Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash and Pecans

I still love the Brussels sprouts from Flying Pig in Vancouver, but this recipe from Julia at Julia’s Album takes it up a notch by adding squash and pecans. I love her recipe – lots of real ingredients (as opposed to processed). I particularly like that she’s using maple syrup, a more natural form of sugar, than a more processed option.  The only thing I would remove is the cranberries. I know they’d be a great addition, but I don’t eat or recommend eating dried fruit – it’s dehydrating and can contain sulfites. But the rest of this dish is awesome!  Thanks for sharing Julia!

Ingredients

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

• 3 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash:

• 1 and ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients:

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

Roasted Brussels sprouts:

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.

Roasted butternut squash:

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
• Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.
  Note:You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.

Assembly:

• In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.