I guess you know you’re a grown up when you can say with a straight face that you like brussels sprouts. Because I’ll tell you, even just a few years ago, I would have never even wanted to try them. Now I love these little guys so much…especially roasted.

Discovering the wonderful world of vegetables has been such a fun process for me. I started this journey about 15 years ago when I decided not to eat meat anymore. I haven’t missed it a bit. But for years, I still ate eggs and dairy and many of my meals centered around cheese.

Then about 5 years ago, I thought I’d try eating a vegan diet for health reasons. I have never felt better in my life and now I can’t wait to try new veggies whenever I get the chance. And luckily for me, there are so many more choices available at restaurants for vegetarians and vegans today.

The idea for this recipe came from a lunch I had recently with my friend Missy at True Food Kitchen. The concept behind this restaurant (which has locations in Texas, California, Georgia, Colorado, Arizona and Virginia) is an anti-inflammatory menu based on the work of Dr. Andrew Weil. The omnivore menu changes seasonally and identifies items that are vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.

For this recipe, I simply roasted brussels sprouts, cauliflower and butternut squash. The mixture of vegetables is so perfect and beautiful. I love the colors and textures. I sprinkled the veggies with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. So easy. After they finished roasting, I let them cool to room temperature and tossed with a simple pomegranate vinaigrette.

Then I topped the salad with fresh pomegranate seeds and served. You could also add garbanzo beans or white cannellini beans to make this a more substantial mediterranean inspired meal. And even if you are pretty sure you don’t like brussels sprouts, think about giving this a try. You just might be surprised at how grown up you are. 🙂

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Pomegranate

1lb fresh brussels sprouts, cut in half

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and sliced about 1/2 inch thick strips

4-5 cloves garlic, unpeeled

Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

I can garbanzo or white cannellini beans (optional), drained and rinsed

Pomegranate dressing (recipe to follow)

Preheat oven to 450F. Arrange cut vegetables and unpeeled garlic cloves on two rimmed baking sheets in a single layer. Toss with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Roast about 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Tossing every 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Set garlic aside for the dressing. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a large serving bowl. Add rinsed canned beans, if using and toss with enough pomegranate dressing to coat (reserve remaining dressing for another use). Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

Pomegranate Dressing

3 Tbsp coconut vinegar or rice wine vinegar

6 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses or another sweetener of your choice like pure maple syrup or agave

4-5 cloves garlic, roasted, peeled and minced

Sea salt and vinegar

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.