Braised Cabbage with a Dijon Glaze
How often do you eat cabbage? If you’re like me, you know that you’ve enjoyed it in the past, but do not reach for it in the produce section as much as you’d like.
Red Carpet Nachos + 2012 Grammy Awards Wrap Up
Let us just start by saying ‘WTF?!’ What a snorefest! What was Nicki Minaj thinking with that poorly executed Madonna/Lady Gaga rip off? What was up with all the slow, boring songs by old, boring artists? Bruno Mars was probably the highlight of the whole show (aside from Jennifer Hudson and Adele, obv), and that’s depressing, especially with all the big name artists performing (and multiple times each, which was also unnecessary).
Mexi-Curry Salad Bowl
The Vegan Project ladies, plus our friend Salsa Sam, are heading south of the border at the end of February, real south…to Mexico!
Review: Shizenya Japanese Restaurant
Shizenya has to be the most delicious and healthy, organic sushi restaurant I’ve experienced, to date. My friend Ian Ross (who might know from the hit, Whistler-based reality tv show, Peak Season), is a regular at Shizenya. He noticed all the veggie options on the menu and thought of me – aw!
Thai Sweet Potato Soup
I am really excited about this recipe! I have fallen in love with Pacific Natural Foods’ Thai Sweet Potato Soup, and wanted to recreated it at home, for you. I gathered a bunch of ingredients listed on the box, and this is what I came up with; a creamy, spicy and oh-so-good Thai Sweet Potato delight that is pretty dang close to the original.
Lentil Salad with Sun Dried Tomato-Tahini Dressing
I made this quick lentil salad to accompany my bowl of Smokey Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic (which I will post later this week!). It was the perfect, protein-packed side, full of crunchy veggies (use what you have in your crisper) and tossed in a creamy, sun dried tomato dressing. If you’re cooking the lentils yourself, make sure to cook to al dente so it doesn’t become a mushy mess.
Coconut-Ginger Stir Fry With Kale and Poppyseeds
A warm and satisfying stir fry is one of a few reasons why I wouldn’t want to eat an exclusively raw diet, especially in the winter.
Raw Mini Pizza with Spiraled Cucumber Salad
Four months after finding out about my notable gluten intolerance, I am finally ready to commit. It’s been a pretty awkward dance back and forth between strictly gluten free and ‘a little bit shouldn’t hurt’, but I’m going to take a crack at making gluten free vegan (GFV is actually a term FYI) as yummy and maintainable as possible.
Not Just Another Rice Bowl
Everyone knows what a rice bowl is, and throwing together a grain, protein and veg is quite simple for most, I hope. This is my latest creation, including yummy roasted butternut squash, steamed kale and panfried marinated tofu. BUT, what is different about this version is, I made it all fancy using a small springform mould! (more…)
Power Green Smoothie
This lovely smoothie is packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients for vegans, and for omnivores. It tastes so dreamy-creamy delicious – perfect for after a workout!
White Bean and Kale Stew
This stew is hearty, low in fat and full of nutritious winter veggies. The fresh herbs and lemon juice/zest add a lovely freshness that shouldn’t be omitted. This stew is also gluten free by using brown rice flour as a thickening agent. Simple one-pot dishes like these just get better over time, so doubling the recipe is recommended. AND, almost all the ingredients are organic, ringing up to around $10-$15 for the whole batch. Gotta love that!
Celery Root and Fennel Gratin
In this new year, I would like to experiment more with ingredients I often pass by in the grocery store. I received the most wonderful culinary tools (including a Le Crueset pot!) for Christmas and would like to put them to good use. I remembered seeing this Celery Root and Fennel Gratin while thumbing through the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook and connected the dots when I saw a celery root at Whole Foods last night.
Beetroot Dip
This season’s Taste Magazine, A season for Giving Holiday Gift Guide, is full of great ideas for entertaining over the next couple of weeks. While not many of the recipes are vegan, they can be modified, with this recipe for Beetroot Dip being completely vegan on its own. I made this the other night for a group of friends and they LOVED it! It’s basically a simple hummus recipe, adding steamed beets to get that gorgeous (and festive!) bright fuschia colour.
Bean Power! Black Bean, Avocado and Yellow Rice Salad
How do you people not snap at the millionth time some well-meaning carnie asks you where you get your protein? As someone who has a difficult time controlling her facial expressions, I have been known to emasculate a steak-eater or two just for that question. It’s not their fault; they’ve been conditioned to believe protein only comes with a face, but it’s hard to answer the same question with a smile so damn often.
Spicy Wine Mustard
This year for the holidays, I wanted to make homemade goodies and put it in jars to give to my loved ones. This Whole Foods Application for iphone gave me some great ideas! It is free, and really easy to navigate through the different features. You can search recipes for specialty diets such as vegan, input what you have on hand and get recipe suggestions, and lots more! If you don’t have an iphone here is the recipe for their Spicy Wine Mustard below. It couldn’t have been more simple! has a bite, so leave out the red pepper flakes if you’re sensitive to heat. Enjoy!
