secret society of vegans

Pants, Shoes, Denim Jacket & Purse- Thrifted; Bowtie- Shop of Worldly Delights; Tee & Buttons- Lava Vegan  

My health food challenge is now complete and I have been eating and living as a vegan for just over a month now, thanks to the support and expertise of Ottawa's own Wellness Warrior! The transition from vegetarian to vegan was easier than I thought, having previously coated everything with excessive amounts of cheese! I've had a slight intolerance to dairy products since I was a child, so I noticed that my stomach felt much better these past 30 days and I was able to digest food more easily.  I am very excited to continue with this whole foods, plant based diet as not only is it super healthy (when done properly), it also removes a dependency on factory farming and is kinder to the environment & animals (my original motive for becoming a vegetarian a few years ago was for animal rights reasons). 

Everyone always asks "what does a vegan eat" and assume it's mostly boring salads but I can assure you it's anything but.  Here are just a few of the dishes I created during the challenge (oh yeah, another great thing about this diet change was having to be more creative in the kitchen so I now enjoy cooking and eating food that is homemade, healthy and tastes great!)

{Lemon & raspberry cupcakes}

{Homemade pizza crust with baked veggies & nutritional yeast 'cheese' sauce}

{Cornmeal crusted spicy tofu & a fresh garden salad}

{Homemade black bean guacamole with veggie chips}

{Protein salad with marinated tofu & homemade orange juice, hemp hearts and miso dressing}

{Maple marinated tempeh soft tacos with Laura's homemade mango pico de gallo}

{Bananas, dark chocolate chips and hemp hearts muffins}

{Smoky tempeh baguette with edamame hummus, served with organic veggies & fruits}

"The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." -Darwin

black bean & avocado salad

I'm not a cook and even microwaving a bag of popcorn used to cause me kitchen anxiety but after taking a few vegetarian cooking classes at Credible Edibles (Green Cuisine; Vegan Easter Feast & Cooking with Chocolate), I'm starting to relax and realize that cooking is less about perfection and more about creativity.  Here is a fresh and easy black bean & avocado salad recipe I found in a thrifted cookbook that would be perfect with a pitcher of sangria and a good book on a hot summer's day!

{Adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook}

Prep time: 15 mins + overnight soaking

Total cooking time: 1.5 hours

Serves: 4

Salad 

250g (8oz) dried black beans

1 red onion, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

375g (12oz) canned corn kernels, drained

90g (3oz) fresh coriander (I used cilantro instead), roughly chopped

2 avocados, peeled and chopped

1 mango, peeled and chopped

150g (4.75oz) rocket leaves

Dressing

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 small red chili, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil 
Salt and pepper to taste

(I also added approx 1/2 cup of salsa for more colour and flavour)

1. Soak the beans in cold water overnight.  Rinse; drain.  Place the beans into a large heavy-based pan, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours, or until tender.  Drain and cool slightly.

2. Place the beans, onion, tomatoes, pepper, corn, coriander/cilantro, avocado, mango and rocket into a large bowl and toss to combine.

3. To make dressing- place all ingredients in a bowl, whisk, pour over the salad and serve.  (I poured salsa over the salad afterwards for some added zestiness!)

You know what else black beans are delicious in? Black bean brownies! I know what you're thinking but honestly this sugar free, vegan dessert (that I learned how to bake at Credible Edibles) is divine- I will share this recipe with you soon!

Jeans, Jacket, Jeans, Shoes, Ring, Belt & Scarf- Thrifted; Top- Swapped; Nail Polish- Flirt by Revlon

And even though I'm well on my way to becoming a domestic goddess (ha!) I forgo the apron for a coral jacket and flight attendant-esque scarf when I'm cooking up a storm!

diamond on a landmine

T-shirt- Billy Talent concert; Tights- Forever 21; Heels, Cardigan & Necklace-Swapped

I usually dress in girly clothing with feminine silhouettes but sometimes I get the craving for a rock and roll ensemble that's a  little rough around the edges (now that being said my definition of rock & roll is most likely different than most- I still like to incorporate a pair of heels and some cute jewellery into the mix!) My weekend getaway to Montreal provided me with the perfect excuse to participate in Inspiration Monday, copying the grunge-chic style of Drew Barrymore.

 

{Billy Talent is one of my favourite Canadian bands and I've had the privilege of seeing them perform live- what an unforgettable concert!}

After bidding adieu et bon voyage to my sister on Friday (I miss her already!), my man and I drove 2 hours to Canada's most European influenced cities, Montreal, Quebec.  We stayed at a funky hotel, danced the night away with some old and new friends, indulged in bottle service (and suffered the consequences the following day) , watched a lot of hotel room tv and ate the best guacamole I've ever experienced at a cute little resto called Tequila Taco.  Sometimes a couple of nights away is all it takes to unwind from the stresses of everyday life.

Whether you have the luxury of going away for the weekend or you treat yourself to a staycation, make sure to find time for some rest & relaxation because life is hectic!

truffle treats

Want to know how these ingredients...

