Category Archive

The other day I wrote espousing the virtues of spinach smoothies. Well, I just made a new variation deserving of its very own little announcement.

This time I used organic vanilla soymilk instead of water, half a banana, and enough spinach to fill about half of the blender.

It. Is. Divine. It’s creamy yet light, subtly sweet, almost dessert like. And it’s the most delightful botanical, pastel green colour. It made a very refreshing accompaniment to my little fruit salad.

In short, I highly recommend it.

Spinach Smoothie #2:

1/2 cup vanilla soymilk
1/2 banana
Spinach - enough to loosely fill half the blender (leaf only, remove stems)
3 or 4 ice cubes

• Blend until completely smooth and enjoy.

By now I’ve dabbled with rice squares several times, each time with different results. I’ve changed up the nut butters and done them with or without chocolate. The critical variable for me (if a rice square can have a critical variable) has been the amount of brown rice syrup.

I am not a huge brown rice syrup fan. Okay, I am a fan in the sense that it is an all-natural sweetener, low GI, etc, all good things, yada yada yada. I am just not totally and completely in love with the taste straight up. This means that, for me, the syrup should never be the primary flavour in any given recipe. This is not a huge issue with the rice squares since the nut butter features strongly, particularly if peanut butter is used, but I digress - back to the rice syrup amount.

When I first tried my hand at making vegan rice squares I followed a recipe. I mis-transcribed the amount of brown rice syrup required and ended up making the squares using 3/4 cup instead of the 1-3/4 cups called for. At first I thought this was disastrous - my squares were a tad on the dry side and crumbled a bit when bitten into. I eventually remade the squares with the full 1-3/4 cups brown rice syrup. In a word, yuck. They were way too sweet and they didn’t stick together all that well at all.

So my initial error was actually a happy accident. I don’t like things too sweet so I immediately knew that the lesser amount of brown rice syrup was the way to go for me.

I recently remade the squares using 1 cup of brown rice syrup - more than enough. I would say that, based on your tastes, you could use either 3/4 cup or 1 cup. Using 1 cup will give you slightly softer, chewier, slightly sweeter results. Using 3/4 cup will give you crispier, not as sweet results.

The nut butter is completely interchangeable. Use whatever you love and have on hand. I’ve tried peanut, almond, and hazelnut so far. The hazelnut is particularly good with chocolate. I will soon give cashew and macadamia a whirl. You can make the squares with rice cereal alone or you can add extras in as you see fit.

For this batch I used organic crisped riced cereal, a 2:1 ratio of organic peanut to organic almond butter and a 1/2 cup of organic vegan chocolate chips. Instead of chocolate you could use carob, nuts or dried fruit. You can also increase the volume of these extras to a cup or more. Anything goes really. I’ve used almond slivers and rolled oats in the past with sweet results.

It’s a rice square free for all.

Crispy Rice Squares, version 37 (and counting):

• 1 box crispy brown rice cereal (regular sized box, approx. 7 cups)
• 3/4 cup or 1 cup brown rice syrup (more for softer, chewier - less for crispier)
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 cup nut butter (this batch is 2:1 ratio of peanut to almond)
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup something extra, e.g. chocolate chips, carob chips, nuts, oats, dried fruit, ad infinitum (this batch includes 1/2 cup chocolate chips)

1. lightly grease a 9x 13-inch pan or casserole dish with earth balance, oil, or cooking spray.
2. warm brown rice syrup and salt in skillet on medium heat until liquefied - stir in nut butter until combined, remove from heat.
3. place rice cereal in a large bowl - pour melted rice syrup and nut butter mixture over top.
4. use a large wooden spoon, or other firm utensil, and stir until combined.
5. if adding extras such as chocolate chips or nuts, add now to mixture and combine.
6. press mixture into prepared pan or dish and allow to cool approximately 1 hour.
7. cut into squares.

I was itching to make something sweet so I reached for my newest favourite cookbook, My Sweet Vegan, by Hannah Kaminsky. There are many, many things I’m longing to try in this fabulous tome of tasty treats - today I decided on the graham flour fig scones. Anything with the word graham in it has to be good.

I had never used graham flour before, or so I thought. I picked a bag up on a recent trip to my local organic market and set it aside until today. The description on the bag described the flour as similar to whole wheat, with a higher bran content. When I opened the bag the sweet aroma that hit me, in concert with the very coarse appearance of the flour, instantly told me that I have worked with this wonderful ingredient before. Just not on this side of the pond - but that is a story for another post.

Today is all about the scones.

The recipe is very straightforward to put together, as all in the book seem to be - I only wish it made more! I say this because they are exceedingly tasty and sure not to last very long at all in my house. The recipe yields four decent sized scones. I’m sure they’d be heavenly at breakfast, slightly toasted with a dab of Earth Balance buttery spread and some apricot jam - as if they’re going to last until breakfast.

Next time I’ll probably double the recipe and thus be more willing to share with others.

Black & White cookies hold a special place in my heart. They take me back to my time in NY, arguably some of the happiest years ever spent. Countless times I’d pick up a giant example of this hallowed dessert from too many bakeries in each and every borough to list off here (not to mention street vendors). They are decadent - and they are big. Whatever sweet craving you’ve got - these babies will satisfy.

I was so happy, joyous really, to see a vegan recipe for the majestic Black & White included in Hannah Kaminsky’s My Sweet Vegan, which only just arrived at my house last week. I get to indulge in one of my all-time favourite treats and it’s dairy-free, egg free and vegan all the way baby. My initial indecision at which tasty treat to try first upon the book’s arrival, so overwhelmed was I by all the fabulous possibilities contained therein, caused my vote to be forfeit - hubby then cast the tiebreaker in favour of Peanut Butter Bombs. Those turned out really fantastic. I knew what my second foray into the book would have to be - the Black & White.

After getting the batter together I placed generous fluffy dollops on prepared baking sheets. They looked like ethereal little clouds before going into the oven.

I might have left them in a minute too long - ok I did leave them in too long - I was distracted by a cat, but I think they were none the worse for wear.

