Veggielicious 2013

If you've never taken part before, it's only fair to share with my fellow veg-heads this little thing called Veggielicious, powered by The Toronto Vegetarian Association. It's a two week celebration of compassionate cuisine where a number of local vegetarian restaurants participate; thirty locations were featured in the 2012 event. Veggielicious is almost here, meaning the opportunity to try some amazing Vegan eats in and around the GTA. Check out the site http://www.veggielicious.ca/ to find out which restaurants will be offering prix-fixe meals and other great deals then set yourself up for a few Date Nights between November 15th and November 30th 2013 to give a few of them a try.

ps Kelly & Erinn of Kindfood in Burlington will be featuring their Happy Buddha Bowl and Green Smoothie for $15, Dine In or Take Out!

Peas And Paneer Cashew Curry

When I'm short on time I'll make curry ..in a hurry. I cheat by using a pre-made block of paneer and I pick up samosas or naan from my favourite local vegetarian Indian cuisine restaurant. You could veganize it by using firm Tofu in place of the paneer, drained and pressed. The dinner I made tonight (in the photo) takes all of fifteen minutes to put together start to finish.. which is exactly how much time I had to make something before getting my son off to baseball this evening!

Half block of paneer, cubed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can of coconut milk
1/4 cup of vegetable stock
2 tbsp yellow curry paste
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups of frozen peas
Pinch each of curry powder, cumin and white pepper
1/2 cup cashews

Pan fry the paneer in the vegetable oil until all sides are golden (about 5 minutes) Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine the coconut milk, vegetable stock, curry paste and spices and bring to a boil. Add in peas and brown sugar, let simmer for five minutes. Add in cashews and let simmer for another five minutes before throwing the paneer in. Stir and serve ..then you're done!

I dish it out over basmati rice and in tonights case it was the microwave ready in two minutes kind! Not recommended as the real stuff is best but for the time I had it was ideal. The store bought naan and/or samosas enables me to fake a hearty homemade meal in minutes flat.

Mellowness; Green Juice Style

1/2 Papaya seeded

1 Mango pitted

1/2 Apple

6 Strawberries

1 stalk of Celery

3 Kale Leaves

Handful of Parsley

Had all this stuff in the fridge so I juiced it together and it turned out to be a nice really mellow flavour! 

'Sew Hungry' ~Ottawa Street May 3rd 2013

I'm a believer in supporting the little guys, the independent business in our community but when thirty-nine Food Trucks from Hamilton and our surrounding area line up along Ottawa Street it makes it really difficult to choose just who you're gonna buy from. I'm drawn to The Portobello Burger in particular as they offer all Vegetarian/Vegan grub but so many of the other guys have Veggie Tacos, Gourmet Grilled Cheese and Veggie Sandwiches that cater to vegheads like me as well as a ton of deserts to choose from various trucks. Here you'll see my Eggplant Parm and Kale Salad. I left there feeling 'Sew' full that I couldn't manage to fit in that cupcake I had my heart set on devouring from Sweetness Bakery; maybe because I had stuffed my face with Tiny Toms Donuts after hoovering back my lunch! To read more about the event see The Spec's article with a description of each vendor and if you're from the local area and didn't get out to this one you might want to check it out next time!

Kale Salad and Eggplant Parm from The Portobello Burger

Tiny Tom's Donuts

Burrito Brothers ..on TV!

Pretty cool stuff! My friend Saney and her co-owners of Burrito Brothers in Brantford were spotted in this OLG commercial today; she's famous now!!

If you're in the Brantford/Ancaster/Hamilton area this restaurant is definitely worth making time for. There are a number of Vegan/Vegetarian options and everything is made with LOVE. I ate my food so quickly when I was there that I forgot to take a picture to blog about! ..so another post about this fantastic little gem will follow sometime soon. Check them out on Twitter @BurrittoBrobrant or 'Like' their Facebook page to learn more about them ..but first watch this commercial then go in and ask them for their autograph! Sooo proud!!

