The Lunch "meat" Sammich

I don't know what it is but sometimes I crave those old meat classics.  I always liked the taste of meat but I can't stand the thought of where it came from.  It's why I love making a Tofurky on special occasions or adding veg chicken to a jambalaya.  Although I was never big on lunch meat, one day out of the blue it seemed to call to me.  So instead of consuming something that went against my morals I built a vegan version instead.  My husband loved me for it!  He was a meat and potatoes kind of guy so I was shocked and delighted when he first decided to become vegetarian and then went on to be full vegan with me.  That being said he loves when I make the vegan version of all of his old favourites like lasagne and Shepherd's Pie.  It's great that the vegan section in grocery stores is forever growing.  Years ago making something like this sandwich would have never been possible!

To make a Lunch "meat" Sammich:

Ingredients

• Whole wheat bread
• Tofurky deli slices (they come in a variety of flavours which I sometimes mix together)
• Tofutti cheese slices
• Vegannaise 
• And toppings of your choice - mustard, relish, pickles etc.

Assembly

I'm going to assume you know how to put together a sandwich - if I walk you through it I'd feel like I was making fun of you!

We don't make these all of the time - after all everything that goes in to them is heavily processed - but they're a great way to satisfy a craving and stay plant friendly!

Vegging for Valentine's Day!

Hubby and I never make a huge deal out of Valentine's Day.  I think we both know that it's a holiday created by card companies to make a few extra bucks.  That doesn't mean that I'm not a complete romantic though!  Hubby had two dozen of the most beautiful red roses delivered to my work around lunchtime which was a nice surprise!  For dinner we always stay in and watch a movie, ordering takeout.  This year we ordered from our favourite local vegetarian restaurant - The Jasmine Garden and the meal didn't disappoint! We got our chocolate fix too, enjoying one of the best slices of vegan chocolate cake ever made!  Best of all....leftovers!  We enjoyed our meal accompanied by some tasty red wine and a good snuggle on the couch with a romantic movie!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Christmas in the Mountains!

The view from our balcony Christmas Eve morning.

This past Christmas was one to remember - my in-laws flew my husband, me and his brother out to Whistler, B.C. to spend a week in the mountains!  They had been down there a few years ago and thought it would be the perfect place to spend Christmas amidst lots of snow and beautiful scenery.

Stopping for coffee and a quick photo on our drive through the mountains.

We departed early in the morning, shuttled to the airport in a limo (what a surprise when there was a knock on the door at 4am and a limo waiting in the driveway!) where we boarded our flight for 7am.  It was a beautiful clear and sunny day when we arrived in Vancouver which provided a spectacular view of the mountains on the drive up to Whistler.

Hubby & I Christmas Eve.

Situated in Creekside, our resort was gorgeous!  We had a 3 bedroom suite complete with a kitchen, dining area and living room with a beautiful fireplace.  Our floors in our bathrooms were even heated!  Our rooms had a balcony overlooking the mountain and was a complete ski-in with the gondola a minute from our room.

Snowboarding down Whistler Mountain.

We spent the next few days snowboarding through the mountains and the nights drinking too much and watching Christmas movies by the fire.  I hadn't been snowboarding in years and had been hesitant on going because of the pain I still have off and on from the car accident.  In the end though, we were in the most beautiful place and major ski-capital of Canada, how could I not?!

Christmas morning - check out that view!

The second half of our trip involved a lot of snow.  Back here in the Toronto area I would classify it as a 3-day blizzard but out there it was nothing.  The hills were still packed!  Our last day of passes and I still hadn't done the Peak2Peak 1km gondola ride from the top of Whistler to Blackcomb.  Apparently it provides a spectacular view but we saw nothing but snow!  The gondola ride back to Whistler Village also stopped off an on the entire way down as it got windier and the snow got worse.

Doing Peak2Peak from Whistler to Blackcomb in a blizzard!

We spent our final day out shopping in Whistler Village amidst yet another snowstorm!  After browsing the shops and picking up a few things here and there, we enjoyed a yummy lunch at Earls where Hubby made off with a Kokanee glass - a souvenir from a fantastic trip! 

Yummy Starbucks in Whistler Village!

Butter Chick'n

I love shopping online for books but sometimes I don't know what I want!  While looking for some new cookbooks, Amazon recommended 'The Vegan Slow Cooker' by Kathy Hester.  I can't begin to tell you how excited I was!  We had gotten a slow cooker as a wedding gift but I'd never used it because the only things I knew you could cook in it revolved around meat!

