If you’re not sure what to make for dinner, try this easy recipe. I grew up with this dish and it has become a family favorite. It’s perfect for a dinner party because it can be left as a vegetarian main or have meat/fish added for extra protein.

Yields two servings.

Boil enough brown rice for two people (approximately 1/2 cup of uncooked rice per person).

1 tsp each of  cumin, chili powder and black pepper.

On a separate plate, arrange sides such as raw, cut-up vegetables like peas, red and yellow pepper, carrots etc.

On another plate, serve protein such as chicken, shrimp and/or sliced hard-boiled egg.  For vegetarians, raw nuts like almonds are a great alternative. Serve with a generous slice of lemon to squeeze over rice.

The picture below was taken at my mum’s place where I had spiced rice for dinner!  (We had hard-boiled egg and almonds for protein and sliced, raw peppers, orange, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots and celery).

Thanks to Breanna, my friend Nicki and I went to Cafe 668 to beat the cold weather.

While the location of this restaurant is a bit odd (885 Dundas St., West), it’s worth visiting. The atmosphere is relaxed and while the waiter wore jeans, a dress would not be out of place (for me, not the waiter).

Let me tell you how great it is to go to a restaurant where I can eat almost anything off the menu. Everything looked so good, but we finally settled on soup, some black bean eggplant and taro wrapped yam.  Things were a little bit pricey (we paid $50), but for the sake of this post, we did order more than we usually would. Normally, the soup alone would suffice as the portions are very generous.

I have only two criticisms:

First, the bathrooms–while clean–have very low ceilings and I bumped by head. I’m tall-ish for a girl, but I was wearing flats.

Second, there were a lot of foods in quotes on the menu. You know, brown rice and assorted vegetables with your choice of  ”beef”, “chicken”, or “salmon”.  I hate it when vegetarian food is made into “meat.” I may be wrong, but for the most part, I’m assuming that since vegetarians have chosen to give up meat, they would not want to eat things that look and feel like meat, but don’t taste like meat.

While I normally prefer to head out to restaurants that serve meat, fish and vegetarian entrees, Cafe 668 is an excellent vegetarian/vegan alternative. The food is well-flavoured, fresh and they offer a lot of choice–including vegetable sides that can be steamed or stir-fried (Meghan would be so proud!)

Normally, vegetarian restaurants get a bit of a thumbs-down from me, especially when they serve “meat”, but the final verdict for Cafe 668 is Four Thumbs Up–two from me and two more from Nicki.

Not into restaurants and prefer to cook at home? No problem! Check out these courses from Meghan Telpner:

Cooking Party Program

February 17th (Tuesday) marks the start of my 4-week cooking program. If you can’t commit to four Tuesday, you are free and welcome to choose just one that fits with your schedule or split it with a friend where you can each come to two. How awesome is that?  $210.00 for four classes, $60.00 for a single. Book it! or  Click here for more info.

March 1st or April 5th, (Sunday) 2:00-4:00m. A splendid afternoon full of yummy food and lifestyle altering information. Get easy, simple and quick ways to healthyify your life every day of the week with minimal time and effort. Learn the secrets to my ridiculously healthy way of life and how you can apply them to your own.  $55.00 Book it! or  Click here for more info.

As some of you may have noticed, I’ve been losing some steam.  I can easily live without meat, but I’m really missing my dairy and wheat.

I wanted to try something new for dinner and Meghan suggested dahl.

Suddenly, I remembered that I had a really easy recipe from my aunt and I’m going to share it with you.

One onion chopped.
Two tomatoes chopped.
One to two cloves of garlic chopped
One tsp. each of cumin, chile and turmeric.
4 ounces of red lentils rinsed
 1.5-2 cups of vegetable stock (or water).

I put all of the ingredients into my slow cooker and let it simmer until the lentils appeared swollen (about one hour). The prep time is about 10 minutes.

Thank you to all those who offered suggestions both on kicking cravings and cold remedies. 