Pan Fried Oysters with Chili-Lime Pomegranate Molasses
Have you guys heard of Veganseatpencilshavings.com? It is a gourmet vegan recipe site run by our good friend Jenny Duffy, who shared her vegan plight with The Vegan Project as a guest writer. She jumped off the vegan train for a while there, but has since hopped back on and is taking the vegan world by storm!
Vegan Mac and Cheese Casserole
There are many versions of vegan Mac and Cheese out there on the internet. This is a simple, no fancy ingredients version with a crispy breadcrumb topping that is a real cinch to make. This was my first time trying mustard greens (can you believe it?!) and I LOVED them! They add veggies to a rather carb heavy meal and they have an awesome tangy bite to them, complimenting this creamy casserole.
Vegan Hamburger Soup
I got inspired to make a vegan version of hamburger soup by my friend Katherine who shared this recipe from allrecipes.com on her Facebook page. It sounded delicious and easy to make – she has two young children and they liked it too! So with a couple packages of veggie ground leftover from an event, this was the perfect one pot meal!
Holiday Gift Ideas from The Vegan Project!
(photo from www.cutoutandkeep.net)
This holiday season, treat your loved ones (and yourself!) to some of these vegan-friendly gifts. Whether you purchase online from an ethically sound company, buy a special something from a talented local artisan or try your hand at hand-crafted a gift yourself, these gift ideas are sure to please. Gifts made with love are always the ones that touch our hearts the most. And you can feel good about sparing the environment from the excessive waste the holidays usually bring.
Butternut Squash and Potato Gratin
I was inspired to make a savoury fall dish using mostly local, organic ingredients, by Jessica’s Halloween 100-Mile Potluck at ethicalDeal.com. This dish doesn’t meet all requirements but it does come pretty close. Most of these ingredients are grown locally, seasonally and organically.
Simple Macrobiotic Rice Bowl with Rainbow Chard
Lately, salads are just not cutting it for me. With the grey skies and cold weather, my body seems to be requesting more hearty, salty and warm fare that will fill me up and make me feel comfortable. Homemade hashbrowns are exceedingly successful at meeting this criteria, but in an effort to stay on track with my nutrient to calorie ratio, I’ve been busting out the rice bowls. Yesterday, Choices had two bundles of rainbow chard on for $3, so my post-yoga lunch craving was a no-brainer.
Me + You Vegan Leather Bags and Giveaway!
As you may know, trying to live a vegan-friendly lifestyle does not just concern food. Ethical choices can extend to beauty products, fashion and accessories. Finding sexy, stylish, and eco-friendly bags to tote our unmentionables around town can sometimes be a struggle, so when Me + You Reusable Bags released their line of Vegan Leather/Cotton Canvas Totes, we were excited to say the least!
Chocolate-Peanut Butter Smoothie
So I’ve been going to the gym/yoga a lot lately and looking to feed my muscles well after doing so. The other day I went to a hot class at YYoga and decided to hit Body Energy on Davie afterwards for one of their tasty smoothies. I am a sucker for the chocolate monkey,using chocolate almond milk, minus chocolate syrup and adding Vega Sport Performance Protein – Recovery (Side note: Hello hot pic of Brendan Brazier in the shower!). Well, let me tell you, this combination rocks, and I really do feel like it feed my muscles and replenishes my energy after a rigorous workout. Try it at home for a fraction of the price!
Rosemary, Walnut and Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade
All I can say about this recipe is…yummers! The combination of flavours is just right, and get even better the longer they sit together.
Vegan Cassoulet in the Slow Cooker
My first memory of cassoulet is watching the legendary Miss Julia Child prepare one on a Saturday morning. Cassoulet is french for casserole, usually comprised of white beans, ham or sausage, chicken and french herbs. This vegan, whole food version is very flavourful while being low in fat and cholesterol. It’s a win-win!
Pumpkin Soup
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting cold. These next few months have me looking forward to anything and everything that can combat a perpetual chill to the bone. And that means lots of soups, stews, hot beverages and warming spices.
Aphrodite’s Organic Cafe and Pie Shop – The $19 Vegan Breakfast
Aphrodite’s Organic Cafe and Pie Shop receives great reviews from online restaurant guides, and has been described as the best kept secret for breakfast in Vancouver. It is situated on prestigious West 4th Avenue in Kits, near the beach, and is adorned with adorable, rustic furnishings, but…the breakfast, albeit delicious, was a whopping $19!
The Vegan Project Does Vegas! Part 3: Dinner at Sinatra
Dining at Sinatra, the classic American-Italian style restaurant in the Encore Tower Suites, took us back to 1940′s swingin’ style and charisma. It’s a pretty big deal to bear the name of one of the savviest crooners in history, and this jazzy joint represented well, with tasteful decor, a classy atmosphere and an epic shot of Steve Wynn and Frank Sinatra in the ’80s.
