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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Pancakes with a Fall Twist

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Recipe submitted by xpumpkinxkittyx
On http://wwwvegweb.com

Perfect Fall Pancakes

Ingredients
Base:
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups vanilla soy milk
3 Tablespoon canola oil
Here's where fall happens:
2-3 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1-1 1/2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon 1-1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract bananas or vegan chocolate chips (I like to use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips and I would recommend no more than adding a cup of them but that’s just my opinion)

To add When finished:
maple syrup (or chocolate sauce) and vegan soy butter (I like Earth Balance)

Directions: First start heating up the griddle (so you don't have to wait for it to heat up when you're done making the batter) Combine all the dry ingredients (excluding either the bananas or chocolate chips) into a large/medium sized bowl and sift them together, then add all the wet ingredients to the batter until it is smooth. If you want to add the bananas: Peel about 1-3 bananas, depending on how much you want to add and their size, and cut them about 1/4 inch. On this step, I usually have the heat on a low medium temperature. Ladle the batter onto the heated griddle (I usually do one pancake in each corner and one in the middle) and place the chocolate chips or bananas onto the pancake. (Wait about 1-2 minutes on each side) and flip the pancakes onto the other side. When their finished, butter up the pancakes and add some syrup or sauce and enjoy!! If you want to do something fun: Now, I love Halloween so in the fall, I like to take a pumpkin and leaf shape cookie cutters and cut (the already baked) pumpkins into fun shapes and eat them (but that’s just me) . Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15 minutes Share This Recipe

Monday, September 26, 2011

Lentil Crusted Tofu with Awesome Dip

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I Love Tofu!
Here's a new recipe I have just got to try involving 2 of my favorite foods: tofu and red lentils... It is by Marly McMillan. I found it on this awesome website: One Green Planet. I encourage you to go explore it as I will.. http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/recipe-lentil-crusted-tofu-with-awes...

Recipe
1 package Tofu, (extra firm)
3 – 4 tablespoons Pink Lentils
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon finely-ground sea salt
¼ – ½ cup olive oil

Awesome Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar, (Or agave nectar)
½ medium orange, (juiced)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon corn starch
¼ cup water
¼ cup cilantro

Lentil Crusted Tofu Preparation:

Begin by removing the tofu from the package and drain any excessive fluid. I wrap my block of tofu in a clean dishtowel and place it on the counter with a can of green beans or something with a little weight to it. Your goal is to press out any excess fluid from the tofu block.

While the tofu is pressing, you can prepare your Awesome Dipping Sauce (see instructions below) or prepare the crust that you’ll be rolling your tofu in before cooking.

Tofu crust: Place pink lentils in a spice or coffee grinder and pulse for several seconds until the lentils are pulverized and the consistency of a course flour. Combine the pulverized lentils and seasonings on a plate and stir until well combined.

Cooking the Tofu: Once your tofu is adequately pressed, remove it from the dishtowel and slice into 1″ cubes. Take half of the cubes and thoroughly coat them in the lentil crust mix. Next, heat 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. I use just enough to coat the bottom of the pan because I don’t like my tofu to be overly greasy. Once the oil is sufficiently heated carefully place the crusted tofu in the skillet. Allow the tofu to brown on one side before turning so that each side can become sufficiently browned. While the first batch of tofu is on the skillet, place the second batch of cubed tofu in the remainder of the lentil crust and stir until the tofu is covered on all sides.

I warm up our toaster oven and place the first batch of cooked and browned tofu in the toaster oven tray to stay warm while the second batch is cooking.

Awesome Dipping Sauce Preparation:

When you’re ready to begin making your Awesome Dipping Sauce, begin by placing all the ingredients except the water, cornstarch and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse for just a second or two until the garlic is nicely minced. Next combine the cornstarch with cold water in a microwave-safe bowl and stir until well combined. Microwave for 10 – 15 seconds and stir. The mixture should begin to thicken. If it gets too thick, add a little bit more water. If it’s not thick yet, microwave for a few more seconds. Once the cornstarch mixture is adequately thickened, let it sit and cool for a minute or two. Once cooled, add the cornstarch mixture to the food processor and pulse until well incorporated with the rest of the ingredients. Next add the cilantro and pulse for a few more seconds until the cilantro is adequately chopped as well. You don’t want to pulse too long or the sauce will appear green.

