Andrea the Gastronaut

In lieu of Meghan’s Green Smoothie Cleanse (going 100% smoothie for three days just didn’t feel right for me this time) I decided to try raw, vegan for three days, along with going to bed early and rising early. [Full disclosure: tomorrow's dinner won't be raw.] I didn’t think that raw would be much of a challenge but I’m surprised at how much I do cook.

Breakfast and lunch are easy because many days I eat raw until dinner anyway and not because I’m trying to eat that way. I drink a smoothie for breakfast (if you look at my Twitter feed to the right you’ll see my “smoothie of the day”) and often a salad for lunch. Salads are the easiest meal to make: Throw a bunch of ingredients into a bowl or container. Toss or shake. Drizzle with vinaigrette, seasoning or dressing of choice, in my case often olive or walnut oil with a squeeze of lemon. (My mom takes nothing but lemon on her salad.)

Even when I don’t bring my own salad I have two salad places within walking distance of work: A Freshii – with whom I have issues but I eat there anyway – and “Sushi and salad”, a place with a salad bar and, you guessed it (I hope), sushi.

Raw vegan chocolate banana pudding topped with a banana slice, a date & pink Himalayan sea salt

Last night’s dinner presented a minor challenge: My friend Tema of Post-Challahism (she promises her first blog post will go up soon) picked up my CSA items on Tuesday and we haven’t been able to coordinate transfer. Because I was waiting on it I hadn’t gone shopping. What to do? See what vegetables I do have and pull out my spiral slicer! After attempting eggplant (FAIL) and cucumber (semi-fail) I sliced a sweet potato and topped the potato and cucumber “noodles” with garlic scape pesto that I’d made earlier in the week. Then there was dessert: Raw chocolate banana pudding. I don’t usually eat dessert but I craved something. It was so rich that I could only eat a couple of spoonfuls (okay, so I licked the remains out of the blender first – well, not directly).

Today’s breakfast was a minor challenge. I was completely out of greens this morning, and I’m trying to go raw this weekend. Trader Joe’s Super Green Drink subbed in a pinch. Though powder, it’s full of great ingredients, all organic. It was added to 1 peach, 1/2 banana, walnuts, cacao nibs and maple syrup. Lunch? I didn’t really have a lunch. I had a couple bites of a Lara bar when I got hungry while waiting to go into an appointment.  When I arrived home a couple hours later I ate some watermelon that I bought at The Healthy Butcher this afternoon.* Tasty and hydrating and tastes like summer.

Image via Wikipedia

Dinner was a little easier to plan: After buying to kinds of kale this morning at the farmer’s market, the decision was made to make kale salad, and soon.  What I made was variation of this recipe.  See kale’s health benefits.

Kale salad

• 1/4 cup wakame (I had no arame. I don’t know if wakame has a similar nutritional profile as arame but they’re both sea vegetables.
• A bunch of curly and dinosaur kale. Not an official measure “bunch”, and not the equivalent to the amount that was contained in the twist tie, but a quantity that filled a large colander.
• Sweet potato and cucumber (see notes above)
• 2 carrots, spiral sliced
• 1/2 avocado
• Hemp seeds sprinkled over top

Dressing (below is basically the recipe I used but adjusted the measurements. See the original recipe for specifics):

• 2/3 cup olive oil (I used 1/3 cup)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (I probably used close to that much because I always forget that it pours fast)
• 1 T soy sauce (I didn’t measure)
• 1 T grainy mustard (I didn’t measure this either)
• 2 cloves garlic (used 1 clove)
• 1/4 cup cilantro  (I used a few bits that I had left, barely a tablespoon)
• 1/4 cup green onions
• salt/black pepper to taste (I only used salt)
• toasted sesame seeds (I didn’t measure)

I also added

• 1 garlic scape
• A small bit (a couple of teaspoons?) of sesame oil
• a small handful of goji berries

Directions

See the original recipe.

I followed pretty closely. For the dressing I added the mustard last and blended at the blender’s lowest setting. It seemed like a waste of grainy mustard to pulverize it. As for steaming the kale, I gave it a very light steaming. Yes, that’s not raw, and yes I contemplated that, but I have trouble chewing raw kale.  Adding dressing to the wakame actually had a nice effect, and I tossed the salad with my hands as I sometimes do to incorporate the dressing more thoroughly. I like prepping food with my hands. It adds to the sensory experience of cooking. As I tweeted, my kale salad kicked other salads’ butts.

