I simply drizzled with a little bit of avocado oil and sprinkle with salt.  Then in the oven they go at 400 degrees for around 30 minutes or until they are soft all the way through.

When finished they have a beautiful golden color and the sugars have caramelized, creating the best flavor.  The thin roots at the bottom of the carrots are a bit crunchy and so sweet, my kids love that part the very best.