Cheesy roasted veggie and chickpea bake

As soon as fall hits, I get so excited for roasted veggies in all their incarnations! This casserole is one of my favorite applications because it is infinitely flexible. Just roast whatever veggies you have on hand, add a can of chickpeas and some cheese, and you have a cozy, hearty meal! This stores and freezes well, making it one of my favorites to have on hand to bring for work lunches.

Cheesy roasted veggie and chickpea bake

Use approximately 2 1/2-3 pounds of whatever veggies you have on hand, cut into bite sized pieces. Here's one of my favorite combos:
4 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 medium zucchini or other squash, sliced into rounds
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 lb mushrooms, halved
1/2 lb cauliflower florets
1 small red onion, diced into large chunks

Marinade
2 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t salt

Sauce mixture
8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1 heaping t Italian seasoning or 2 T whatever fresh herbs you have on hand
1 heaping t garlic powder
black pepper and red pepper to taste  
4 oz shredded cheese, about 1 cup (I did Italian blend)

1 can chickpeas, drained

Preheat oven to 450. In a large mixing bowl, combine vegetables and marinade. 

In order to roast the veggies quickly and evenly, spread them out into two pans: one sheet pan and one ~ 9X13 pan or casserole dish. Place one pan at the top of the oven and one at the bottom. Roast 8 min, then switch pans from top to bottom, and cook another 8 min. You don't even have to stir if you switch the pans!
While that is roasting, mix sauce ingredients in the large mixing bowl.
Once veggies are roasted, pour them into the mixing bowl with the sauce and stir together. The warmth from the veggies will soften the sauce mixture and stirring will get easier as you go.

Pour the mixture into the same casserole dish you used earlier, top with a handful of cheese, and bake at 400 for 10-13 minutes, until heated through.