There's nothing like curling up on a chilly fall afternoon with some soy or nutmilk and some homemade cookies! Of course, a chilly fall in my area means temperatures anywhere below 70 ;)

I love making cookies for my friends, co-workers and various events, not just because everyone likes dessert, but because they are a great way to introduce newcomers to the vegan lifestyle! Everyone jokes with me about tofu, but no one jokes about my desserts (except for a few bad batches now and then!). These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau were another hit. Sweet and sugary, and dare I say buttery (they had a whole stick of non-dairy butter in them!) they were hardly healthy. Many people also associate vegans and vegetarians with healthy eating and although that is certainly true (no cholesterol or heart disease from whole grains, legumes and leafy greens!) our desserts can certainly tip the scale in calories and sugar!
These were pretty easy to whip up, although I didn't really have enough raisins. I like my oatmeal cookies to be really "oatmealy" and to have a ton of raisins, two things that these were lacking for me. However, looking at a similar non-vegan recipe under the lid of the oatmeal canister revealed a recipe that was pretty much the same as this one! Three Stars ***, with good reviews by co-workers!



I'm glad I didn't have too many sweets to bake this week, and this Cumin-Lime Tofu really kicked the savory up a notch! The fact that I've made this recipe before means a lot, since I rarely make the same recipe twice!! Four stars for this recipe - tangy and light, but filling and crunchy with a crisp outside and sprinkled with chopped pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds). Even my omni husband enjoyed this and reached back for more! The only change I made in this recipe was to press the tofu (thus removing more of its liquid to make it more firm) and marinating it longer (to allow the tofu to absorb more flavor). Everyone always says that tofu "absorbs flavors really well," but that's not true unless you marinate for a reaallly long time. Otherwise, just the outer edges of each slice or block get the seasoning.

The tofu was made to go with this other recipe (both, by the way are from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan). This pretty dish is the Sesame Lime Soba Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms and Snow Peas. I just love mushrooms! I was craving this for a while. Again, not a very fall-like dish, but it was quick and easy for the busy fall I'm having. Just stir-fry the veggies, cook the noodles, and heat them up with the homemade sauce.

Top with the Cumin-Lime Tofu and presto! A vegan meal to inspire! Four stars for the soba noodles, by the way. I just couldn't get enough! And it wasn't heavy, either. The best part? Perfect for leftovers the next night - just like cold Asian take out! Tonight I tackle the last of my phyllo recipes for a while and later this week I plan on making a gluten-free soup for my next Veg Group meeting!