Serving

Place the cooked and warmed tofu on a dish with the dipping sauce in a small serving bowl. This is a fun dish to eat with your favorite chop sticks, but forks work well too.

Thailand Vegetarian Festival

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The Vegetarian Festival doesn't officially start until tomorrow, but many devoted practitioners have already begun to clear out their digestive systems by not eating any meat as of today.

And participants are encouraged to eat fresh vegetables rather than imitation meat. But before you eat any type of fruit or vegetable, make sure they are actually healthy for you, too.

It is widely believed that eating raw vegetables is best for good health. Well ... not always. Most fresh vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked. However, each one offers different nutritional value when served raw or cooked, while some vegetables must be thoroughly cooked before consumption or else they are poisonous and will cause harm to your body.

Tuberous vegetables should never be eaten raw, warns Chanida Pachotikarn of Mahidol University's Institute of Nutrition. Cassava can be deadly poisonous if eaten raw because it still contains toxic compounds like cyanogenic glucosides.

Only cooked tuberous crops, such as potato, taro and wild yam can be digested by the human body and therefore, eating them raw could result in flatulence. Nuts and fruits are also included in this category. Chanida also points out that cooking times and methods used have a lot to do with the nutritional value left in the vegetables. Steaming vegetables is known to be the best cooking method for maximum nutritional benefit.

In general, the longer the period of heating, the less nutrients are preserved. Once harvested, produce will gradually begin to lose its vitamin C content and is quickly disappears as heat is introduced. But heat doesn't always remove all the nutrients.

Some vegetables, like carrots, onions and garlic, offer different nutritional substances when they are cooked. Raw carrots contain enzymes, such as polyphenol oxidase, but cooked carrots offer high levels of antioxidants like beta-carotene. Fresh tomatoes are rich in vitamin C while cooked tomatoes offer lycopene.

Spinach is best in terms of nutritional value when boiled for one minute. But to maximise the nutrients in cabbage and Chinese kale (or Chinese broccoli), these vegetables have to be cooked for five minutes. Any vegetables cooked longer than 10 minutes will lose most of the nutrients.

Popular Chinese dishes, such as braised bitter gourd and braised mixed vegetables, will have few vitamins left after long hours of cooking. However, they still offer lots of fibre and are convenient for the elderly who can no longer properly chew.

Apart from the cooking methods, there are some vegetables that people with particular diseases should avoid. It's commonly known that purine-rich vegetables should never be included in a gout diet.

Purines are broken down into uric acid by the body's digestive system, which means people suffering from gout should avoid eating bamboo shoots, asparagus, mushrooms, seaweed, string beans and some species of acacia like kratin (wattle) and cha-om (acacia pinnata).

Gaba rice, which is generally believed to be a healthy addition to the diet, should also be left out of a gout diet. People with diabetes should avoid starchy, tuberous crops, as well as fruits high in carbohydrates and sugars, which include potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, kee lek (Siamese cassia leaves), look niang (Pithecellobium lobatum Benth).

Those with diabetes are suggested to eat more makhuea phuang (pea eggplant), bitter gourd, lettuce and Chinese cabbage. The suggested portion for a meal, to go with the main dishes in a diabetes diet, is either: five to eight pieces of small size fruit, such as longans, longons and grapes; one or two medium size fruit, such as oranges, roseapples and bananas; and one-half of a large size fruit, such as a mango and guava. And no more than eight bite-sized pieces of large size fruit like papaya, pineapple or watermelon are allowed for each portion.

Look niang is not recommended for people with kidney disease, due to its large amounts of amino acid, while patients with chronic kidney disease are highly recommended not to eat bananas and dried fruit, including prunes, raisins and dates, which are high in potassium. In addition, vegetables that are bright and colourful, such as pumpkins, are not recommended.

