Eat Your Veggies

Superfoods Saute

From: Robin Wiper, dear friend of my mother

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Perfect pairings: Grilled salmon; roasted chicken; Thanksgiving side dish

Fun fact: These veggies are all considered "superfoods" for their powerhouse anti-oxidant properties and cancer-fighting components. 

In the summer, I feel like eating my vegetables comes naturally—peppers and onions freshly-charred on the grill; tomato-mozzarella caprese salad dotted with olive oil and fresh basil; salad greens topped with fresh peapods. And then January comes, and I get stuck in a potato-induced coma, because let's be honest: It's slim-pickings in the produce department.

But this Thanksgiving, I was given a gift amidst the plethora of side dishes on the table—a fragrant, comforting roasted vegetable dish with butternut squash, perfectly-charred cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Withhold your judgment for a second, this will convert any sprouts-hater; this recipe just uses the tender leaves, not the bitter heads most people loathe from childhood.

While this dish would be fantastic alongside grilled fish or meat, I let stand on its own, with just some crostini on the side. It totally satisfied my cravings—for both some healthier fare after consuming an entire pan of the Pioneer Woman's enchiladas last weekend, and for a comforting, weekday night meal.

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash

4 T extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets (1 head)

3 cups Brussels sprouts (1 bag)

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup of wine

2 T unsalted butter

2 T chopped parsley

Grated Pecorino cheese

Sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To toast nuts, spread them in a small dry skillet and heat over medium heat, shaking occasionally, until nuts are fragrant and toasted. Set aside

To roast butter squash, peel and slice the squash into 1-inch cubes, Toss with about 2 T of olive oil, salt and pepper and spread into a sheet pan. Bake in oven for about 30-40 minutes or until soft and golden on the edges. While squash starts to cook, chop cauliflower into bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. About 30 minutes after squash has gone in, add cauliflower to the pan; roast for about 12 more minutes, until squash is done and cauliflower is browned on the edges. (This can also be done on separate cookie sheets if you are short on space.)

Rinse and trim Brussels sprouts. Separate the leaves from the heads until there are three cups of leaves. In a large saute pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat; add Brussels sprout petals. Toss and cook for a minute until hot. Add cauliflower, cranberries and nuts; stir and cook for another minute. Add wine and cook until wine also evaporates. Add butternut squash, toss to coat. Finish with butter and parsley, cook until butter melts. Season with S+P as needed, then grate a generous serving of Pecorino cheese over each plated serving.