I only made enough for one serving but the ingredients for the next time are pretty much prepped. Kale is washed and torn and wakame soaked. I’m thinking Monday lunch.

*By the way, at the Healthy Butcher, I bought nothing that required butchering. The store is so much more than meat and fish.

Eat well, be well.

Uncategorized kale, recipes, salad

Image via Wikipedia

The Cutting Veg grows over a dozen varieties of garlic from various places in the world. Starting with 100 bulbs in 2005, The Cutting Veg has built up its volume of seed stock to the point of a harvest of 20,000 bulbs in 2010. This year’s harvest was done over this past weekend.

I got the following email from my friend Farmer Daniel of The Cutting Veg, and wanted to share it with you. The order form that was attached to the email can be found here:

Hello Garlic Lovers,

The Garlic Harvest is done! Thanks to the hard work of 40+ people over the last three days, we have finished harvesting our 20,000+ bulbs of the freshest, localest, organicest garlic around. Specifically, we have nine varieties available for order this season: Persian, Tibetan, Russian, Salt Spring Island, Korean, Ukrainian, Italian, Former Yugoslavia, and Sicilian. The Cutting Veg is also introducing our “Value Packs”, and “Large Value Packs” this season, for folks who aren’t yet addicted to certain varieties, and want to sample a wide spectrum, at a discount price. For more info about the various varieties, and their unique qualities, please visit http://www.thecuttingveg.com/global-garlic/varieties-available.html.

The garlic is now hanging in the barn, enabling it to cure. The curing process is vital in enabling the garlic to store for many months. Once the curing is completed (3-4 weeks), we will need to cut the garlic off the stalks, clean the bulbs, and label them.

This means your garlic order will be available sometime in mid-September.

If you would like to place an order, please fill out the attached garlic order form [see below], and email it back to me. In your email, please also indicate your desired pick-up location (see below for options), and your chosen method of payment. Please note that orders will be filled on a first-paid, first-filled basis.

Options for receiving your garlic order:

1. Pick up at Sorauren Farmers Market, in Sorauren Park, near Dundas St. West and Lansdowne, on a Monday, between 3 and 6:30pm
2. Pick up at Temple Sinai, at 210 Wilson Avenue, near Wilson and Avenue rd, on a Tuesday between 2:30 and 6pm.
3. Pick up at the Park Road Organic Harvest CSA, at 28 Park Road, near Bloor and Yonge, on a Wednesday between 3 and 6:30pm.
4. Pick up at the Kavanah Garden, in the Vaughan/Thornhill area, near Bathurst and Rutherford Rd, on a Thursday between 3 and 6:30pm.
5. Have your garlic shipped to you. (Cost $20 within Ontario, and $30 to other provinces)

Payment Options:

1. Cheque, made out to The Cutting Veg, and sent to 21 Kenwood Ave, Toronto, ON, M6C 2R8
2. Paypal (www.paypal.ca), with payment directed to daniel@thecuttingveg.com.

If you are interested in growing your own garlic this year, check out the following link for basic growing instructions: http://www.thecuttingveg.com/global-garlic/how-to-grow-garlic.html

For garlic sampling recipes (to get to know the various varieties), check out http://www.thecuttingveg.com/global-garlic/garlic-recipes.html.

Volunteers
The Cutting Veg is always looking for volunteers. It’s a fun gig and you get to take home some of what you pick, as well as getting a lesson about organic farming (see my post from last September). To volunteer, email Daniel with the subject line, “Sign me up for TCV E-News”. The weekly Farm Talk newsletter includes a “Volunteer Needs” section. For example, a recent newsletter prior to the garlic harvest said, “We will be welcoming volunteers this week and next from Sunday – Thursday, between 6:30 and noon. If you would like to come and help out on one of these days, please rsvp that you intend to come, and let us know if you will be driving, or need support with a lift. The farm is approx 30 mins from Toronto, and I will send you directions, if you rsvp that you will be driving.”

RSVP to the e-newsletter and let him know when you want help out. Newsletters occasionally include recipes and other fun stuff.

