Rigatoni with Basil-Avocado Pesto & Roasted Fiddleheads and Squash.

There are several reliable indications that spring has arrived in Ontario. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen a lot of the rain, a less than pleasant, but pivotal herald of the new season.  But with the wet deluge comes other more amiable spring things. It’s finally holding at a mostly pleasant temperature, the…

Chickpea & Tofu Quiche

I’ve been disappointed by my last few attempts at developing new recipes and was feeling pretty discouraged after so many misfires.  With so much emphasis in our culture on comparing accomplishments, it’s pretty easy to get into a bit of a funk when our own execution falls short of the expectation.  But what we don’t…

Pierogi Pizza with Dill Pesto

Sunday has been my regular meal prep day for quite a while now and I find myself increasingly looking forward to my routine – it provides some consistency, a momentary reprieve from the general chaos of the week. I find cooking calming, and I get a sense of immense satisfaction when it’s all done and…

Rice Noodles with Peanut-Miso Glazed Lotus Root and Wasabi Dressing

The New Year has me craving new culinary adventures, new foods, flavours, and experiences, but sometimes the standard supermarket fare does not provide much inspiration.   When I lived in Chinatown, I got hooked on the rich variety of gloriously affordable fresh produce, can goods and imported products unavailable elsewhere.  I still frequently return to the old…

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well, it is official.  Toronto has set a new record for lack of sunlight this past month.  The weather network reported that a whopping 88 percent of daylight hours in November were cloud covered.  It’s definitely been a gloomy few weeks, and I think it’s starting to get to me.  I’ve been feeling lethargic, worn…

Pumpkin Pancakes with Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread and Baked Cinnamon Apples

What is it about pumpkin that makes it such an appealing and popular food for autumn consumption?  There’s certainly no comparable aroma to that of pumpkin cooking.  It’s a rich, warm scent that evokes comfort, compels hibernation and reminds us fondly of cozy days inside, watching the leaves crisp and fade in the cold.  Pumpkin…

Tofu and Dill Salad Sandwich

Eggs freak me out.  I think they always have, even before I went vegan, but they were an integral part of my early food experiences.  I ate them often enough, despite the bizarreness of it all.  I can even distinctly remember lapping up those yolk rivers, that would dry on to my plate from the…

Potato Gnocchi with Dill-Beet Sauce

I’m new to the world of Gnocchi.  For the longest time, I would pass by it in the grocery store, sometimes casually picking up the package and scanning the ingredients list, but for some reason, Gnocchi doesn’t often show up on the vegan radar.  I didn’t really know what to do with these special little…

Unchicken and Cinnamon Matcha Waffles

When, why and how breakfast became such a breeding ground for decadent comfort food remains unclear. Maybe the trend started as a way of easing us into rough mornings, or maybe the sugary cereals and Mcmuffins of our childhood wettened our appetite for early day indulgences.  Either way, I’m definitely okay with partaking in some occasional…

Tofu, Polenta, Asparagus, and Beets with Pistachio Cream Sauce

The huge variety of readily available foods that cater to the plant lover’s palette definitely makes being vegan easier and more enjoyable but I think there is a tendency, when trying to develop new recipes and hone our ideas about plant based cuisine, to include this array of extra ingredients as a means of providing…