Roasted Carrots with Simple Tahini Sauce

One thing we know for sure is that the number 1 way to ensure a diverse microbiome (the healthy bacteria and other critters in your digestive tract and body) is to rotate your veggies!

Switching up what veggies you eat on the regular was shown to have a greater influence on microbiome than antibiotic use, sex (that is, exposing yourself to someone else’s microbiome), and even alcohol consumption. A diverse microbiome is essential for disease prevention, and imbalanced gut bugs have been linked to diseases like irritable bowel disease (IBD), cardiovascular disease, and even obesity.

But don’t worry, before you get overwhelmed thinking you need to learn 100 new recipes and be able to pull them off every night of the week I have a solution: roast those suckers!

Roasting is one of my favorite, simple ways to get more veggies in your meals. This is a simple dry cooking technique that preserves the nutrient value of the vegetables and is basically hands off – just rinse, dry, and toss said veg’s in a fat that’s suitable for high-temperature cooking (coconut oil, avocado oil, and ghee are ideal choices). Chopping is optional depending on the veg.

All you need to do is throw a bunch of veg on a sheet tray, crank the oven to 375º F and let them go until they’re done, usually 25-45 minutes depending on the veg and how well you like them done.

Roasted vegetables are often tasty with a sprinkle of salt, but you can also get creative with your spice cabinet. Seasonings can take your veggies from “meh” to “MORE PLEASE!” in just a few shakes. Some of my go-to’s are paprika, cumin, garlic, and rosemary, and a good salt! I like sea salt or kosher salt.

You’ll also want to make sure to use good fats that can withstand the heat. Certain fats and their flavors can also give more depth to your vegetables and even makes some of their nutrients more available to your body!

So, you don’t have to make anything super complicated to get your veggies in. Case in point: My Roasted Rainbow Carrots.

They never disappoint, and have become my staple side dish. I mentioned switching up your vegetables to ensure a diverse microbiome and better gut health. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re getting a variety of color when it comes to your vegetable selections, so using rainbow carrots will give you a little extra nutritional boost. While all carrots are extremely nutrient dense, different colors provide different antioxidants and slightly different benefits.

No need to stop here, though! This tahini sauce could be used on nearly any roasted vegetable. Try it out and let me know what you think!

And if you like this recipe and want to start incorporating more gut healthy foods into your diet, make sure to download my free 101 Gut Healing Foods list. Different foods can affect your health both positively and negatively….but small adjustments can lead to big changes!

With this list of 101 foods, you’ll know exactly what to focus on for a healthy gut so you can eliminate bloating, headaches, skin conditions, alleviate autoimmune flare-ups, and overall feel better and more comfortable and confident in your body. Download it now!