Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
3 cups Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon Salt to taste
Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 ½ lb 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:
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup dried cranberries
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup optional

Preparation: 

How to roast Brussels Sprouts:

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.

How to roast 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 30 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.

How to toast pecans:
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.

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.