These were really fun to make. The taste of the batter, which I sampled repeatedly, immediately took me back to being four years old when I used to steal cake batter when my great grand mother wasn’t looking and then she’d chase me around the kitchen with a wooden spoon until I dove under the table for cover. I was safe there because she couldn’t bend too well. Sorry nägy.

Great tasting batter aside, the assembly is where the true fun comes in - all that painting of the two glazes, reminiscent of finger painting. Delightful.

One thing I quickly realized was that in using organic confectioner’s sugar I was not going to get a true snow white for the white side of my cookies, rather mine would be a slight cream - against the dark chocolate glaze they look white enough though.

I even broke out my coveted Endangered Species dark chocolate baking rounds, which I’d been hording for some time.

The chocolate is so darn tasty I was tempted to slather it all over the entire cookie but I resisted. Next time perhaps.

Worth noting is that, if you work slowly like myself, you may need to nuke the chocolate glaze for ten seconds to soften it up again or you may find it start to seize up on you. We want our cookies to have perfectly smooth little Black & White tuxes thank you very much.

Et voilà! - c’est magnifiqe. I love them - so sweet and decadent and, most importantly, delicious. I enjoyed more than one with an equally humongous mug of coffee - and we’re two for two.

Now what to try next…

Sometimes the simplest things are the best things.

I have been on a culinary quest of sorts lately - working like a mad scientist in the kitchen day in and day out, trying my hand at veganizing different recipes. I have met with some success and some failure in that regard. Much of what I’ve been tackling of late is complicated stuff - even a non-vegan would agree.

Sometimes you just need a simple culinary concoction to remind you of the sweet things in life.

I throw this dessert/snack together countless times in a week - each time it’s a bit different, depending on what the fridge has to yield that day. Sometimes it’s my breakfast, more often it’s a snack. It’s always a delight.

Without further adieu I present a vegan trifle or guiltless parfait if you will. All you need is fruit and the soy yogurt of your choice. Alternatively you could use almond pudding or vegan custard.

Slice the fruit of your choice and layer in a glass bowl, alternating your choice of fruits with layers of soy yogurt. You could also use a small glass or of course, a regular opaque bowl - glass simply allows for a feast that is as much for the eyes as it is for the palate. Today I used strawberries, blueberries, banana, and plain soy yogurt slightly sweetened with maple syrup. Yesterday I used strawberries and bananas alone with peach soy yogurt as their accompaniment. For a small touch of decadence you could drizzle chocolate over the top. I often sprinkle on some granola or or toasted coconut - or you could layer these into the mix as well. The possibilities are endless.

Whatever your choice of ingredients the result is a light, healthy, truly guiltless treat.

We expose ourselves to so many chemical nasties on a daily basis, whether it be in the food we eat, the water we drink or the air we breathe. We have created a toxic environment for ourselves.

The very least we can do is not compound the problem by slathering more chemical goo onto our fragile bodies. I’ve been making a gradual toiletry switch as I go through my bathroom shelves - out with the harsh chemical old and in with the safer, natural, cruelty-free organic new.

In the spirit of sharing I wanted to tell you about one of my new favourite product lines, Nature’s Gate Organics.

Nature’s Gate uses all natural herbs and botanicals in the creation of their extensive line of pH-balanced products. The company is as dedicated to being environmentally friendly and cruelty-free as it is to bringing the public a selection of quality, pure, natural, organic products.

Their handsome bottles have taken up residence in many of my shelves, from shampoo to lotions, but my favourite thing of all has to be that indispensable item I use on a daily basis, deodorant. It contains certified organic botanicals and is free of the parabens, propylene glycol, and aluminum chlorohydrate that plague commercial deodorants and put our health needlessly at risk.

It is also produced without animal testing, with no animal byproducts, and is certified vegan. It comes in several pleasing scents - my favourite is the Chamomile & Lemon Verbena.

And it’s effective. I smell great.

A good while back I came across a recipe for Crispy Brown Rice Squares on Rachael Ray’s site, offered up by celebrity vegan Alicia Silverstone. They looked healthy, simple and interesting so I jotted the recipe down and put it aside ages ago. This lazy Sunday I finally got around to giving it a try.

I used organic brown rice cereal, organic brown rice syrup, organic peanut butter and a pinch of sea salt. These simple four ingredients comprise the recipe, with the option to add carob chips. I didn’t have carob chips on hand but I did have organic vegan chocolate chips so I used them instead.

The recipe was a cinch to throw together - so much so that I didn’t even bat an eye when I discovered that I was one cup of cereal short. I simply subbed one cup of rolled oats to make up the dry volume. At first, as I was liquefying the rice syrup and peanut butter on the stove, I wasn’t expecting that I’d like the end result - I didn’t much care for the scent that was wafting up from these two elements warming together.

I pressed on.

After combining the wet ingredients with the dry it was time to press the mixture into the pan. I panicked briefly when I realized that I’d forgotten to grease the pan first, but the squares still came out without a hitch after cooling. I used a glass pan so perhaps that helped matters.

The squares were a teensy bit crumbly as I was cutting them. At first I thought this was due to my not so clever choice of a butter knife to do the cutting. On closer inspection of the recipe however I realized that I had made somewhat of a transcription boo boo - notably my measure of 3/4 cup brown rice syrup in lieu of the 1 3/4 cups called for.

Good grief, no wonder the squares didn’t stick to the pan.

Given that error I’m amazed the squares stuck together as well as they did. Next time around I’ll increase the rice syrup but I think I might reduce the amount called for just a bit and find a happier medium - I think I can get away with using less.

Despite my on the fly substitutions and transcription mayhem the squares turned out great. Very tasty and filling - I will definitely make these again. I’m not sure how carob would feature against the very prominent peanut-iness, but the chocolate complemented it quite nicely. Is it possible to go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter? I think not. One thing is certain - hubby will be brown bagging crispy brown rice square snacks for the next few days.

