Mentally, I am fully entrenched in summer. Picnics, beach days, camping, grilling … these are the things that totally fill my thoughts. But in reality, Will has a few more weeks of school. I have to work. It’s only May.

That’s okay. Summer break will be here soon enough, right?

In the meantime, I am working on new recipes for salads and the grill for this summer, like this Sweet Potato and Carrot Salad. The sweet potatoes are roasted, giving them that mouthwatering sweetness. Mixed with tender steamed carrots and a tangy dressing, this salad is perfect alongside grilled beef kabobs, burgers or whatever.

It’s a nice break from the typical potato salad, don’t you think?

Sweet Potato and Carrot Salad Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, , peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 lb carrots, , peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/8 tsp chipotle pepper powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil spray and arrange sweet potatoes on the sheet. Spray lightly with cooking oil spray (yes, again). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping once, until soft and lightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, steam the carrots until tender.
4. Once the potatoes and carrots are done, combine them in a large bowl. Set aside.
5. Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, pineapple juice, honey, chipotle pepper and cinnamon. Pour over the potatoes and carrots and let sit for a few minutes. Then mix well. Transfer to a serving dish and chill until ready to serve.