The Vegan Project Does Vegas! Part 2: Lunch at Encore’s Wazuzu
The morning after an intensely energetic show at Marquee, featuring the Grammy Award nominated LMFAO and nearly 3000 fellow party rockers, we woke up late, attractively disheveled, and absolutely famished.
Wazuzu, the beautiful Pan-Asian Bistro at Encore, awaited our arrival. Complete with large golden pears and a 27- foot crystal dragon keeping watch over the exquisitely designed space, the interior was casual but oh-so-snappy. A perfect glamorous lunch destination.
The Vegan Project Does Vegas! Part 1: Breakfast at Encore’s Tableau
After arriving on luxurious Allegiant airlines (ahem) straight from Bellingham International Airport, extra checked bag reserved especially for shoes and hairspray, we, the Vegan Project, began the first part of our Las Vegas mission: sampling the vegan menus available throughout the gorgeous Wynn Resorts.
Salsa Sam’s Mango Salsa
Animal rights advocate and long time supporter and friend of The Vegan Project, Sam Shorkey (middle), is famous for her hilarious accents and her delicious salsas. We recently had a chance to sample one of her salsa specialties and managed to nag her into emailing us the recipe. It’s fresh and sweet take on salsa, and it helps us desperately hang onto the remnants of summer while we devour it along with far too many tortilla chips.
Smoked Tofu Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
The flavours in this salad are out of this world! Creamy peanut sauce, exotic coconut and crunchy beans, married perfectly. Kind of like an Indonesian Gado Gado salad minus the egg, it has definitely ensured repeat appearances in our home.
Cauliflower Inspired Raw Tabouleh
If you’re looking for yummy low glycemic, low carb options, then you’ll need to consider substituting your grains for more nutrient dense, vitamin rich veggies. Cauliflower is a hearty, enzyme rich sub for quinoa, bulgar or cous-cous in this popular middle eastern salad. The fresh herbs make it so flavourful and vibrant, and it’s super low-cal, just in case you happen to be going to Las Vegas in a couple of weeks.
Jessica’s Potato Salad
Jessica made something…and it was delicious! Creamy and tangy, with crunchy bits interspersed throughout – everything a potato salad should be.
Wild Mushroom Risotto, Grilled Corn on the Cob and Green Beans
This meal was soooo good! The corn turned out better than expected (it was my first time doing corn on the bbq), the beans were light and crunchy, and the risotto, well, it was sublime.
Raw Chocolate Cherry Malt Shake
Our very talented friend, Julie Beyer, who you might remember from last Spring’s Whole Food Challenge, wanted to share with us her recipe for a Raw Chocolate Cherry Malt Shake. We of course said, YES!
Italian Veggie Pasta Salad
I love pasta salad! This one is full of veggies and definitely a complete meal. It also makes A LOT. I love making lots of food at one time, partly because it’s just easier and I have no problem eating one thing for a few days, and partly because my boyfriend is an eating machine. The recipe can easily be cut in half if you don’t need a bucketful.
Blueberry Soy Yogurt Popsicles
These were so easy to make, and sooo yummy! I picked up the popsicle molds at the dollar store for $2.50 each and then I was just three ingredients away from delicious, dairy-free yogurt pops.
Grilled Portobello Salad with Fennel and Green Apple
This salad is so light and refreshing! Soft butter lettuce, crunchy fennel and slightly tart green apple topped with a very ‘meaty’ tasting grilled portobello mushroom. Very simple to assemble, and full of fresh, healthy, whole ingredients – and all organic! Makes enough for two – I also served this salad with some new potatoes done the same way as in the Salade Nicoise.
Bridget’s Super Terrific Trail Mix
I made this the other day for a tasty treat after hiking the Stawamus Chief near Squamish, BC, which I highly recommend trying if you live in the Vancouver area. It is gorgeous at the top! It never ceases to amaze me what a beautiful part of the world we live in.
Vegan Macaroni Salad
Jessica found us this recipe for vegan macaroni salad over the weekend on a website called the autonomie project, inc., a fair trade fashion and footwear company – neat!
Vegan Salade Nicoise
A typical Salade Nicoise is comprised of boiled new potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, steamed green beans, tomato and topped with tuna and anchovies, then drizzled with a vinaigrette. Purists from the Nice region in France state that no cooked vegetables are to be used in a traditional Salade Nicoise. Either way, the vegan-version was bound to have modifications. This is our take on a great, big salad, that is sure to impress. A mixture of grilled veggies, raw veggies, and a topped with a fresh herb dressing, even Elaine Benes would be be proud.
Vegan In Kamloops! Hello Toast
On a recent trip to Sun Peaks, I spent a lovely morning in Kamloops starting with an intense yoga class at Bikram Kamloops, and ending with a rich vegan brownie at The Art We Are cafe and gallery. In between the two was a delightful brunch at Hello Toast. At first, I did not know where to go, so I decided to follow my keen vegan instincts and look for the most obvious indication of a healthful whole food restaurant…dreadlocks! And ever since Bridget and I marvelled over the unique ‘Fine Thanks!’ cafe in Phuket Thailand in 2005, we’ve always been suckers for cute/weird restaurant names. It was a perfect fit.
