Spicy and slightly sweet, Jamaican jerk seasonings bring carrots to life in this recipe. A pressure cooker speeds up the time by 10 minutes. If you are a vegetarian or vegan or want to try something new and healthy, add diced spicy tofu before serving and heat. A bright green vegetable and pasta or rice rounds out the meal. For nonvegetarians, chicken breast or a white fish like flounder goes well.

Spicy Island Carrots

Preparation/Cooking time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 pound baby carrots, sliced or unsliced, or regular carrots, sliced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1. In a medium nonstick saucepan, add the carrots and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the carrots are tender but still firm. Drain the carrots and transfer to a bowl.

2. Dry the saucepan and coat with nonstick spray. Add the brown sugar, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, cumin, garlic, and chili powder.

3. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sugar bubbles and the spices are fragrant. Add the carrots. Toss or stir to coat the carrots with the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

You can add lots of vegetables to this dish, but keep them small. Try diced celery, peas, chopped parsley, or chives. You can even add diced cooked poultry, ham, or beef if you want to use it as an entree with meat.