Barbara's Fig Bars are Delicious!

I love me a fig newton any day anyhow (will have to try and make my own soon). These taste exactly like the ones from my childhood, the ones that weren't very healthy but were totally delicious, only these are healthy AND totally delicious! Sweetened naturally with fruit juice and low in fat, I wouldn't recommend pounding them back (like I'm trying not to - losing battle!) but they are a fabulous snack to go along with tea or coffee or just on their own. Glad I picked these babies up. Will be getting them again and again and again. There are different kinds too, I chose blueberry because I love them too. Two of the things I love in one place. I know they also have a whole wheat variety.

Vegan Chocolate Spice Cookies

This recipe is absolutely delicious. Like a soft, vaguely chocolatey, gingerbread, it's perfect for the holidays. The recipe is completely vegan: dairy free, egg free, and nut free. You can play around a bit with the spice mix according to your own taste.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups + 1 tbsp Flour (I used all-purp)

1 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Nutmeg *I don't like Nutmeg, see Adventures in Pumpkin bread, so I just put in a pinch

1 (rounded) tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 cup Vegan Margarine (I used Becel).

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Molasses *I didn't have molasses so I substituted 1/4 cup + 2 tbsps pure Maple Syrup

1 tsp Baking Soda dissolved in 1 1/2 tsp Boiling Water

1/4 cup sugar mixture set aside (1 part brown sugar, one part cane sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon)

Directions:

1. Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa, in a small bowl.
2. Beat together margarine and brown sugar (I used a hand mixer). Add the molasses or maple syrup and mix well. Add half of the flour and the baking soda/water mixture and combine well. Then add the rest of the flour.
3. Chill cookie dough covered for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
4. Spoon dough into 1 1/2 in balls (I used a melon baller) and roll in sugar mixture
5. Bake 13-15 minutes (I baked for 13, checked at 10)

To see the original recipe please click here. I made adjustments based on what I had in the house, like subbing the molasses for maple syrup, and I also added more margarine and a little extra maple syrup because after following all the directions I found my cookie dough to be too dry and mealy and in need of more moist/liquid ingredients to help it get to the right texture.

Experiments in Pumpkin Cake

I've been craving something seasonal for a while now, something warm and spicy to ward off the damp and cold. This recipe jumped out at me immediately, begging to be baked. The result is a remarkably light, soft, (albeit crumbly) cake with a sweet and slightly chewy crust. It's tastes and smells exactly like a pumpkin pie would, only it has the texture more of a banana bread. I can't help but smile when eating it!

I don't know if you've noticed it already, but if you take a closer look at the photo of my finished product you'll see that my pumpkin cake looks a bit like it exploded; I made the mistake of overloading my loaf tin. I should have opted for baking two smaller loaves instead, but I truly didn't anticipate it rising as much as it did, and boy did it ever! I've found that a lot of my vegan recipes result in cakes/cookies/breads -all yummy but - without much volume. All except this one, I guess. For some reason the sky was the limit for this one! It really erupted! So when in doubt opt for two, or reserve some of the batter to be baked at a later date (this may not be an issue at all if you're using the actual 8x8 baking sheet the recipe suggests).

I'll also admit that my dry ingredients could have been mixed better. I don't own a sifter (yet!), but if you do I strongly urge you to use it! I am going to get one before trying this recipe again because I got an unfortunate bite of too much nutmeg which I perceived as quite sour and unpleasant. Cinnamon really is the fairer sister, although that's just my opinion. Maybe you all like a mouthful of nutmeg - you're perfectly entitled.

Anyway, I did the best I could with what I had available, and I still consider it a big success. I've already eaten three pieces since I baked it this afternoon, and it also has my husband's stamp of approval, and that means a lot because he's fussy...

Ingredients:

Brown Sugar, 1 cup

Vegetable Oil, 1/2 cup

Maple Syrup, 1/2 cup

(Real) Vanilla Extract, 1 tsp

Flour, 2 1/2 cups (I used All-Purpose)

Baking Soda, 1 tsp

Baking Powder, 1 tsp

Cinnamon, 1 tsp

Ground Cloves, 1 tsp

Ginger, 1/2 tsp

Nutmeg, 1/2 tsp

Salt, 1/2 tsp

1 (15 ounce) can Pumpkin Purée (or 2 cups fresh Pumpkin, cooked and mashed)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Grease 8x8 baking pan, line bottom with wax paper (I used a loaf pan but filled it too much, made enough batter for two loaf pans)
3. Place sugar, oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl, whisk together until sugar is dissolved
4. In a separate bowl SIFT (for the love of God! Sift!) together dry ingredients including spices
5. In small alternating portions mix the pumpkin and dry mixture into the wet ingredients *beginning with flour and ending with flour (batter became very thick, I had to use a hand mixer to get it smooth)
6. Spread the batter into prepared pan
7. Bake 55 minutes to an hour until it passes the toothpick test (since I overloaded my loaf pan it actually took almost another 20 minutes to pass the test)
8. Once it's cooled a little, turn out onto rack and allow to cool further. Sneak a piece of the heel while it's still warm and EAT IT!

