Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with foil. Peel the beets and the squash*, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Place them on the sheet pan and drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, toss, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place them in the oven for 10-15 minutes (tossing halfway through) or until tender enough to poke with a fork.

To make the crispy quinoa, cook it according to the package instructions, then heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the quinoa to the pan, season with salt and pepper to taste, and arrange it in a flat layer. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes then give it a good toss and arrange it back in a flat layer, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes or until crispy.

While the vegetables are roasting and the quinoa is cooking, prepare the other salad ingredients and the vinaigrette. Cut the apples into 1-inch cubes, roughly chop the pecans, and shave the brussels sprouts*.

To make the vinaigrette, chop half of an apple and 2 cloves of garlic. Add them to a food processor and blend until the pieces are finely chopped. Add the rest of the vinaigrette ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.

Add the shaved brussels sprouts to a large salad bowl, mix in half the dressing, then add the rest of the salad ingredients, the rest of the dressing, and combine.