When the book arrived a few weeks later I couldn't wait to try out the recipes.  I flipped through and found one I was instantly interested in - Butter Chick'n.  I had tried a few different recipes for mock Butter Chicken but wasn't impressed with any of them!  This one seemed simple enough and sounded delicious so I decided to give it a go.  That was 3 weeks ago and I've made it 3 times already (doubling the batch for leftovers).  I even made it for our closest friends who also couldn't believe how delicious it was!  I've tried a few other recipes we really liked but this one is still my favourite!

If you're looking for a last minute gift for a veg friend then try this book!  I'm so happy to finally be getting use out of my slow cooker and it's great to come home to delicious meals hot and ready for you after a long day at work!

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

My hubby's new favourite treat, we first tried these out around Halloween time when the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup commercial's kept taunting us.  Hubby and I have always had a soft spot for sweets, especially those revolving around peanut butter and chocolate!  After a few tries and a few small changes to the original recipe we got off The Kind Life website, we've finally perfected it to our liking!  Be careful, these are incredibly addicting!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of vegan margarine
3/4 cup of crunchy or smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of soymilk
1 cup of non-dairy chocolate chips
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:
Line a 12 cup muffin sheet with liners
Melt the margarine in a saucepan over medium heat
Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs and sugar until it's well mixed (I remove from heat because I was finding the ingredients would burn if I left them on while combining and mixing)
Put over heat and continue to stir for a minute more so that everything is well melted
Evenly divide the mixture between muffin cups (a few scoops per cup)
Combine the chocolate in milk in another saucepan (or clean out and re-use your first one)
Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted
Evenly distribute over the peanut butter mixture and sprinkle on the chopped nuts
Place in the refrigerator and for best results let them set overnight

We've tried them with both the soft and crunchy peanut butter.  Hubby loves them either way although I love them with the added crunch.  Both work well and are completely delicious!

Toasted Naan With Black Bean Dip

One of our absolute favourites is this delicious and nutritious bean dip.  Eat it with nacho chips, crackers or our favourite - naan, and enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 can of black beans (drained)
1 cup of spinach (raw)
3/4 cup of salsa
1 tsp. of Cumin
2-3 tbsp. of ground flax seeds (optional)
A pinch of salt

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a food processor and process on high for about 2 minutes or until everything is well blended.

In the meantime put slices of naan on a cookie sheet and cook for about 5 minutes at 375F.  Check regularly and remove when slightly toasted, then use a pizza cutter to cut into small triangles.

Hearty Homemade Vegetable Soup

 It's that time of year again where the nights are getting colder, the sky is getting gloomier and the days are shorter.  This time of year always seems to be when I start craving my Mom's homemade soup.  Last year I asked her how she makes hers since it's always so delicious!  I've since made it my own by adding some variations to it but the great thing about soup is you can always substitute, subtract or add what you'd like and it still comes out delicious!


Ingredients:
1 celery stalk finely chopped
2-3 containers of vegetable broth
1/4 cup of onion finely chopped
1 small carrot finely chopped
1 can of lentils or 1/2 cup of cooked rice (optional)
1 can of spicy red pepper diced tomatoes or 2 fresh tomatoes finally diced
Spices (I use a few shakes of each)
2-3 bay leaves
Small amount of garlic
Red wine (optional)
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:
Start by sauteing the onion with a little bit of vegetable oil in your largest cooking pot until they become clear.  Add a spoonful of minced garlic and the spices you like (I usually use a few shakes of parsley, basil, sage and oregano).  Next add the celery and carrots along with the bay leaves and a splash of red wine if you have it.  Continue to saute until the celery and carrots seem to have softened up and add your can of diced tomatoes.  I love the spicy diced tomatoes because they add a light heat to the soup.  Let this simmer together to get the flavours mixing for about 5-10 minutes.  Next add your lentils or rice if you wish and finally the vegetable broth.  Turn up the heat to high and bring to a boil, partially covered.  Then turn the heat to low and let everything simmer for about an hour.  Leave the bay leaves in the soup for the added flavour but don't eat them!

Personally I love to make this soup in the evening, then let it sit overnight so the flavours really absorb one another before eating it.  My Mom never made it with lentils but I started adding them instead of the rice because they're good for us vegans!  As well I use more vegetable broth then she does because I like having less in my soup and more broth where she prefers it being thick and chunky, so again there are so many variations you can try!