You can see the original recipe HERE

Vegan (ish) Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this super easy recipe on 101cookbooks.com. I had a craving for peanut butter cookies and chocolate too, so I thought Why not combine the two? I had never had a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie before, but now I have and I adore them. It's the Reese's Pieces of the cookie world. The cookies themselves have a great texture and aren't too sweet, and the chocolate is ooey-gooey like it should be. I'll admit that this recipe IS vegan, however mine aren't entirely because I used regular chocolate chips. If you have vegan chocolate chips then this recipe remains dairy and egg free. I chose to make mine tiny for easy consumption, and in a vain attempt at not feeling guilty for wolfing them down. Warning: you WILL want to wolf them down! Be prepared. The dough is very thick and hard to handle so I used a small melon baller to finagle in onto the baking sheet.

(As I'm writing this my husband dashes into the room and snitches a handful off the cooling rack, and he doesn't even really like peanut butter cookies, having asked me earlier to make plain chocolate chip instead. They're just THAT good!)

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, Spelt Flour or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (I used all-purp)

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 tsp Fine Grain Sea Salt

1 cup Organic Chunky Natural Peanut Butter (recipe calls for chunky but I used smooth and it was fine)

1 cup Maple Syrup

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 tsps Vanilla Extract

3/4 cup Chocolate Chips, or to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl
3. Combine wet ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
4. Once wet ingredients are mixed smooth, incorporate dry ingredients. Stir until barely combined, mixture will be a little dusty.
5. Let sit for five minutes and them mix again, only once or twice. Fold in chocolate chips until they are more or less evenly distributed
6. Cover a baking sheet in parchment paper (I sprayed non-stick onto the baking sheet to stick the parchment paper down, and then on the paper too - I'm paranoid about sticking)
7. Apply dough to baking sheet anyway you like. You can make bigger cookies, or smaller ones like mine (I used a melon baller and then pressed down on each gently with the back of a small fork. If you want to do the traditional full criss-cross the recipe warns you to cool your dough first, for about an hour, otherwise it'll be too gluey and won't work)
8. Bake for 10 - 11 minutes
9. Eat one before it's fully cooled, getting chocolate all over your fingers (<-- the most important step!)

To see the original recipe, or to browse others please check out www.101cookbooks.com

'Olive Garden' Minestrone Soup

This is my favourite soup recipe, and it's vegan too, although I think by coincidence not by design. It's perfect for lunches or for dinner on cold nights or to cure a cold. As a veggie, it's my go-to rather than the traditional chicken noodle. It's also packed with vegetables and tons of protein.

The recipe I'm including is for 8 servings and can be cooked on the stove top. I always double the recipe and cook it in my giant crock pot. It stores very well, although better if the noodles are cooked and incorporated separately (otherwise once reserved or frozen in portions the soup will because overly starchy).

'Olive Garden Minestrone Soup:

Ingredients:

2 tbsps Olive Oil

1/2 cup (White) Onion, minced

1/4 cup Zucchini, chopped

1/4 cup Frozen Cut Italian Green Beans (I used fresh)

1/4 cup Celery, minced (about 1/2 stalk)

2 tsps Garlic, minced (about 2 cloves)

4 cups Vegetable Stock (I use Knorr powder, but any kind will do)

1 (15 ounce) can Red Kidney Beans, drained

1 (15 ounce) can Small White Beans or Great Northern Beans, drained

1/2 (14 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes

1/2 cup Carrots. julienned or shredded

2 tbsps Fresh Parsley, minced

1 tsp Dried Oregano

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Dried Basil

1/4 tsp Dried Thyme

1 1/2 cups Hot Water

3 cups Fresh Baby Spinach

1/3 cup small shell pasta

Directions:

1. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat in a large pot.
2. Sauté onion, celery, garlic, green beans and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
3. Add vegetable stock, drained tomatoes, beans, carrots, hot water and spices.
4. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes
5. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 2o minutes or until it reaches desired consistency.

*If you are cooking it in a crockpot it'll cook over a lower heat but for multiple hours. I added all the ingredients together and then raised it to a simmer and let it cook like that for 5 or 6 hours, stirring only occasionally. You really don't need to babysit it too much.

Outrageous Vegan Banana Bread

I made this delicious vegan banana bread recipe on Wednesday afternoon and there's hardly any of it left. I have to actively try not to scarf it down when I'm left alone with it during the day. The recipe yields a banana bread with a more moist cake-like texture, and a sweet crispy/chewy crust.

The recipe is easy to put together, with only ten minutes of prep time, although a warning: the batter is very thick and gloopy. I wasn't strong enough to mix it by hand so I used an electric hand mixter to get the batter as smooth as it'll get.

I also think mine could have baked for another five minutes or so, but it was fine anyway, it passed the toothpick test. I think it's because I added more banana's than the recipe originally called for. My overripe bananas, that I'd been saving especially for this, where very small organic bananas, so even though I used six like the recipe required I didn't end up with enough wet product to fully mix into the dry product. So I eyeballed it and added another two larger bananas and that seemed to work out well.

