There's No Vegan In It!

   That's actually an inside joke between my parents and me.  They were at a grocery store one day and asked the manager if he knew if a particular packaged food item was vegan.  His response was a very enthusiastic, "Oh no, there's no vegan in it!"  When he said it he actually meant that the product was vegan.  We say it all the time now, except that when we say it we actually mean "there's no vegan in it!" (As in, I definitely can't eat it.) Ha.  That was definitely the theme of my week in Nova Scotia.

Fort Anne National Historic Site, at Annapolis Royal

     We spent a lot of time touring around Nova Scotia during the last few days of my visit.  We took a drive to Annapolis Royal (gorgeous), Lunenburg (so much history) and then over to Mahone Bay (adorable).  The next day we drove to Cape Forchu to see the Lighthouse and of course make fools of ourselves on the giant Adirondack chair.   We also made our way to Mavillette Beach which is absolutely stunning and very clean (especially considering the beaches here in Hamilton). 

I was so thrilled to find a Health Food Store. I bought Goji Berries to add to our Trail mix!

We laughed so hard while we were in this chair!  I dare you to hop in and not laugh!

Fisherman's Memorial at Lunenburg

   As a special treat, we wanted to stop at one of the lovely restaurants along the way.  It turns out that trying to find a restaurant that serves something other than seafood was harder than we thought.  I am so lucky that my parents are patient and made sure that I could study the menus before entering the restaurants.  I'm also lucky that a lot of restaurants these days post their menus outside of their establishments.  

   The first restaurant we ate at was in Lunenburg called Grand Banker.  

The menu was not super extensive but I was able to find a couple of items on the Appetizer side to order.  My mom decided to share with me so we ordered three different appetizers and asked them to hold the cheese on two of them.  If I ever go back in the cooler weather I would totally try the Honey Roasted Apple and Butternut Squash Soup.  The day we were there the weather was really warm and I definitely did not want something hot!

Here's what we ordered...

Bruschetta, Mediterranean Style, sans cheese!

Veggie Tapas Flatbread, hold the cheese please!

Sweet Potato Fries!

   The food was good and reasonably priced.  I tasted the Veggie Tapas Flatbread first and really liked it.  My mom tried the Bruschetta first and found that when she tried the Veggie Tapas it lacked in flavor.  We actually added the toppings from the Bruschetta onto the Veggie Flatbread and man was that good!  The sweet potato fries were really yummy and crispy but we were too full from the other two dishes to finish them.

    The next day while driving around Yarmouth we stopped at a little restaurant called Marco's Grill and Pasta House.

One of the seating areas at Marco's

 There was actually only two things that I could eat at this restaurant (three if you count the Garden Salad).
Here's what I ordered...

Sundried Tomato Rustica

   This dish turned out to be super delicious.  I didn't eat the garlic bread because it was smothered in butter.  But, I scored the lemon from my step-dads dish and added it to mine which took the flavor of the veggies and pasta to a whole new level.  I really should have popped over to the kitchen and shared that tip with them.  (Haha, kidding!)
   I was lucky enough to try one more restaurant during my stay in Nova Scotia.  This time it was in Halifax at the Waterfront.  We spent most of the afternoon there.  Unfortunately, it was one of the coldest days of my vacation.  No bueno when you are walking along the Boardwalk with the Atlantic Ocean to your right (or left, I suppose)!  BRRR!

The view from the Boardwalk.  It was beautiful but freezing!

   There were quite a few restaurants along the boardwalk but it was hard to find a place with decent options.  Luckily we stumbled upon this cute place called Hart & Thistle Gastropub.

   There were so many options to choose from I actually had a hard time figuring out what to order!  My mom and I decided to share again so this meant I could sample more things. 

Here's what we ordered...

We started with a cup of the Vegetarian Chili which went perfectly with the cold, rainy day we were having.

We shared this Grilled Vegetable Salad...

along with this Quinoa Salad.

   They also had a Veggie Burger with tofu in it on the menu but, after talking to the waitress I found out that they probably bind it with an egg and if not then they definitely put cheese in it.  Bummer.  I was really looking forward to trying it.  However, the food at this restaurant was our favorite!  I absolutely loved everything I ordered and would definitely come back for seconds (it's a toss up between the Chili and the Grilled Veggie Salad!)  

I hope you enjoyed my eats during my stay in Nova Scotia... I sure did!

Til next time...