It feels like all I eat these days is soup, but if I pair it with a great salad (like the one above) it feels like a real meal.  I’m dressing my salads with hearty dressings (olive oil, almond butter and garlic), avocado (thanks Steph) and toasted nuts (thanks Breanna), I feel satisfied (getting some good, heart-healthy fats and salts) not deprived.

I am really missing my black tea with milk, but the ginger tea recipe that Meghan  described in yesterday’s comments is a fantastic substitute and it’s like an instant air freshener…just in case I get any visitors.

I am on the mend and plan on making Jen’s soup tomorrow (also from yesterday’s comments).

I tend to cook the same things all the time.  When I first checked in to Rehab, my diet was varied because I had so many things to try.  While there is still a world of culinary wonder available to me, I’ve been finding myself a little tired with the same old thing.

Fortunately, I got a great email from my friend Alana and it included some fantastic recipes!
So far, I’ve tried the sweet potato and bean soup and it is delicious and soup-er cheap to make!
Enough with the puns–here’s the recipe!

Sweet Potato Bean Soup

1 tbsp butter and canola oil
½ onion, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 rounded tsp curry powder  (or more as desired–I put in two rounded tsps)      
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
About 5 cups boiling hot vegetable stock and/or water (preferably home made stock)
19oz can white beans, rinsed, drained (if possible, use dried beans and soak over night. The canned beans sometimes float in a brine filled with some bizarre additives/preservatives–and those extras can cause you to produce excess gas…not necessary as beans sans brine are the musical fruit!)
1 tbsp each; balsamic vinegar and maple syrup 

Add butter and oil to large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add onion; cook about 5 minutes until soft but not brown.
Add curry powder; cook stirring 1 to 2 minutes.
Add hot stock. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until sweet potato is soft. Add half of beans. Puree until smooth, using a hand blender, food processor or blender. Add remaining beans.  Add vinegar and syrup prior to serving.

Enjoy!
Thanks Alana!

Obviously, I don’t really advise anyone to get stuffed over dinner, but I have had so many requests for the Chestnut Stuffing Recipe that I thought I would send it out.  For those of you who might be looking to turn over a dietary leaf in the new year, this just might be the kick start you need: An appetizing, healthy vegan meal. The recipe below has been adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Chestnut Stuffing

2 lbs of fresh chestnuts (or a 1 lb can of chestnut puree…if you use the can, make sure it’s a good quality product, preferably organic with as few ingredients as possible). 
AND 250 grams of uncooked chopped and peeled chestnuts.
1 large onion
Large bunch parsley (about two handfuls)
–95-100 grams of butter (75 grams butter, 15 grams of butter for top and a bit more for greasing pan)–to keep it vegan, we used almond butter)
2 eggs, beaten (OR, use an egg substitute, water or soy milk)
250 grams of bread crumbs (I used a wheat free bread made from potato flour)
Fresh nutmeg
Salt and Pepper 

First, make chestnut puree (you need about 2 lbs of whole chestnuts or a 1 lb can of chestnut puree if you can find it…but make sure its organic!)
Cover the nuts with water.  Boil chestnuts for 2 minutes to soften skins and peel them while they’re still hot.  
Place the peeled chestnuts back into the water and simmer until they are soft.
Place the mixture into a food processor and and process until smooth.

Peel and chop onion and place in processor with parsley.
Melt 75 g of butter at a low heat.  Transfer the onion and parsley into this pan once butter has melted.  Cook until softened (about 10 minutes)
Crumble in 250 grams of chopped chestnuts.
Mix in bread crumbs and chestnut puree
Beat in eggs/water/soy or even homemade vegetarian stock until the mixture begins to bind without being too dry.
Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Grease baking dish, add stuffing mixture and spread a bit of butter on top (this will make the top crispy and brown).  Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes at 350.

If you have any suggestions about how to make this recipe better or more tasty, please do not hesitate to comment.

Happy New Year!

Since I did not have turkey for dinner this Christmas, I worried that I may also have to forego stuffing! 

My parents make Turkey stuffing with bread (containing wheat) and it cooks inside the bird cavity.  Chestnut stuffing has no bird requirement at all-making it a vegan delight for me.  