Quinoa Slaw
This slaw is full of so much friggin’ fibre! It’s a bit of a mashup between a quinoa side dish and a classic coleslaw – minus the creamy dressing. And it’s bright colour is not only beautiful but really good for you too! It’s really fresh and light, and keeps really well so I recommend making a ton and snacking on it for a few days. Tip: A small electric chopper is really handy for this dish. I chopped about a thousand vegetables in 10 minutes!
Open-Faced Tacos
I made these this weekend for brunch and they were just perfect! The combination of the crispy corn tortilla, just cooked veggies and creamy melted daiya on top was delicious. I always like to have a package of corn tortillas, and a can of refried beans (Eden Organic Spicy Pintos are my fave) on hand. Toss in any veggies you want and you have the fixings for several meals, with endless possibilities.
Homemade Falafel Lettuce Wraps with Zesty Tzatziki
My dear sister Lindsay recently completed her first Wild Rose Detox, so we enjoyed a flurry of preparation and cooking to get her ready and keep her on track. Our biggest success was the following falafel recipe from the cleansing cookbook (with some modifications) that I’ve been wanting to make for years but was intimidated for some reason (possibly my strong reverence for falafel balls). Shame on me! It was simple, and now I’m a falafel making machine. I whipped up the tzatziki myself, and used dill instead of mint, which turned out just lovely with the warm salty balls. Mmm-mm!
Vegan Zuppa Toscana
This recipe is a veganized version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, courtesy of Dominic Geracia at NerdEats.net. Dominic has a great passion for food and is moving towards a vegan diet, so he thought he would use vegan alternatives and see if they passed the test. And according to him, they did! We were also big fans of this soup in our non-vegan days and cannot wait to try Dominic’s creation…it looks absolutely delicious!
Summer Salads!
Our friend Krystle Charlton is always making the most delicious (and healthy) looking meals for her and her friends. Below are two of her latest summer salad creations. Mango and Quinoa Salad and a fresh asian-inspired salad topped with her Asian Sensation Dressing. Both look fabulous, and really, really good for you. A summer feast on a variety of the season’s finest ingredients sounds great to us – Thanks Krystle!
Spicy Bean Burger from Sol Cuisine
We at the Vegan Project are always on the hunt for products that make life easier. And sometimes assembling amazing veggie burgers isn’t an option when you’re en route to a barbeque and need something on the fly. Sol’s spicy bean burger was my dinner-saver recently, and I was very impressed with the taste, texture, and list of ingredients offered by this non-rubberized pattie.
Vegan Dinner Party with Kale & Nori Culinary Arts
“My heart and my body are extremely satisfied.” ~ Jessica, The Vegan Project
“It’s so good it makes you want to swear at them!” ~ Sabrina Modder, dinner guest
If you ever get the chance to experience a meal prepared by people who are truly passionate about what they do, do not pass it up. This is what we experienced last evening at ‘The Workshop’, where our friends Lauren Mote and Chef Jonathan C of Kale & Nori Culinary Arts lovingly prepared a four course vegan dinner (plus canapes) for our group of 10 friends.
Vegan BBQ Series | Grilled Marinated Tempeh with Summer Vegetables
I finally got my own barbeque, and I am happier than a pig in sh*t! I purchased the Weber 100 from Home Depot for $149. It was easy to assemble and heats up in mere minutes. Grilling vegetables is such a fabulous way to enjoy the season’s harvests, and I find the simpler, the better when it comes to flavouring or marinades. You don’t want to mask those fresh flavours at their peak.
Vegan Sausage and Peppers with Polenta
I am on huge soy chorizo kick lately! On a recent trip to Portland, I stocked up on vegan goods that I haven’t been able to find here in Vancouver, including a variety of vegan chorizo substitutes (you may remember my gnocchi with chorizo-style seitan). This dish I whipped up last night uses Trader Joe’s soy chorizo, although any vegan sausage or soy ground would be fine. If you’d like to avoid soy altogether, try a sturdy legume like chickpeas, black-eyed peas or adzuki beans. This soupy-stew is a tad spicy but is nicely balanced with the sweet potato and corn. It is deliciously paired with crispy pan-fried polenta, full of flavour and surprisingly light. Serve with a fresh green salad tossed in a light vinaigrette for a perfect summer meal.
Vancouver Vegan Shoe Store | Nice Shoes
Last Friday, The Vegan Project ladies went for a fabulous brunch at Slickity Jim’s (since our first review, we’ve figured out exactly what to order to satisfy our particulars – the veggie sausages are to die for!) and then headed over to Nice Shoes on Fraser Street in Vancouver to see what all the fuss was about.