People with high blood pressure should eat dark coloured vegetables because they are usually rich in potassium, which helps rid the body of sodium and protects cells that line the blood-vessel walls. That's why raw, dark-coloured vegetables are always found in salty dishes like nam prik kapi (fermented shrimp paste).

According to Chanida, patients undergoing chemotherapy _ a practice that normally leaves them physically vulnerable _ should eat cooked vegetables only, as raw vegetables can be contaminated with chemicals and non-chemical residue if they are not thoroughly washed. Uncooked vegetables can also be difficult to digest.

To ensure the vegetables are residue-free, there are a few suggested ways to clean them. The most conventional way that always works is using potassium permanganate. But since this chemical has become a rare item in most modern houses nowadays, something from your kitchen, like vinegar or salt, can also be a good option.

A tablespoon of vinegar mixed with four litres of water can greatly reduce the chemical residues in vegetables by up to 30-40%. Soaking vegetables in four litres of water with two tablespoons of salt for 10 minutes also works well. However, salt is not recommended for patients with high blood pressure as the vegetables will absorb most of the salt from the water during the soaking.

But to get the best nutritional value out of vegetables, people with normal health are suggested to eat about 300g of vegetables from the five colour families.

The five colour groups of vegetables are: white (garlic and onion); blue and purple (aubergine); orange and yellow (carrot); green (general vegetables); and red (tomato). For daily intake, three out of five portions should be light coloured vegetables and the rest dark coloured, including red ones.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Hollywood Youth Diet

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from:http://wap.accesshollywood.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=A82D4E98E4649481FAB3.8753?site=accesshollywood.com&view=breakingnewsdetail&feed:a=breaknews&feed:c=breakingnewsfeed&feed:i=article_54053&breakingnewsfeed_page=9

Dr. Perricone's Three-Day Nutritional Face-lift also helps eliminate puffiness, increases contours, and firms the jaw line. Still not convinced? Why not try it for yourself. Dr. Perricone shared with Healthy Hollywood his face-lift in your fridge.

Breakfast
3 egg omelet and/or 4-6 oz. grilled salmon 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (not instant) 2" wedge of cantaloupe or fresh berries No juice, No Coffee or Toast. If you are normally a coffee drinker, drink black or green tea to avoid caffeine withdrawal. 8 -12oz. spring water

Lunch 4-6 oz. grilled salmon. Option: you can also use canned salmon and mix a little mayo and fresh squeezed lemon. 2 cups green salad made with romaine lettuce or other dark leafy greens. Dressing: extra virgin olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon to taste. 1 kiwi fruit or cantaloupe or fresh berries 8-12 oz. spring water

Snack 1 apple 2 oz. sliced turkey breast or 6 oz. plain yogurt Small handful of hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds

Dinner 4-6 oz grilled salmon Green salad (same as above) 1/2 cup steamed veggies. No root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, beets etc. Cantaloupe and berries 8 - 12oz. spring water

Before Bedtime Snack 1 pear or apple 2 oz. slice chicken or turkey breast or 6 oz. plain yogurt Small handful of hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The Vegetarian Butcher

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From: http://www.ecorazzi.com/2011/09/19/vegetarian-butcher-shop-chain-grows-in-the...

As the citizens of the Netherlands look for meat alternatives, a very different chain of butcher shops is looking to meet that demand.

The Vegetarian Butcher is a butcher shop, but you won’t find any meat there. The stores offer a wide selection of “faux meats.” According to VegNews, the chain now includes 30 stores which offer “chicken, bacon, gyros, sausage” among other vegetarian and vegan products.

Founder Niko Koffeman says the company is looking to provide alternatives to meat from animals but also food that is more sustainable. “Animal cruelty is one reason, but also a growing concern for sustainability,” Koffeman says. “After all, meat production is highly inefficient.”

According to Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 75% of people in the Netherlands no longer eat meat daily, which may account for the reason The Vegetarian Butcher has grown so rapidly.

