Thursday Nite Dinner: Curried Rice with Roasted Carrots & Apricots

Ingredients:
3 cups basmati rice
2 cups sliced carrots
1/2 cup organic chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. curry powder (sweet or hot, depending on preference)
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
2 Tbsp. walnut segments or sliced almonds, toasted* (optional)

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, roast carrots at 325 degrees F., covered, for 25-35 minutes until soft when pierced with a fork. Add broth, curry powder, apricots and nuts to cooked rice and stir gently. Heat on low heat until warmed throughout. Transfer to a serving dish, top with carrots and serve. Serves 4.

* To toast nuts, simply spread them in a small pan in a 300 degree F. oven and heat them for 5-8 minutes, checking often, until you can smell their oils when you open the oven. Or, you can heat them on the stove in a small pan, stirring and watching closely.