Halloween and Veganomicon

Only once a year do I post a picture of the kids on the internet- that's when they're wearing masks on Halloween. We watch way too much Law and Order SVU to put the boys faces on the web. So here's your one picture: Two Evil Knights!

I was super excited to be Nancy Drew for Halloween. I may have been the only person who saw and enjoyed the new Nancy Drew movie, but at least I know I'm not the only one who loved the books. Almost everyone recognized me as Nancy Drew, but only after I pulled out my magnifying glass- otherwise I just looked like I was dressed normally. Ha!
I just got Veganomicon, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero's new megacookbook, in the mail yesterday. How overwhelming! I couldn't nail down a single item to try yesterday because everything looked so good. But today I decided to just choose something and cook it.

First I made the Chewy Oatmeal Cookies, but substituted 1/2 dried cranberries and 1/2 chocolate chips instead of the raisins. I'd also like to make these just as oatmeal cookies- no raisins, chips, or anything. They are really nice cookies- great chewy texture and perfect spice blend. I might have even liked them with raisins, but I just can't help doctoring a recipe.
Then I made the Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Seed Spring Rolls. These were super duper simple- just rice noodles, roasted squash, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds in rice paper wrappers. Fabulous idea to put in pumpkin seeds, but you should not use the pumpkin seeds from your Halloween pumpkins that you toasted. Use the kind that have the shells removed. Trust me. I had to open up my spring rolls and remove my seeds because they were soggy and un-chewable! But without the seeds they were awesome! They taste very healthy, but not in a boring bland way. In a really fresh and pure way.


By now I decided that these foods really should be my second dinner, not just fun with my new cookbook. (I often just start cooking without regard for my hunger level or mealtimes. For example, I had just eaten two bowls of stir-fry and rice before beginning this cooking spree)
I needed to add some protein to this meal, so I made the Asian Marinated Tofu and baked it.
Yum! They were nice and spicy. I might even put these tofu sticks inside the spring rolls next time.