The first store opened in October 2010, and less than one year later, 30 stores are in business. Koffeman says that he believes 80% of their customers are vegetarians or vegans, but he hopes to attract customers who are still looking to reduce their consumption of meat or eliminate it.

He just might do it…”The display counter of these shops is a visual challenge because the fake meat products look so much like the real thing that just a glance at it makes many a carnivorous stomach grumble.”

Friday, September 23, 2011

The Differences Between Vegan, Vegetarian & Flexitarian Diets

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Vegan
Veganism is the personal practice of eliminating the use of non-human animal products. In terms of diet, it means refraining from eating any and all animal products including meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.

Dietary vegans eat an entirely plant-based diet. As a vegan, one must be strategic about planning food consumption to get proper nutrition. A poorly planned vegan diet has a tendency to lack vitamin B12, iron, vitamin D, calcium, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids.

Many vegans make veganism an entire lifestyle, where they no longer use animal products at all.

Vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of consuming plant-based products. For some, this may also include refraining from animal by-products, but there are a few varieties of vegetarianism.

Lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy and eggs into their diets but no meats Lacto vegetarians include dairy products Ovo vegetarians included eggs into their diets

Pescetarians include fish and seafood into their diets, and usually eggs and dairy too. Basically, these vegetarians only cut out red meats and poultry.

Flexitarian? Huh? What does that mean? And no, it is not another name for a contortionist. All joking aside, flexitarian is a relatively new term. It combines “flexible” and “vegetarian” and some people used to call it semi-vegetarianism. Long story short, a flexitarian is someone who has more plant-based meals and less meat.

Flexitarians still allow themselves freedom to have meat occasionally. Research shows that this is beneficial and healthier for the body because of all of the fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains, even with the random steak here and there.

Why Plant-Based Diets? Plant foods offer a lot of nutrition and is less expensive than meats. There is evidence that vegetarians live 3.6 years longer than those who are not. Research also shows that vegetarians weigh about 15% less than regular meat eaters.

Fruits and vegetables offer a great source of nutrition with fewer calories and with fiber. Here are a couple of my favorite tips to give vegetarians and vegans: To make a complete protein with plant-based foods, combine whole grains and legumes at the same meal.

For example, red beans with brown rice or black beans in a whole wheat tortilla. To help increase iron, try cooking soups, stews, sauces or chili in an iron clad pot. This will increase the iron in these foods. Also pair iron rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods. Vitamin C naturally helps the body absorb iron more efficiently.

Are you a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian? I would love to hear about it and how you practice your dietary habits. Do you have any favorite vegan or vegetarian meals? Share them with me please, I love learning about new meatless meals.

By Grace Derocha
http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/2011/09/22/vegan-vegetarian-and-flexitarian...

Monday, September 19, 2011

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

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Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

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Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

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Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Get Well With Veggie Chycken Soup

P2276

Chicken & Rice Soup, à la Laura, WebMistress of Veg Web:

What You Need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 quart veggie broth
2 cups vegan chicken or seitan, diced (I use Gardein chicken strips)
3 cups rice, cooked (I like a wild rice blend)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/4 cup red wine
4 slices of vegan bacon (I like to make my own with tempeh)

What You Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the onions are tender and translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the veggie broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Uncover and stir in veggie chicken and rice. Continue to cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in soy creamer and wine and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with veggie bacon. Enjoy!

For more delicious recipes from Veg Web, go here: http://www.VegWeb.com

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Which 7 Countries Have The Most Vegetarian Options?

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from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/16/vegetarian-travel-7-count_n_966074.html

Just because someone enjoys a meat-free diet, doesn’t mean they can’t indulge in local delicacies while on the road. In some countries vegetarian or veg-friendly eating has been historically en vogue.

Thus, a delicious tradition of meat-free cuisine exists around the globe for vegetarian foodies to enjoy. In places like India and Ethiopia, religious traditions that shun animal consumption required people to get creative with meatless dishes. And, in countries around the Mediterranean, a rich produce harvest lent itself to centuries of high veggie consumption.

