I’m pretty sure I didn’t eat a Brussels sprout until I was 25 years old. So sad, really, all those wasted years. You might still be a hater, and I strongly encourage you to give them another go. My guess is you haven’t eaten them the right way yet.

Roasty toasty is the preferred method – actually the only method that works for me. See the golden brown in the picture above? That’s caramelization. The entire flavor changes, not to mention the consistency. They are salty with just a hint of caramelized sweetness – crunchy outside with a perfectly tender interior.

Last Thanksgiving I was in charge of the sprouts. I was on the phone with my friend Tarice leading up to it and she says, “ohh make them with sweet potatoes, it’s the perfect combination”. I took her advice, and was so glad I did. The sweetness from the taters made the roasty toasty-ness even better. And why mess with a good thing? Just olive oil, salt and pepper is all these veggies need to let their goodness shine through.

So maybe you say, roasting? How exactly do you roast something? Roasting is a dry-heat method that requires a high heat oven. That’s it! So we coat the veggies in olive oil, add salt and pepper, and let the hot oven do the rest. You can roast any veggie and they just get better – that’s my opinion at least. Lastly, this is a great time to go buy an olive oil spritzer thing. I got one at Home Goods for under ten bucks. You can evenly coat meat/veggies/anything but keep your amount oil low in order to save some cals.

This recipe may seem like fall to you, but the windy, 50 degree spring days call for a big plate of low calories, tasty, warm food. Serve this with grilled chicken and you’ve got a totally easy, happy dinner.

Simply Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4 as side

3 medium to large sweet potatoes, chopped into 1 -2 in. pieces

1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved *

1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

1/4 c. dried cranberries or cherries

*To prepare sprouts, give them a quick rinse. Next, chop off the nubby end – about 1/2 inch. Slice in half, vertically, and they’re ready to go!

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place sweet potatoes on parchment lined (or well greased) baking sheet. Drizzle with two tbsp. olive oil or spray olive oil until potatoes are evenly coated.

3. Sprinkle kosher salt and pepper (at least 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper or more). In my experience, potatoes tend to always need more salt than I previously thought. Don’t be afraid to oversalt here. 

4. Place in preheated oven for 15 minutes before adding sprouts.

5. To prepare sprouts, evenly spread about 1 tbsp. olive oil on parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle olive oil with at least 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste. Place sprouts on sheet, cut side down. Drizzle another 1 tbsp. olive oil over the backs, and sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper if desired.

6. Place in oven when the timer goes off (15 minutes after potatoes went in). Reset oven timer for 25 minutes.

7. Place dried cranberries/cherries in a mixing bowl with remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil.

8. When potatoes are soft and golden brown and sprouts are turning golden (and the timer has gone off), remove and place vegetables in the mixing bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then stir to combine.

9. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.