1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with oil to prevent sticking.
2. Place the peeled and cut carrots in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and honey over the carrots.
3. Sprinkle the sea salt, black pepper, and thyme over the carrots. If you’re using balsamic vinegar, add it now.
4. Using your hands or a large spoon, toss everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring each carrot piece is well coated with the honey and oil mixture.
5. Spread the carrots out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Crowding them can cause steaming, so make sure there’s a bit of space between each piece.
6. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Halfway through (around 15 minutes), take the baking sheet out and use a spatula to flip the carrots so they brown evenly.
7. The carrots are done when they’re tender and caramelized at the edges. You can test tenderness by piercing with a fork—it should slide in easily.
8. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.

One little trick I learned from Mama Lou was to keep an eye on the oven during the last 5 minutes. Sometimes the honey caramelizes faster than expected, so a quick stir can prevent burning. Also, roasting at a high temperature brings out the best natural sweetness, but if your oven runs hot, lowering it slightly will do the trick.