Update: I’ve since remade the squares, this time using the full 1-3/4 cup brown rice syrup called for (I had initially misread the recipe and used only 3/4 cup). Well, I prefer my mess-up - with less rice syrup. 1-3/4 cups was way too sweet and gooey for my taste. I’m thinking no more than 1 cup rice syrup would be more than adequate - I’m currently experimenting on my own variation and will post when done.

So many of the food and beverage choices at our disposal today are quietly pervaded by animal products - and wine, beer and spirits are no different.

Apart from the obvious inclusion of cream or eggs in some libations, animal products primarily make their appearance in the filtering or fining (clarifying) stage of alcohol production - not dissimilar from some sugar refining. In fact, as with some sugar, bone char is often used to filter spirits. Other filtering agents used in the making of some wines and beer include isinglass (derived from fish), gelatin (animal bones), egg whites, and clay. Wine in some countries may still be fined (clarified) using blood which was once a commonplace practice, although this is now illegal in the U.S and France. Trace elements of these fining or filtering agents are left in the beverage. For most of those against the use of animal products the fact that they are being used at all is reason enough to want to avoid certain products.

What can you do if you want to avoid alcohol that has been filtered using animal bits?

The best thing to do is write a polite email or call the customer service department of the makers of the wine, beer, spirits, etc that you’re interested in and enquire.

My personal favourite is red wine - unfortunately for me I have a huge sensitivity to sulphites and tanins, a.k.a big headache makers. Hearing that it was made with less of these nasties, I started looking to organic wine. My first organic wine purchase consisted of three varieties from an Italian vineyard, the Botter Family. After approaching the vineyard with my questions they sent me confirmation that their organic line was in fact vegan. The three wines are each named after one of the Botter siblings - they are:

• Botter Alex Sangiovese - light ruby red colour; aromas and flavours of fresh red berry fruit, plum and herbs; dry, light to medium bodied with vibrant acidity and hints of spice.
• Botter Anna Pinot Grigio Chardonnay - pale straw colour; slightly floral nose with notes of citrus, melon and almond paste; dry, light to medium bodied, soft and flavourful.
• Botter Luca Nero D’Avola - light purple red colour; aromas and flavours of cherry and blackberry with hints of chocolate; dry, medium bodied, soft and fruit driven style.

The Alex Sangiovese is now discontinued near me unfortunately, but perhaps it’s still available elsewhere. I keep the white, Anna Pinot Grigio Chardonnay, on hand for guests and for cooking - but my absolute hands down favourite is the Luca Nero D’Avola, a rich dark red. All three sell for about $12, so jackpot.

They also come in aseptic tetrapaks so they’re very easily recyclable. What I really love about the tetrapaks is that, as you use up the wine, you can squeeze the extra air out before capping it which keeps the wine fresher longer - not that it’s going to last that long because it tastes so damn good.

There are some great online resources that will identify some vegan wine, beer and spirits for you - like Taste Better!’s Vegan Booze List.

Salute.

This afternoon I enjoyed a lovely snack of coffee and cake - and not just any cake. A gorgeous, chocolate, dairy-free, vegan slice of heaven.

During a recent jaunt to the city I made sure to visit Whole Foods Market, my personal mecca of vegan and vegetarian tasty treats. This time I remembered to pick up their vegan chocolate cake. It’s marketed as ‘Dairy Free Chocolate Cake’ yet the organic ingredient list is clearly devoid of eggs - in other words the scary V-word is nowhere to be found but vegan it is.

The cake is moist, rich and unabashedly decadent to be sure. It is adorned with a fabulously smooth and satisfying chocolate ganache. One day my own dairy-free ganache will be as good as this - mine has a habit of solidifying on me, whereas this ganache remains pleasantly moist.

Ah, chocolate - you have no equal. I will forever be your servant.

The rich chocolatey goodness of this fine cake got me thinking about vegan chocolate in general, particularly the fine, handmade variety. Around me it seems to be somewhat of a scarcity. I’m not referring to vegan chocolate in bar form, which is quite plentiful - I am no stranger to Green & Black’s Organic Maya Gold (such sweet heaven and fair trade). I’m thinking of artisan chocolates - those very fine, invariably expensive sweet delights referred to as chocolate truffles.

I’ve heard rumours here and there of fine vegan chocolate that can be had far, far away (Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates, for example), but alas - none in my immediate Torontonian vicinity. Vegan’s aren’t the only ones who might appreciate some fine chocolate - I have many a lactose intolerant friend who would embrace some fine dairy-free chocolate goodness.

I made a few enquiries and found that the following chocolate makers offer some dairy-free, vegan options - all of which are available in Canada:

Kerstin’s Chocolates - Dark chocolate is vegan.

Teuscher - Swiss chocolate legend - select dark chocolate is vegan.

Lagusta’s Luscious - Often raved about, these American chocolate artisans don’t ship outside of the US, but Canadian buyers can get them through The Vegan Store.

Dolphin Natural Chocolate - this Canadian chocolatier contributes a percentage of their profits to the Environmental defense Fund. Check out their Vegan Mix, a selection of chocolates including Mint Crisp, Organic Peanut Butter, Roasted Almond and Solid Dark.

There are a few more chocolate artists from whom I am waiting to hear back - will update when I do.

In the mean time, if anyone has a favourite vegan chocolatier, please share with this addict.

I picked up an organic Cornmeal Muffin mix at the market that just happens to be completely free of nuts, eggs, and dairy. It’s put together by Muffins Inc. The company also sell their muffins ready made and in other flavours like chocolate chip, carrot, and dutch cocoa.

One thing that I really enjoyed was the fact that when I emptied the bag of dry ingredients into the bowl they were separate from each other - not that they were bagged separately, but rather that it was obvious that the flour was placed in the bag first, then the cornmeal, etc. What I mean to say is that the ingredients weren’t all mixed together. That’s not a critical element of buying a mix but when I peered into my mixing bowl it looked as if I had poured the ingredients individually myself.

I don’t know why that pleased me so much but it was amusingly unexpected.

