Roasted Vegetables with Ranch Dressing for One

Sometimes, leftovers and scraps make the best meals. I’m usually not so lucky as to remember how I got to the place of yummy, but this time, it was simple. 

For the Veggies:

½ zucchini, sliced thinly

½ large sweet potato, sliced thinly

1/8 cauliflower, cut into florets

½ onion, sliced thinly and separated into rings

1 small ear of corn, kernels removed (or ¼ cup frozen)

1 clove garlic, diced tiny

Slosh (or two) of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Noodles or rice to serve

For the Dressing:

2 TBLSP vegan mayonnaise

1 teaspoon vegan sour cream

Splash of tamari or soy sauce

Splash of apple cider vinegar

1 shake of onion powder

1 pinch of dried parsley

1 pinch of dried dill weed

1 pinch of dried oregano

1 pinch of dried tarragon

Salt and black pepper to taste

Make the Veggies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. I use a mandolin to make the veggie slices somewhat uniform in size so they’ll roast evenly, but you do whatever works for you. Plop the veggies onto a baking dish. I use a cookie sheet and just corral the veggies toward the middle.
2. Slosh some olive oil over the top of the veggies and toss some salt and pepper on there too. Give the whole pile a nice toss, so that the veggies are coated evenly with the oil and salt and pepper.
3. Roast for 40-45 minutes, stirring the veggies up several times along the way. The veggies are done when the sweet potatoes are fork soft.

Meanwhile, get the noodles cooking. I used whole wheat in this image, but pretty much any noodle that makes you happy will work. Or rice. Any rice would do. Heck. Try millet, quinoa—any grain that pleases your palate.

Make the Dressing:

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk.
2. Let it cool in the fridge until the other components are done. 

Assemble the Meal:

1. Make a pile of the roasted (and amazing-smelling) veggies in the middle of your serving plate.
2. When the noodles are cooked and drained, arrange them in a ring around the veggie pile.
3. Spoon the dressing in a thin circle at the perimeter between the veggies and noodles, or just plop it on, whatever makes you happy.

Variations:

• You can use just about any combination of veggies in this mix, whatever is in season or in the fridge. What’s interesting is to play with the seasoning—try Italian herbs, like oregano, basil, parsley, and rosemary (in a blend or on their own).
• Adding nuts or tofu to the top would be good too.