Feed Body & Soul Local Vegetarian Cuisine| Los Angeles

Matthew Dickson's cooking philosophy could be summed up in two words: Chill out.

At Feed Body & Soul in Los Angeles, Dickson approaches his vegetable-heavy menu with a light hand, using simple, one-step cooking techniques to preserve each locally sourced ingredient's natural flavor.

In the case of his roasted carrots with ras el hanout (see the recipe), a long bake in the oven yields perfection.

Inspired by Dickson's travels in Morocco, the spice mixture coating the carrots is a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, coriander, cloves, star anise, árbol chiles and black peppercorns. Drizzled with olive oil and honey, the carrots emerge from the oven sweet and fragrant.

Dickson serves the carrots atop one of the restaurant's savory bowls, filled with grains, legumes, seeds and herbs. But the root vegetables can stand alone as a side dish, afternoon snack or sandwich topping.

However you serve them, just take it easy.