By May approaching and the school year is in its final month, which means a specific kind of intensity: every day matters more because there are fewer of them. I have been spending extra time with the students who are transitioning out — who will have new teachers in September — because I want them to carry forward not just the goals but the belief that they can do what the goals describe. That belief is the actual thing. The goals are just the language we use to describe it.
I made baked feta pasta this week because the internet has been talking about it for a year and I finally tried it. Block of feta in the center of a baking dish, surrounded by cherry tomatoes and garlic and olive oil, roasted until the feta is soft and the tomatoes have burst, then tossed with pasta. It is genuinely as good as advertised and costs almost nothing and takes twenty-five minutes. Ryan said it was the best pasta he had had this year. I said he says that every month. He said he means it every month. I said I am going to start writing these down and making him rank them. He said he would rather not. I said I would do it anyway.
Kristin and David wedding planning: she called this week with a date. October 2023. She wants a small ceremony, fewer people than mine had, which she said and then immediately said no offense to our 85-person VFW hall wedding and I said no offense taken, the VFW hall was perfect. I said I would help with whatever she needed. She said she needed me to make food for the reception, which I said of course, which is the only possible answer to that question from my sister, and then she said what she actually wanted was the kolaczki and the potato pancakes and the dessert table from my wedding but bigger. I said I can do bigger. She said she knew I could.
The baked feta pasta reminded me that roasting is its own kind of magic — you put simple things in a hot oven and they become something better than themselves, which felt like an apt metaphor for the week. I wanted to keep that same energy going the next night without turning the oven on again, and this carrot salad does exactly that: half the carrots roasted until they’re sweet and tender, half left raw for crunch, all of it pulled together with avocado and something bright and acidic. Ryan approved. He always approves when there’s avocado involved.
Roasted & Raw Carrot Salad with Avocado
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large ripe avocado, sliced or cubed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted pepitas or sunflower seeds
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prep the carrots. Cut half the carrots (about 8 oz) into 1/2-inch diagonal slices. Leave the remaining half raw and cut them into thin matchsticks or use a vegetable peeler to make long ribbons.
- Roast. Toss the sliced carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 18–20 minutes, flipping once halfway, until tender and caramelized at the edges. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the dressing. Whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, cumin, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined.
- Assemble the salad. Arrange the raw carrot ribbons on a serving platter. Top with the warm roasted carrots, sliced avocado, and red onion.
- Dress and finish. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad. Scatter fresh herbs and toasted pepitas over the top. Serve immediately while the roasted carrots are still slightly warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 195 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 290mg