Roasted Veggies w/ Rice & Chipotle Sauce

I love roasted vegetables. Roasting the vegetables makes them smokey and taste absolutely delicious. With the chilly weather hanging around, it is the best time to start the oven and warm the whole house. I use roasted vegetables in salads (like in this couscous salad and farro salad) and in sandwiches (like in here and here).

When I roast veggies, I make sure to make some extra so I can use them in more than one dish. This way you save energy and time, also the leftovers are great to just snack on. I saw this recipe in Vegetarian times magazine and it was just perfect because I had roasted veggies in the fridge that needed to be used up. This is a great dish to pack for lunch.

Ingredients: Serves 4
Cooked Rice - 2cups (I used basmati rice)
Japanese Eggplant - 2 medium, cut into ¼" thick pieces
Zucchini - 2 medium, cut into ¼" thick pieces
Onion - 1 medium, cut into ¼" thick pieces
Red bell pepper - 2 medium, cut into ¼" thick pieces
Chili powder - 1tsp
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Red onions - finely chopped, for garnish
Sour cream - to serve

For Tomato-Chipotle Sauce:
Chipotle Chiles in adobo sauce - 2
Garlic cloves - 2, minced
Fire roasted tomatoes - 1 14.5oz. can
Onion - 1 medium, finely diced

Method:

• Roast the Veggies: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Add the veggies to a large baking sheet, add 2tbsp olive oil, chili powder, salt & pepper. Mix well and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Bake for 30~35 minutes or until the veggies are tender and lightly browned around the edges.
• Make the Tomato-Chipotle Sauce: Blend chipotle and garlic until smooth. Add the tomatoes and pulse until coarsely chopped. Heat 1tbsp oil in a saucepan, add onions and cook for 5~7 minutes or until soft and lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato sauce and cook for 5~6 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
•  To Serve: Spread rice in a casserole dish and top with the roasted vegetables followed by the tomato-chipotle sauce. Garnish with chopped red onion and sour cream, if desired.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge' -- February: Week 4.