Love,

Ves

WIAW #3 and Where Have I Been All This Time

  After spending over a week helping my parents (as much as I could) pack up their entire house, they have finally made the move to Digby, Nova Scotia.  Last week I spent a lot of my spare time running over to their old house feeding and playing with their cats.  My parents drove to Digby from Hamilton, and driving for a few days with cats is not ideal.  So they had them stay at the house for a few days and on Thursday I flew out with the little kitties.  Have you ever flown with cats?  I don't recommend it, especially if you are the kind of person who has a wild imagination and stresses out easily (ahem, me).  But the cats made it just fine and were pretty much back to their old selves that evening.
   Since I've been here, we've been exploring different parts of their new town.  It's really a cute little area and if you go downtown it's a little touristy and very kitschy (which I love).  My parents live near the water and my mom and I have been down to the water's edge every day for a little walk.

Steps to the water

Nothing but beach!

   This town is full of creative people and just a little drive down the road you see many shops selling super cute antiques, handmade quilts, and all kinds of kitschy decor items for your home.  

Just one of the little stops along the highway.

   My mom and I can spend hours in the shops just looking at all the little items on the shelves.  This of course builds up quite an appetite.  Nova Scotia isn't really well known for it's vegan cuisine.  In fact, a lot of my friends commented on how it was too bad that I didn't eat seafood because that is the specialty in Nova Scotia.  It's basically a fishing and logging town.  So if you love lobster, scallops, etc. then you'll be in heaven around here.  If you are like me, you will be happy to know that there are a couple of farm markets in the area selling local produce, as well as a really nice organic section at the local supermarket.

One of the local Farm Markets off the road.  Only local produce!

   On with the food and another WIAW!  Here's what I ate so far while in Nova Scotia...

Breakfast...

 My mom has been spoiling me by having my water ready when I get up.  She also has a thermos of coffee waiting along with a mug.  I feel like I'm staying in a hotel!

PB & J

Mostly I've been making toast with peanut butter and jam.  But the other day I treated myself to a Tofu Scramble with sauteed spinach and a slice of toast.  So yummy.  I always have a glass of almond milk to go with my breakfast as well as a green smoothie.  My mom felt bad that I didn't have a blender here to make my smoothies so she bought a bottled green smoothie for me.  I am so spoiled!

Tofu Scramble

Lunch... 

We're not really "lunch" people so I don't have any photos for lunch.  Lately we've been stopping for a coffee at Tim Hortons and that's been our lunch.  Ha.  Well, that along with some sort of snack. 

Snacks...

'No-Spray' Strawberries

   These strawberries, which came from the Farm Market, were super sweet, 'no-spray' and local!

We've also been eating a lot of trail mix as well as these yummy Skinny Sticks.

 Dinner...

 We sauteed this gorgeous Swiss Chard from the farmer's market in town.  It was so delicious.

Kale salad, couscous, and a veggie burger sprinkled with Daiya Cheese.

Every night we have been preparing some leafy greens, either raw or sauteed, along with some kind of grain.

Spring salad with balsamic dressing and spaghetti with a fresh, homemade tomato sauce.

   This is pretty much what I've eaten while on vacation here in Digby.  I'm trying to get better at taking pics of my food so stay tuned for some more yummy meals!  I'm also hoping to visit some local eats but, like I said earlier, most of them focus on seafood so I'm not sure if that will be happening.

Until next time.. 

Happy Hump Day!

Love,

Ves xx

WIAW #2 OR What I Ate While Packing!

   It's time for another episode of What I Ate Wednesday - Packing Edition.  (A big thank you to Jenn for hosting!) Like I mentioned in my other post, I've spent most of this weekend helping my parents pack up their house.  They're moving to Nova Scotia on Sunday (yikes, that's just around the corner!) and taking the bare minimum with them.  Over the weekend it's become very obvious that together as a family, my parents, siblings' and I have accumulated a lot of stuff!  So much so that my mom has started referring to herself as a "hoarder".  I keep reminding her that it takes quite a collection to be able to call yourself that.  However, when you discover that you own well over 40 mugs - not to mention the amount of votive holders, and books - I can see how someone might come to that conclusion. 
   Needless to say, we spent the better part of the weekend making up donation and giveaway piles.  My mom and I were exhausted hauling those boxes up from the basement and we definitely worked up an appetite!

Onto the food...

PACKING EDITION!

9:30am

I started my morning off with a green smoothie, jam packed with greens for energy and hemp seeds for protein.