I'll pretty much do anything for a good banana bread, I was raised on my grandmother's and have since experimented with store bought and husband-baked, and so far this is the best! I might even try adding chocolate chips in next time (it will remain vegan if they are vegan carob nips or other dairy-free options, might also be nice with crushed walnuts).

Vegan Banana Bread

Ingredients:

6 Medium Bananas, mashed (eyeball it if you don't have enough)

1 cup Sugar (I used organic unrefined cane sugar)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract (make sure it's real vanilla and not just vanilla flavouring)

2 cups Flour (I used unbleached all purpose)

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

Cinnamon - to taste (I used two generous pinches)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix together bananas, sugar and vanilla
3. Add dry ingredients and mix together until blended (I couldn't do it by hand, you might want to try some sort of electric mixer)
4. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish or a loaf pan (I used a loaf pan)
5. Bake for 1 hour or slightly longer until it passes the toothpick test (toothpick once inserted must come out clean)
6. Allow it to cool before turning out on a cooling rack.
7. Enjoy a warm piece of perfection!

To see the original recipe please click HERE

Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

I have finally found a delicious vegan chocolate cake recipe amazingly similar to my grandmother's trademark chocolate cake. I found the recipe while searching 'vegan' on Food.com. My grandmother originally clipped her recipe out of a magazine and started baking it regularly when my cousin developed a milk allergy when she was a child. I had no idea it was completely vegan until I was older. Up until I got married and moved away, she baked it as my birthday cake every year. This recipe does includes directions for icing, which I didn't do as I'm not a huge icing fan (the picture above is my finished product, my deliciously naked cake).

Part of what I love about this recipe and my grandmother's recipe is that the cake comes out very rich and moist without being too heavy.

I can't wait for dessert time this evening when I'll be able to show off my accomplishment to my vegan-naysayer of a husband!

For the cake:

Dry:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar (I used cane sugar)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Wet:

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used pure vanilla, not artificial)

1 tablespoon vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup cold water

For the frosting:

2 tablespoons earth balance butter (or other vegan margarine/butter)

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cups cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons water

Directions:

For the cake:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
3. Make a well in the centre and add wet ingredients
4. Stir until mixture batter is smooth
5. Pour into greased 9X9 baking dish*
6. Bake for 30 minutes**

For the frosting;

1. Cream the 'butter' in a bowl
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to make a thick but spreadable frosting.

* I used a 7X11 baking dish and it was fine, if a little thin. You can also use a cupcake pan, it will make 8 cupcakes.

** After 30 minutes it should pass the tooth pick test, tooth pick should come out clean. If not cook for longer in 5 minute increments to not over do it. My cake cooked perfectly in 30 minutes, but I know everybody's stove is different.

To see the original recipe please click HERE.

Happy cake baking!

Sensible Portions' Snacks: Veggie Straws

The Sensible Portions' Veggie Straws Original flavour are a healthier snack option that are actually very delicious! I'm eating them as I write this *munch munch munch*. They are very crunchy, light and hollow like a straw on the inside (kind of obvious, right?) with a very mild flavour.

Sensible Portions also have Potato Straws in Rosemary and Olive Oil and Salt and Vinegar flavours, and Apple Straws in Original Cinnamon flavour.

The Veggie Straws packaging boasts: No Artificial Ingredients, 0 Trans Fat, Cholesterol Free, No Preservatives.

Veggie Straws (Original) Ingredients: Potato flour (potato flakes, potato starch), sunflower oil, corn starch, tomato puree, spinach powder, salt, sugar, turmeric.

*For those who may be allergic please be warned that Sensible Portions products MAY CONTAIN MILK, SOY AND WHEAT. Please make sure to read the ingredients before consuming any new food products.

Per 68 straws (50g) - the ideal 'portion' - there are 240 calories, 13g of fat (0 trans fat, 0 cholesterol), 520mg sodium, 30g carbohydrates: 1g fibre, (0g sugar): 1g protein.

To see other Sensible Portion products please check out their website at http://www.sensibleportions.com

Vegan 'Nutella' Recipe

One thing I really miss is Nutella. There is a super soft squishy place in my heart for overly sugary not nearly as nutritious as it claims hazelnut spread, and it is extremely hard for me to fight off the cravings - especially when my husband sneaks it into the house. Even though it is on a shelf above my head, it is as if I can sense its presence there. Then I indulge and end up regretting it. "Enough is enough!" I said to myself. There has to be an attainable substitute that I can eat! Has to be, has to be! And there is! Actually there are several, but many require that you roast and hand-peel and kill your blender blending your own hazelnuts. I don't have the energy for such an undertaking (however, if someone else wanted to make me a chocolate hazelnut spread with freshly blended hazelnuts I wouldn't object!) so I found one that uses pre-fab hazelnut butter as it's base. For the original recipe, please see Seitan is my Motor.

