Flash-Roasted Vegetables and Rice with Chipotle Tomato Sauce

This rice dish is a little different.  It is over rice but does not have the usual Asian flair, more Spanish or Mexican.

This recipe is from the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times.  I found the vegetables a little on the mushy side and the spices a little intense, so I have scaled back on the roasting time and cut the chili power and chipotle chiles in half.  This dish has great potential.  To make it Vegan, just omit the crumbled queso fresco.

This will easily serve 4 and took less than 45 minutes to cut, roast and assemble.  I assembled each persons serving into individual bowls instead of layering in a casserole like the original recipe called for.

Vegetables and Rice:

1 c white rice

2 small zucchini, cut on a bias into 1/4 in slices

2 small yellow squash cut on a bias into 1/4 in. slices 

2 small red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4 in rings

2 tbs olive oil

1/2  to 1 tsp chili powder

4 oz. queso fresco, crumbled (optional)

Chipotle Tomato Sauce:

1 or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp)

1 14.5 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large white onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1) Preheat oven to 475 and coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

2) Cook rice according to directions.  I used my rice cooker.

3) Toss together eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers with oil and chili powder.  Spread on baking sheets and roast 15 minutes, or until tender.  Turning occasionally.

4) To make the Chipotle Tomato Sauce, blend the chipotles and garlic in a blender until smooth.  Add the tomatoes and pulse until almost smooth, leaving a little texture.

5)  Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in tomato mixture and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.

6)  To serve, spread the rice in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Top with the vegetable, than add the Chipotle Tomato Sauce.  Sprinkle with the queso fresco, if using.

Notes:

Omit the queso fresco to make this dish Vegan.

To save calories, cook the onion in a thin layer of water instead of using the oil.  Add water as needed.

In the summer months using tomatoes from the garden in the place of the can of fire roasted diced tomatoes would certainly work.

To reduce clean up, assemble into individual bowls.

This is dish creates a complete meal and a side dish was not necessary.

The pictures are from The New Year Challenge blog.  Thank you for saving me a step.