When the colder months lay into us here in the Northeast, there is nothing I love more than roasted veggies (particularly squash). Using local vegetables from our CSA really helps provide the strong basis for our menu planning. This is a simple, yet satisfying and nourishing meal.

Roasted Butternut Squash
Serves 2
1 large butternut squash
2 TB vegan margarine
2 TB brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds (you can save them for later and roast them if you like or just compost them). Place the squash halves on a large cookie sheet or baking pan with sides to prevent any juices from dripping off into your oven. You may also want to put either foil or a silicon mat under the squash to make clean up easier.

Slather 1 TB of vegan margarine on each squash, making sure to get the edges and particularly the scooped out hole at the bottom of each piece. Sprinkle 1 TB of brown sugar on each half, also putting the most in the hole as well with the margarine. Cover loosely with foil and bake for at least one hour. Check tenderness with a fork. Depending on the size of your squash and your oven, it make take longer to roast and get desired tenderness. You may need to roast anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on these factors. When done, serve immediately.

Maple-Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Serves 2
2 cups of fresh brussels sprouts
2 TB olive oil
2 TB maple syrup
1 tsp. salt
pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and remove outer layers of brussels sprouts. Place in a single layer on a parchment or silicon mat covered baking pan or cookie sheet with edges. Drizzle olive oil and maple syrup over the sprouts. Add salt and pepper. Gently toss the sprouts to help disperse the liquids and spices. Bake for at least 20-30 minutes uncovered until the sprouts start to brown around the edges and some of the syrup has caramelized. Serve immediately.

Serve the squash and sprouts with brown rice (prepared to your liking in either a rice cooker, stovetop, or pressure cooker) topped with gomashio or lemon-pepper seasoning. Enjoy!