I worked around what I had in the house at the time to make a chocolate hazelnut spread that I think tastes like a combination of a Bueno bar and the Mayan Chocolate Häagen-Dazs flavor ice cream. With my changes, the recipe looks something like this:

Per 1/2 cup hazelnut butter (the all-natural, no preservatives kind):

• 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder, to taste (I used Fry's Premium Cocoa)
• 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (you can also make a simple syrup with unrefined cane sugar or use agave nectar or honey)
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (for richness and depth)
• 2-3 tablespoons rice milk

You can also add a pinch of salt for a more salty/sweet combination. If your hazelnut butter is not very oily, you can add a little bit of oil to help it stay spreadable. The recipe I followed suggested Canola oil. You can really play around with the ingredients to make it individual to your taste. It is good hot or cold, and is actually nutritious enough to be a believable breakfast item, and delicious enough to amaze you every time you eat it.

I make it in very small batches so I don't just sit there with a bucket and a spoon and go to town. Good luck experimenting! Next time I may try spicing it with chili to give it a bit of a kick!

Apologies, this blog post is unedited because life is kicking my butt.

Special thanks to author of blog Seitan is my Motor. Your recipes warm my heart.

Saturday Brunch

Went out for brunch with a good (coincedentally, vegan) friend of mine. She suggested this place: Fresh. It was an amazing experience. I have never had vegan food verging on the gourmet level; normally I am not inclined to spend 20$+ per meal, but this was worth every penny. It was so relaxing for me to walk into a restaurant and know that pretty much anything on the menu I can eat. Their staff are also super helpful, polite, and accomodating. They seem more than willing to subtract and make substitutions to fit their customers more individual needs.

Even though we both went in ar

ound breakfast time, we were both quickly lured away from the tinier 'brunchfast' menu (although next time I have sworn to go back for their vegan pancakes with organic dark maple syrup) towards the fairly large, extremely appetizing, completely digestible regular menu. We both ended up getting veggie burgers, mine a mushroom and onion burger, hers a BBQ onion ring burger (I know, imagine! Still vegan!) That is one thing I really want to mention, because we both agreed they were probably the star of the brunch. I love onion rings, and until last Saturday I hadn't had an onion ring in over two years at least. These giant onion rings (coupled with the amazing garlicky vegan house mayonnaise) are

some of the best onion rings I have ever had. The inside onion is soft and sweet, and the outside crust of crushed quinoa managed to retain a remarkable amount of crispness during whatever healthier frying option they opted for. Crushed quinoa crust, what a revelation! I would never have im

agined the combination could work so well, or even

resemble an onion ring, let alone be incredible tasty. They are healthy and filling, and a good cheaper option for a quick vegan lunch. We also sampled an order of their sweet potato fries (with the same house mayo) which were an easy runner up. And I would be amiss if I didn't fondly mention my tiny expensive glass of fresh watermelon juice. Absolutely delicious.

As for my burger, and I won't speak for hers (although

I know it was a bit messy, she had a tough time wrestling it into her mouth), when I order a veggie burger what I really, really want is something that reminds me of the burgers I used to eat, a patty with the same flavors and texture of a beef patty (a good example, the Lick's Nature Burger patties) . Mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise. I am a traditionalist when it comes to my veggie burgers; I desperately want that food memory to live on, and when it's not delivered, no matter how good the dish is, I leave slightly disappointed. This was unfortunately one of the more disappointing ones. It was a more literal 'vegetable' 'patty', a patty made up of identifiable vegetables. First of all

I find their texture doesn't hold up as well in a burger setting; they tend to be drier and crumblier. Second of all, this time in particular, the Mediterranean style seasonings inside the patty overwhelmed what was su

pposed to be a more traditional mushroom and onion burger. Also, the veggie cheese? Do NOT get the veggie cheese. It's expensive and they promote it and say it is "comparable" BUT IT IS NOT. It is nothing like

cheese, chalky and bland, and it doesn't melt when confronted with the high temperatures within a burger.

Even though the main course was a bit of a let down, I would gladly try this restaurant again, and again! My lovely friend and I already have plans to go together once a month, determined to try something new every time. I have already made a promise, next time pancakes! Dark maple syrup! Heaven.

if you are local, this is where it is:

Apologies, this post is unedited.

Sweets from the Earth, Spiced Carrot Cake

I was first introduced to Sweets from the Earth's cakes at my wonderful aunt's house. My parents were in from out of town and we had all gathered there for dinner (my aunt and uncle's house is bigger, so they normally stay there) and she bought two of these for me, and for other people's enjoyment as well, so I would have something delicious for dessert too; and delicious they are!

Before I go any farther, I am going to start something in these entries from now on called the "Husband Stamp of Approval". What this really means is a product with my husband's approval is "Regular People Friendly". Not that we don't like regular people, we love regular people! There is nothing wrong with people without our particular dietary restrictions, sometimes we even marry them! I want everyone to understand what I mean when I give a product the Husband Stamp of Approval; my husband has systematically rejected 95% of all the amazing vegan/vegetarian/Erin's-tummy-friendly products I have discovered over the years. So, these stamped products are 100% safe to serve to absolutely anyone.