Tell him I sent you.

Eat well, be well.

Uncategorized garlic, The Cutting Veg

This is an understatement. I joke that one of the reasons that I invite him to dinner parties is that he’ll wake up early to bake and cook. He’s full of kitchen creativity and ideas… and one day I’ll get him to guest post here. I’ve known Dave since around 2001, though we really only met in the last 5 years. We became friends after meeting on a dating website and I decided that I didn’t want to pursue anything. He’s great at keeping his network up. We finally met in person years later at a party. I’m glad things went the way they did because his wife is awesome, her parents are awesome, her friends are awesome. Their children will be awesome. I doubt I could live with him 24/7 but appreciate him so much.

This is a very long, and a somewhat personal blog post. Bear with me during the cheese (both literal and figurative) and my “Ode to David K”.

My favourite Saturdays are the ones that are spent with Dave and/or his wife. They moved into my neighbourhood three months ago. He jokingly refers to me as his “other wife”. They’re going to be parents soon so I fill roles that she can’t: Drinking buddy, ceviche sampler, partner in crime when she needs to get off her feet.  I’ve threatened “fake divorce” numerous times but I hear that the paperwork is a bitch. Also, all those fake attorneys…. (and I don’t mean Jeff Winger types)

As I tend to abandon all tentative plans when they’re around, I ended up skipping FoodPrint Toronto yesterday and having the most wonderful day with these two. Around 8:50am he text messaged me to alert me that they were at the Wychwood Barns farmer’s market. Up early, I headed over. I was at the market earlier than I leave for work during the week and subsequently a fair trade coffee did its job. The three of us hung out at that market before we dropped wife #1 off at home. She was intent on making gazpacho.  In and out of their place all day, we did some great food shopping. At Brick Works farmer’s market I got some haloumi from Ruth of Monforte Dairy and convinced Dave to do the same. He’s got a barbecue, whereas I feel like haloumi is kind of wasted on me – though I’ll cook it under the broiler or pull out my George Foreman Grill,  used twice in the last year. I bought Swiss mint and lemon balm from Vicki’s Veggies. Read more…

Uncategorized

Holistic nutritionist (and, if I overheard correctly, midwife-in-training) Jae Steele recently followed up her first book Get It Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking and Living with Ripe From Around Here: A Vegan Guide to Local and Sustainable Eating (No Matter Where You Live). The book is intended to help readers deepen their understanding of organic and local foods, and their positive impact on our health and our planet. It contains 180 recipes which encourage the use of fresh, organic ingredients wherever possible.

On May 26, in a “small bites” post I wrote,

This evening I spontaneously went the book launch for Jae Steele’s new book Ripe From Around Here: A Vegan Guide to Local and Sustainable Eating (No Matter Where You Live) (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010). I will give this event its own blog post because my original “small bite” about it was  long-ish. I will say this though: Jae is charming and I’d enjoy hearing/reading what else she has to say. I look forward to getting my hands on copies of both of her books, making some of the recipes and blogging about them. I’m passionate about the subject matter and supporting local writers.

And, she recognized me from Twitter which was extra awesome because I wasn’t already following her on Twitter.

An earlier version of that paragraph, the one that got scrapped and made me decide to give the event its own post was this:

This evening, with many book launches in the city and the Chocolate 101 workshop in Kensington Market, I ended up at the book launch for Jae Steele’s new book Ripe From Around Here: A Vegan Guide to Local and Sustainable Eating (No Matter Where You Live) (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010). When I say “ended up”, I mean it was spontaneous. I’d decided not to go down to Kensington Market for the second day in a row (though the workshop sounded awesome and I will go to subsequent ones), peered into another book launch on the way home, opened my computer when I got home and saw a tweet about the Ripe launch. Someone had recently mentioned it to me but I didn’t know where it was and didn’t really process it because I thought I had other plans. So, got dressed again, threw some stuff – albeit not a camera and I had no cash – in my purse, and was at FoodShare in a half hour. My friend Suzanne, who’d tweeted the event, was there, as was Meghan, tired after her 5:30am call at CBC radio‘s Metro Morning where she spoke about dandelions. There was a table spread out with food made from recipes in the book, accompanied by labels with recipe names and page numbers. What stood out for me was the maple cake, the stuffed mushroom caps and the pate.