Vegan Fashion: Prestigious, Handmade by Human Beings
A little birdy we spend a lot of time with (Twitter) recently introduced us to a vegan clothing company called Prestigious based in Massachusetts. We thought the t-shirts and hoodies were cute and affordable, and loved the ‘handmade by human beings’ tagline, so we decided to chat with the Prestigious owner William Matte about his company and what it means to be a vegan entrepreneur.
Perk Up Your Limp Veggies!
Check out this chard: It went limp two days after I bought it…
so I soaked it in purified water for two hours and it voila! Almost like new!
For perhaps the first time in my life, this is a science experiment gone RIGHT! Imagine my delight when I discovered that my flaccid and expensive organic celery that couldn’t fit in the crisper and thus got all limp and sad could be re-invigorated with a few hours in a cup of fresh water.
Mexican Vegan Helper
There’s something so comforting about the combination of noodles and cheese, and many may be ashamed to admit having enjoyed some Hamburger Helper at some point in their lives. Perhaps because it brings back memories of childhood, or a more innocent time when we just ate the yummy things put in front of us without thinking about their composition.
You may not believe it, but it IS possible to make a vegan version of Hamburger Helper, and this one has a Mexican kick. The Pepper Jack Daiya sauce is gooey and good, and the veggies and whole wheat pasta make this version a lot healthier than its nostalgic counterpart. (And yes, we are aware the title sounds funny.)
Vegan Turkish Breakfast
While I’ve never been to Turkey, I’ve always enjoyed a Turkish-style breakfast. Even before I was vegan or knew what a Turkish breakfast might be like I was enjoying a hard-boiled egg, toast, cold veggies and olives or capers in the morning.
Gnocchi with Chorizo-Style Seitan
Last week the boy and I took a little trip down the stunning Northwest Coast, stopping in Cannon Beach and then cutting over to the vegan motherland, Portland, Oregon. Now I could go on (and on) about all the reasons why I love this culture-rich and vegan-friendly city, and probably will in a couple more posts in the future. However, the most exciting part of visiting Portland is the all-vegan strip mall on SE Stark Street that houses Sweet Pea Bakery, Herbivore and Food Fight Grocery. Here are a few must-tries: The Bacon-Scallion cream cheese and macaroni salad from Sweet Pea and JJ’s Sweets Cocomels (the fleur de sel is sublime) and Upton’s Naturals Seitan products from Food Fight. And that’s just what I’ve tried so far!
Vegan In the ‘Burbs – Deluxe Restaurant
Thankfully for vegans, more and more restaurants are catering to the niche demand for specialty menus and considerate kitchens. But unfortunately for us suburbanites (I live in White Rock) most of these establishments are in Vancouver.
That’s why I am ecstatic to have found Deluxe restaurant on White Rock beach. As far as particular dining in the ‘burbs goes, they are the most agreeable upscale dining establishment I have come across. During a recent visit, I was so pleased that I inquired with the manager, Karly, about their philosophy on catering to special diets. Her response:
Vegan Beauty: DIY Night Time Emollient Cream
Vegan Beauty guest post by Jenny Duffy:
I recently overhauled my entire beauty regime, replacing my commercial products with home made ones. I credit most of my recipes to Gillian Deacon’s book, “There’s Lead in Your Lipstick”, which posits that the average woman leaves the house with nearly 127 different chemicals on her skin and hair. Most of these chemicals are toxic or carcinogenic; an alarming fact when you consider that one in three women will develop cancer during their lifetime.
Join me in this short blog series as I share some of my favourite recipes! These recipes are all vegan, all plant-based, and cruelty free.
Julie Beyer’s Versatile White Bean Dip
One of the great things about Julie Beyer’s whole food recipes is their versatility. Many of her recipes can be adapted and combined with other recipes to make delicious and healthy creations. Case in point: her White Bean Dip. Start by making this basic recipe in a big batch, then spice it up with some tasty additions to keep things interesting as you use it in different dishes throughout the week. Yum!
Julie Beyer’s RedLentilDelicious Soup
Not long ago, we had the pleasure of doing Julie Beyer’s Whole Food Challenge, which included devouring some of her amazing (and amazingly good for you) recipes. Her RedLentilDelicious Soup was one of our favourites, and she’s letting us share the recipe with you!
Vegan BBQ Series | Grilled Vegetable Salad, Garden Fresh Herbs and Vegan Beer Sausages
Grilled vegetables are so delicious and easy to prepare. I like them best tossed with kitchen basics such as olive oil, salt and pepper. I don’t actually own a BBQ, but I did find a neat little disposable hibachi at Wonderbucks for $5 (better deal than on the commercial!). I was skeptical, but the saleswoman assured me with her first hand experience of it and gave me some tips for lighting. The ‘Lil “Tail” Gator‘, worked like a charm! No more annoyingly large barbecues at your next tailgate party. 
Veg Fest This Sunday in Vancouver!
