Vegan Eats in Ottawa

Two weeks ago, Corbin and I took a little road trip to Ottawa! I really wanted to visit because my best friend Mel is moving across the world this week, and I wanted to give her a hug before she left. Some sweet friends of Corbin's also just moved to Ottawa, so the whole thing seemed like a great excuse for an adventure!

We spent a lot of time visiting and catching up with our friends, and planned a couple fun meals out to enjoy some highly recommended vegan restaurants. On the Saturday night we headed to Zen Kitchen with my friend Laura for dinner.

Zen Kitchen is a gourmet vegan restaurant that recently reopened after undergoing a change in owners. I started drooling over their vegan and gluten free friendly menu for about 24 hours before we actually arrived - everything sounded so good!

We decided on the black bean cakes and crispy mushroom appetizer to start.

The black bean cakes had good flavor, but were a bit dry. They came with a really tasty side of corn chips, salsa, guacamole and cashew sour cream which we really enjoyed. The crispy mushrooms were a hit! The dipping sauces made them even better. I wish I could eat these all the time.

For our mains, Laura had the Caesar salad (complete with polenta croutons and tofu), Corbin had the Royal Zen Burger and I got the lemon scented gnocchi. While everyone's meals looked, smelled and tasted delicious, I won the dinner round. The gnocchi was sublime. From the well cooked veggies, to the mushroom-leek cream sauce, I was in heaven. I loved every bite, especially since gnocchi isn't something I get to eat very often!

The dessert menu looked awesome, but the peanut butter and chocolate pie had caught my eye when I was perusing the menu on the drive up to Ottawa. All 3 of us decided to get it and we were not disappointed. It was absolutely delicious!! Unlike many peanut butter and chocolate desserts, this one was more peanut butter than chocolate, which I really liked. It had a great gluten free crust and was topped with coconut cream. I want to go back just so I can eat this pie again!



Overall it was a really lovely meal. The service was great and they were very diligent about my gluten intolerance, which I really appreciated! Definitely a fancier dinner out that we would normally do, but certainly nice as a treat with amazing company.

We had plans for brunch with Mel and her partner on Sunday morning and she suggested we go to Cafe My House.



I understand that they recently moved to a new location on Wellington Street West and I loved everything about the decor. It was so cute inside! Since it was a nice weekend, we scored a sweet table on the back patio for our brunch.

This was another menu I had been checking out in advance, though I still found it difficult to choose because everything sounded amazing! I started with the Cacao Latte, which was really good, though a little sweet for me.


I decided on the Chipotle BLT mostly because it had a waffle bun. Holy wow.

It was AWESOME. Also, gigantic. But so good. I loved every bite.



Everyone else enjoyed their meals and I would certainly love to go back there to try the dinner menu sometime.

Over dinner the night before, Laura had mentioned a vegan bakery where she had enjoyed the most amazing cupcake and we decided to check it out! Auntie Loo's Treats is Ottawa's first 100% vegan bakery. They have an amazing selection of cupcakes, donuts, squares and buns with a small selection of gluten free items. We had a great visit to the shop and scored some treats for the ride home.

We spent the afternoon in the sunshine at a Provincial Park and I got to give Mel all sorts of hugs. It's been awhile since we've lived in the same city, but this move is going to be a HUGE change and because she's my best friend I want the best for her. I'm so glad we were able to sneak in a visit and have some lovely time together before she left. Love that girl!

The vegan scene in Ottawa is up and coming and it's neat to try out some new places each time I visit. It was an incredible weekend with some wonderful people and some really delicious food!

Toronto's Vegetarian Food Fair 2014 - My Top Picks

Since my first glimpse into veganism back in 2009, Toronto's Vegetarian Food Fair has been the standard way I spend the first weekend in September after Labour Day. I am sad to be missing the Food Fair this year as I will be heading to Ottawa for the weekend, but if you're in the city here are the things you should definitely see, do and EAT this weekend to celebrate the Fair's 30th anniversary!!

Learn a thing

There are some amazing speakers joining the lineup this year including Bryant Terry, Ricki Heller, Terry Hope Romero and my sweet friend, Meghan Telpner. There will be lots to learn from the politics of veganism, how to ferment things and previews of all sorts of yummy recipes. Be sure to pop inside or check out one of the stages to see what's happening.