Without money. I couldn’t buy Jae’s books, but look forward to doing so.

…I subsequently had a busy week and left town for four days during which I blogged only a little (this is one of three blog posts I’ve got in progress). My memory is hazy now but I’ll do my best.

After nibbles that included sugar-free, wheat free pastries (cookies, cakes) that were anything but free of taste and beverages that included a beet lemonade, Jae – funny, quirky, endearing and adorable – gave an engaging PowerPoint presentation that addressed when it’s best to eat local and when you can compromise. It’s not an all or nothing approach. The 100 Mile Diet might be sustainable for some people but – I’d argue – most people want something more appropriate to their lifestyle and people are less likely to take the journey if it doesn’t seem sustainable. As she says, she likes bananas. Bananas aren’t local. However, by reducing her consumption of one banana per day to one every second day, that’s 182 fewer bananas per year. That’s 182 fewer pieces of imported fruit. Jae gave a list of pantry staples. She listed items that people might not know are produced locally. (She also mentioned that Heinz ketchup is local, if you don’t mind that it’s not organic and it’s full of sugar.)

Here’s a quote about the book from 100 Mile Diet co-author J.B. MacKinnon that addresses this. I think it’s a better description of the book than the publisher’s, which is what I adapted in the first paragraph above:

Anyone who thinks that vegetarians and locavores are two solitudes has yet to dig in to Ripe from Around Here, jae steele’s radical compromise on ethical eating. With her ‘near’ and ‘far’ pantries, she brings the best of both worlds together in a way that’s simple, sensible—and let’s not forget, delicious. More than just a recipe book, this is a compendium of real-world philosophy to chew on while your onions saute, your dough rests, or your beans bake (don’t miss the baked beans). You might just find you’re feeling ripe to change the world.

See what others say about the book.

At the launch event Jae emphatically promoted Karma Co-op, a non-profit member-owned and operated co-operative food store that emphasizes organic and local foods and environmentally friendly household products. It was a good reminder for me because over the years I’ve periodically considered becoming a member. I also picked up brochures from the West End Food Co-op and the FoodCycles CSA and chatted with the lovely women at the information table.

The West End Food Co-op operates the Sorauren Farmer’s Market (one of these days I’ll remember how to spell “Sorauren”) as well as the Parkdale Processing Project, a community cannery. Next year they will be opening a store

I think I’ve since read mention of FoodCycles in the book Locavore but because I went to Jae’s book launch while reading Locavore I have been getting the two mixed up in my mind. While I like the convenience of a local CSA, I like the way that the FoodCycles CSA works: Participants visit the farm once a week to pick up a pre-packaged bag of fresh vegetables. The CSA farmer is on hand to answer questions about the farm. The share includes 16 weeks of fresh vegetables, 1 large cloth bags and 2 small drawstring bags for transporting the share, “u-pick” herbs and vegetables and access to workshops and events.

In general I appreciate that the CSA model connects people to their food and their farmers and I’m glad to be part of the planning of one this year. I really like what’s happening with the locavore movement in Toronto and look forward to learning more from Jae and others. Eating local with Jae Steele is all ripe with me. (Hey, I avoided calling her a “woman of steele”.)

See what others say about Jae Steele, Ripe From Around Here and the book launch:

• Vegan Cookbook Critic Lisa posted a report about the book launch
• Tasting T.O. with Jae Steele
• Meghan interviewed her for the National Post
• She also did a podcast with Jae
• Podcast at the Toronto Vegetarian Association

Eat well, be well.

Uncategorized

Oh look, a blog entry that’s been sitting in drafts for days! Good thing it’s not (too) time sensitive..

For days – a couple of weeks? -  I’ve been trying to decide the best way to blog about Meghan’s new Natural Body Care Tutorial. I can’t promote it nearly as well as she can, so instead I’m just going to give you some pretty, shiny images and links to her related blog entries.  I really do wish I’d blogged this by [last] Wednesday but it’s been another stupidly busy week, one that involved a social media conference, a night of learning and a fundraiser for Not Far From the Tree. [Edit: Keep in mind that I'm posting this on May 31 and my busy week was the one before last.]

Click on the images to get your copy.