This Sunday, June 19th from noon to 8pm, veggie lovers from all over the Lower Mainland will descend upon Main Street and 19th to celebrate all things veggie! Part of the Main Street Car Free Festival (also a super fun event), Veg Fest will feature live music from local artists, yummy vegan food, info from local animal protection organizations (like event organizers Saving Animals Canada) and much more.
This event is FREE and fun for everyone!
The Vegan Project will be there walking around sampling all the goodies, so don’t be shy — say hi!
If you’d like to volunteer at the event, email info@saving-animals.ca.
Vanilla Macaroons from Grounded Nutrition
I wish I could take credit for this absolutely delicious (and healthy) vegan macaroon recipe but alas, due praise goes to Holistic Nutritionist and LIfestyle Coach, Whitney Calibaba from Grounded Nutrition. Grounded Nutrition was created out of Whitney’s desire to inspire the world with her passion for natural living and eating. She strives to restore you to your natural inheritance of a vibrant body, clear mind, and enlivened spirit. Cleansing, rebuilding, and maintaining your body will allow abundant, lifelong wellness.
Thai Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
A long-time supporter (and friend) of The Vegan Project, Krystle Charlton, contributed this next recipe after repeated requests from us to share her amazing dishes we are always seeing on her facebook page. She just made this one up the other night to satisfy her craving for portobello mushrooms and coconut milk. All this amidst an exciting hockey game, and she forgot to take a picture. So I made these last night so I could capture its essence on my iphone and, was very impressed!
So Nice For Coffee | Sponsored Post
So Nice Organic Soy Beverages has launched So Nice For Coffee: a smooth creamer alternative to replace that good ol’ half-n-half.
Bhutanese Red Rice Pilaf
A couple weeks ago, Whole Foods had a sale on red rice, also know as Bhutanese rice, in the bulk section. Although I didn’t know anything about this grain, I love experimenting with unfamiliar ingredients – you never know what you’ll come up with! After some internet research, I came across this recipe, and with a few modifications, I had a delicious vegan side dish full of iron, B-vitamins, fibre and calcium!
Quinoa Burgers
I recently picked up one of my favourite cook books to date, Vegan Diner by Julie Hasson. Fancied up comfort food is my specialty and diners are my weakness, so I snatched this book off the shelf at Chapters and headed to the kitchen to test it out. My first go was this quinoa burger recipe. I don’t make burgers very often, and thought that should change with the summer bbq-ing season not far ahead. I chose this one in lieu of the other two burger recipes in the book (Mushroom Burgers and Brown Rice Hazelnut Burgers) simply because I had all the ingredients on hand.
Butternut Curry with Lentil Flatbread
Fortunately for me, my colon hydrotherapist was running 15 minutes behind last night, so I had to sit in the waiting room and flip through the old naturopathic magazines. I found a recipe for a lentil flatbread, and was inspired by its simplicity, especially since my belly has been giving me grief lately and I’ve found ease with less ingredients in my dishes. There is a ton of fiber in this meal, so if your tubes are a little plugged up, this is a delicious way to get things moving.
Top Chef Serves Up an Equine Challenge
This week’s episode of Top Chef Canada features one contestant preparing horse meat. Not surprisingly this has ignited a powder keg of controversy, and has even resulted in the creation of a Facebook page entitled “Boycott Top Chef- Protect the Horses!”.
Epic Blend Vegan Lip Balm
I just had to share with you this yummy vegan lip balm I came across at Choices last night. I was plum out of portable lip moisturizer to carry around in my wallet and found myself meandering through the cosmetics section at around 10:30pm. I am a person that likes to have lip balm on me at all times. Dry lips make me quiver just thinking about them and I have the toughest time falling asleep without a well moistened bouche. This is possibly a sign of excessive application, though I try to keep it under moderate control. Well, lo and behold there was a new vegan lip balm among the mostly beeswax variety at Choices, and it came in a neat scent – pineapple-mint!
Roasted Beet and Watercress Salad
I was inspired by Jen’s Salad Tips last week and decided I too wanted to make a rockin’ salad. It’s a pretty simple combination of nutrient-rich veggies, but packs quite a punch in terms of flavour, texture and vitamins. I love combining roasted vegetables with fresh greens – it’s a salad party in your mouth! The watercress brings vitamins A and C to the table, the beets bringing even more A and C, along with iron and calcium. All good for you, all delicious.
Do-It-Yourself Veggie Sushi
Who doesn’t love a good sushi date? Sushi restaurants are cheap, quick, and because of the notoriously forgettable service, you’re guaranteed to have lots of time to talk without interruption.
The downfall with sushi restaurants is that there are lots of sacrifices made for that $4.99 vegetable combo. White rice, for starters, is starchy and high glycemic enough on its own before you add all the vinegar and white sugar that makes sushi rice sticky-yummy goodness. The miso soup is almost guaranteed to have remnants of fish sauce/broth (umm, fish from Japan? yikes), which is perhaps a lesser concern than the more than likely msg content (or alternate additives that are basically msg with a name change because msg is so NOT hot right now).