Warm Herbal Goodness~ the health benefits of tea

I'm a tea drinking girl, I come from a family of Scots who have been known to give tea to babies in their bottles (auntie Emily!) Before bed as a kid my mum would often make tea and toast, an evening ritual I still sometimes partake in today :)
When I was pregnant I gave up coffee and looked to decaf teas instead. It's pretty amazing what health benefits they have to offer. I've had a lot of trouble staying asleep all night since I lost my son so I searched online for the best natural remedies and Chamomile Tea is on all the lists; so thats where I'll start. I was going to write a post about them but found this article from Best Health Mag in my search and it covers what I'd write anyways so steep yourself some warm herbal goodness and give it a read: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/nutrition/7-herbal-teas-that-will-make-you-healthy

7 herbal teas that will make you healthier
Need a health boost? Reach for a soothing cup of herbal tea to relieve nausea, bloating and other common ailments
By Meredith Dault

There’s nothing nicer on a cold midwinter’s day than a soothing cup of herbal tea. But besides being a tasty, warming, caffeine-free pick-me-up, herbal tea has lots of wonderful health benefits. From soothing a troubled tummy to easing insomnia and calming a troubled mind, herbs have all sorts of healing powers. Drinking herbal tea can also be a great source of vitamins and minerals.

What is herbal tea?
Herbal tea isn’t really made from tea—which is a specific kind of plant. The French use the word tisane, which is a little more accurate, since herbal tea is really just an infusion of leaves, seeds, roots or bark, extracted in hot water. In drinking a well-steeped herbal tea, we get all the plant’s benefits in an easily digestible form.

The benefits of herbal tea
“In a lot of ways, we might get more benefit from a good organic tea than from a vitamin pill,” says herbalist Marianne Beacon of Elderberry Herbals in Peterborough, Ont. "You’re getting the benefits of hydration. There’s the social element: Tea is something that you can share with people. And when you’re drinking herbal tea, you get aromatherapy at the same time—and that’s something you don’t get from a tablet!”

That’s why Toronto-based herbalist Marcia Dixon says herbal tea should always be steeped in a covered vessel to contain the beneficial essential oils. “Otherwise, your room smells nice but you aren’t retaining the medicinal properties.”

How to choose a herbal tea
When it comes to choosing a herbal tea, both Dixon and Beacon agree that it’s important to look for a well-sourced product made from high-quality ingredients. If you’re drinking tea for the medicinal benefits, then definitely steer clear of products that add things like essential oils or flavours. And to really get the full benefits from drinking herbal tea, make sure you steep your loose tea or tea bags long enough—in some cases, as long as 10 to 15 minutes—to really bring out all the healthful properties.

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“Anytime you’re ingesting something, you’re giving your body the building blocks it needs to manufacture tissues and hormones,” says Dixon. “If you drink tea every day, you can make all sorts of significant changes to your mood, your skin, your sense of well-being and energy.”

There are so many wonderful herbal teas to choose from. Here are a few of the most common. Don’t be afraid to try something new!

Peppermint tea
Halifax naturopath Colin Huska recommends drinking peppermint tea to relieve the symptoms of abdominal gas and bloating, and to relieve muscle spasms. It’s also good for nausea (without vomiting) and for heating up the body and making it sweat. If indigestion or heartburn are problems, however, then Dixon recommends avoiding peppermint altogether. Peppermint tea can also be made using fresh herbs from the garden—and it's one of the easiest herbs to grow.

Ginger tea
Another great digestive aid, ginger can be used to curb nausea, vomiting or upset stomach due to motion sickness. Make fresh ginger tea by simmering a piece of ginger root on the stove for 10 to 15 minutes—add fresh lemon juice and honey when you have a cold for a powerful germ-fighting combination. Beacon also suggests making tea from powdered ginger to ward off a chill.

Chamomile tea
A gentle calming and sedative tea made from flowers, chamomile tea can be helpful for insomnia. It can also be helpful with digestion after a meal. Huska recommends chamomile in cases of cough and bronchitis, when you have a cold or fever, or as a gargle for inflammation of the mouth. Be sure to steep it well to get all the medicinal benefits.

Rooibos tea
High in vitamin C as well as other minerals, rooibos has all sorts of health benefits. An easy drinking tea, it’s largely grown in South Africa and has been touted for its antioxidant properties—which may in turn help ward off disease and the signs of aging. It has also been shown to help with common skin concerns, such as eczema.

Lemon balm tea
An easy-to-grow plant, lemon balm is helpful for lifting the spirits. “It’s good for the winter blahs,” says Deacon, “and it can help improve concentration.” She adds that lemon balm is safe for children and may help prevent nightmares when consumed before bed. This herb also makes a refreshing iced tea, and can be flavoured with lemon or maple syrup.

Milk thistle and dandelion tea
When consumed as a tea, milk thistle or dandelion are gentle liver cleansers. “They help the liver to regenerate and function at a higher capacity,” says Huska. “They can also assist in the production of bile, which can help with our digestive process.”

Rosehip tea
Rosehips are the fruit of the rose plant and are one of the best plant sources of vitamin C, which is important for the immune system, skin and tissue health and adrenal function. Consider reaching for rosehip tea next time you need a health boost.