Brand New e-Tutorial Announcement!
Cleaning Up Our Cleaning Stuff: A Rub Down With Toxins
Im-Pressed with Natural Body Care and That’s Fit

Toner… I Mean Astringent… I Mean Salad Dressing
Great Vid, Party Pooper, Webinar, Winner and Get Ready! (Love that one.)
Here She Is: Natural Body Care Tutorial!

What’s A Sun Goddess To Do? Make Suncreen.
Happy Victoria Day and Away I Go!
Banana Bread Or Face Mask

Chocolate Fudge… I Mean Face Mask

I did her Natural Body Care workshop last year. In a few weeks I’m going to her Healing With Super Foods workshop with my mom and sister. Looking forward to it and being around Meghan is always a good time. She’s like a ray of sunshine.

Back to your (semi) regularly schedule programming soon.

Eat well, be well.

Uncategorized

Welcome to “Small Bits”, where I post thoughts on a bunch of unrelated topics that are  too brief for their own full posts but too long for Twitter – or maybe I tweeted a shorter version.

Spoiled vegetables

10 days ago I bought fiddleheads and ramps at the farmer’s market, brought them home and tossed them in the vegetable drawer without much thought. Yesterday, while not at home to do anything about them, I remembered the fiddleheads – and then quickly forgot. This morning while rummaging through the drawer for smoothie ingredients (the only fresh fruit I have is one sad looking orange?) I found the ramps and fiddleheads. Poor ramps and fiddleheads. The ramps had gone slimy and some of the ferns had gone brown. I snipped the shoots off the ramps and picked through and washed the fiddleheads well before freezing both. Hours later three things occurred to me:

1. I should have minced the ramps before freezing to make them easier to use.
2. I should have blanched the fiddleheads before freezing. I’d forgotten that you can only eat them cooked because of they can be toxic when raw.
3. By tossing the vegetables into the bin without much though I was showing disrespect to the vegetables. It’s a small thing, as vegetables don’t have feelings, but I do feel kind of bad about it.

Cookbooks, pre-owned but fresh to me

On my way home from work today I went into Goodwill because I saw a sign boasting 50% off today. I walked out with two Moosewood cookbooks for $3 (total, not each): Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites and Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant.  I don’t know if I’ll use them, but at that price I don’t care. They can take up space on my book shelf until I need the space. One is food-stained so I couldn’t sell it if I tried. Maybe I’ll find some hand-written notes in the margins from the previous owner(s).

Cookbook, fresh off the presses.

This evening I spontaneously went the book launch for Jae Steele’s new book Ripe From Around Here: A Vegan Guide to Local and Sustainable Eating (No Matter Where You Live) (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2010). I will give this event its own blog post because my original “small bite” about it was  long-ish. I will say this though: Jae is charming and I’d enjoy hearing/reading what else she has to say. I look forward to getting my hands on copies of both of her books, making some of the recipes and blogging about them. I’m passionate about the subject matter and supporting local writers.
And, she recognized me from Twitter which was extra awesome because I wasn’t already following her on Twitter.

People and organizations I know, appearing in books!

I was reading Locavore by Sarah Elton yesterday when I came across two things:
i.) Sarah talked about Everdale Farm and mentioned Everdale’s CSA. I’m on the CSA committee (from the hosting synagogue’s side), so this is kind of cool.

ii.) She also talked about my buddy Daniel Hoffman of The Cutting Veg and mentions his CSA (which is now CSAs, plural). I’ve blogged about both farms’ CSAs. I know for sure that Everdale’s still has space (click on link above for more info) and I’m guessing that The Cutting Veg does too in his various locations.

This was even cooler than when as a child I read mentions of places in my neighbourhood in John Irving’s fictional works. Alright, I read one Atwood novel for the same reason.

Related posts

• Spring vegetable excitement
• CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) the GTA (canadianfoodiegirl.com)

Go buy some cookbooks and don’t forget to properly store your fresh produce.

Eat well, be well.

