- 1 small butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces ground breakfast sausage
- 2 large apples, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place butternut squash into a large bowl; toss with olive oil and salt until thoroughly coated. Spread squash in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
- Roast in preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes.
- Cook sausage over high heat in a skillet until well-browned, about 7 minutes. Crumble cooked sausage into large serving bowl.
- Cook apple, thyme, sage, and nutmeg over high heat in the hot skillet with the sausage grease. Stir to thoroughly brown all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with crumbled sausage.
- Combine balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Place over high heat. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until it begins to thicken and smells strongly acidic, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Combine roasted squash with the apple and sausage. Mix thoroughly.
- To serve, spoon salad into individual dishes and drizzle with balsamic maple reduction. Serve with a glass of ice cold milk.