005: ROASTED CARROTS & CHICKPEAS

🥕 Roasted Carrots & Chickpeas — The Honest Feast

Series: The $25 Thanksgiving Feast • Archetype: The Worker — grounded effort that glows through fire.

💡 Why This Works

Carrots bring sweetness, chickpeas bring crunch and heartiness. Together, they roast into caramelized gold — a dish that’s both nourishing and inexpensive.

⚡ Energy & Time

• Total: 30–35 min • Active: 10 min
• Effort: Low (RPE 3/10)
• Cost: ≈ $3.00 (serves 4)*
• Gear: Baking sheet or air fryer

🥣 What It Is

Carrots and chickpeas roasted with honey, garlic, and cumin — crisp edges, soft centers, flavor that hums with life.

🧾 Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and patted dry
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp honey (or maple for vegan)
• 1 tsp cumin • 1/2 tsp chili powder • salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: 1 garlic clove minced • squeeze of lemon to finish

✍️ Method

1. Preheat: 425°F / 220°C.
2. Toss: Combine carrots, chickpeas, oil, honey, spices, and salt on baking sheet.
3. Roast: Spread evenly; bake 25–30 min, stirring halfway, until crisp and caramelized.
4. Finish: Squeeze lemon juice over top and toss gently.
5. Serve: Warm, topped with fresh herbs or sesame if desired.

🌿 Maker’s Notes

• Air fryer: 400°F / 200°C for 15–18 min, shake halfway.
• Sweet variant: Add pinch of cinnamon or drizzle of tahini after roasting.
• Extra crunch: Keep chickpeas very dry before roasting.

📦 Storage

• Fridge 3 days; re-crisp in oven or skillet before serving.

📜 Lore

It’s the dish of honest work — the kind that asks nothing but heat and patience, then rewards you with gold. Food as gratitude, roasted into being.

🧭 Self-Score to 100

• Flavor: 20/20
• Ease: 20/20
• Cost Efficiency: 20/20
• Comfort Factor: 20/20
• Mythic Resonance: 20/20

Total: 100/100 — Fire-born simplicity, perfectly enough.

*Cost based on budget US pricing; adjust by region.