Needless to say, this product has the Husband Stamp of Approval. We tried the spiced carrot cake with 'cream cheese' icing (photo above, sorry for the glare ) and their chocolate cake too. My aunt let us take the leftovers home and my husband and I spent the following week stuffing our faces. Of the two varieties I have tried, my favorite is hands down the carrot cake. This comes from a chocolate lover; one of my favorite cakes is my grandmother's dairy free chocolate "Cockeyed" cake, but I have an even longer history of being deeply in love with carrot cake. (FYI, My wedding cake was carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese icing [not vegan]). This is one of the best store bought carrot cakes I have ever tried, forgetting the fact that it is vegan. The fact that it is vegan only endears it to me further, because I can eat half of one when a craving hits without 'emergency-room-worthy' consequences (lesser consequences are inescapable; enough of any kind of carrot cake will inevitably go to your thighs, vegan or not - you just have to eat more). My husband agrees - about how delicious it is, not that it's going to my thighs. The only downside to indulging in these delicious desserts is that they do break the bank. The tinier versions of the cakes my aunt bought run at about 12$ a pop, which leads me to believe that my aunt really really loves me.

The packaging boasts: Sweet. Natural. Sinfully Delicious. All natural 100% vegan, dairy & egg free, peanut & nut free, cholesterol free, lactose free, 0 trans fat, low in saturated fat, no refined sugars, GMO free, no preservatives, nothing artificial. The genius behind the sweets writes, "As a pastry chef, I love decadent desserts. Having been a lifelong vegetarian, my dessert choices were suddenly limited by my decision to embrace a healthier vegan lifestyle. Unwilling to give up treats, I combined both passions and Sweets from the Earth was born. Using only the finest, all-natural 100% plant-based ingredients, our original recipes are handmade with care. Our delicious desserts are a healthier indulgence, because life is sweetest when you can have your cake and eat it too."

Ingredients (Spiced Carrot Cake): Organic carrots, organic evaporated cane juice, organic unbleached wheat flour, water, sunflower oil, non-hydrogenated vegan cream cheese (water, expeller pressed oils [soybean, palm fruit, olive], maltodextrin, soy protein, tofu, non dairy lactic acid, organic sugar, natural gums [locust bean, guar, cellulose, xantham and carrageenan], veg mono and diglycerides, salt}, organic tofu, organic flax seeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, sea salt, vanilla bean seeds. Baked in a dairy, egg. peanut and nut free facility.

Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss

This is probably the best ice cream I have ever had, which is impressive because it isn't actually 'ice cream'! All their products are coconut milk based; it's a revelation! The Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Naked Coconut flavor is what coconut heaven must be like, and it is remarkably creamy while remaining much lighter than any other frozen dessert I have ever tried. It also doesn't coat your mouth the same way dairy ice cream or frozen yogurt does. It is naturally sweet without any artificial flavoring, and it is sweetened with agave syrup. I have made it my personal mission in life to try all their flavors. There are also other coconut milk based brands available, like So Delicious. Guess what I am trying next.

It is as healthy as it is delicious. Per 1/2 cup there are 220 calories, 16g of of fat (14g saturated, no trans fat), no cholesterol, 10mg of sodium, 3g of fiber, 12g of sugar and 2g of protein. Just look how short the ingredients list is!

Ingredients: Organic coconut milk (organic coconut, water, guar gum). organic agave syrup, organic dried coconut, organic coconut extract, organic fair trade vanilla extract.

Apologies, this entry is unedited. It's been a rough week. Next time: tastiest store bought vegan cake ever, thanks to my wonderful supportive aunt.

Amy’s Cheeseless Frozen Pizza

I tried Amy's brand frozen cheeseless pizza earlier this week, and I really enjoyed it. After a hard week/weekend, I splurged at the Carrot Common on Monday and decided to give it a try. I had been hearing it praised frequently during the past couple of weeks anyway, and I do have a food blog to maintain and everything.

It is the perfect option for when I am too tired to cook or would rather spend the energy elsewhere, or for when my husband has a WoW raid night. It is super easy, cooks quickly, and is super delish! Considering the crust has no eggs or dairy in it, I marvel at how they make it so convincingly frozen pizza crust-like. If I were to close my eyes and take a bite, I probably wouldn't know the difference; the texture is spot on, and the taste too. Deceivingly buttery with just enough flaky crunchiness and just enough chew. I personally find this particular flavor a little too sweet for me; they use sweet onions, red peppers and shiitake mushrooms, all of which, when mixed together without the tartness and acidity of a stringy mozzarella cheese, is just a bit too sweet, in my humble opinion. Heck, maybe you like it that way! You're in luck! That being said, the flavor was definitely tasty, the seasoning was good too (not too salty, not too bland) and the mushrooms were an added treat. They give the toppings more substance, and and I am of the persuasion the more mushrooms the better.

The packaging states, for anyone with relevant food allergies, that Amy's Kitchen does not use any peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs in their recipes. Per 1/3 of their cheeseless pizza (2 slices) there are 270 calories, 9g of fat (1.5g saturated, no trans fat), no cholesterol, 490mg of sodium, 2g of fiber, 5g of sugar and 6g of protein.

After such a success with this flavor, maybe I will be brave enough to try their pizza with soy cheese!