Final Check Out – Jenny Duffy
It has been 212 days since I took on the challenge of eating vegan. It’s been an interesting journey, and I must admit I am better for it. So, how did I do? How did it all turn out?
Lauren Mote’s Best Cauliflower Soup Recipe
Photo courtesy of FoodMedic.com
Although we’ve posted a cauliflower soup recipe in the past, we just couldn’t pass up our good friend Lauren Mote’s version sent to us the other day. Everything she makes is delicious and you can never have too many soup recipes, right?
Fishy Wine? New Law Good News for Strict Vegans
(photo illustration by Cinders McLeod / The Globe and Mail)
According to a recent story in The Globe and Mail, as part of a new Health Canada food and beverage regulation, wine producers will be required to declare if their wines have been processed using fish, egg, milk products, or any other common allergens by summer 2012. Gelatin, sturgeon bladders, egg whites and milk proteins have long been used by high-end producers as clarifying agents in lieu of filtration because the microscopic pores in filter barriers can strip fine wines of the particles that contribute to flavour and longevity.
Butter up with 100% Vegan Shea Butter!
NOW Solutions Shea butter is 100% natural with no animal testing and it’s vegan! Since it contains only one ingredient, using Shea butter allows you to bypass preservatives, dyes, chemical fragrances and the commercial gunk in mainstream body butter moisturizers.
Loaded Veggie Dog
I am not a fan of fake meat, in part because it’s really processed. However, when I’m having an emotional upset that can only be resolved by stuffing my face with a hot dog, I can justify almost anything, except meat of course.
The best veggie dogs I have found (and the only ones that don’t resemble pink styrofoam) are the Yves Bavarian Veggie Sausage. They also don’t make my tummy ache, which is nice. This loaded dog is a somewhat healthy version of your standard pimped-out hot dog. It has some nutrition, but mostly it’s good old fashioned comfort in an organic bun.
Top Ten Ways to Make Salads Rock!
Eating fresh vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your health, and a big salad every day is recommended by western doctors and eastern practitioners alike.
A big salad provides ample nutrients, enzymes and beautifying ingredients…but sometimes, salads can be BORING. So, in order to make salads a celebration instead of an obligation, we’ve compiled a top-ten list of things you can do to make your salads as thrilling as possible.
Chickpea Cakes
The other night I had a hankering for crab cakes, so I embarked on a quest to create crispy, ocean-flavoured cakes using items I already had. It was a success! A combination of chickpeas, ground almonds and a sheet of nori, among a few other ingredients, combined to make delicious, savoury cakes perfect for entertaining.
Totally Radical Pizza with Homemade Sauce
I was watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles the other day and realized how long it’s been since I had a good slice of pizza. So I pulled my sprouted grain tortillas out of the freezer, grabbed a couple juicy tomatoes and got to work on a homemade pizza sauce that I found in raw executive chef Ani Phyo’s ‘Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen’. When it was ready, I warmed it quickly in hopes of preserving all the enzymes. This recipe is raw for the most part, sufficiently filling, and totally righteous!
Our Favourite Vegan Munchies!
Today is April 20th making it the 4th month and the 20th day of the year…you guessed it, 420! This may mean something for some of you or nothing at all, but if it does and you’re celebrating 420 along with countless other loadies this afternoon, you’re gonna need some munchies! Here are our favourite all-time vegan munchies:
World Wide Vegan Bake Sale at Karmavore!
Above: Our Bertie! (And yes, that’s drool)
On April 23 through May 1, groups from across the world will hold vegan bake sales. Each participating group gets to choose its venue, what to sell, and how it uses the proceeds. In 2009, the first year of the event, nearly a hundred groups participated and raised over $25,000 for a variety of causes. In 2010, even more participants, on six continents, raised over $40,000 for their causes.
Vegan Sexytime – Encounter Vegan Lube
Vegans are sexy – there’s no doubt about that. But what do vegans use for dry hump prevention? Not all lubes are vegan.
Creamy Vegan Caesar Salad
I’ve tried a few recipes for vegan caesar dressing, but this one was so good I was dipping everything I could in it. I took a recipe that I used to love, modified it with plant based ingredients, and the result is omnivore-approved to taste like ‘real’ caesar dressing. I churched it up a bit with some cauliflower and Mary’s Crackers for some crispy love. The dressing also doubles as a rocking vegetable dip if you’re into salty.
Slickety Jim’s Chat ‘n’ Chew – Vegan Breakfast in Vancouver
As breakfast connoisseurs, we at The Vegan Project have determined that there are several factors that make for an enjoyable brunch experience.
Spanish Tapas at Home
Above: Marinated Artichoke Salad
As you already know we LOVE Spanish tapas, especially from our favourite Vancouver Spanish Restaurant La Bodega, which Jessica G recently reviewed here. Well, as I was perusing through Taste Magazine available at your local BC Liquor Store, I came across recipes for Patatas Bravas and Mushrooms with Parsley Sauce, the very items we love at La Bodega! Added a quick marinated artichoke salad to the menu and a crusty loaf of bread and we brought the delicious tastes of Spain right into our home.