...transform into truffles? Check out my guest blog post today over at A New View 365!
 

mango-lime cupcakes

The boy and I do not enjoy cooking.  Which means that 6/7 days of the week we go out to eat, order in or pick up ready made meals at our local grocery store.  This is an expensive and unhealthy habit that we are trying to break.  The boy has been away in Arizona for work the past few days so I had no choice but to go to the grocery store, pick up a few ingredients and make a veggie lasagna with ground round, spinach, ricotta cheese and lots of mozza.  And you know what- it wasn't half bad!

As a coming home present I decided to whip up a batch of mango-lime cupcakes from my Betty Crocker cupcake book.  If it was up to me, I'd only eat chocolate cupcakes but the boy likes fruit so I thought it would be a loving compromise.  I love watching shows like Cupcake Girls, DC Cupcakes and Cupcake Wars and always toy with the idea of taking cupcake classes so that I too may master the art of cupcake baking and decorating.  But since Le Cordon Bleu classes will run you a few hundred for a couple of hours, my Betty Crocker cookbook and 'I Kiss Better than I Cook' apron will have to do for now.

Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350 F.  Place baking cups inside of muffin cups.  In small bowl mix 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp salt.  Set aside.  In medium bowl beat 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/3 cup granulated sugar with tlectric mixer on medium speed for 1 min.  On low speed add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Alternately add flour mixture and 1/3 cup milk, beating after each addition until smooth.  Beat in 1 tsp lime peel.  Stir in mango.  Divide batter evenly among baking cups.  Bake 12 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for 30 mins.

 

Icing: In medium bowl, beat 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter; 2 cups icing sugar; 1/2 tsp grated lime peel and 2 tbsp fresh lime juice with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Ice cupcakes and decorate with grated lime peel.

Polka Dotted Busy Bee

I tend to cram my weekends with activities so that I am never bored.  The boy finds this stressful and would rather relax on the couch, but I get antsy if I'm sitting for too long.  Last night we saw two plays at the Great Canadian Theatre Company as part of a theatre festival and conversed over drinks at Absinthe.  Today I had an eye appointment and bought a new pair of Gucci glasses (they are fabulous, I can't wait to debut them!)  We then bought cupcakes at Isobel's and a birthday gift for his 10 year old nephew.  A good friend just visited and now we are off another friend's house for an evening of wine, laughter and boardgames with two other couples.  Tomorrow is the nephew's birthday party and then dinner and movie night with a good friend.  Not much down time which is just the way I like it- I am paid to sit and stare at a computer screen for 40 hours a week so on my off time I like to be anything but restful.

Dress- Gifted; Blouse- Topshop; Necklace- Aldo; Rings-Gifted; Tights-Primark UK; Shooties- Charlotte Russe; Nail Polish- Stormy by Rimmel

Do you like to lay low or keep it moving on the weekends?

Cook, Eat and be Merry

Recently the boy and I had a date night at the highly recommended restaurant Zen Kitchen in Ottawa's Chinatown.  Ottawa does not have very many romantic veggie restaurants, most are cafeteria style pay by weight joints.  So when we entered this cozy and esthetically pleasing space, I knew that I had found our special place.  And that was before the food even touched my stomach.  Not one for the unknown, I let the boy talk me into ordering the chef's surprise- a four course meal paired with wine.  Little did I know that I was about to experience the best culinary orgasm of my life!  The food was so delicious, that I recorded the names of each course and its perfectly paired wine.  I even ordered the chenin blanc from Vineland Estates as a Christmas gift for the boy.  If you're in Ottawa than this is a food lover's dream that you can't afford to miss.  And if I can get the boy who is a self-professed meatatarian, to not only eat but love the food, than you are in for a treat!

Dress- Dynamite; Necklace- Swarovski

The first course-raw lasagna (with zucchini, tomatoes, fermented nut cheese, pesto and balsamic vinaigrette) paired with a sparking wine from Niagara on the Lake

The second course- vegetarian gumbo soup (with fermented nut cheese and pesto) and chenin blanc 2008 from Vineland Estates

The third course- pank encrusted pita (with marinated vegetables and blueberry sauce) with red sauvignon from Angel's Vinery

The fourth course- bourbon soaked apples and strawberries (in a phyllo pastry with homemade whipped cream) paired with Stratus ice wine

Now on to my cooking... I decided to whip up a four course meal of my own (make that five) to test out my culinary abilities.  They paled in compairison to the Zen Kitchen but for a novice, not bad not bad at all! I made the boy's favourite meals and added a quinoa salad in there for protein.

Chinese broccoli- recipe here

Vietnamese Hot & Sour Tofu Soup- recipe here (eliminated the pineapple)

Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon for the boy- recipe here

Moroccan Quinoa Salad (from a veggie cooking class)- similar recipe here (I used dried apricots and a spicy yogourt dressing)

Deep Fried Bananas with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla ice cream - similar recipe here

How can something so delicious be so unhealthy? (the copious amounts of oil that's how!)

And this is why I generally avoid the kitchen- mess galore (I always manage to get something food related on the walls and floors)

Plus I tend to break things- like this X-Mas gift from my Dad (sorry!)

I hope you're not salvitating all over your keyboard now! Bon appetite!