See one of my favourite local bakers in action

It's no secret that I love Bunners, so I think it's awesome that Ashley Wittig will be sharing some baking secrets in her demo. (Also maybe, samples?!) And if you miss that, check out their cookbook - I'm slowly working my way through it and LOVING it!! Can't wait to post my review very soon!

Eat tasty treats

While I've noted the lack of vegetables in previous years at the Food Fair, I enjoyed a great dinner from Green Zebra last year (with kale!!) and there is certain to be no shortage of delicious treats for you to enjoy! Be sure to check out Sweets from the Earth, Bloomers and APiecalypseNow.

Cross something off your bucket list

While you're in Toronto, you might as well check out the rest of the city and some of the incredible vegan offerings our city has. My lovely friend Lisa has put together a sweet list of Toronto's Best Vegan Restaurant Dishes to help get you started! I've only tried 28 out of the 100 so far, but was stoked to cross Boreal Gelato's Vegan Salted Caramel gelato off the list last week. Holy yum!!

The Food Fair begins tonight and runs until Sunday evening at the Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queen's Quay West. Happy Food Fair-ing!!!

Love List - August

The CNE has started in Toronto and the temperatures are getting chillier - where is August going?!? Does anyone else get those feelings that inspire you to buy new school supplies around this time of year (even if you're not going back to school?) Maybe I just love new pens and post-it notes a little too much. Other than school supplies (including a shiny new owl whiteboard) here are the things I'm loving right now:

Bloomer's
It's wonderful to see great people doing awesome things!! My friends Alex and Kelly have opened a storefront for Bloomer's bakery at Ossington and Bloor.

I've been a fan of Kelly's cookies for a long time, so it's very cool to now have a place to stop and enjoy them regularly. So far the menu consists of some amazing treats which are all vegan and some gluten free. The cafe has a great vibe and it's slowly becoming one of my favourite places to sit with a tea (& treat) and get work done. A full menu is soon to follow and I couldn't be more excited to have another stellar option for gluten free vegan food in the city. Try the zucchini chocolate chip muffin. TRUST ME.



Lovebot Kickstarter
Speaking of friends doing awesome things... Almost a year ago Corbin and I went on our Lovebot adventure which led to us going to Lovebot HQ and getting to spend more time with Matthew Del Degan, the creator of the Lovebot Invasion himself! The Lovebot team has an awesome Kickstarter happening right now for the DIY Lovebot toy. The campaign has just 11 days left to reach it's goal of $30k and was chosen as a Kickstarter staff pick. Donate and get yourself a sweet DIY Lovebot!



Getting mail that isn't a bill
I received a beautiful bracelet and sweet card in the mail last week and it made my day! I had been waiting on it for awhile (getting things from the US can be a nightmare sometimes) but there's something really charming about getting things in the mail from sweet friends in a world that relies on email and texting. I'm waiting on a sweet tank that I ordered, which will probably make it into September's love list. Stay tuned!



Recipe Testing
Lindsay and I are getting ready for another year of Vegan Mofo coming up in September after last year's hummazing extravaganza. This year we're focusing on 'Foods to Fuel Your Body' and we've got some yummy things planned! I love any excuse to try some new foods out and spend more time with one of my very favourite people. It's going to be delicious and I can't wait to see what so many other amazing bloggers will be doing for the annual Vegan Month of Food!

Five Things I've Learned About Hummus

1. Hummus has infinite possibilities
It's been just over two weeks and we've made ten different types of hümmi for Hummus Month. And we've still got a whole Pinterest board of hummus recipes and inspiration. (Hummus cupcakes? Sounds weird, but I'm so into it!) Hummus month is gonna go strong until the end of September and I'm stoked.

2. Other people really like hummus 
Linz and I have been bogged down in hummus, but we've happily shared with our esteemed group of taste testers. Our readers, commenters, Twitter followers and Facebook friends are also really into this hummus domination, which is super cool.

3. Have no fear, hummus is really easy to make

I too have fallen prey to buying hummus in the store with an excuse of "convenience" or lack of time. But really, basic hummus takes about five minutes to make. You could really just go throw some chickpeas, tahini, a couple cloves of garlic, lemon, salt and oil into a food processor, turn on some Robyn and have super delicious, easy peasy hummus in about 5 minutes. (The Robyn is so that you can have a mega fun dance party in your kitchen while your hummus essentially makes itself) In talking about this month of hümmi, I've been surprised by the number of people who ask "how do you make hummus?". It's the easiest. And you'll feel awesome and virtuous. Give it a go. 

