when i got home from work today i set straight out to make a batch of julie’s seitan
… only i used the basic measurements and changed nearly all the spices to make it asian-style for spring roll use.  once the dough was mixed up, i went into my supplies drawer to find one small sheet of recycled aluminum foil.  it was enough for a sausage.  so i dug out my cheesecloth for the the remainder and there was only enough for two!  bah.  two items for the restocking shopping list.  i had to make three large seitan sausages instead of 5-6, but it worked out fine (just steamed them a little bit longer).

we still haven’t mastered a dipping sauce for the spring rolls – ours have been too salty, too peanut-y, and too thin.  we need to get back to jasmine deli to try and dissect their recipe!  but as far as fillings go…delicious!  i stir fried some seitan pieces in tamari, sesame oil, and a splash of balsamic.  while a dealt with the cilantro, mint, and basil, i julienned carrots and mini sweet peppers, shredded red cabbage, and chiffonaded (is that really a word?) spinach.  we also cooked the necessary rice noodles, and got to work soaking rice paper.  a bit of a sloppier job on the rolling this time, but they still tasted yummy.  perhaps we need to make less.  when you have five apiece, the tummy swells!

a couple of hours after dinner i got a craving for cookies.  i flipped through extraveganza and decided on the coconut oatmeal cookies with pumpkin seeds.  however, i had no brown rice flour… simple! i’ll just use spelt.  then i pulled out the maple syrup… only a couple of tablespoons left!  i needed 3/4 cup.  this was a bit of a blessing too, because i’ve been wanting to finish off the horribly user-unfriendly tin of syrup i got months ago (it drips onto the top and makes the lid stick).  but i didn’t know what to do.  i ended up adding some agave nectar and then making up the rest of it with sucanat and a little water.  the dough held together well, and i also added some chocolate chips.  it baked well too.  but the taste… kind of boring.  there seemed to be pockets of tastiness in the cookies, but most of it was bland and not sweet in a satisfying way.  well, more maple syrup it will be when i get to the store next.  which, knowing me, will probably be tomorrow.  i don’t really need to eat cookies anyway.  not until i start a yoga class, that is.