All I needed to add was cold water, oil, and vinegar - it didn’t specify what type but I used apple cider vinegar. It suggested sunflower oil but I didn’t have any so I used canola oil instead. Then I mixed at high speed for 5 minutes with the electric mixer and voilà - ready to go into the oven for 25-30 minutes. The easiest thing I’ve made in a long while.

I baked them for 28 minutes which perhaps wasn’t quite enough time - I thought they were a little pale but then thought maybe I’m used to corn muffins with more cornmeal in them. They tasted sweet but pleasant. Very simple to make for sure - not a bad thing to have in the cupboard if you need to make something fast.

They were lovely cut in half and toasted with a little earth balance spread melting in.

The sugar saga continues. See my original post regarding the use of bone char in the Canadian sugar industry for the backstory.

The Canadian Sugar Institute addressed my enquiry about their website content today.

This is what they wrote:

Thank you for contacting the Canadian Sugar Institute with your comments regarding an inaccurate statement on our website. While it is true that resins are now the most widely used filtering agent for sugar cane refining in Canada, you are correct that Rogers Sugar does in fact use bone char (an animal product) in its Vancouver refinery as part of the filtering process. Redpath Sugar and Lantic Sugar do not use bone char.

The accuracy of the information given to the public is taken very seriously at the Canadian Sugar Institute. Please be assured that this misinformation was an oversight on our part and that it was not our intent to mislead the public on this issue. We intend to clarify this issue by correcting the information on the website as quickly as possible.

It is important to note as well that while bone char can be used in the filtering process of sugar cane, sugar is a natural plant product and no residues from bone char will remain in the final purified sugar. There is no animal material present in the sugar that we consume.

Thank you again for your helpful comments.

I’m very pleased with their response - bravo to them for taking the steps to correct their mistake.

The information they provided in their response regarding Lantic’s non-bone char status conflicts with Lantic’s website (which indicates that they DO use bone char). This may be due to the fact that Rogers now owns Lantic and the Lantic site is merely a reflection of the Rogers site (Rogers USES bone char). On closer inspection of the Rogers and Lantic sites one can see that their FAQ sections are in fact identical (including question #5 which makes reference to the use of bone char).

I believe that The Canadian Sugar Institute is being truthful in their response to me despite what Lantic’s site is saying about itself. This would indicate that Lantic is bone char free along with Redpath.

So yay for Redpath and Lantic and boo on Rogers.

With awareness of global warming on the rise, an interesting bit of information is unfolding along with it - meat consumption, along with egg and dairy, is the primary cause.

Animal agriculture affects climate change and air pollution more than any other single source. In fact, according to the United Nation’s massive report, Livestock’s Long Shadow, eliminating animal products from our diet would have a bigger impact on global warming than taking every single plane, train and automobile off the road, hummers and all. In short, the best and most immediate way for us to reduce the emissions that cause global warming is for people to adopt a vegan diet.

With billions of farm animals raised on factory farms annually, and billions upon billions of pounds of feed being produced to feed them, the impact on the planet is severe. Animal agriculture plays a significant role in climate change and air pollution, water depletion and pollution, and has a significant impact on biodiversity.

According to the United Nation’s report, animal agriculture has the following impact on air pollution:

• the CO2 equivalent of the livestock industry’s current contribution to climate change is 18%
• currently accounts for 9% of Carbon Dioxide emissions, and climbing.
• currently accounts for 35-40% of Methane emissions
• currently accounts for 65% of Nitreous Oxide emissions
• currently accounts for 64% of Ammonia emissions

Animal agriculture, including the meat, egg, and dairy industries, also has a significant impact on water depletion and pollution. This sector currently exceeds 8% of total global water use. This is a significant figure, especially in light of the increasing scarcity of fresh water in many places in the world, California for example.

Additionally, animal agriculture significantly impacts biodiversity through its direct effect on greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, water pollution, deforestation, and overfishing. Consider that 26% of the terrestrial surface is used for grazing, up to 70% of which is already considered degraded, and 33% of arable land is used for feed-crop cultivation.

In the meantime the world is entering a food crisis. The cost of food for human consumption is on the rise because increasing demand for grains, corn needed for ethanol production for example, is exceeding supply. The human population is growing, along with its appetite for meat. There is simply not enough to go around. It is now costing farmers more to feed the farm animals than they are receiving for the meat in return. The livestock industry is not a sustainable one. If consumers don’t start to change their thinking and move away from heavy meat consumption, the Earth’s resources will simply be used up.

The status quo cannot be maintained, whether people like it or not.

People are becoming more aware every day of the power they have as individuals to make a difference. They recycle and compost, they choose to use reusable cloth bags over plastic, they conserve water and install energy-efficient light bulbs. More and more people are opting to use public transit or more fuel efficient cars. Many are choosing to buy local or organic produce and eschewing the use of pesticides and chemicals. As much as all of these things help, nothing has as big of a positive environmental impact as choosing to adopt a vegan (best) or vegetarian (better) diet.

You can start with small steps. Commit to just one vegan day a week or even just one meal to start with. If everyone committed to having just one vegan or vegetarian meal per week, that alone would have a huge impact. According to an estimation by Environemental Defense Fund, if every American ate one meat-free meal per week that would be the equivalent of taking 5 million cars of the road - and if that same group went meat-free for one week, that would be the same as eliminating 8 million cars.

It’s such an attainable solution to a very serious problem. In addition to the multitude of wonderful vegan cookbooks out there, their are countless free resources on the internet. Check out some of the spectacular vegan food blogs out there - there are many wonderful ones in the Blogroll on this site, and countless others. Have fun with it - see the diversity of food available to you. I never ate such a diverse and healthy diet as I did once I made the decision to go vegan.

We can make a difference.

Happy Earth Day!

I’m not usually the pugnacious sort, except in instances where I perceive an ethical wrong. I certainly felt a strong spur to dole out some objurgation this time round.

Not too long ago I wrote about my own personal discovery of the use of bone char in the sugar industry. After that enlightenment I switched to the Wholesome Sweeteners line of sugars which is certified vegan, organic and bone char free. That said, I was curious about the vegan status of sugar in Canada so I decided to do some research into the Canadian sugar industry and see what the deal was with the use of bone char here.

