MidWeek Munchies for the Soul

I had to return some library books and pick up some cat food yesterday, and I also found some treats for this weeks MidWeek Munchies.  Human treats of course!

Someone's packaging got a face lift!

I was feeling a little blue yesterday, and the rain wasn't helping matters, and so I just had to get my first tofurky of the season. Sometimes I dream of these in the summer, so this is one part of fall and winter I do enjoy. These roasts have a horrible reputation, even among vegans and for the life I don't know why. I get that they aren't health food and all of that, but I think they are super tasty, and I have fed this to a few dubious non vegans who were reluctantly surprised and pleased. Tofurky must be sprucing up their image or something, I noticed their artisan sausages had new packaging as well. I was going to take a picture, but there were a lot of people around and I didn't want to feel like a total wank.

Field roast makes this meatloaf that is AMAZING. No real surprise there. It's similar to their celebration roast, but it's a lighter texture. It doesn't have that super chewy, toothsome texture. The package has heating directions, but honestly I've never gotten that far. I eat it cold on sandwiches, or I have a few slices for a snack. With either yellow mustard, or HP sauce. If you haven't tried it, you should keep an eye out for it. I had to buy more Ritter bars with marzipan. I can't get enough! And Seattle chocolates makes these truffle bars that blow me away. It's a certain lighter texture that you don't always get with dark chocolate.

I was feeling sentimental so I picked up the new issue of vegetarian times. They are really adding a lot more vegan recipes to their magazine, so I like to support them when I can. I feel like I've been reading that magazine for a hundred years! And there is something comforting about the articles. I love snark as much as the next person, but their lack of snark and lack of judgement is refreshing in today's world, in my humble opinion. In the back I have cocoa powder and vanilla extract. They look a little fuzzy. I'm still working on getting good angles and such for my pictures. Sorry!

Here are the library books I chose. Any cookbook with fire and spice in the title is coming home with me since I LOVE spicy! And Jonathan Tropper is one of my favorite authors. I have so many favorites, but he and Mike Gayle are two of the best.

This dish would certainly not win any awards for beauty, even if the picture were better. But after trudging around in the rain, my blues hadn't exactly gone away, and I was in need of some comfort food. Like warm, stick to your ribs, give you a hug comfort food. So, I made some mashed potatoes, and for the first, but most certainly not the last time, Silky chickpea gravy from Appetite for Reduction. I found the recipe here. I also topped the potatoes with some fire roasted corn, and roasted Brussels sprouts. This chickpea gravy is going to be made quite often this winter. For some reason, more than anything else I crave mashed potatoes when I need comfort. I don't make them as often as I'd like because I have struggled with finding a vegan gravy that I like. This is tasty, and healthy I'd like to add. I would proudly serve this gravy to any skeptical non vegan.
Today I'm going to once again try to make a vegan chocolate chip cookie. I struggle with perfect vegan cookies. I have a few cake recipes that are really great, but chocolate chip cookies are a struggle. I'm thinking of adding cocoa powder to the mix for chocolate chocolate chip cookies. I also need to go climb my hill. Maybe I should do it twice today since I'm making cookies!
What food do you crave when you need comfort?