Pepita-Cranberry Snack Mix

Reporting in from day 1 of vegan week. For a quick primer on vegan week, see previous blog entry Sunday I ate/drank the following:

• tempeh sausage with grapes
• coffee, tea, seltzer, water, coke, pumpkin beer
• paneer-rice casserole*
• vegan chocolate cake** with soy milk to drink
• pepita-cranberry mix
• chili-lime pistachios**
• fried green tomatoes** with creamy tomatillo sauce**
• And I sampled the following whilst cooking: tomatillo sauce, onion-pepper relish

*exempt item (leftovers) due to the fact that it will have spoiled by the time vegan week is over
**blog item to follow

For vegan week, I am relying heavily on my trusted friends, Moosewood New Classics, Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant and Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health. This particular recipe comes from Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health with a few adaptations from me.

Pepita-Cranberry Snack Mix (makes about 2 C)

• 1 1/2 C raw pepitas
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 3/4 C dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place pepitas on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast for about 7 min, or until they begin to darken. 
2. While the pepitas are toasting, whisk together the soy sauce, oil, thyme, and chili powder.
3. Remove the seeds from the oven, leaving the oven on. While on the baking sheet, drizzle the soy sauce mixture over the seeds and stir until coated. 
4. Place back in the oven and cook for 2-3 mins, watching constantly. Don't let these guys burn!
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool, add the cranberries and mix.

Kitchen Notes: I was concerned that the amount of soy sauce in this recipe would be overwhelming, but it's not--it's fairly subtle. The original recipe called for chopping the cranberries, and I see the appeal, but I just didn't have the motivation to chop 'em up. This recipe offers a lot of flexibility, so have fun with the seasoning.

Verdict? Addictive. Flavors subtle, but toasty, adequately seasoned, and yummy. Because I think there's a lot of opportunity for variation here, I doubt I'll make it exactly the same when I make it again. I'd look forward to any variations you recommend!