I cooked a favorite chicken dish for dinner the other night, and wanted a zesty vegetable to go alongside it. There, on the spot, I made up this one: butter-ginger-brown sugar carrots. Here’s how:

4 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

1 Tablespoon butter

1/2-inch piece of ginger, peeled

1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar (to taste)

Steam or boil the carrots until tender. Drain, and return to the pot with butter and ginger. Sautee on medium-low heat for a few minutes, until the ginger starts to become fragrant. Add the brown sugar, more for a sweeter tooth (like mine). Stir it up and serve. Serves 2-4 depending on portion sizes.