There are three main Canadian sugar companies: Rogers, Lantic (owned by Rogers), and Redpath.

I started with Rogers Sugar first. I also wrote to the Toronto Vegetarian Association, knowing them to be ever knowledgeable and helpful. In a simple internet search I came up with abundant information that indicated Rogers Sugar used bone char in its cane sugar refinery in Vancouver, British Columbia. Rogers also operates a beet sugar refinery in Taber, Alberta. It is my understanding that beet sugar does not require carbon filtration in its refining and thus bone char is not an issue with beet sugar. In my enquiry to Rogers I also enquired about the availability of the Taber beet sugar in the Toronto market.

I also came across a site that purports to be the authority on the sugar industry in Canada, The Canadian Sugar Institute. I visited their contact page and dropped them a line, asking if they could identify for me any Canadian sugar companies that did not use bone char.

Soon the responses to some of my enquiries started coming in.

First up, Rogers Sugar. The Rogers rep informed me that the Taber beet sugar was regretfully not available to the Toronto market and was sold only in Western Canada. He did happily tell me, however, that the Lantic cane sugar refinery in Montreal (owned by Rogers) did not employ the use of bone char and was available in Toronto. Happy Times, right? Not quite.

Next up, I received a series of communications from the Toronto Vegetarian Association. They had made enquiries on my behalf to each of the big three. Additionally, they provided me with information that confirmed not only that Rogers used bone char, but Lantic used it as well. Either the Rogers rep is misinformed or Lantic’s own website (where the information is clearly laid out in black and white) is inaccurate. The fun didn’t stop there.

I decided to take a closer look at the many-layered Canadian Sugar Institute site. Lo and behold, buried deep in a Q & A section I happened upon a startling bit of misinformation.

In the section titled Nutritional Information Service, subsection, From Field to Table, sub-subsection Sugar Production, there is a question and answer that appears as follows (emphasis mine):

Are animal products used in the sugar filtering process?
No. All sugar sold in Canada must be purified through a series of steps, including filtering, before it is packaged and distributed. Beet sugar is filtered through diatomaceous earth; whereas resins are used in cane sugar refining; both of which are not of animal origin.

Excuse me? did I just read an emphatic answer of no to the question of whether animal products are used in the sugar filtering process in Canada? Since when is bone char, made from the crushed bones of cows, not of animal origin? Knowing their statement to be an absolute falsehood I wrote to The Canadian Sugar Institute to let them know about their error. We’ve already found evidence indicating that two of the big three Canadian sugar companies use bone char - this is certain (as of this writing I cannot attest to the bone char status of the third company, Redpath, but will update when I confirm). Just sloppiness?

People look to entities such as The Canadian Sugar Institute as an authority on the subject and here they are presenting false information. Indeed, when I visited the Redpath sugar site, at the bottom of their Sugar FAQ section they encourage visitors seeking more information to visit The Canadian Sugar Institute site. Point made.

As of this writing I have received no response from the Canadian Sugar Institute and their site stands as it was.

April 21 - Update: I’m very happy to report that Toronto based Redpath Sugar responded to my enquiry with excellent news - they do NOT use bone char in their refining process, opting instead to use more modern methods.

April 24 - Update: The Canadian Sugar Institute addressed my enquiry about their website content today. This is what they wrote:

Thank you for contacting the Canadian Sugar Institute with your comments regarding an inaccurate statement on our website. While it is true that resins are now the most widely used filtering agent for sugar cane refining in Canada, you are correct that Rogers Sugar does in fact use bone char (an animal product) in its Vancouver refinery as part of the filtering process. Redpath Sugar and Lantic Sugar do not use bone char.

The accuracy of the information given to the public is taken very seriously at the Canadian Sugar Institute. Please be assured that this misinformation was an oversight on our part and that it was not our intent to mislead the public on this issue. We intend to clarify this issue by correcting the information on the website as quickly as possible.

It is important to note as well that while bone char can be used in the filtering process of sugar cane, sugar is a natural plant product and no residues from bone char will remain in the final purified sugar. There is no animal material present in the sugar that we consume.

Thank you again for your helpful comments.

I’m very pleased with their response - bravo to them for taking the steps to correct their mistake.

The information they provided in their response regarding Lantic’s non-bone char status conflicts with Lantic’s website (which indicates that they DO use bone char). This may be due to the fact that Rogers now owns Lantic and the Lantic site is merely a reflection of the Rogers site (Rogers USES bone char). On closer inspection of the Rogers and Lantic sites one can see that their FAQ sections are in fact identical (including question #5 which makes reference to the use of bone char).

I believe that The Canadian Sugar Institute is being truthful in their response to me despite what Lantic’s site is saying about itself. This would indicate that Lantic is bone char free along with Redpath.

So yay for Redpath and Lantic and boo on Rogers.

It makes my heart glad to see how much easier it has become to make cruelty-free choices, and makeup is no exception. Not too long ago I wrote about EcoTools, a cruelty-free line of makeup brushes (brushes used to be particularly difficult to find in a cruelty-free variety). Today I share my latest find from a recent trip to the new neighborhood organic superstore.

PeaceKeeper’s Eco-Sensual Balm, for lips.

PeaceKeeper Cause-Metics is, according to their bio, the first cosmetic line to give all of its after tax distributable profits to women’s health advocacy & human rights issues. They support animals, fair labour and all things natural, and eschew chemicals and slave labour.

PeaceKeeper makes a wide assortment of nail polish, lipstick, lip gloss and, of course, the lip balm. None of the products are tested on animals. Some of the makeup contains Carmine, so vegans beware - all vegan (Carmine-free) products are marked with a ‘V’ - as the lip balm is.

The natural mineral based nail polishes are particularly nice and, according to their site, rated one of the safest paint-based nail polishes around the world. They are also free of harmful chemical nasties such as formaldehyde, toluene, and acetone, and have no FD&C colors, parabens, or phthalates. The French Manicure Kit is particularly sweet and is entirely vegan. It includes: Nail Renewal Oil, Paint Me Eternal Top/Bottom Coat (clear), Paint Me Tranquil (soft, subtle translucent pink), and Paint Me Tender (the requisite opaque white), and French manicure tape for foolproof tip application. The oil and each of the polishes also come separately.

