Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Trim ends of Brussels sprouts  and remove yellow leaves.

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 (see my photos).

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 – that’s what I did.

Toast pecans in the preheated oven at 350 F

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.

Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterwords.

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.