I took the smoothie 'to-go', along with my coffee.

1:00pm

For lunch I had some whole grain rice and wheatberry salad, veggie sticks, hummus, and zucchini relish.  So good!

1:30pm

 Coffee and dessert!  This was a vegan mocha cheesecake made by a company called Sweets From the Earth.  It was really delicious.

3:30pm

   So delicious that we ended up having it again as a snack later on with another coffee!

6:30/7:00pm

   I'm not sure what time it was when we actually had supper but I know we stopped at some point because I snapped this picture!  More veggie sticks, sweet potato fries, pickles, green beans, and mustard.  YUM!

   Later on that night I had a snack attack and ate some of these pretzels.  Mmmm....
So there you have it!  I hope you've enjoyed my random eats while helping my parent's pack. 

Til next time...

Love,
Ves xx

Childhood Favorites all Grown Up!

   What a busy weekend it's been.  And I can't believe that it's already JUNE.  How did that happen and where did the time go?  I've been helping my parents pack up their house all weekend and I have to say, it's a lot of work to pack up a whole house!  My mom and I made the best of it and pretty much laughed our you-know-what's off the entire weekend.  Needless to say, I'm exhausted and so are my parents, I'm sure. 
  When I got home Sunday night I was craving a grilled cheese sandwich.  Weird for me 'cause I hardly ever eat sandwich's these days but who am I to say no to a craving?  Ha.  I'm thinking the craving was there because I had spent the weekend going through a ton of childhood things.  Nothing says "kid's food" like a good grilled cheese! 

Onto the "recipe"...  ** (apologies for my awesome camera)

   I'm actually kidding, there really is no recipe to this.  I basically made this with what I had on hand, combined with the flavors that I love.
   I recently found Tofutti Cheese Slices at my local supermarket and grabbed a pack to satisfy my curiosity.  The cheese slices actually taste more like cream cheese rather than processed American slices.  I'm not a fan of these eaten cold and on their own, but when they were heated in a sandwich they definitely tasted better.  This cheese doesn't really melt but rather becomes a bit creamy.  I really liked the texture.  If you're looking for a super melty (is that a word?) grilled cheese, Daiya cheese is better for melting and so is this soy cheese that I buy from the Farmer's Market... not sure what it's called? <--- I'll add the name once I remember.  Ha! 

   I used fresh French Bread that my mother forced generously gave me to take home.  I spread some organic yellow mustard and organic Dijon on the inside and just a touch of Earth Balance on the outside of the bread.  Then I added tomato slices and cheese slices, a touch of oregano and cracked black pepper and it was ready for the grill!  I rounded out the meal with a cucumber, tomato salad.  I dressed it with a bit of lime, cracked black pepper and some nutritional yeast.  This meal was so yummy and definitely satisfied my craving for grilled cheese!

What's your favorite way to eat grilled cheese?

Love,

Ves xx

Foodie PenPals - Reveal Day!

   I'm so excited to be participating in May's Foodie Pen Pals!  I mean, who doesn't love to get presents in the mail?  Food presents no less.  This is my first month participating and I can't say enough about how much I loved it.  Not only do you get some yummy goodies in the mail but you get to meet some pretty cool people as well.  Thanks to Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean for hosting.

   This month I was paired up with Marissa and Vicky.  I sent Marissa a package and Vicky sent me one.  Marissa is a reader from Edmonton, Alberta currently working towards a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing.  I must say that I had so much fun shopping for Marissa.
   Vicky is a blogger at menubyvicky.  If you haven't visited her blog yet you must check it out... when you're done here, of course!  Ha.  Vicky has some super yummy recipes (a few that I plan on veganizing!) and she's pretty funny too!

Anyway, onto the yummy goodies!

It was like Christmas morning when I finally received my package!

A thoughtful note from Vicky...

The contents of my package...

Bumble Bar!  I've always wanted to try these but never got around to buying them.  I opened the Hazelnut one to try and it's pretty good!  Not what I expected but I liked it.

Cashews!  I usually only eat RAW cashews but I was so excited to see this in the package.  I tried these later on and all I can say is OMG!  These are unbelievable.  I had to stop myself from eating the whole bag in one go!

I love that she sent me some seeds to grow my own fresh herbs!  I cannot wait to plant these on the weekend. 

I really liked the write-up on the bottom of the Sage packet: "Sun loving kitchen herb whose purple flowers attract hummingbirds."  I hope I attract some hummingbirds by my kitchen window!

