Simple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

This SIMPLE CINNAMON ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPE is a healthy side dish that is still warm and comforting, especially during the winter months!  It is sweet, nutty, nutritious, and SO EASY!

How was your three-day weekend?!  Ours was SO nice and relaxing.  I did a lot baking (fun stuff coming your way!) and finished Season 1 of The Crown.  I know I’m a little late to the party, but is anyone else obsessed?!

I think we are finally feeling back to normal after the holidays, including our diet!  It has felt good to eat healthy again and cook at home!

If you’re like me and think Christmas should last all year long, January can be such a let-down.  Especially with the dreary, cold weather!  But I’m learning to take advantage of the down time and enjoy it, so I wanted to share a few ideas to make your January a little brighter. 🙂

1. Plan a date night or girls’ night.  There are so many fun things to look forward to during the holidays, so when January rolls around, I always feel a little sad and bored.  It’s the perfect time to plan a fun date night (like a concert or cooking class), or a night in (or out!) with your best girls.
2. Get organized.  I can’t function using the calendar on my phone and have to write it down in a planner (I know, I’m old school).  So I LOVE getting a new planner and organizing myself for the upcoming year.  I’m currently using this planner, but also love this build-your-own planner and these.
3. Try a new recipe.  The slower pace of January is perfect for spending some extra time in the kitchen!  Whether it’s one of those Pinterest recipes you saved six months ago and haven’t had time to make, or your mom’s famous lasagna recipe that you’ve never tried to recreate… roll up your sleeves and make something delicious!
4. Get moving.  If you’re like me, your work outs suffered over the holidays.  No need to sign up for that new work out class everyone is obsessed with… just keep it simple and plan three work outs for each week!  Go for a jog one day, do an online yoga video, and a weights circuit at the gym.  It will feel good to get moving again.
5. Cut yourself some slack.  Honestly, I’m still tired from all the hustle and bustle and need a reset.  If you want to stay in all weekend and lay on the couch with your dog (my fave), let yourself do just that!  Listen to your body and don’t beat yourself up for needing a little extra downtime this month.

While we are on the subject of January, I want to share my favorite winter side dish!  This is a little different than the typical recipes I post… but it is TOO good not to share with you!

We make this simple cinnamon roasted butternut squash almost weekly.  It is the best side with grilled chicken, pork, or salmon.  If Nick is tired of it, he sure is good at pretending to love it. 🙂

Butternut squash is in season now, and it’s so simple to roast, yet SO flavorful!  The cinnamon in this recipe really brings out the sweet, nutty taste of the squash.  BONUS: butternut squash is so good for you!  It is high in vitamin A & C, fiber, potassium, and an abundance of carotenoids (shown to protect against heart disease).  It’s also a complex carb, which means it releases energy to the body slower, maintaining your energy level over a longer period of time.

What side dish do you have on repeat?!  Let me know if you add this butternut squash recipe to the rotation!

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Simple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

This SIMPLE CINNAMON ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPE is a healthy side dish that is still warm and comforting, especially during the winter months! It is sweet, nutty, nutritious, and SO EASY!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword easy butternut squash recipe, roasted butternut squash

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium to large butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon or less
• Kosher salt sprinkle

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper. (If using foil, grease with olive oil.)
3. On a cutting board, cut off both ends of the butternut squash. Cut the squash lengthwise, then cut both pieces in half.
4. Using your knife or a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin (you can also do this step before you cut the squash, but I find it more manageable to cut when it is in several pieces).
5. Remove the seeds and pulp with a fork or spoon and discard.
6. Lay the flat sides down of the squash and cut into 1 inch slices. Then you will cut those slices into 1 inch cubes.
7. Add cubed squash to a large bowl and toss in olive oil.
8. Add cinnamon and toss to evenly coat the squash.
9. Spread cubed squash onto prepared baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with salt.
10. Roast in oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the squash is very tender (poke with a fork).
11. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before serving.