Look for places with a lot of beans, rice and vegetables in their diets, recommends Andrea Giancoli, a registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines are rich in this area, she said — think things like falafel, baba ganoush, hummus and grains like bulgur and faro.

Whether it comes to traveling abroad or stateside, Giancoli warns vegetarians not to fall into unhealthy habits. “You still have to be conscious of getting a balanced diet [when traveling,]” she said. “It’s easy to get caught up eating nothing but tortillas, pasta and cheese.”

Look to the soup, salad and sides sections on a menu to find vegetables. She also recommends scanning the entrée section for vegetarian sides that might not be listed elsewhere.

If all else fails, take a stroll through the local market to put together a meal heavy on produce. Read on to learn about countries with historically vegetarian or veg-friendly cuisines. For this list we use a lacto-ovo vegetarian approach, but there are nods to vegans as well.

Read the rest of this story on Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/16/vegetarian-travel-7-count_n_966074.html

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Wedding Timmins: Planning a Wedding in Timmins

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If you are planning a wedding in Timmins, Ontario, you need to head on over to http://www.weddingtimmins.com

Everything you need to plan your Timmins wedding. From flowers to decor to cake makers, halls, marriage licenses, honeymoons and lots more...

In addition to listings of the most reputable Timmins wedding vendors, this site provides tools, advice, pictures and articles to inspire and guide you.

Check it out here & start planning your Timmins wedding: http://www.weddingtimmins.com

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

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Well, I've just come back from spending 2 glorious days at the Toronto Vegetarian Festival. Never have I had such a variety of food choices! Animal welfare, nutrition, lots of samples, delicious entrees, cupcakes, my favorite vegan Nanaimo bars and cooking demonstrations.

Also met the sassy and knowledgeable Meagan telpner and learnt a lot from her talk. She recuperated from Crohn's disease by going vegan. Here is a sample of the type of yummy & super healthy recipes she cooks up:

Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
(makes 12)

2 bars dark chocolate, try and hit up the 70% or greater (or 1 cup unsweetened or bittersweet bakers chocolate- dairy free)
1/2 cup, almond butter (smooth or crunchy depending on your preference)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, or 1 tsp fresh vanilla bean
pinch sea salt (plus more if you want to sprinkle on top)
3 Tbs arrowroot or tapioca flour
2 Tbs cacao nibs (optional)

Create a double boiler by filling one larger pot with water and placing a smaller one inside. Made sure no water gets into the inside pot as this will turn the melting chocolate.
Add about 1/3 of the chocolate into the small pot and stir as it melts
Once melted, pour into 12 muffin liners. You may wish to add the liners to a muffin tin for added support
Chill the tin in the fridge or freezer, until the chocolate has hardened a little (about ten minutes).
Mix together the almond butter, salt, vanilla, arrowroot flour and optional cacao nibs until it is able to form little round doughy balls. You may need more arrowroot flour but best to add 1 Tbs at a time to make sure.
Make 12 small ‘patties’ and place on the chocolate base in the muffin liners.
Melt the remaining chocolate and pour into the cups, covering the almond butter
You may wish to sprinkle sea salt or cacao nibs on top
Keep in fridge or freezer and best to hide way at the back.

Follow her making love in the kitchen blog here: http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2010/02/18/chocolate-is-to-love/

Friday, September 9, 2011

Quinoa For Breakfast

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I've never tried quinoa as a breakfast food but this recipe sounds irresistible! Going to try it soon:)

I found it here: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=11874

Heavenly Breakfast Quinoa

Ingredients
1/2 small banana
2 teaspoons peanut butter
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1 tablespoon flax seeds, ground
few splashes nondairy milk (I use soy)

Directions:
1. Mash the banana right in your breakfast bowl with a fork and then stir in the peanut butter.
2. Stir in the quinoa and flax seeds and then add milk, to taste.

This can be eaten cold or hot. I make up a pot of quinoa at the beginning of the week and I get excited about eating this for breakfast every day. Nothing like a little fiber, protein, whole grain start to a day! Serves: 1, Preparation time: 5 minutes '

Find more healthy vegi recipes here: http://vegweb.com

Vegetarian Festival in Toronto: I'm Driving There Now!

