Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts

 

I had a butternut squash that needed using up and some Brussels sprouts and so I went looking for a way to use them. I found this delicious looking recipe here, on a blog called Cooking for My Soul.  

Not only did it look delicious and use exactly what I had in the house, but it seemed to be quite healthy as well!  It also looked like the recipe would be quite easy to cut in half. 

With there only being one of me in the house now, I just don't need to be cooking full sized recipes any longer. Not unless I want to be eating the same thing for days at a time, and trust me, I really don't.

 

So, if you are wanting to feed more than just a couple of people, do click on over there. If you have a small family like me, stick around!

This would make an excellent side dish for the holidays.  Filled with lovely colors and flavors!

 

I adore both roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts. With this tasty recipe you get to enjoy both of them!  

They do cook at separate times however, so I cooked the butternut squash on one tray and the sprouts on another.

They also have the added bonus of being cooked with some Maple syrup for the last bit of cook time, which gives them a touch of sweetness and even more autumn flavor!

 

They are finished off with some pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries for an extra bit of crunch, sweetness and a really festive touch!

Altogether this is a really delicious combination. You can prep everything ahead of time and then just throw the vegetables in the oven about half an hour before you need to serve them, so it's also quite a convenient recipe!

And whilst it's a very festive looking side dish, you needn't reserve it just for the holidays because this tasty dish will be welcome on your table any time of the year! 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & BRUSSELS SPROUTS 

Only a very few simple ingredients are needed. You probably will not need to pop to the shops, except for maybe the pumpkin seeds.  But, if you are like me, you probably have everything you need in the house to make this tasty side-dish today! 

• 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 pound of brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 2 TBS light olive oil, divided
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 TBS Maple syrup, divided
• 2 TBS pumpkin seeds
• 3 TBS dried cranberries

 

I love recipes that don't require a bazillion ingredients and tons of fancy cooking equipment.  This is one of those.  

Golden maple roasted vegetables are one of my favorite things!  Don't be tempted to use anything but pure Maple syrup!!!  You only need 2 TBS for this recipe, so not a lot.

 

I like to use light olive oil for cooking purposes, but you can use extra virgin if you want.   I, myself prefer to save EVO for dipping or salads.

The light olive oil gives you all the same benefits of regular olive oil, but will not alter the flavor of your food in the same way as extra virgin olive oil. 

Light olive oil is a refined olive oil, so whilst it may not be quite as good for you as regular olive oil, it's not as bad for you as regular cooking oil but is perfect for cooking with.

HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS SIDE DISH

Other than having to use two baking trays, nothing could be easier. I lined my baking trays with aluminum foil, so clean up was also very easy.

Preheat the oven to 450*C/230*C/ gas mark 7. You will need two rimmed baking sheets. Line both with some aluminum foil and spray with some non-stick baking spray.

Toss the butternut squash in a bowl along with 1 TBS of the oil and some seasoning. Scatter across one of the baking trays in an even layer. Don't crowd them.

Toss the halved Brussels sprouts in a bowl along with the remaining oil and some seasoning. Place them on the other baking tray, cut side down. Again, don't crowd them.

If you crowd your vegetables on the pan, they will steam rather than roast and you will not get the lovely, caramelized edges we all enjoy so much.

 

Place the tray of butternut squash in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes and then pop the tray of sprouts into the oven alongside of the squash. Roast both trays for another 15 minutes.

Remove the trays from the oven. Drizzle 1 TBS of Maple syrup over each tray and toss the vegetables around to coat. Return the trays to the oven and roast for an additional 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Toss both vegetables together in a serving bowl along with the pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.

 

This is quite simply a beautiful side dish and something which I would definitely serve on Thanksgiving or Christmas. The pretty colors, the flavors, the textures, all worked very well together.

And you know those little leaves from the sprouts that inevitably fall off or separate?  They get amazingly crisp and delicious. Like little maple flavored sprout chips. Love, LOVE!

Some other great Holiday side dishes you might enjoy are:

MAPLE MASHED BUTTERNUT SQUASH - Wedges of butternut squash are roasted in the oven along with a bit off olive oil, some maple syrup, and sprigs of fresh thyme.  Once done, they are simply mashed together with some butter and a bit of additional fresh thyme. This is an excellent dish to make ahead of time and then just reheat when you need it.

GREEN BEAN & ALMOND CASSEROLE - This recipe varies from the original green bean casserole in that the sauce is made from scratch. The casserole is saucy and flavored with celery, onion and a bit of dried dillweed for a lovely herbal touch. Rich and creamy and topped with a buttery topping of crisp breadcrumbs and toasted almonds!

Yield: 3

Author: Marie Rayner

Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min

A small batch recipe for the most delicious Maple roasted butternut squash and brussels sprouts. A fabulous holiday dish that everyone will love. Very easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 pound of brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 2 TBS light olive oil, divided
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 TBS Maple syrup, divided
• 2 TBS pumpkin seeds
• 3 TBS dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450*C/230*C/ gas mark 7. You will need two rimmed baking sheets. Line both with some aluminum foil and spray with some non-stick baking spray.
2. Toss the butternut squash in a bowl along with 1 TBS of the oil and some seasoning. Scatter across one of the baking trays in an even layer. Don't crowd them.
3. Toss the halved Brussels sprouts in a bowl along with the remaining oil and some seasoning. Place them on the other baking tray, cut side down. Again, don't crowd them.
4. Place the tray of butternut squash in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes and then pop the tray of sprouts into the oven alongside the squash. Roast both trays for another 15 minutes.
5. Remove the trays from the oven. Drizzle 1 TBS of Maple syrup over each tray and toss the vegetables around to coat. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven. Toss both vegetables together in a serving bowl along with the pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.

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