4. Linz and I make great collaborators 
We're having far too much fun with hummus. We talk, text and tweet about it daily, and our weekly yoga/hummus dates are the best. We're really silly and giggle about the most ridiculous things, but I think our hümmi recipes are continuing to get better.

5. There is such a thing as too much hummus
Not gonna lie, I was really sick of hummus after week one. We had both made hummus during the week, then collaborated on more hummus on the weekend and sampled one another's. There was hummus everywhere and it was actually too much. And this coming from a gal who LOVES the stuff! This week was a lot better, with only choice hummus opportunities and eating. It also helps that the recipes we made over the weekend are divine!!

In honor of our hummus love, Linz and I are gonna talk about all things hummus at our #hummuschat this Thursday September 19 at 8pm EST! Some of our favourite people are going to be joining in for this chickpea celebration and we'd love for you to be there too. Follow us on the Twitter (@ashleydtl and @kitchenoperas) and check out the #hummuschat hashtag to join in the fun!

Why I Pin + Amazing Weeknight Din

"What's the point?"

This is a question I was asked twice last week about Pinterest and I found myself launching into a diatribe about my affinity for the social media tool I use to collect and organize all sorts of fun things.

I was introduced to Pinterest by my awesome friend Amanda. She was an early adopter (and beta tester I'm pretty sure) for Pinterest and I remember glancing over at her desk in the spring of 2011 and seeing this scrapbook-like page with all sorts of pretty things. I soon got myself an account and started pinning up a storm.

I started with pretty things and snazzy things since as we all know, I love all things pink, sparkly and dress-related. It gave me an opportunity to organize all the things I saw that I loved and sometimes coveted, and in some ways helped me to define my style. I started following some of my favourite bloggers and brands and loved feeling inspired by their pins.

I loved being able to pin photos of recipes I found while perusing blogs. No longer was I bookmarking random recipes in google reader and then going back to try and find a recipe based on its title, I now had an awesome visual to associate with each delectable looking recipe and started to create new boards with varying categories and silly names (like 'where are the boys I have a milkshake' filled with popsicle and ice cream recipes and inspiration)

Using Pinterest with my blog designer helped me define exactly what I was looking for when my blog got overhauled last year. I don't think I could have been as cohesive with my colour choices and look/feel without it.

It's also ideal for the quote lover in me.

Most recently I've been pinning up a storm with wedding and bridesmaid ideas as we approach sweet Lindsay's wedding. It's been a blast to collaborate with Linz and the other bridesmaids on our dresses and accessories and hair and everything girly. We've collected a lot of awesome ideas and it has made wedding planning even more fun.

Right now I'm feeling a whole lot of Pinterest love thanks to last night's dinner:

A roasted sweet potato stuffed with kale, white beans, shallots and garlic, thanks to something I pinned months ago. It was easy and delicious; the perfect weeknight dinner with leftovers for lunchy. Thanks Pinterest. 

Pinterest has become one of my favourite corners of the internet and all of the above are reasons why. It's a happy place. Even my sweet potato can attest :)

If you don't already, take a minute to follow me on Pinterest so you can keep up with all the fun!

Do you pin?
Who do you love to follow?
What are some of your favourite uses for Pinterest?

Friends take friends to Bunner's

As a gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian gal it brings me great joy that there are places in Toronto where I can go and get delicious treats and yummy bread that are Ashley-friendly. Like Bunner's.

Bunner's has taken the top spot as my favourite bakery in the city (now that LPK's Culinary Groove closed its doors). Tucked away in the Junction, I'm thankful that it involves a trip across the city to visit or else I may have to exhibit a lot of self control to keep myself from their shop every single day.

It also brings me great joy to share my love of Bunner's with others who are of the gluten free and/or vegan lifestyle, which is why it was awesome to take Alexandra to Bunner's on Monday.

We were both giddy on the subway ride from Bloor to Dundas West and Alexandra was pining for a cupcake. We arrived to this sign...

 

but luckily it wasn't long before we were able to take in all the sights and smells that this adorable little bakery has to offer! 

I was thrilled that there were two loaves of bread left - one for each of us! Bunner's bread is one of the only loaves I will splurge on. It's crusty and chewy and reminiscent of my non-gluten free days. I consider it such a treat and have to throw half of the loaf in the freezer as soon as it gets home because I become a bread monster when it's around.