The Nail Renewal Oil is an absolute delight. Made with sweet almond oil, ginseng root extract, myrrha extract, and vitamin E, your cuticles and nails will reward you for using it by looking their smooth revitalized best, making it an absolute must have for my makeup shelf - and it smells awesome too. A little aromatherapy can’t hurt.

But I digress. Eco-Sensual Balm goes on clear and moisturizes your lips with all-natural, 100% vegan, 73% organic ingredients. I stress the goes on clear aspect for all the men who, like my husband, would sooner let their lips fry than apply a lip balm with even the most minuscule amount of colour. The lip balm contains the following ingredients: organic palm oil, organic virgin olive oil, candelilla wax, organic jojoba oil, organic coconut oil, essential oil of spearmint, tocopherol (vitamin E), grapeseed oil, rosemary extract, and vitamin C.

Your lips are left feeling soft, smooth and minty. I’m a firm believer that all lip balms should be minty - personally, I don’t think anything soothes as much as the cooling sensation of mint on the lips, particularly in summer.

It’s nice to see another new company making an effort to operate with ethics and in the spirit of philanthropy to bring us cruelty-free, organic, natural products, many of which are entirely vegan.

It does make my heart glad.

The side of my Eco-Sensual balm reads, ‘Deep healing for your lips and the world.’ Agreed.

Recently, my much anticipated shipment from SerendipiTea (a.k.a. the best tea ever) arrived. I unpacked my treasure with gleeful fond memories of Eve’s Temptation, that joyous elixir of old, and couldn’t wait to brew myself a cup. Ah, what sweet anticipation - the aroma was overwhelming as I opened the box. The scent! Such sweet pungency has never before visited my nose.

I ordered four different large packs of loose tea and one small tin. The large packs of loose tea come in paper bags which sit inside recycled cardboard boxes. The packaging is simple, recyclable, and elegant. Sustainable and environmentally friendly - as if I need more reasons to adore this tea.

If I thought the scent was pungent when the box was closed, I was completely blown away when I actually opened it. I was immediately met with an awesome display of colour and texture - truly as much a feast for the eyes as for the nose. Eve’s Temptation is composed of quite large pieces of apple and mango, and nothing else.

I also purchased a box of rather tall, unbleached tea filters which are designed to sit upright in the glass. Now for the revered tasting.

Verdict? Heaven in a glass. Sweet, smooth, and just as wonderful as I remembered.

After having my fill of the star of the day, Eve’s Temptation, I turned to the other intriguing teas in my order - and there were no disappointments there. Each tea is unique and wonderful in its own way:

• Eve’s Temptation: Apple, Mango - simply amazing, smooth and sweet
• Chaucer’s Cup: Apple, Mango, Cloves, Cardamom, Ginger, Fruit, Spices - sweet & spicy, tastes like Christmas - gives Eve’s Temptation a run for its money
  
• Monk’s Mead: Apple, Mango, Chamomile - soothing, calming, wonderfully enjoyable - fair trade
• Genesis: Apple, Mango, Green Tea - much stronger than others, green tea flavour features most prominently
  
• Gaucho: Cloves, Cardamom, Ginger, Yerba Mate - spicy and awakening, great in the morning, the first Yerba Mate blend I’ve actually really liked
  

The quality of SerendipiTea is tops. Their service is super friendly and efficient, and my order arrived very fast. I’ll surely be making regular orders to keep up with what will certainly become a habit. The circle is complete.

Looking for some yummy snacks of the raw, organic, and vegan variety? New and awesome online store One Lucky Duck is here to cater to your vegan sweet tooth, among other cool things, as well as promote a raw lifestyle.

The site offers clothing made from sustainable, environmentally friendly materials like organic cotton and hemp, eco-friendly household items like bamboo towels and animal friendly natural beauty products. I’d like to pick up the Blood of the Dragon Styling Gel for hubby, filled with natural botanicals and hand-picked herbs and packaged according to the moon cycles in the ancient farming tradition. Throw that in the bag along with my Goji Berries, Raw Cacao Nibs, and Chocolate Truffles, please and thank you. I also have my eye on the One Lucky Duck snack sampler.

The site also offers a selection of books about the raw way of life and culinary tools for the raw kitchen.

In the About section for One Lucky Duck, creator Sarma Melngalis explains how she came up with the name - in a nutshell, the more people who enjoy a raw vegetarian diet the more lucky ducks there are out there (and sheep and pigs and chickens and cows). Awesome.

Sarma is also a guest blogger at We Like it Raw and the copacetic proprietor of Pure Food and Wine, an award-winning raw food restaurant in New York where the fare on offer includes raw, organic, seasonal fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Here, all wheat, dairy, soy, meat and refined sugars are left out and ingredients are kept under 118 degrees in order to preserve the food’s natural enzymes. If you’re in the Apple, check it out - and get your snack on at One Lucky Duck.

Happy raw vegan snacking.

The second of two important birthdays is now behind me. After some very poor planning for my husband’s birthday, and the resulting debacle cake wise, I was determined to plan my sister’s dessert in advance. I was also feeling a bit gun-shy about trying another cake so I decided to go for birthday cupcakes. My sister had requested something in the way of vanilla cake with chocolate icing so I chose the Golden Vanilla Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

I decided to make them the day before, just in case.

This recipe was very straightforward - not a lot of ingredients. Excellent. I chose to use canola oil in place of margarine where given the option. So far, so good. Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World is a very well laid out little book. Excellent layout and typography, great photographs and, most importantly, really useful culinary information - particularly with respect to the nuances of vegan specific ingredients. I found it to be most informative.

I wanted to spell out a Happy Birthday message on the cupcakes so I figured I’d need to make two dozen. I made them in two separate batches just in case things did not go as planned.