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I'm so excited to be driving to the biggest vegetarian festival in North America! I've been wanting to go for many years... This is it! It all starts at 4 pm today! I'll be reporting back on my impressions and pictures soon:)

About the Festival:
Regarded as the largest event of its kind in North America, the Annual Vegetarian Food Festival gives you an unparalleled opportunity to enjoy a diverse cross-section of vegetarian cuisine.

Discover delicious new products and ideas from more than 100 exhibitors and enjoy a wide variety of presentations and cooking demos.

Dates & Times:
Friday, September 9th 4 - 9pm Saturday, September 10th 12 - 9pm
Sunday, September 11th 12 - 7pm

Schedule of programming:

For a full a complete listing of presentations and panel discussions with expert speakers, cooking demonstrations by chefs and cookbook authors, and musical performances click here. http://veg.ca/content/view/54/86/

World Café vendors, exhibitors and sponsors:

The Vegetarian Food Festival features more than 100 exhibitors including bakeries, food vendors, health and wellness practitioners, social benefit organzations, and other products connected to veg living.
Click here to get more info;
http://veg.ca/content/view/52/83/

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Veggie Meal Planner

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I found this great website! Awesome vegetarian recipes and meal planner. Check out the Morningstar website here:
https://www.morningstarfarms.com/theInsider.html

Here's this week's feature recipe. Gotta try this... Sounds delish!

Feta-Mint Tomato Basil Burgers Recipe

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons fat free plain yogurt
1 tablespoon slivered fresh mint
1 clove garlic, minced
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
2 medium pepperoncini peppers, sliced
1 package MorningStar Farms® Tomato & Basil Pizza Burgers

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook burgers according to package directions.

2. In small bowl stir together cheese, yogurt, mint and garlic. 3. Place burgers in buns. Top with tomato slices, cheese mixture and pepperoncini peppers.

Lunch Box Ideas: Vegetarian, Healthy & Yummy

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Now that kids are back in school you may be seeking healthy lunch ideas to pack up with your little ones. I found this great article with ideas, recipes and pictures of healthy, protein packed vegetarian lunches. Read it here:
http://www.inhabitots.com/vegetarian-school-lunch-box-ideas-for-kids/

School cafeteria lunches are often unhealthy and less than tasty, and for vegetarian kiddos, the options might be limited to french fries and cookies.

But bringing lunch from home doesn't mean your child needs to be stuck with a PB & J sandwich everyday. If you have a few spare minutes, you can prepare some simple and satisfying vegetarian lunch options that will surprise and delight your tot when he opens his lunch box.

Read on for healthy, homemade lunches so delicious, your kids won't even be tempted to make a lunch hour trade.

http://www.inhabitots.com/vegetarian-school-lunch-box-ideas-for-kids/

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Vegan Ceasar Salad: Cleopatra Salad

P2015

from: http://meatlessmondays.ca/cleopatra-salad/

Reminiscent of a Caesar, but much lower in fat.

Ingredients:
1 head of romaine lettuce, washed and torn. Refrigerate.

Dressing: 1 lb regular tofu
Juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp sweetener of your choice (organic sugar, agave, etc.)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (anchovy-free) – try Annie’s or Wizard brand, available at health food stores
1 tsp yellow mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 large cloves garlic,
crushed ½ tsp black pepper

Directions:
Blend all of the above until smooth and creamy. Will keep for 5 – 6 days in the fridge. Place all sauce ingredients in a blender and process until completely smooth.

Pretend parmesan – mix together ½ cup nutritional yeast, ½ cup ground almonds and ¼ tsp salt. Croutons – whole grain or pumpernickel bread cubed and toasted.

Assemble salad by tossing with enough dressing to coat lettuce. Add croutons and sprinkle with pretend parmesan, and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Leftover dressing will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Submitted by Nimisha Raja of evolvingappetites.com on behalf of the Toronto Vegetarian Association. Find more great recipes at http://www.meatlessmondays.ca