Aromatic Curried-Chili Fusion
Chili cross-bred with curry…sounds kind of weird hey? This quirky fusion (a PPK remix) initially sounded a bit conflicting, but coconut milk, thai red curry paste and kidney beans in the same ingredient list piqued my playful curiosity. I’m glad I took the chance, because this dish has become a recurring hit, and it is deee-licious.
Classic Cornbread
Another winning PPK recipe, this awesome animal-free version of the Southern staple accompanies a variety of dishes, and has been repeatedly validated with the ‘is this really vegan?!’ suspicion. It’s a perfect accompaniment to theAromatic Curried-Chili with a peppery glass of red.
Sesame Soba Noodle Stir Fry
Talk about alliteration!
I made this the other night for the boy and I, and we loved it! It’s packed full of veggies that, of course are interchangeable, and has a really simple homemade flavour base (I’ve never been a fan of store bought sauces.) I forgot how easy a stir fry can be to make and how it just gets better the more you add. I mixed in a box of Buckwheat Soba noodles because I’m a noodle maniac, but brown or jasmine rice would be lovely as well.
Vancouver Vegan Restaurant – The Wallflower
Well, it’s not necessarily a vegan restaurant, but it sure is vegan-friendly! And being in such close proximity to the residence of the VP’s own Bridget Burns, we sure spend a lot of time at The Wallflower on Main Street in Vancouver. (Bridget’s favourite spot to sit is the corner booth to the right of the front door if you ever feel like stalking her.) Some of the draws to this cute little diner include vegan brunch items (served til 4pm!), vegan pizza and vegan mac and cheese (add cut up vegan weiners to make it a favourite comfort food treat!) In addition to its vegan menu, The Wallflower also offers a selection of gluten-free dishes.
Smoked Tofu and Kale Quesadilla with Daiya Pepperjack Shreds
In case you didn’t already know, Daiya recently released a new flavour of vegan cheese – Pepperjack! We are extremely excited about this! I treaded lightly into my experimentation with this new flavour. I wanted to get a feel for it first and access it’s spiciness factor before going head on into more complicated recipes. The shreds are a bit larger than the cheddar or mozza varieties and i’d rate the spice factor at a 5, maybe 6. Keep in mind though that I like really spicy, burn your tongue kinda spice so…
Green Beaver Lip Shimmer
Just in time for the warmer weather when you don’t want heavy lipstick pigments weighing you down, here’s a light 100% vegan, organic, gluten-free lip balm and lipstick in one. Green Beaver lip shimmer is mineral based, with long lasting moisturizing benefits. Your lips will feel soft, and comfortable with its seed and jojoba oil blend. There is no bees wax or carmine for all the vegan purists out there. This Canadian brand is also biodegradable and homeopathic friendly.
100% Vegan menu fit for a royal wedding!
UPDATE: It was all an April Fool’s joke folks! They got us good this year! Our apologies for getting anyone’s hopes up beside our own. We hope Prince William and Kate Middleton have a beautiful wedding day, vegan or non…I mean, I’m sure there will be vegan options, no? Read the article that put us in our place here.
Missed Julie Beyer on the Radio? Listen here!
In case you missed it the Sunday before last, March 20th, the VP’s Jessica G interviewed Julie Beyer on The Storytelling Show on Vancouver Co-op Radio. They chatted about how Julie found herself studying and using holistic nutrition as a natural healing technique, and how she now teaches others how to incorporate delicious, whole food recipes into their everyday diets. Julie also offered tips on how vegans can ensure they’re getting enough essential nutrients.
Chana Masala with Homemade Roti
This Chana Masala recipe was a combination of different versions I found on the internet blended with my desire to have yummy curried chickpeas in a timely fashion. Perhaps not so timely if you soak and cook your own chickpeas, but so much better for you and full of flavour! I like adding green to everything, so I added peas and spinach, but feel free to add any veggies you want. A leafy green is nice because it wilts in nicely and frozen veggies can be so handy sometimes.
Bistro Broccoli Soup
Soup is such an easy, economical and digestible way to get your vitamins. This soup cooks up in less than 30 minutes with only a few key ingredients, and only has 3.5 grams of fat per serving. The nutritional yeast gives it that ‘cheesy’ flavour while adding extra protein and B-vitamins. Pretty well-rounded if you ask me…definitely a keeper!
100% Vegan Make Up Brushes!
What an innovation! I can’t remember if I’ve ever encountered a 100% vegan, 7-piece brush set before. The brush hair is all synthetic, but still soft and of professional quality, and the handles are made from sustainable bamboo. This versatile brush set from Earthlab Cosmetics, not only has all your main brushes: powder/mineral buffing, blush, lip, shadow and concealer, but also comes in a professional and chic, shiny black patent case.