This was the first thing I opened when I recieved my package.  I was so intrigued by the name - Buckwheat Snack - I just had to try it right away!

Umm... it was totally yummy!  Sweet and chewy and full of nutritional goodness!  I am definitely going to be on the look out for this the next time I'm at the store!

After sampling some of the goodies it was time to put them away so that I wouldn't go crazy and eat everything in one go!

Hopefully this cupcake cookie jar will do it's job and keep these goodies away from me! 

   There you have it - my Foodie Pen Pal treats.  Thank you so much Vicky!

If you like what you see and want to participate next month here's the 411 (direct from Lindsay's page):

On the 5th of the month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

• -You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
• -The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
• -You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
• -Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you can choose to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
• - Foodie Penpals is open to US, Canadian residents & UK residents.  

Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. So, I’m going to keep two separate lists and match US w/ US and Canada w/ Canada! ***If you’re in Europe, please contact Carol Anne from This Is Rock Salt at rocksalt@thisisrocksalt.com to get involved!


 Love,
Ves xx

What I Ate Wednesday OR WIAW #1

  Hey guys!  So, I thought I would try something new over here at L&L in the form of "What I Ate Wednesday's".  Jenn, over at Peas and Crayons, is the creator and host of this weekly Wednesday food party.  I've seen so many bloggers posting their eats so I thought, why not?  I can do it too!  I mean, you guys already know what I eat for the most part, but this would be an entire day of food.  Yikes! Also, this may or may not be my only WIAW post because I don't want to bore you guys with the sameness of my meals!  I basically eat the same thing all the time!  If I do decide to do more of these I will try and shake up my meals... or maybe not?  Ha.



Well, here goes:

As soon as I wake up I have a glass of room temperature water with a squirt of lemon.

    I can't eat or drink anything until I've had my water with lemon.  I've been doing this for a year and I can't imagine not doing it.  It's very alkalizing and gently wakes up my system while flushing the toxins away.  It also kick starts the metabolism. (bonus!)

Smoothie time!  My go-to breakfast.

   I pretty much always have a 'green' smoothie for breakfast.  This one actually looks kind of brown but that's just my awesome camera.  It was actually an orange/pink color.  I didn't have a lot of greens in the fridge so this is just one handful of spinach with some strawberries, mango and banana.  It was really yummy!  I had this again for a snack later in the day but I didn't remember to take a picture.  Ooops! 

Coffee!  Black please! :)

 No explanation needed.  I love coffee!  I have another cup later on depending on when my lunch break is (no pic - sorry!).  I used to drink way too much coffee (is there such a thing?) but I've really cut back since learning about the negative side of coffee.  Boo.  Unfortunately, coffee is not so great for my skin so I try and limit how much I have.  *sigh*

Lunch!

   I mean, if you had to guess I'm sure you would have guessed that I would have salad at some point in my day!  I almost always have salad for lunch unless I'm too lazy in the morning and then it's another smoothie.  This salad was basically just spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts, with a balsamic dressing.  I also ALWAYS add nutritional yeast and hemp seeds to my salad. 

Umm... a snack before dinner?

   Okay, don't judge.  I totally had (what appears to be) a huge glass of wine but it's really mostly ice!  I had to take my cat to the vet's tonight after work.  She's what you'd call the "Fiji Vacation I never took".  But she's totally worth it!

Patchie!

  Look at that face!  She kinda looks a little chubby in this photo but that's not the case in real life.  Anyway, the vet gave me some pills for the little cutie so that's why I needed the wine... I have to mentally prepare myself to give her the meds tomorrow.  Yikes! 

Mmm... vegan Pad Thai!

   I wasn't too hungry after my little picnic on the balcony but I did have a few fork fulls of this leftover Pad Thai (while standing at the kitchen counter!).  Last night a friend and I went out for dinner at a local Thai/Vietnamese place called Lemon Grass.  We each had the Pad Thai except that mine was Vegan and hers was not.  It was so yummy and if you're in the area I would totally recommend this place.  My sis and I also ordered take-out from here before and were not disappointed.

   Well, there you have it!  A day in the life of my eats!  If I do this again next week I will try super hard to remember to photograph everything, because there was definitely some coffee and smoothie left out!

  I hope you enjoyed it!  Let me know what some of your 'staple' eats are and don't forget to head over to Peas and Crayons to see some other WIAW posts!

Love,

Ves xx