Candied Butternut with Pecans and Cranberries

Tis the season to be experimenting with a variety of butternut squash recipes.
One of my favorites is this medley of roasted butternut squash cubes,  pecans, and dried cranberries in a maple syrup sauce that are dusted with cinnamon and vanilla. Can you imagine???

There is something about pecans that I just love, especially when they are added to a casserole. The pecans in this dish are candied, which adds a extra sweetness to the entire dish. Paired with the tart cranberries and lots of cinnamon, the flavors are heavenly. 

This could be a perfect recipe for Thanksgiving since it tastes as good at room temperature as it does out of the oven. My good friend Laura always reminds me that dishes that can be eaten at room temperature work best for entertaining since it frees up the host and the oven.  I know the holiday is still six weeks away, but it's good to start planning in advance. 

This recipe was given to me by My daughter -in- law Wendy who does a lot with roasted butternut squash. She made this recipe for company dinner the other night and trust me, there were no left overs! Children and adults alike went back for seconds of this exciting fall side dish.

This recipe is another example of real food that is naturally gluten free!

Ingredients: 

6 cups of cut up butternut squash ( or 2 packages)
Olive oil spray ( or 2 Tablspoons of olive oil)
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 cup of dried cranberries
1 cup of plain or candied pecans
2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Toss butternut squash in the olive oil or spray the squash with olive oil spray.
Bake on a parchment covered cookie sheet for about 45 minutes.
Remove from the cookie sheet and place roasted butternut squash into a large bowl. Add maple syrup, vanilla, cranberries, and pecans. Toss well. Add cinnamon and toss again. Serve immediately

My Notes: 
Vegetables, nuts, and fruit are naturally gluten free. I find that using naturally gluten free recipes is healthier than trying to make your GF diet a mirror of a gluten diet by continuing to eat unhealthy  substitutes for bread, pastas, bread crumbs, flour, cereal etc. which is what irritated the gut to begin with and is the culprit in most diseases. Rather than look for substitutes for breadcrumbs, flour thickeners, bagels, I look for naturally gluten free real food ingredients that offer fiber, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

I'll be linking this post to these  weekly blog carnivals
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Peek Into Some of My Daily Self Care:  

Upon Waking: Alkalizing drink - Apple Cider Vinegar

5 minutes stretching on the deck in the early morning sun 

Balance My Chakra 5 minute guided meditation

Exercise- 30 minute walk on the treadmill 

Then begin my day and my breakfast

Do you have a morning self care routine? Please share

Shared on Rock my Vegan Sock blog carnival and Linked :My Blog Carnival List