 

The gypsy cookie is pretty divine, filled with chocolate chips and seedy goodness. A boy once sent a box of them to my work following a date. My friend Amanda stands by the fact that it was one of the best days at work ever.  They're definitely one of my favourite things. 

In addition to getting the last two loaves of bread, Alexandra also managed to score the very last cupcake. 

 

I wish I had take a photo or video of her eating it as I felt like I was witnessing a religious experience. She loved every last morsel.

I treated myself to a couple of delectable confections and said goodbye to Bunner's for another day. I've been enjoying toast with my breakfast all week. So delicious. Really happy I could take such a sweet friend there for the first time - I know she'll be back! My birthday is around the corner and I'm thinking a cake from Bunner's will be the perfect way to celebrate...

Bunner's is located at 3054 Dundas Street West in Toronto. You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook for more gluten free, vegan, drool-worthy goodness!

January Eats & Fitness

It's been a busy, busy month but I'm happy to report that good things have been happening in my kitchen and with my workouts!!

Food

I was super stoked to pick up Kris Carr's new book, Crazy Sexy Kitchen. Kris and Chef Chad Sarno have put together an amazing selection of vegan recipes, both raw and cooked with lots of gluten free, soy free and kid free options. I've been inspired with some refreshing new green juice combinations and have had a lot of fun making some delicious new recipes including bok choy with lemon tahini sauce, mango & coconut millet 

and a root veggie & chickpea tagine. I've got my eye on some kale salads I really want to try and a scrumptious looking polenta with tomato sauce. The book is beautifully laid out and I find Kris' writing style enchanting. I adore it. 

Also - why have I never roasted chickpeas until Monday night?! If you just read that last line and realize that you too have never roasted chickpeas, then I beg you to change that. And quickly. My sweet friend Laura (of 6th grade BFF fame) posted about this Smitten Kitchen soup on Monday, and considering I had all the ingredients in my house (save for a full giant bag of carrots) I knew I had to make it. 

everything tastes better in an owl bowl

The soup on its own is quite nice, but the tahini and roasted chickpeas take it over the edge into spectacular territory. It's an easy weekday night dinner, perfect for our chilly Toronto temperatures and I suggest you make a double batch of the chickpeas because you'll find yourself having them as a snack while you blog rather than saving them for leftover soup. 

Fitness

I'm on week two of Insanity and I have to say that I'm enjoying it. I did not barf during the Fit Test (as two people told me they did) and I'm already feeling stronger and leaner. I've buddy-ed up with my friend Amanda (who was in Breadwinner with me) and we've been motivating one another through silly/awesome texts and Facebook messages. I definitely end up a sweaty mess after Shaun T's crazy workouts, but I think it's going to be worth it. And thanks to Amanda, I'm still smiling!! 

I've downloaded the (free!!) My Fitness Pal app on my iphone and I'm kinda loving it. I still haven't weighed myself (it's been almost a year?!) and don't really intend to, but I love having a way to keep track of the food I've eaten, keep an eye on how much protein I'm consuming and track my workouts. It's super motivating to add in my Insanity workouts with their calorie burn!! 

I also love having friends on there to be inspired and motivated by. If you're on it, feel free to add me!

I've been to the gym a few times for my favourite Pump class and also tried a crazy spin class at QuadSpin. You can feel the January energy everywhere and while I sometimes get annoyed with the crowds, it's encouraging to see so many people working so hard. We all just need to dig deeper (as Shaun T would say) and keep up the good work! 

BFF reunion in Ottawa

In August my dear friend Mel (aka Melanie, or Melly as only I can refer to her as) packed up her bags and moved to Ottawa to do her Masters. We've been great at keeping in touch through iMessaging and regular Skype dates, but I was definitely missing her presence in my life. This past weekend I hopped on a Porter flight and headed to Ottawa for a visit! 

I'm so thankful for Porter and it's ridiculously often sales and hospitality. While my flight was a bit late, I was happy and cozy in the Porter lounge complete with tea, snacks and wifi.

When Mel picked me up at the airport, I couldn't help but be reminded of when she found me in an airport in Hannover, Germany during our European adventures. Finding Mel in the Ottawa airport was a heck of a lot easier thanks to its smaller size, affinity for the English language and the popularity of iPhones. I didn't cry when we found one another (like I did in Germany), but it was pretty amazing to give one of my best friends a huge hug after five months apart!