I monitored the internal oven thermometer readout like a hawk - the instructions state the baking time to be between 20 to 22 minutes and strictly caution against opening the oven before at least the minimum baking time has elapsed. At 20 minutes I poked one with a toothpick. It came out clean so I removed the cupcakes and set them to cool as directed - first in the pan, then remove and cool completely on the rack so they don’t get soggy bottoms.

No one wants a soggy-bottomed cupcake.

After the first batch of cupcakes was completely cooled I thought some testing was in order. Tasty but not fantastic. Very moist. A bit on the dense side. Perhaps they could have done with the full 22 minutes of baking time - noted for the second batch.

As the 22 minute mark rolled around for the second batch I sussed up the cupcakes through the oven door. They weren’t turning at all golden so I thought maybe it wouldn’t hurt to add an extra minute to the baking time. I let them cook for 23 minutes, baking rebel that I am.

The second batch looked and tasted exactly the same as the first, despite the extra 3 minutes baking time. Hmmm. Maybe that’s just how they’re meant to be. Very moist and slightly dense. The canola oil option was supposed to encourage a lighter cupcake to materialize. My baking powder, baking soda, cider vinegar, etc, is all brand spanking new. It could simply be something my vegan baking newbie head doesn’t yet get.

I decided to make the Chocolate Ganache icing from More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts, by Fran Costigan. I halved the recipe because I knew I wouldn’t be using all of the 3-cup yield. I chose to try Fran’s recipe because it seemed to bare the closest resemblance to traditional ganache - cream and chocolate (Fran’s recipe calls for Soy creamer of course). Everything went smoothly until the cooling stage. For a reason unbeknownst to me the ganache kept solidifying in the bowl as I was trying to ice the cupcakes. This was remedied by occasionally returning to the stove to remelt it as I was working. Slightly irritating but not disastrous. The cupcakes tasted great in concert with the ganache. Awesome.

While each cupcake was still wet with ganache, I dropped silver dragees in place to spell out my birthday message. Sister was thrilled. Behold the happy results.

Some seven or so years ago, before the Indigo-Chapters merger, the Indigo bookstore had its own (non-Starbucks) cafe. It was at this cafe that I enjoyed the best tea I have ever had in my life - its name, Eve’s Temptation. It was served in a tall glass with an open tea filter suspended by a wooden skewer that spanned the top. You could see the fragrant blend of apple and mango inside. Smooth and sweet - I have never tasted its equal. Then came the merger and the Indigo cafe was no more. Starbucks now stood in its stead.

Gone was the tea menu that had brought me so much joy.

Every subsequent trip to the tea isle of many a store included a vain search for Eve’s Temptation. I picked up more than a few apple-mango flavoured teas along the way. Nothing ever came close to the nirvana in a glass that was Eve’s Temptation. The acquisition of a new box of tea sometimes spurred the occasional Internet search which would always yield nothing. Until yesterday. Yesterday the search hit the mark. I found the end of the rainbow.

Hallelujah, SerendipiTea.

Eve’s Temptation, you will be mine again. SerendipiTea sells loose tea and they have an incredible array of them. They sell organic and fair trade tea as well as tea paraphernalia. Above all, they sell tea that tastes awesome and Eve’s Temptation is among them. I already knew I was nuts for Eve’s Temptation, simply consisting of two ingredients, apple and mango - so I put my order in for that and a few others which incorporated those ingredients and added a few more:

• Eve’s Temptation: Apple, Mango
• Chaucer’s Cup: Apple, Mango, Cloves, Cardamom, Ginger, Fruit, Spices
• Monk’s Mead: Apple, Mango, Chamomile
• Gaucho: Cloves, Cardamom, Ginger, Yerba Mate

The teas have inspired names that will appeal as much to your creative intellect as the tea will to your palate. I also ordered some of those funky open tea filters so I can recreate that original perfect experience in its entirety. I have a whole lot of tea coming my way. Finally.

Thus endeth the seven year quest to find the best tea ever. Ah, serendipiTea.

In a bid to expand my arsenal of vegan friendly sweeteners I picked up some barley malt syrup for the first time yesterday. First impression - I love its thick, honey-like consistency and sweetness. The hint of malt makes me imagine just how great it must be in baked goods. I’m thinking something spicy. There is much potential there. I will experiment and report back.

Speaking of baking - in an effort to challenge myself I have officially signed up to be a Daring Baker. Gulp. Look out for future posts in this regard. My first challenge will be in May.

In my quest to separate my sister from artificial sweeteners I also picked up another new sweetener at the natural food shop - Organic Zero made by Wholesome Sweeteners. This product is made from organic sugar. Its single ingredient, organic Erythritol, is described as highly digestible and naturally occurring in fermented foods, fruits and vegetables. A little research reveals it to be in the family of sugar alcohols. I’ve read that some have significant digestive difficulties with Xylitol, another sugar alcohol. In the (albeit limited) reading I’ve done on the topic, studies seem to indicate that Erythritol is much more easily tolerated in this regard. It is represented as being 70% as sweet as sugar so in testing it I increased my usual scant teaspoon by about 50%.

Impressions - for something that has no calories and a glycemic index of zero I was pretty happy with how it tasted. It doesn’t have an aftertaste like Stevia and I found that it behaved in pretty much the same way as sugar. It dissolved quickly, added no colour to my tea and sweetened it more than adequately. It’s a little on the pricey side - I paid about $10 for a box of 35 packets at my local natural food store - but surely it’s a better choice than artificial sweetener.

Hopefully my sister will agree and leave go that pack of aspartame for good.

When I heard about Dirt Candles I had to share. Firstly, the name is awesome - come on, Dirt…love it! But the cool philosophy behind the name makes it all the better.

The makers of Dirt describe themselves as ‘Raw. Pure. Real.’ They believe in all things natural, cruelty-free, charitable, and biodegradeable. Their soot-less, vegan candles are made using local organically grown soybeans and essential oils and are quite elegantly packaged using recycled glass and paper. Plus, in the spirit of giving back, a portion of their profits goes towards a list of charities that includes Peta, The Humane Society, and The Nature’s Conservancy among others.