Uncategorized

Last month I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of the new The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook, by Mireille Guiliano. Upon its arrival I sat with it on the couch reading through it like a book, Post It tape flags at the ready. I quite liked the introduction and some of the little stories throughout. Chapter titles include “Breakfast and Le Brunch“. “Sometimes It Is Called Lunch”. “Once in a While a Little Champagne” (champagne pairings, as she is former president and CEO of Veuve Clicquot and, well, French) and “In Case You Were About to Ask”, a chapter full of tips to live healthy and joyfully. The book is in the same humour as the original “French Women” book French Women Don’t Get Fat.

Upon being offered the copy and learning that author Mireille Guiliano was going to be in Toronto for a Q&A session that I intended to attend I decided that I should do my homework. I’d never read any of the books in the series, so I got a copy of the original book from the library.  I approached the book with skepticism.  I thought it was going to be gimmicky and intended to skim it so that I could say that I’d done my homework and perhaps ask the author some informed, intelligent questions. I was calling it my “research”, feeling slightly self-conscious about reading it (I’m not French nor have I ever been fat). As I briefly mentioned here, I was wrong. Not only was I engrossed in the narrative (I may have skimmed one chapter), but I flagged a bunch of recipes. Then, because I had to return the book (I owe the Toronto Public Library 30 cents for late return) I noted the pages for future reference and decided that I want a copy of the book for my collection. The title still makes me cringe for some reason,  maybe because it’s a generalization that still sounds gimmicky. I guess you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. (Pop culture flashback: Free to Be, Boy Meets Girl segment.)

So what have I cooked?

1. I’ve cooked salmon from the original book, though it was such a simple process with so few ingredients that it feels wrong to call it a “recipe” despite the format.

2. I’ve adapted the Potage D’Hiever (Winter Soup) recipe from her cookbook because leeks are in season, I had some leeks in my freezer from last season and I had a couple of potatoes lying around. My adaptation included asparagus and ramps, aka wild leeks (seasonal!) and zucchini from last fall’s farm visit. I finished with a drizzle of black truffle oil (sounds pretentious but I was curious about it once) and a bit of sriracha. I imagine that mushrooms would be a good addition as would white pepper. The recipe called for carrots, of which I had none. It was super-simple to make and when it was done cooking in the pot I blended it up in my Vita-Mix to get a smooth soup – though I know that I could have heated it up in the Vita-Mix as well. She mentions a food mill in many of her recipes. I don’t know anyone who actually has one (to my knowledge), though I think a friend once mentioned having a ricer.

3. Completing this trifecta, I used a recipe of hers that I bookmarked online recently. (I think she tweeted about it?) Again I was contemplating what to make for dinner at 8pm. I was thinking of blanching or steaming asparagus and vaguely remembered a “detox veggies” recipe that used asparagus. One might argue that steamed veggies don’t necessitate a recipe, and I rarely use one, but I like to use recipes as starting points and inspiration so that I’ve got some focus. So, using her recipe as a starting point, I steamed asparagus, eggplant and broccoli, shallot and ginger. The recipe was relevant to me in two ways: It advised to put harder vegetables at the bottom and softer ones on top, and advised how long to steam for. After the vegetables were done I sprinkled on wakami that had been soaked and leftover days ago. Leeks were intended but forgotten. I steamed for 5 minutes, made a vinaigrette – basically the one she suggested, but shaken in a jar that had residue of of grainy mustard – and I was fed. I imagine that a balsamic vinaigrette would go well.

All of these recipes are simple. Two were so simple they didn’t really need recipes. Some of her recipes are a little more complicated but few if any of the recipes appear overwhelming. Like her French Women principle, there’s so much common sense the one just needs to tap into. Sometimes we don’t think of the most obvious. Sometimes we need a nudge in the right direction.  Keep It Simple, Sweet-thing.

Pick up a copy of The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook and if you’re interested in more context, French Women for All Seasons (which I don’t have either), or French Women Don’t Get Fat. I look forward to cooking with this French woman some more. Merci beaucoup, and I’m sorry I doubted you.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook: How to eat and stay slim (telegraph.co.uk)
• Beet + Ginger Gazpacho & the Perfect Pre-Summer Giveaway (Sift, Dust & Toss)

Uncategorized

1. Leslieville Tree Festival

(Click the image for more information.)

2. Not Far From the Tree film screening

….NFFTT is looking for volunteers for both events. If you can spare some time to volunteer, email Laurel.

3. Chocolate Making 101

The Jewish Urban Homesteading Workshop Series continues!

