roasted vegetables with a lemon-tahini dressing

Another David Lebovitz (<3) recipe. The dish he created in an effort to clear out his refrigerator, is now one of my favorite, staple recipes. I'm trying to eat less meat/chicken these days, so this has been in frequent rotation when I'm looking for something flavorful, filling, and vegetarian . You can use any combination of vegetables and add more herbs, like dill as David suggests for a more Mediterranean feel. I'm back on my kabocha pumpkin kick so added that to the mix, but besides a few minor adjustments, I stuck pretty closely to the original. I think I'll add some Garbanzo beans next time. 


Ingredients:
3/4 cup wild or mixed brown rice
6 cups peeled and cubed root vegetables (I used carrots, kabocha pumpkin, beets. Broccoli also tastes great)
Olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
2 spring onions or green onions, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and chives (or other favorite herbs)
Toasted almonds or sunflower seeds (optional)

To make Lemon-Tahini Dressing, combine:
1/4 cup Tahini (essentially a sesame paste; also used to make hummus)
1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
*Add more lemon juice or salt if needed. 

Cook rice according to instructions. After cooking, move rice into a bowl and let cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.

Spread the vegetables in an even layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through. Stir once or twice while baking to keep vegetables from burning. Remove from heat and let cool.


This dish is best served at room temperature. When you're ready to serve, arrange rice in a bowl, top with plenty of vegetables, drizzle with a generous amount of dressing on top, and add a few spoons of the green onion/herb mixture. Finally sprinkle with almonds! Stir and feast. :)

Make ahead: If you plan on making enough for leftovers or for the lunch the next day (which I always do), just keep all the elements separate (rice, vegetables, and dressing). Otherwise, the tahini dries out the dish.

Serves 4-6.