You can buy Dirt in a multitude of U.S. stores, including online at Wildlife Works (they ship to Canada) and Room 6 in Vancouver, British Columbia (also check out the Sigg reusuable water bottles).

Smell good and feel good too.

I recently got into a tempestuous argument over the useful shelf-life of garlic - a serious argument. I was asked to leave the kitchen.

My experience with garlic has always been that, sure, while it’s best used as soon as possible as most things are, it has some shelf-longevity in it. I know that if some green sprouts appear that those taste bitter. If it dries out and shrivels up, that’s not particularly appealing. But if it’s none of these things - if it’s been on the counter for a few weeks and remains nicely formed, firm and intact, why can’t I use it? Hubby would have me toss all that perfectly good garlic into the compost. He also thinks that if an apple has a spot on it it’s gone off - and he has to remove more than several of the outer layers of any leafy green. Neurotic - or sensible? Am I cavalier with the vegetables?

All this talk about vegetable safety got me thinking about organic versus non-organic produce. I’ve made a concerted effort to include more fresh produce in my diet of late. Where before it maybe wasn’t too difficult to buy mostly organic - today, with my fridge literally stuffed with produce, it’s becoming a bit more of an issue for my wallet. I picked up strawberries at the market the other day, the non-organic sort - freakishly large specimens. There were no organic strawberries to be found and a craving’s a craving. Hubby turned his nose up at them. More (chemicals) for me. Actually, it wasn’t too long ago that I was reading up on the worst offenders, pesticide-wise, and strawberries were on the bad list along with celery, apples and leafy greens, even potatoes. Bananas, which I almost always buy organic, are not on the bad list.

It makes perfect sense that the items possessing a thicker skin fare better in terms of pesticide exposure. Bananas. Plantains. Coconuts. So basically I only really have to worry about 99% of my produce. If money were no object I’d buy anything and everything organic. My recent excited anticipation over diving into my new cookbooks required a mad dash to the supermarkets and featured many an organic staple from arrowroot to xanthan gum. Where these pantry items should last me a while, fresh produce needs to be picked up at a much higher frequency - and the organic sort is somewhat of a budget killer for me. After my recent sugar enlightenment I started buying three varieties of organic sugar (regular, turbinado and powdered) from Wholesome Sweeteners who guarantee that there are no animal products present in them (the bone char was my issue with the sugar and not the desire to go organic with it). Ah, money (cue Apprentice money theme here).

With regard to the garlic issue - my lengthy investigative work has yielded the following information: garlic is best kept stored in a cool, dry place and will stay fresh for two or more weeks depending on ambient humidity and temperature. My kitchen counter is cool and dry. So ha.

Yesterday I revealed myself to be a doughnut fan. Today, trapped in the house with beautiful new cookbooks and woefully understocked cupboards on a statutory holiday (stores closed), I decide to distract myself from the pain by doing a little surfing in honour of the doughnut. The vegan doughnut. And to my barely containable glee I discover Mighty-O. Mighty-O is a doughnut shop in Seattle - here’s a summary of what they’re about:

• no animal derived ingredients
• certified organic ingredients
• no artificial colours or flavours
• non-GM/GMO ingredients
• no trans fats (hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils)
• organic, fair-trade coffee
• dedicated to sustainability - they say that by composting and recycling religiously they create zero waste - they don’t use harsh chemicals and support vendors and suppliers who share their philosophy.

I know my doughnuts (I am Canadian after all) and Mighty-O’s doughnuts look amazing. And they have cool names like Cocoloco, Chocolate Cake Don King and Vanilla Cake Nutty Vanilla - and the name of the joint itself is reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons. Mighty-O, oh how I wish Seattle was within walking distance. If you’re in the Seattle area - stop by 2110 North 55th Street and get yourself a doughnut.

I spent yesterday in the city with hubby. Well, we headed down together then he went to his meeting at the cool new studio and I went to the salon for some colour first aid. Afterwards, I had too much fun trolling through the isles of Whole Foods Market. Only I could get that excited browsing through a supermarket. They do have some very nice organic and healthy merchandise though. I’m still kicking myself for not bringing one of their vegan chocolate cakes home. Their bakery is to die for. Ah, I’ve only myself to blame. Stupid, stupid, stupid me.

I did pick up a beautiful bag that I’d been looking for. It’s a lovely spacious green organic cotton bag with orange Koi fish printed on the side - I’ve been coveting it since first laying eyes on it online at Heart on Your Sleeve. Very cool. I also picked up some EFA oil from Vega that I’d been meaning to pick up for some time. Gotta get those essential fatty acids in. Green & Black organic hot chocolate, organic almonds, organic figs. Organic seems to be the theme of the day. The almonds are magnificent - full, plump, sweet, just gorgeous. I didn’t do too bad. Met up with an old friend and had a good laugh over cappuccino, three actually, while we waited for hubby to join us after his meeting. Good times. By the time we arrived home I was exhausted and couldn’t wait to get off my feet.

I’ve been known to extol the virtues of what I like to call the Breakfast of Champions (quinoa & steel cut oat porridge with almond milk). Today I tried a variation - 3 to 1 oat to quinoa ratio (instead of half and half) and the full dose of cinnamon and raisins (I’d cut back on those the last time around). Didn’t turn out too differently. Hubby hated it but he ate it anyway at my urging. I’m committed to making more of an effort to prepare good food. On that note my new books arrived today, two of which are vegan cookbooks: Veganomicon and Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan. Dreena Burton, who wrote ED&BV, has kindly pointed me in the direction of her Flickr gallery to navigate the book and try to pick something wonderful to start with. So I’m looking forward to some serious good food. Another friend and fellow foody, Ryan, posted some absolutely awesome pics on FB of some dishes he had recently prepared and kindly shared the recipes with me. I also really want to try Clotilde’s recently posted Carottes et Betteraves Râpées (shredded carrot and beet salad). Coincidently, beets are also featured in one of Ryan’s recipes - also in a salad but this time cooked. Lots of inspiring things to choose from. Time to get cooking.