On Wednesday, May 26 from 7-9pm, learn how to make chocolate that nourishes your body and spirit, with raw, vegan, fair-trade, kosher ingredients. The workshop cost is $25. Space is limited! Pre-registration and payment are required to secure your spot. This delicious workshop is likely to fill up fast. Discounts available if you register for four workshops in the series.

Learn more information about the workshop series and register.

This workshop is part of the Jewish Urban Homesteading Workshop Series, presented by Kavanah Garden and Makom: Creative Downtown Judaism. All are welcome!

Eat well, be well.

Uncategorized

Things that don’t necessarily need their own blog post, or will get full blog posts in the future. They could be made Twitter length, but here I can be verbose:

-Last week I discovered Provinance, a new specialty food store and restaurant at 800 Dundas St. W.,  at Palmerston (north side, enter off Palmerston). They carry all local food, with brands including Cookstown Greens, Forbes Wild Foods and Kozlik’s. I chatted with the owner, Alex, and made a note to go back for a meal. I want to do a proper review of the place for this blog because I’m a fan of anyone who supports eating locally (well, within Ontario) and supporting local businesses and by shopping/eating there I get to support numerous local businesses at the same time.

-One of the great food events that I attended this past week, including a Women in Food networking event that included the tasting of Southbrook Vineyard wine and a Q & A session with Sarah Elton, who recently published the book Locavore. I bought the book. The food that evening was incredible and resulted in me buying a bag of stinging nettles today to cook with. Read more about the event and see recipes here.

-I’m reading French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure in preparation for seeing author Mireille Guiliano get interviewed on Monday. I’m enjoying it more than expected.

-My favourite food samples at the Wychwood Barns Barn Raiser (which I might or might not do a full post on) were the 2 items from El Rincon Mexicano and the beet risotto from Prop. I couldn’t hear what the items from El Roncon were but I think that one was a tostada with beans (“Tostadas Morelianas” are on the menu), and the other was a potato-filled crispy dough, maybe Flautas Rancheras. The tostada was crispy and tasted really fresh and clean. I think that the beet risotto was my favourite, though. The beets provided a wonderful earthiness, and the cheese provided a delicious tang. It was salty and umami and made my mouth happy. I smile thinking about it. I can’t find Prop’s website if they have one, but it’s located at 770 St. Clair Ave W., at Arlington. I must eat there. Great wine from Henry of Pelham, too.

Off to Fiesta Farms for grocery shopping with a friend with a car. I wish my list was long but I’m sure I can find stuff to buy. Heavy stuff.

Eat well, be well.

Uncategorized

The Stop’s Do the Math Challenge ended yesterday. I’d intended to do a post about it sooner but hopefully it’s effects will last. What’s the Do the Math Challenge? It’s an awareness campaign for social assistance. A group of artists, politicians and other prominent locals and their families were challenged to live off a food hamper for up to a week. A standard hamper filled with items such as eggs, beans, rice, hot dogs, canned produce and limited fresh vegetables (stuff donated to food banks) is designed to last three days. People often make them stretch out seven or 10 days.  Challenge participants weren’t allowed to accept free food or drink from anyone. No snacks at meetings, no colleague birthday cake, no meals at friends house. They were allowed  – and encouraged – to eat at least two meals at drop-in centres.

• Official Do the Math blogs.
• Counsellor Joe Mihevc also blogs about his family’s participation on his own website.
• Corey Mintz’s blog entry.

Newspaper items:

• Reality of living on social assistance -  Toronto Star, April 6 (challenge Day 1)
• Eating on welfare -  Toronto Star, April 6 (challenge Day 1)
• Looking Like Celebrities but Eating Like the Poor -  National Post, April 6
• Meet Toronto’s hungry humanitarians – National Post, April 6
• Some Prominent Torontonians To Get A Taste Of Life On Social Assistance – City News, April 6
• What’s it like to live on food bank fare? – Toronto Star, April 12
• Living on a welfare diet – Globe and Mail, April 13.

Blogs:

• Jamie Drummond’s Musings. The Stop’s “Do The Math” Campaign 2010
• Good Food Revolution: The Stop’s Do The Math Campaign
• Dana McCauley’s Food Blog: Foodinomics

Uncategorized