Things I Love

Still studying for midterms, so this post will be short.

When I visited Montreal, I bought this locally made, raw chocolate.  I loved it because it was so beautifully packaged and was pleased to see that actual chocolate was gorgeous as well:

It was almost too beautiful to eat.  Almost.  Yum.

Earlier today, a very talented TCM doctor showed me some baby things that she knit herself.  They are absolutely adorable:

I honestly think she should sell them on etsy.com.

Have a wonderful day!

How 'bout them apples?

It's apple season in Ontario!

M's parents are so sweet; they are always bringing up fresh produce from the fruit belt when they come to visit.  This time they brought 2 different apple varieties: one of which is Cortland (the other has slipped my mind).

I was amazed at how wonderful they smell when they are fresh; the entire kitchen was swimming in this sweet, crisp smell of apples when I got home.  I was also very appreciative that these apples did not have that wax coating that you tend to find in the store-bought varieties, even if you buy organic.

I haven't really had time to make anything fancy out of them and have just been eating them plain or adding them to my favorite juice combo; carrot-ginger-apple.  For all you people who may be coming down with a bug, the kick of fresh ginger in your juices can help you warm up and expel any of the congestion your body may have.

Still studying for Midterms, but took a quick break to find this cute lil guy in the pet store for some puppy therapy:

Have a great day!

Being a Carrot is Rough

Studying for midterms, so I may be posting less frequently for the next few weeks.

Found this video from one of my favorite youtube channels (ironically, as I was drinking carrot juice this morning)

Enjoy!

The Problem with Pink-washing

Did you know that the pink ribbon campaigns for breast cancer are actually a for-profit industry?

Not a lot of people do.  I found an amazing article about this that you can read here.

This leads to the bigger question: if a 'cure' for cancer will put you out of a job, would it be in your best interest to push for one?

My Last Meal

Ever play that game where you decide what your last meal would be?  I was never very good at it, but it turns out that's because I had never been to The George.  I went for a birthday celebration of a close friend last night, and it was the best meal I've had to date.  


The Birthday boy, P, has exquisite taste in both food and drink, so when he expertly suggested the 7 course taster dinner we knew we were all in for a treat (The George's chefs are also exceptional at preparing vegan cuisine).  P is an excellent story teller, so the evening was filled with so much laughter and amusement that even the maitre d' got in on the fun.  As a result, I missed a few courses but please enjoy my pictures from last night:

The amuse-bouche (highlight: the grilled heirloom tomato)

First course

 Second course (hightlight: the wasabi quinoa)

 Third course (highlight: brussel sprouts)

 Fourth Course (highlight: the skewered artichoke)

 Finale (highlight: the mission figs)

 A nice touch from the staff

My first fine dining, 100% vegan experience was a definite winner.  As you can see from the above, the chef put an emphasis on fresh and local food, opting for heirloom options (tomatoes!) and fresh herbs to add the flavours in place of heavy sauces.  Figs are always a palate pleaser for me, but my favorite taste of the evening? The wasabi quinoa was a total winner!

Enjoy!

George Restaurant

111C Queen Street East

(416) 863-6006

*Reservation required*

Dancing is good for your health

As it turns out, dancing is great for your health.  Dancing, while wearing styles from the various decades is even better.  Watch this short film and get inspired to move!

Enjoy your day!

Nuit Blanche Exhibit

Yesterday was Nuit Blanche in Toronto.  Nuit Blanche is an incredible event where the entire city becomes an outdoor gallery from 7 pm to about 4 am.  Various artists are stationed in and around downtown and display performances, audiovisual art, or sculpture and literally everyone in Toronto walks around to see them all.

Although I really enjoyed it last year, this year I opted to stay in and hang curtains with M.  M joked that we might be mistaken for an installation piece by art watchers and that we would look up from our work to see a small crowd gathered outside the condo, trying to decipher the meaning of the piece.

The curtains were quite a lot of work (we ended up hanging 10 of them!), but they look phenomenal.  I thought I'd multitask and bake an acorn squash for dinner so that by the time we were done, the whole condo smelt  deliciously of autumn and it was the perfect accompaniment to my "Curtain Hanging Salad" (recipe follows).  The salad is topped with Terra Stix, which give it a nice crunchy element.  I got this idea while perusing Pusateri Market for inspiration.

Curtain-Hanging Salad
1 head romain lettuce, chopped
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 pear, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tbsp dulse flakes
1 tbsp raw, shelled sunflower seeds
2 tbsp Terra Stix

Combine together and toss with Dijon Mustard Dressing (recipe follows)

Dijon Mustard Dressing
1 part apple cider vinegar (raw, unpasterized)
4 parts oil (Udo's or evoo)
Dijon mustard, to taste

Put all ingredients in a small glass jar and seal with a lid. Shake vigorously and pour over salad. Serve immediately.

The Olive Oil Selection at Pusateri's

Enjoy!