Curried Vegetables and Rice With A Vegan Cashew Sauce

The last few years, I have been really into eating vegetables.  I generally eat a salad (or vegetable heavy leftovers) for lunch and for dinner, we usually have a vegetable heavy dinner.  This is my favorite kind of meal, because it leaves me feeling satisfied and energized, and not too stuffed.

This dinner is vegan, simple, and really, really good.  The first time I made it, I wasn't totally sure what I was going for, but it worked pretty well, and I knew I was on to something.  After a few slight modifications, it is pretty much perfect, and exactly what I had hoped it would be.  Hopefully you will love it as much as we do!

Curried Vegetables and Rice
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups rice

Roasted Vegetables:
1 large sweet potato, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 zucchini, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 tsp garlic powder (or 1 small garlic clove)
1 Tbs curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil

Cashew Dressing 
Adapted slightly from The Scaling Back Blog

1/2 cup roasted cashews
1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
1 clove garlic
4-5 Tbs water
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp honey

Cook rice according to package directions.

Preheat your oven to 400°F.  On a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat, combine the sweet potato, zucchini, onion.  Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, curry powder and salt, then drizzle with the olive oil.  With clean hands, toss until all the vegetables are evenly coated.  Place in the hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the sweet potato pieces can be easily pierced with a fork.  Flip some of the vegetables every 5 minutes with a spatula, to keep the vegetables from getting dry.

While the vegetables are cooking, combine all the dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender and blend until fairly smooth (it may still have some graininess).

Once your vegetables and rice are done, place rice on the plate, top with a large helping of the vegetables and top with sauce.  Serve with greens if you like.  Enjoy!