Sundried tomatoes are the vegetarian's bacon.

This is an improvised recipe I threw together last night. It was wonderfully delicious and may be something I bring to holiday dinners in the future. It's seasonal, comforting, yummy, and a full meal by itself, though it would make a nice side dish as well. Bonus: it's super easy to make.

Autumn Roasted Vegetables

About 1/2 lb whole fingerling potatoes

About a dozen brussells sprouts

One carrot, chopped into big chunks

One tomato, chopped into big chunks

About a fourth of a butternut squash, chopped into big chunks

About a fourth of a red onion, chopped into big chunks

Three or four (or more) whole cloves of garlic

About an ounce of tempeh, crumbled (you could substitute beans if you don't like tempeh, but if you don't like tempeh, you are crazy)

One sundried tomato, cut into tiny slivers (I like to use the vacuum-sealed ones rather than the ones floating in oil - they are cheaper and healthier! Bonus tip: use kitchen shears to cut them up small)

Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add dried herbs - I had tarragon, sage, and thyme - and some salt and pepper. Mix well until all veggies are nicely oiled up and dump into a baking dish (about 9x9). I then threw a pat of butter (about 2 tablespoons) in there for good measure. I had preheated the oven to 425, then turned it down to 400, put the veggies in, and cooked for an hour. About halfway through I stirred the veggies so nothing would dry out on top.

This recipe makes two decent but not overly generous portions. We were satisfied but probably could have gone for seconds if there were any!

I almost forgot the best part... I topped each of our bowls with a little shredded Gouda. I know it is a sin to ever forget about Gouda.