Ingredients (Vegan): Organic wheat flour with organic oat bran and wheat germ, organic onions, filtered water, artichokes, extra virgin olive oil, organic roasted red peppers, organic tomatoes, organic shiitake mushrooms, organic agave nectar, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, expeller pressed safflower oil, organic garlic, organic lemon juice, yeast, spices. Contains wheat.

Individuals with Food Allergies: This product is manufactured in a facility that processes foods containing wheat, milk, soy, tree nuts and seeds. Amy's Kitchen does not use any peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs.

A Chip Substitute Comparison: Rice Works vs Popchips

So now that I have cookies covered for the most part, I was thinking (possibly out loud) that it would be great to have a good chip option for when I am in a salty savory mood (I am known to get those every now and then, especially on Friday nights). Since then, my amazing husband has managed to find me not one, but two amazing options, and they both taste great. Since there is a "vs" in the title, I have turned it into a bit of a competition. There can be only one, so let's review the facts.

Let's begin with Riceworks, it was the first one that I tried. If a bag of Doritos had a baby with a bag of rice crackers, I imagine something very similar might emerge. They are very crunchy, and they have the tendency to stick in your teeth the same way rice cakes or rice crackers do. They have two flavors that I have seen here, Salsa Fresco and Sea Salt, but their site boasts more. A big plus is that they seem to be everywhere overnight. They are in the snack stall in the lobby at my work! In the pharmacy checkout line! The corner store! Not that I don't love my health food stores, but it's not always convenient for me to drop everything and run to Kensington Market when I have a craving. This means that it is easily accessible. Everyone can have healthy chips! And they are very, very healthy. Their packaging reads: Wheat and gluten free, vegan* and Celiac friendly, low in saturated fat, natural brown rice (18g whole grain per 40g serving), no artificial flavors, no cholesterol, no trans fat. Per 15 chips (although I know no one is counting while snarfing) there are 190 calories, 9g of fat (only 1g is saturated fat, no trans fat), no cholesterol, 260mg sodium, 26g carbs, 2g of fiber, 1g of sugar and 3g of protein.

Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, rice flour, masa corn flour, safflower oil and/or sunflower oil and/or canola oil, sesame seeds, rice starch, dehydrated vegetables (tomato, green bell pepper, onion, garlic, parsely, cilantro), salt, maltodextrin, spices, sodium diacetate, sugar, autolyzed yeast extract, jalapeno, citric acid, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, natural flavour, lactic acid, extractives of paprika, natural caramel colour, silicon dioxide and calcium stearate (anti-caking agents).

* I see a 'Parmesan Cheese' flavor on their website, so I am not sure if it is a simulated cheese flavor or if it actually contains cheese. If you are a vegan, please check the ingredients list before you start snacking!

Popchips came to me a week later, so needless to say I feel completely spoiled with chips. I've been jamming these in my face the whole time I've been writing (for research purposes, of course) and they are like eating BBQ flavored air. Delicious, delicious air. However, as yummy as they are, the packaging warns that people who are allergic to soy and to milk should avoid, and it has also been made on equipment shared with wheat. Now, because I am very dense, at first I couldn't figure out why milk allergies would be triggered, but I have since figured out that, taking a hint from little miss Muffet, it's the Whey, aka Milk Plasma, the liquid that remains after they made cheese, that they use in the BBQ seasoning (this might not be the case for all of the flavors) I have not seen these in any stores yet, we ordered them online through Grocery Gateway (they may sell them at the Longos chain stores, because that is where GG gets their food from). These are also self-proclaimed healthy snack. The package reads: Natural ingredients, no preservatives, no artificial flavours or colours, no cholesterol, no trans fat, "We don't fry (unhealthy). We don't bake it (undelicious). We start with the finest ingredients, apply heat and pressure, and pop!". Per 27 chips (40g serving) there are 180 calories, 6g of fat (o.5g saturated fat, no trans fat), no cholesterol, 360mg sodium (ouch!), 29g carbs, 2g of fiber, 3g of sugar, and 1g of protein.

Ingredients: potato ingredients (potato flour, potato starch), safflower oil and/or sunflower oil, barbeque seasoning (sugar, whey, onion and garlic powder, salt, torula yeast, brown sugar, tomato powder, yeast extract, spices, natural flavours, natural smoke flavour, citric acid* [acidulant], paprika extract* [color]), rice flour, salt, soy lecithin* (processing aid).

*naturally sourced

ALLERGEN: Milk, Soy

MADE ON EQUIPMENT SHARED WITH WHEAT

The verdicts are in! Both these chips are winners in my books, but for different reasons. The healthiest I believe is the Riceworks, and they don't compromise on flavor either, which is really important to me. I don't believe that healthier products should have to taste less yummy, and luckily, neither do they! Riceworks chips would also be able to stand up to a dip or salsa, their texture is more suited to it. Popchips, on the other hand, is the tastier of the two (if crack were a chip) in my humble opinion. The texture is light and fluffy and their BBQ flavor is outrageously good. However, not as many dietary minorities can enjoy them, and that chagrins my enjoyment just a tiny bit too. I also can't eat as many of these at a time because of some of the ingredients. Although they are delish all by themselves I don't think they could stand up to a dip because of their more delicate texture.

