Maple and Miso Glazed Roasted Carrots

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. If your carrots still have some moisture after washing, be sure to pat them as dry as possible; the drier the vegetable, the better it will roast.
• In a small bowl, mix together maple syrup, miso, and soy sauce. Set aside.
• Peel the carrots (and if they are large, cut uniform slices so that they will roast evenly and be finished at the same time). Place the carrots in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper (for easy clean-up). If the carrots are arranged too closely together or are on top of one another, they will steam, making them mushy rather than caramelized. Use a bigger baking sheet or 2 instead.
• Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. You want each carrot to have a light coating of oil (the oil keeps some moisture in for that interior tenderness). A good rule of thumb is about 2 Tbsp of oil per baking sheet (I'm using a half sheet). Toss the carrots with oil and seasoning.
• Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through to ensure that the carrots are getting equal exposure to the heat and have an equal chance of getting crispy and caramelized. The roasting time may vary depending on the size of the carrots (young thin carrots require less cooking time). When carrots are lightly browned and almost tender when pierced with a wooden skewer, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Why almost tender? We still need to roast for 5 more minutes after brushing the sauce.
• Brush the maple and miso mixture over the carrots and flip to coat the other side. Put back in the oven to finish cooking, about 5 more minutes. The vegetables will start to brown on the bottom first (the side in contact with a hot surface will brown faster than the sides in touch with hot air), so for even browning you'll need to turn them.
• Remove from the oven and serve warm, garnished with thyme if desired.

To Store

• Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. They do not freeze well.