Cooked carrots get a bad rap. They’re often soft and mushy and flavorless. But this week on Minnesota Live, I went out to the garden to harvest carrots and cook them up my favorite way: in a hot pan, seasoned liberally with fresh thyme and a drizzle of maple syrup for additional flavor. I make these carrots all the time – they are the perfect simple side dish for salmon, pot roast, roast chicken and more and they take about five minutes to make. They are also really inexpensive – and I love dishes that shatter the misconception that cooking from home (even with organic ingredients!) is overcomplicated and crazy expensive. Because it’s not. I’ll get off my soapbox now and share how to make the carrots.

Maple-Thyme Carrots

Gather this:

1 tsp olive oil

3-4 carrots, cut into slices on the diagonal

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pure maple syrup

freshly cracked pepper

Do this:

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. Add the carrots and try to spread into one layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then toss with tongs, flipping to the other side. Season with salt and pepper. Add the thyme and toss. Then add the maple syrup and stir to coat. These are also delicious with crumbled chevre or feta on top.