Cardamom Carrots with Orange

I have really come to appreciate the flavor of cooked vegetables without any added oil, butter, or margarine, maybe just using a sprinkle of salt or perhaps some garlic or other seasoning.  It took me a while to get accustomed to eating them this way, but it seems I have come to actually prefer cooked veggies in their most basic form.  On the other hand, I love to try new dishes, so I prepared the "Cardamom Carrots with Orange" (page 362) with an open mind. I'm fond of cardamom (the recipe warns that people seem to either love this spice or hate it), and I also like orange zest. The sprinkle of cayenne added a delightful burst of warmth as well. But somehow, I still found myself wondering why not just have plain steamed carrots?  The recipe did call for 2 tablespoons of margarine, which may have added a depth or richness that would have blended with and mellowed the overall flavors, but I omitted that and used a little broth instead.  Or, I may have zested my orange a little too close, causing a slight bitterness that can occur when that happens.  This dish was very easy to prepare, and fun to experiment with the different flavors, but I think I'm still not convinced that plain steamed veggies aren't best.