Cozy Fall Sides

Add some cozy recipes to your fall cooking repertoire with these autumn sides.

Autumn Roasted Veggies with Apples and Pecans

Cook's notes: Oh the possibilities with this colorful, delicious, and healthy side dish. It has the perfect blend of sweet and savory. Other root veggies could be used. I recommend using one sweet and one tart apple for this. I used a Honey Crisp and a Granny Smith but Braeburn, Cortland or Jonathon would work too. Chicken chunks could be added to the sheet pan for extra protein. Recipe adapted from cookingclassy.com  and serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• 16 0z. Brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed, halved (discard loose leaves) 
• 1/2 red onion. diced into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons melted butter, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or Lemon Olive Oil
• 2-3 cups butternut squash cubes (diced into 3/4 inch pieces) or sweet potatoes, diced 
• 2 medium crisp apples, peeled and diced into chunks
• 2 tablespoons brown  sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
• Dash of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon each thyme and rosemary
• 2/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl add oil or butter, brown sugar, and spices.
• Add in halved Brussels sprouts, red onion chunks, squash cubes, and diced apples. Mix well.
• Spread veggies evenly on a baking sheet. Total baking time 40 minutes or until Brussels sprouts and squash are tender but not mushy. Last 5 minutes of baking time add in cranberries and pecans.  

Apple Grape Salad with Spiced Pecans and Fig Vinaigrette 

Spiced Pecans

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole pecans
• 1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste. 

Directions:

• In a non-stick skillet toast pecans with other ingredients for 6-8 minutes on medium heat. Watch pecans to avoid burning. 
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a dinner-size plate and add nuts to it and cool. 
• Sprinkle spiced pecans over the salad right before serving.

Salad Ingredients:

• Mixed greens
• Halved grapes
• Chopped apple; one sweet, and one tart
• 1 cup dried cherries or cranberries
• Feta crumbles, goat cheese, or white cheddar cubes 

Salad Directions:

Mix salad ingredients, drizzle with vinaigrette, and top with pecans.

Fig Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2-3 tablespoons fig preserves
• 2 garlic cloves
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil (good quality)
• Salt and pepper 

Directions:

• Add ingredients to blender starting out with 2 tablespoons of fig preserves. Taste test to balance the ingredients. Store in a screw-type jar in the refrigerator until serving. The vinaigrette is enough for four salads.