They're a- creepin'

The holidays, that is! Target started their Christmas display on Halloween morning, but I've waited until now to start feeling the cheer until this afternoon. With no apologies, I love the holidays. I do! I love to watch the Macy's Day Parade and bake with my mom on Thanksgiving morning, gear up with winter movies, belt out Christmas jingles... I'll have it all and then some more, sir.

I watched Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town while I peeled and chopped tubers and squash. Somehow, I'd never seen this all the way through before... whenever it's on TV I usually flip until I find something with live action. But, it was pretty adorable, including the German dictator who wanted to steal all the children's toys and arrest them for playing games. Hmmm...

I've been wanting to make roasted vegetables for so long, but I just haven't had the time to do the prep for it. Since I'm still not feeling so hot, tonight was perfect since I decided to stay in.

Here are the stars:


Roasted Winter Vegetables

1 acorn squash
1 small butternut squash
1 delicata squash
1 sweet potato
2 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper
herbs of choice (I used dried sage and rosemary)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 green pepper, chopped

Preheat oven to 400. Peel veggies and remove seeds and stringy insides. Chop to bite-sized pieces and combine in bowl. Add olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper on top and combine with hands to evenly coat. Pour into a large baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan and add garlic and pepper. Stir thoroughly. Put pan back in oven and bake for 20 more minutes or until veggies are tender.



While the vegetables were roasting, I had two rye crackers with 3 types of cheese: goat, Manchego and pepperjack. A bit of a splurge, but I felt like I deserved it today.


I also made some Gliding Calm baked tofu (toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ground ginger, crushed red pepper) and added sesame seeds at the very end.


Red kale with a dressing made of rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil (notice a trend?), sesame seeds and ginger powder.



As promised, a delicious and nutritious meal! I did end up adding a little extra vinegar to the kale and tofu, and (yes), ketchup was inevitable on the vegetables. Halfway through the meal I started eating the kale and the veggies together; this is a match made in heaven!



Rice pudding and ginger thins for dessert:


I'm going to finish my movie, take a hot bath and read in bed. I don't have too much work to do, and I'll have some time tomorrow to get it done. It's nice to feel relaxed once in a while.

Enjoy your Saturday nights!

* Edited to add: I burned my arm (haven't burned my left side before, so this is a first!) taking the veggies out of the oven. I read in SELF that if you put honey on it immediately, the enzymes in it will help accelerate the healing process (or something...). I'll let you know what it looks like tomorrow; right now I just have a sticky forearm!