Drumrolls please! The winner is.... Riceworks! They have it all. Everyone should go out and buy a bag for their local corner store to show that there is a definite demand for these products in regular stores not just in specialty ones!

"Pur" Gum - Sugar-Free and Aspartame-Free

I have never been a huge gum chewer. I suffer from TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorder)which makes chewing gum, among other things, very complicated and painful. The farthest I normally get into any given piece of gum is chewing it just long enough to dissolve the crunchy flavorful outer layer, probably in an emergency effort to get rid of garlic breath. As a general rule, on top of avoiding regular white processed sugar I also avoid the "Diet" fad sugar substitutes, most notoriously Aspartame. Whereas the FDA claims that it is safe for human consumption (a verdict of which I am not thoroughly convinced) it is one of the many things that can cause the pain in my body to increase*. Therefore, my last piece of regular chewing gum was... maybe six months ago? And before that? Maybe another couple of months before, and I must have been pretty desperate, too.

So, why am I posting about this gum, you ask? Good question. The truth is, I am happy to have the option. Also due to sugar and sugar substitutes a lot of candies and breath mints are a no-go for me as well, so it really makes me happy to finally have something stashed in my knapsack for bad breath emergencies. It is Swiss made, and they are proud of it (it is written several times on the tiny package - exhibit A, tiny white cross, bottom right corner) and it has a really short ingredient list, which always makes me smile. It only takes up one line on the packaging! It may have the shortest one I have written up yet.

Ingredients: Xylitol, gum base, natural flavors, gum arabic, white tea extract, carnauba wax, tocopherols.

*For more information about how Aspartame can affect Fibromyalgia pain levels please see the study I have linked to on the My Personal Restrictions page.

Also, for anyone who is Diabetic please read http://www.aspartame.org/aspartame_faq7.html#22 (a pro aspartame visa-vi Diabetes piece) http://www.dorway.com/betty/diabetes.html (an anti-aspartame visa-vi Diabetes piece) Please do the research, consult your physician - make informed dietary decisions.

Pita Break Lavash Crackers

I discovered the (vegan) Pita Break Lavash Cracker "Organic Spelt" flavor while rushing around a Loblaws a couple of months ago when my mother-in-law's unexpected visit led to my husband and I hosting dinner with one of the guests being hardcore vegan. I know what it is like to go to a party or be invited to dinner and not have my dietary restriction accommodated. I have also been to ones that have been accommodating, and I am always pleasantly surprised and deeply grateful when it happens (although, as other experiences have shown, it is wise not to expect it). I wanted to extend her the same courtesy.

This flavor happens to be vegan, but not all Pita Break Lavash Crackers are. Most of the other flavors contain honey. As far as I know, the "Organic Spelt" crackers are the only ones that don't. I really enjoy them. I like products that have a small list of ingredients I can fully understand - I like to know exactly what I am eating - and I also like things that are very healthy but don't compromise on flavor.

The packaging proclaims "Source of Omega-3 Polyunsaturates" "Free of Artificial Preservatives" and "Low in Fat; 0 trans fat". Per cracker (keep in mind, they are giant and filling, the real-life equivalent of J.R.R Tolkien's Lembas Bread) there is 105mg of sodium, 1g of fibre, 1g of sugar, 2g of protein, 1g of fat, no cholesterol and 60 calories.

Ingredients: Organic whole stone ground spelt flour, filtered water, organic flax seeds (whole and crushed) organic brown cane sugar, organic sunflower oil, magnesium free sea salt, organic sesame seeds.

That's it. Seriously. I suggest eating them with hummus, guacamole or salsa or any other dip - even something sweet instead of savory - because they are definitely heavy and a bit dry.

A Gift from Toronto Pride 2010: Cookies

I have heard of ShaSha Bread before, although I will be the first to admit I was not rushing out to try their vegan or gluten-free breads. I am polish; I grew up on very delicious Rye breads and home made Challah bread, so maybe I am a bit of a snob in this respect. Well, shame on me. These tiny little cookies that were thrown at my head during the Toronto Pride Parade last weekend have definitely made me pay them significantly more attention. They are local too, their main office is right next door in Etobicoke. It is good to support local!

It is a constant battle to find snack foods that won't make me sick. I was, and still am, a BIG snacker. I have a very fast metabolism so three meals a day has never really worked for me, and the food restricted man or woman cannot live on carrot sticks alone, they need cookies too, damn it! These satisfy such an enormous craving that I can hardly condense all my avid flailing into words.

I have tried three different flavors (Gingersnap - featured above, Lemon Snaps and Cocoa Snaps) and I have liked them all. Their texture reminds me of tea cookies; they definitely live up to the "snap" in their names. They each have their own cute little slogans too. "Cocoa Snaps, A Lover's Treat", "Lemon Snaps, Spelt Hearts Filled with Zest" and "Ginger Snaps, Traveller's Friend". As far as I can tell they are dairy-free and nut-free (stated on the package). The packing on all three flavors also states it may contain "traces" of egg, for all those with relevant allergies. There is surprisingly little sugar (8-9g per 15! delicious heart shaped cookies - granted, they are a little on the small side), 90g of sodium, no cholesterol or trans fat, 2g of protein and 130 calories.

