Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, and Quinoa “Salad” (With Optional Bacon Addition)

 

I called it a salad because I don’t know what else to call it. Anyway, this turned out mighty fine and I’ve enjoyed it all week- it makes a ton!

Read the whole recipe before beginning! You will be doing things while other things are cooking so make sure you read ahead to know what the next step is so this doesn’t take you 5 extra hours.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa (dry- just cook it up makes like a bajillion cups cooked)

1 butternut squash

Brussels sprouts (Okay, I suck, I didn’t weight this out before I just bought a bunch in bulk and cooked them all. It was about a whole pans worth once they were cut in half and placed on a cookie sheet to roast… maybe 2 lbs? That seems like a lot…)

1 cup pumpkin seeds (or more if you love pumpkin seeds)

Salt and pepper to taste

olive oil

1 pack of Turkey bacon (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 400 F. 

Peel and chop your butternut squash up into cubes. Place in a bowl and mix with 1 tbs. olive oil and salt to taste. Lay squash out on a baking sheet in one even layer (may need 2 sheets) and roast for ~20 minutes until soft and cooked through.

While your butternut squash is roasting, take your brussels sprouts and cut them in halves or quarters and mix in a bowl with ~1 tbs. olive oil and salt and pepper. Lay these bad boys out on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes too. Until soft and easily pierce-able with a fork plus taste good:).

If you are awesome and have a giant oven and lots of baking sheets, feel free to roast everything at once.

While your brussels sprouts are roasting, cook your quinoa according to package directions. Or, if you buy it in bulk like me, mix your 1 cup with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Add some salt (lots of salt) and pepper.

OKAY, one last roasting needs to occur! Turn your oven down to 300 F.

Take your pumpkin seeds and mix them with 1 tbs. olive oil and salt to taste. Spread them out on baking sheet to cook for about 10-15 minutes, watching closely so they don’t burn. You want them to be golden and yummy smelling, not burnt smelling.

If you are using bacon this would be the time to cook it up. I think turkey bacon tastes best in this recipe, maybe because I prefer turkey bacon over regular bacon, but your choice. Once cooked, chop it up.

Alrighty, now mix your quinoa and vegetables and turkey bacon in a GIANT bowl. Mix really well and add more salt to taste. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with your roasted pumpkin seeds.

Bulk meal to the max! Store in an airtight container in the fridge 🙂

And now for some photo spam.