Admittedly, comparing these two stuffings is a bit like comparing apples and oranges: they are completely different. In terms of taste and consistency it is definitely a tie. I suppose it is more expensive to eat Chestnut stuffing, but why not forget all of the chocolate and candies and use your money for chestnuts instead? As Meghan notes, the holidays don’t have to be a season of excess; they could just be an excuse to cook some great, homemade delights.

Final Verdict: Thumbs Up for Chestnut Stuffing (and as long as the turkey stuffing is made with whole ingredients, two thumbs up for that stuffing too).

For those of you celebrating Christmas today, I wish you and yours a very Happy Christmas.

 I knew that there were would probably be a number of drop in visitors to my parents’ house today.  I also know that whenever guests arrive, all sorts of food makes its way to the coffee table.  I want to make it clear that I do not want to be a Food Scrooge–but I do want to offer alternatives without coming across as a smug and condescending rehabber. 

I concluded that making breakfast and a few healthy snacks for my family was a good way to go. If they started the day off with a nutritiously balanced meal, the chances of them reaching for shortbread or fudge were reduced.  The picture above is their breakfast: I topped a wheat-free organic flatbread with spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and a sprinkling of cheese.  There is also a fresh fruit salad, yoghurt and some raw nuts.  I do not want them to feel deprived, but I do want them to eat real food and to enjoy that food–not grab the first thing they see on the dessert tray. 

I will not preach to my family about food and nutrition. After all, I’m newly converted myself.  But I will act silently by ensuring that there are fresh fruits and veggies on every snack/dessert tray.  

Ps. I did have a bit of the flatbread for breakfast, but my half did not include cheese or tomatoes. I had spinach and pear. 

Both photos are courtesy of me. The pic above is breakfast and the pic below is my brother’s positive reaction to the flatbread.

This is my niece, Charlotte. She just found out that the toast she is eating is from a home made loaf of bread by yours truly.

I’m in my hometown for the holidays and while others are baking cookies, pies and squares, I’m making veggie soup and dairy-free, wheat-free bread.  

Most bread is made with enriched flour.   Certain manufacturers argue that enriched bread is better for consumers: they claim that it provides extra vitamins, calcium and essential nutrients.  

But what does this really mean? 

Flour is made from a whole grain. When these grains are processed into white flour, some of the nutrients that occur naturally in the whole grain are destroyed. Enriching flour is the act of replacing these lost nutrients.  Not everyone believes that these additions are harmful. After all, the bread does not contain any new ingredients that were not there before the flour was processed. It is important to note that some flours (and breads) will also contain additives and preservatives to extend shelf life or reduce mix time.

There are some good alternatives available at most grocery stores so when looking at the ingredient list, look to see if the bread has been made from whole grain flour. If you have the time and the inclination, try baking your own with quality, whole and organic ingredients.

I did it readers. I invited my carniverous parents over for a vegan lunch. As soon as they arrived, I could sense their trepidation. Mind you, I was also pretty nervous; I was terribly worried that they would not enjoy what I had prepared.  They smiled at me and said ‘hello’, but they kept looking through to the kitchen. And then there’s my dad.  My dad has a keen sense of smell–so acute that I think it may be abnormal.  I noticed that as he removed his jacket, he put his nose in the air and sniffed–ever so slightly. I knew that he was trying to figure out what I was cooking–sniffing for something familiar.

For an appetizer, I made hummus and served it with fresh vegetables and rye crackers.  Next, there was a choice of two soups–either Red Lentil Lemon or Carrot-Ginger–they brought and organic and locally made loaf of bread made from potato flour.  I’m pleased to say that the lunch was a success. My parents loved the hummus and they were full of compliments for Meghan’s recipes.  I think the meal put them at ease about me eating me during my Christmas holiday.

It means a lot to have the support of family and friends and in hindsight I think I may have been a little hard on them.  I automatically assumed they would be judgmental and difficult about the changes I have made.

As if it couldn’t get any better, my dad gave me an early Xmas present: a food processor so that it’s easier for me to chop all of my vegetables and make more of Meghan’s magnificent meals.