Roasted Chipotle Vegsta Salad

(This recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free, and can be made gluten-free)

To be honest, I find vegetables pretty bland and boring. Even pasta does very little to save the plainness. However, this roasted vegetable pasta salad is anything but boring; and the key is chipotle mayo. It adds a nice, flavorful kick to make this blend perfect. The best part? They make a vegan version!

Quantities for this recipe will make a fairly large batch.

Ingredients:

-       1 box of rotini pasta

-       1 zucchini

-       ½ a red onion

-       ½ a bag of carrot chips (any carrots are fine, I just prefer this cut)

-       Olive oil

-       Salt

-       Pepper

-       Garlic Powder

-       Oregano

-       2 tbsp. of vegan butter (I recommend Earthbalance brand)

-       1 jar of vegan chipotle mayo (I recommend Fabanaise brand)

-       Lemon juice

How to Make:

1)    Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2)    Chop the red onion into bite-sized chunks, using the rings of the onion. Cut the zucchini into round slices, halving the rounds if needed. Place all chopped vegetable, adding the carrot chips, onto the baking sheet.

3)    Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, stirring to make sure all pieces are coated. Spread the vegetables evenly on the pan. Sprinkle the entire pan liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Bake for 10-12 minutes (until the vegetables are soft enough to be pierced by a table fork).

4)    While the vegetables are roasting, cook the rotini pasta according to the box directions. Drain and place back in the pot with the butter, stirring until the noodles are coated.

5)    Once the vegetables are finished baking, remove them from the pan and add them to the pot of pasta. Sprinkle the mixture liberally with lemon juice and stir. Stir in enough of the chipotle mayo that it lightly coats the mixture.

6)    Serve and enjoy!