Vegetarian Chili

Such an easy thing to throw together on a cold night! We have it over rice or baked potatoes and melt cheese on top. I add Hot Sauce to my bowl; the green one from Che's in Hess Village if you're reading from Hamilton, Ontario! I like it hotter than the rest of the family. My non vegetarian husband frys ground beef in a skillet on the side and pours my chili on top to suit his meat eating needs. This chili freezes really well and on nights when I want home cooked but not home to cook it I'm glad to pull this out for dinner. Eat it with beer. Most things just taste better with beer :)

Ingredients


2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper

2 cans whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped

1 can white kidney beans, undrained

1 can red kidney beans, undrained

1 can navy beans, undrained

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons Club House Tex Mex Seasoning

1 tablespoon Club House Cajun Spice

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic, onion, and celery in the pot until tender. Mix in the green, red and yellow bell pepper. Season with chili powder. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until peppers are tender.
Stir in the tomatoes with liquid, kidney and navy beans with liquid, and corn. Season with tex mex spice, cajun spice and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for about an hour stirring occasionally.

My Own Made Up In A Panic About A Picnic Creamy Eggless Potato Salad

I'm so excited to see my girlfriends today. The five of us have been besties since childhood and today we're meeting up with all of our children and husbands for a picnic in the park. Among us all we have vegetarians, an egg allergy, a nut allergy and they're all skinny minis who are calorie conscious sooooooo, when I offered to make the salads up for this lunch I had to become a little creative. I've made a green salad with strawberries and blueberries (no walnuts for this occasion) a bean medley salad and I've just tackled a made up on the spot eggless potato salad that actually turned out pretty amazing! I may just scoop a little dish out on the side before I go to keep for myself for tomorrow ;) Hoping they all like it too; I got up at 7am out of potato salad worry to make it!
Vegetables:
Approx 20 fingerling potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into large cubes
1 quarter each of red, yellow, orange and green bell pepper cut small or one whole of any of those colours
3 stalks of celery cut small
2 green onions finely chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup Veganaise
1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Dill Relish
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard (Gulden's) or any prepared mustard will work
1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Dressing: Mix all of the dressing ingredients together and let chill in the fridge until the potatoes are cool and ready.
Vegetables: Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes or until they soften (but not mushy)
Drain in a colander and while they are still hot, add the chopped peppers on top to let the steam soften them a little while the potatoes cool.
Once cool, transfer the vegetables to a serving dish, toss with celery, green onion and dressing. Let it chill in the fridge approximately 1 hour before serving to let the flavours blend.

Not Just Any Ordinary Corn On The Cob

When I was a teenager we had students from Mexico stay with us one summer. They knew ahead of time they'd have to adapt to a vegetarian diet and as it turned out they liked most of the dishes we made; corn on the cob was one of their faves for a side veg. The first time we served it to them we put out salt, pepper and butter, ..but they asked for mayonnaise and cayenne pepper! That opened our eyes to just how versatile cob corn can be and because of them I've tried other ways to top it since then. Regardless if you boil, steam or grill it these 'butters' all taste uniquely awesome!

Cheesey Butter
1/4 cup butter, softened; 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese; 1 clove garlic, minced; and 1 tbsp minced fresh basil.

Curried Olive Oil with Butter:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp butter, softened; 1 tbsp minced fresh coriander; 1 tsp curry paste; and 1/2 tsp lemon juice.

Mustard Butter:
1/4 cup butter, softened; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; and 3/4 tsp parsley

Smoky Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup light mayonnaise; 2 tsp barbecue sauce; and 1 tsp chopped chipotle pepper

Lemon Pepper Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 tsp each grated lemon rind and lemon juice; and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Mediterranean Olive Oil: 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 4 tsp minced sun-dried tomatoes; 1/2 tsp dried thyme; and pinch each salt and pepper.

Mango Avocado Rolls

INGREDIENTS

• • 2/3 cup diced avocado
  • 2 Tbs. lime juice
  • 2 tsp. grated lime zest
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and pale green parts)
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp. chile sauce
  • 8 81/2-inch Vietnamese rice paper wrappers
  • 2 cups alfalfa sprouts
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced fresh mango

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INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Combine avocado, lime juice, and lime zest in small bowl. Stir in bell pepper, cream cheese, green onions, cilantro, and chile sauce; then set aside.
  2. Fill large bowl (9-inch diameter) with warm water. Submerge 1 rice paper wrapper 10 seconds in water, or just until it becomes soft. Remove wrapper to flat work surface, and let rest 30 seconds; it will become more pliable.
  3. Spoon 1/4 cup avocado mixture just below middle of rice paper wrapper, leaving 1-inch border on either side. Top with 1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts and 2 to 3 mango slices. Fold bottom of rice paper wrapper up over filling, pressing filling as you go. Fold both sides of rice paper inward. Gently press to seal. Roll up wrapper to top edge. Brush water on top edge, if necessary, to seal. And repeat!