Melly and her boyfriend were amazing hosts and did a wonderful job at feeding me! Some of the highlights included "bachelor slop", incredible steel cut oats with carrot juice, walnuts & raisins and a delicious lentil dahl.

We also visited a couple of sweet Ashley-friendly restaurants in Mel's hood including The Table and Simply Raw. The Table is another pay-by-weight place similar to The Green Door that I visited during the summer. I think the gluten free vegan butter tart was my favourite part of the meal.

I was extra excited to go to Simply Raw, despite the chilly temperatures and neverending snowfall. Laura met Mel and I for lunchy and the three of us caught up over sweet potato ginger soup, yogi tea and raw chocolate cherry cheezecake.

I had a lovely conversation with Simply Raw's owner Natasha Kryssa about my favourite restaurants in Toronto and New York as well as the premise of raw food. She was incredibly kind and I loved the cafe. I can't wait to go back and try more and definitely have another slice of cheezecake. It was pretty divine.

We didn't have any crazy plans for the weekend outside of some exploration, catching up and seeing Les Miserables. I think we succeeded in our objectives with some good food, late night wine, a lot of laughter and reminiscing of the fun we've had together along with quite a few cat pictures thrown in for good measure...

Because Lego is pretty much the cutest thing I've seen in 2013. I couldn't get enough of him!

The snowy view from Mel's balcony

I felt calmer this weekend than I have in awhile, likely because it was the most vacation-esque thing I've experienced of late and aided by the presence of such a good friend. I'm so proud of Mel for kicking ass at school, but it's definitely been tough without her in my city. Thankfully Ottawa is only a short ways away and both of us are making a concerted effort to stay connected.

Love that girl.
And her sweet boyfriend.
And adorable cat.

I had a really lovely weekend with one of my very favourite people. Ottawa was good to me once again and I'm looking forward to returning again soon.

My love for brunch and Sun in Bloom

Brunch is quite possibly one of my favourite meals of the day. Usually later in the day, with a good mix of sweet or savory options, brunch often feels more luxurious than its earlier and later counterparts. In Toronto we're lucky to have a great selection of veg friendly brunch options (including Lady Marmalade, Live and Grapefruit Moon), but when I'm in New York, brunch feels extra special because I can go to Sun in Bloom.

Sun in Bloom is the kinda place that I wish was around the corner from me, and if I lived in New York, it likely would be (Park Slope is pretty neat). It feels warm, welcoming and cozy, without feeling too small. I adore the giant windows where the sunshine beams in, the exposed brick and its large wooden tables complete with fresh blooms. The gluten free vegan fare is innovative and delicious, with many options for people with all types of dietary restrictions and palates.

The very first time I experienced Sun in Bloom was in June, when I was in New York for the Jonathan Reid Gealt workshop series. The restaurant came highly recommended, so I trekked from Spanish Harlem to Brooklyn on a Sunday morning before class to finally experience it. 

It was absolutely worth the trip. While everything on the menu looked incredible, I opted for the 'staff favorite' BLT, complete with avocado and shitake bacon. Wrapped in a collard leaf, with no meat in sight, it was definitely different than the traditional incarnation of the sandwich, but still amazing, especially when paired with yummy greens and parsnip hash. 

With a banana cupcake to go? Holy awesometown. It didn't even make it to class with me, I definitely ate it on the subway, because I'm classy like that.

After raving about Sun in Bloom to everyone who would listen, I knew that I had to bring friends there on my next visit to NYC. Enter: Rebecca!

In addition to being another redheaded, singing lass, Rebecca is also gluten free and vegetarian, which made Sun in Bloom the perfect place for her too. On my second visit, I tried the gluten free brunch tart filled with shitake bacon, butternut squash and caramelized onions

Just fantastic. Seriously. 

The gluten free crust was delicious and flaky, and the highlight ingredients of the tart were generously distributed amid the dish. Once again, the greens and parsnips were a yummy touch and I left brunch a very happy girl. It was great to be able to introduce Rebecca to such a magical place and it was a lot of fun to catch up with her in a whole other city. 

And of course I had to get a strawberry shortcake cupcake for later.
Probably one of the best gluten free vegan cupcakes I've ever had.
I kid you not. 

It's been a couple of months since I've been in New York and as I write this I'm longing for the buzz of the city. Sun in Bloom has become a familiar, comfortable place, and I can't wait to get back. 

Where do you like to go for brunch? Any fav spots in New York?