Ingredients (Cocoa Snaps): Wheat flour*, brown sugar, canola oil, chocolate liquor, water, honey**, cocoa powder, soy lecithin, vanilla extract, blackstrap molasses, baking powder, natural caramel flavor, salt.

Ingredients (Lemon Snaps): Organic spelt flour*, organic evaporated cane juice, organic sunflower oil, organic palm fruit oil, water, organic poppy seeds, organic malt syrup, organic honey**, lime powder, organic blackstrap molasses, organic vanilla extract, natural lemon flavor, sunflower lecithin, salt, baking powder, sodium bicarbonate.

Ingredients (Ginger Snaps, my favorite!): Organic spelt flour*, organic evaporated cane juice, water, organic sunflower oil, organic malt syrup, organic palm fruit oil, organic honey**, organic spices, organic blackstrap molasses, organic ground ginger, sunflower lecithin, salt, baking powder, sodium bicarbonate.

*Not gluten-free

**Not vegan (if you are a vegan who doesn't eat honey)

Available at The Carrot Common.

‘Arare’ Rice Puffs

I discovered these bizarrely flavored, oddly addictive snacks while rummaging through The Big Carrot Natural Food Market at The Carrot Common outside Chester Station. That store is pricey, yes, but packed full of vegan and gluten-free options for any snacking mood; salty, sweet, moist, crunchy they've got it all. I was in a bit of a salty savory mood when I picked these up on a whim. Now be warned, the green ones definitely have a fish food reminiscent seaweedy taste to them. The darker glossy onces are flavored like the mushroom flavored Ramen noodle broth packets, and all the others of the five proclaimed flavors just taste salty with the nice almost sweet aftertaste of a regular rice cake. They are crunchy on the outside and empty on the inside and after suffering through the first few bites they become very, very addictive. Soon enough you are snacking on them something fierce and your tiny bag that you paid four dollars for after tax is practically empty. They are vegan, fat-free and wheat-free, and for all the salty flavor there is only 160mg of sodium per 30g serving (about half a bag), zero grams of sugar and 3g of protein. I also like them because the list of ingredients are few and I understand them all. That's always a very good sign when it comes to snack foods.

Ingredients: Sweet brown rice, tamari soy sauce (water, whole soybeans, sea salt), black sesame seeds, nori seaweed, barely malt syrup, koji (aspergillus oryzae), shiitake, kombu, sea salt.

Vegan, Gluten-Free Ranch Dressing

To kick the Canada Day long weekend off with a bang our supervisors organized a staff potluck lunch, which is fairly rare, decently yummy (and surprisingly vegetarian) and a wonderful time suck. One of the receptionists brought in this jewel, and there I was leaping around, tweeting about it, text messaging other foodie friends, and everyone must have thought I was out of my mind to get so excited about a salad dressing they probably wouldn't even try given the regular options still available to them. I made such a fuss she let me keep what was left of it.

If they only understood how much I miss the simple pleasure of my old favorite salad dressing my actions wouldn't seem so strange. When I was growing up it wasn't unusual for us to buy ranch dressing in bulk, and my parents used to joke that not only did I use it on everything I ate but also as a facial scrub and shampoo (which I didn't actually do, just for the record).

After the initial excitement wore off, I was worried I had set myself up for a let down. A lot of these products promise wonderful things! Being vegan and gluten-free and healthy, which are all good things, however, anyone who is forced for whatever reason to try similar products will know that they often compromise on taste. It's just not how you remember. I am pleased to say that it actually tastes a whole lot like ranch! Texturally it is a little bit thin, but the taste is spot on, and like all other ranch dressings it goes especially well on raw cauliflower (to me that it is the true litmus test). The only other salad dressing I buy now is the no-name zero fat Italian dressing, and it is only for when I make a large batch of my signature bean salad, otherwise my husbands makes it from scratch (his salad dressings are very, very good by the way, just so everyone knows, and he makes them vegan for me, bless him). What I like about this one is that it's made with agave nectar, so on top of being low/no fat there is also only 1g of sugar per 30ml. There is a decent amount of salt, but it's not unreasonable. The Organicville line of products (I believe there are a handful of other flavors) are available locally at Longos. Unfortunately, products sold there tend to be on the pricey side, so don't be surprised to pay between four and five dollars for a bottle. Even so, I am already excited to try their other flavors. It would be nice to make a legitimate Caesar salad again. I am also excited to try and make a vegan version of my old cream cheese vegetable dip, using this dressing and Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese. Wish me luck! If it works, you know the recipe will end up here anyway.

Ingredients: Filtered water, expeller pressed organic soybean oil, organic soy milk (organic soybeans), organic agave nectar, salt, organic brown rice syrup, organic apple cider vinegar, organic soy protein, organic white vinegar, organic garlic powder, organic onion powder, organic mustard flour, concentrated organic lemon juice, organic parsley flakes, organic black pepper, xanthan gum.