Caesar Salad Vegan Style

INGREDIENTS

• • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbs. blanched and ground almonds
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 3 Tbs. nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 Tbs. soy sauce
  • 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into large pieces

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INSTRUCTIONS

Combine almonds, garlic, mustard, yeast flakes, soy sauce, lemon juice, water and oil if desired using a blender or food processor and process until smooth and well blended. To serve, toss together lettuce (croutons if desired) and dressing, and toss to coat. Serve right away. Keep it Gluten Free by not using croutons.

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Vegan Aioli

3 tbsp Organic Veganaise
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix together, blend well. It's that simple....

Gluten Free Vegetarian Baked Potato & Leek Soup

We sorta winged this one afternoon and it turned out to be pretty amazing!

2 carrots, peeled & diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 leek, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 raw potatoes, diced
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
8 cups of vegetable stock
1 can of corn
6 baked potatoes, skins peeled off & diced
1 cup 35% heavy cream
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cornstarch mixture to thicken, if necessary

Sauté the carrots, celery, leek, garlic & raw potatoes in the vegetable oil. Add salt & pepper. Stir and cook until soft.... about 5-7 minutes
Add in the vegetable stock & corn & seasonings and boil for 45 minutes.
Puree the soup until blended together then add in heavy cream. Add in baked potatoes. Stir well, add salt & pepper to taste and serve.... with chives & cheddar cheese if you like chives & cheese!

Vegetarian Ingredients Substitution List

I was browsing the Vegetarian Times site today and came across this Ingredients Substitution List which is awesome if you want to make something Vegan or Allergy Free.

Cashew Cream

Cashew cream is an indulgently rich cream used as a base in many dairy-free vegan substitutes. It's much richer and more flavorful than soy milk. Here's how to make a homemade vegan cashew cream. As long as you use raw cashews, this is also a raw foods recipe.
Cashew cream recipe courtesy of Gardein.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole raw cashews
cold water

Preparation:

Put 2 cups whole, raw cashews (not pieces which are often dry) and rinse very well under cold water. Put in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water.

Place the cashews in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. Strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve if it's not smooth.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups regular cashew cream.

Cucumber & Feta Dip

• 1 cup grated cucumber (seeded if seeds are large), skin and all
• 1 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh herbs, chopped, optional (fresh dill, basil, or chives)

• Fresh vegetables in bite-size pieces such as carrot sticks, celery sticks, red pepper strips, cucumber spears and zucchini slices, mushrooms, broccoli etc

Stir together the dip ingredients. To blend the flavors, cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours, or even a day. Serve with fresh vegetables.

Shepherd'sPie

4 medium potatoes

2 Tbsp margarine

1/4 cup milk

Salt & Pepper

1 meduim onion finely chopped & sauted

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 pkg ground-beef style soy

1 1/4 cups of prepared vegetarian gravy (either a powdered mix prepared or canned mushroom gravy)

I cup of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)

Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes or until mashable. In a medium bowl, mix the cooked onions, ground beef-style soy, mushroom gravy, frozen vegetables, and salt & pepper. Pour into an oven proof casserole dish. Top the soy mixture with the potatoes, spreading to the edges.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and the mixture bubbles around the edges.

Makes approximately 6-8 servings

Mixed Bean salad

Use a can of mixed canned beans, add chopped green onion and feta cheese.

Mix with my vinaigrette dressing and call it a side dish! It's delicious!

Fruit Kabobs

Get creative with your choices here. For Valentine's Day or Canada Day you could use all red coloured fruits.... strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, watermelon.

There is no need for a lot of instruction for this one... Basically, decide what fruits you want to use, interchange them on the skewers to look colourful and pretty and put them on a long platter to serve. You can serve them with a fruit dip or fruit yogurt as well.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

Boil elbow macaroni noodles according to package directions.

Mix with Homemade Cheese Sauce

Add in broccoli and cauliflower if desired

Mix together in a buttered oven proof pan

Top with sliced tomatoes and grated cheese.

Bake in the oven until heated through.

Broil until cheese bubbles and browns slightly.

Make it Gluten Free by using brown rice pasta and cornstarch instead of flour in the sauce.