Artist Coleslaw!

ARTIST COLESLAW

Yum! This is incredibly delicious, beautiful to look at and healthy too! I have to share this recipe with you and apologize for the lack of measurements. I just kind of winged it. Into a big bowl you toss a finely chopped half of a red cabbage and two medium carrots.Throw in a handful of pistachios and slivered almonds. Finely chop some green onion or chives.

Toss in some halved or quartered seedless grapes. About half a cup. They are a secret ingredient adding a wee burst of sweetness amidst the crunch. You could also substitute some sweetened dried cranberries or perhaps some mango! Remember, as with all salads, you add more of what you like and less of what you don't! Experiment and see what happens:)

Mix it all together. See how gorgeous that looks!!

The dressing is a blob (two large tablespoons?)of vegan mayo or regular, A tablespoon each of maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. Stir it up and taste to see how you like it. Add and adjust to your taste buds. Salt and pepper.

 The consistency you want is a pourable one..... Just enough to coat the veggies. Toss and let sit for a bit to marinate.

And.......voila! A perfect salad for any gathering. Better the next day!

Mo and Jules's- Vegan to Meat Lover! New Restaurant

Mo and Jules is a very unassuming place tucked into what used to be part of the Esquire Motel on the water side of the Bedford Highway, 813 to be exact. The kind of place you might just drive right by.... don't!  The M stands for Mahogany and the J for Jules!

These two delightful women opened their doors 8 months ago and are super friendly and dedicated to customer service and good healthy food!

Before opening M and J's they had a busy catering business and clients told them they should open a "real" place:) They found this sun filled spot and decided to put down some roots. (By the way they still cater. Today they had two big catering jobs on the go..).  
What is wonderful about this place is that everyone and anyone can eat here!! People with food sensitivities and those who can eat whatever they want and those who choose to eat plant based.The menu is divided into two halves, on the left is everything vegan and on the right is anything goes. This is a sample of the all day breakfast menu! (top is cut off) Tofu scramble available.
M and J's have daily specials as well, Tuesday was All you Can Eat Taco day! 
A freezer holds meals you can take home and have later. I took my mum to lunch here and she took home home a split pea soup and veggie lasagna for later..
When you come in you can serve yourself coffee or a drink from the fridge and then Jules will pop by to have a chat and take your order and answer any questions you might have.
We both chose this!!! Basically a pile of veggies on a bun, and it was tasty!

I had a broccoli salad side with coconut bacon and mum had the sweet potato fries with curry mayo.
The menu is customer driven and both Mo and Jules are anxious to hear what you liked and what you might like to see on the menu and may try it as a special! They love creating food that pleases.The sunlight streams through the windows but from the outside, as I mentioned, it is a place you might not notice.
This is what my mum ordered, the avocado sundried tomato burger with sweet potato fries...
and here she is in blissful contemplation.... YUM!!
People are starting to become regulars and there was a small steady stream of customers. I will be back for sure!!! I hope you pop out to give them a try and say Shelagh sent you:)

Creamy Butternut Squash Tomato Soup with Coriander and Lentils

What's for lunch you ask? Why Butternut Squash Tomato Soup with loads of coriander and ginger! I had these ingredients on hand and did some creative combining ....  The secret? A heaping tablespoon of ground coriander....with a bit of tumeric, ginger and nutmeg.

 Simple Creamy Butternut Squash Tomato Soup

3/4 butternut squash, coarsely chopped

1 box of veggie broth ( 4 cups)

2 chopped onions

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 big can of diced tomatoes 

3/4 cup of red lentils

1 T ground coriander

1 t Tumeric 

1 t Ginger 

1/2 t Nutmeg

Squeeze of lemon juice and a squirt of hot sauce at the end to taste! 

Plop it all together in a pot and cook until squash tender. Puree with hand blender et voila!

Shelagh`s Easy Red Lentil Doldrum Defeating Dhal Soup!

Ha how's that for a title! Yesterday it started to rain and was very dreary and dark. I was hungry, cold, feeling low and wanted to brighten my day so I decided to use the warm colours and flavours of the East to perk myself up!  It had to be quick because I had work to do. This is what I came up with and it was really tasty :)

Shelagh's Easy Red Lentil Doldrum Defeating Dhal Soup!

Combine everything in a heavy pot....

Cover and simmer until all is soft, about 20 min.

Add a splash of lemon juice to brighten it up when done. And some zest if you like. 

4 cups veggie broth

1 large onion chopped finely

2 medium carrots chopped finely

1.5 cups red lentils, rinsed

3 cloves of garlic minced or 1T garlic powder

1T cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 Inch of fresh ginger, grated 

1 bay leaf

(You could add some chilli flakes, I like to squirt in Siracha after)

An important spice in Dhal is cumin.I love it`s earthy deep warm flavour.

Tip: I keep my fresh ginger in the freezer, in a baggie, lasts forever. I take it out and grate what I need. No need to peel, it kind of flakes off on to the top of the rasp. 

It was yummy and absolutely brightened up my dull day. Hard to take a good pic of dhal soup but here is my bowl with a generous splat of Siracha hot sauce:) Cha Cha Cha! 

Soup for Mending Hearts, Chilly Bones and Crappy Days!

Soup beautiful soup! Everything feels better when there's a pot of nourishing homemade soup at hand. No thinking involved, no pressure, just a bowl of warm goodness...feeding your body and soul!

Start with 1 large onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery and 2-3 cloves of garlic! Chop and toss into heavy pot. Pour in 4 cups of Veggie Broth.

Then add 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of lentils rinsed and drained, and 3/4 cup of red lentils...

Secret ingredient!!!! 1 small parsnip grated. Shhhh.

Spices are 2 Bay Leaves, 1 Tbsp Coriander and 1 Tbsp Cumin and 1 Tbsp Curry powder

A big old squirt of Siracha!!! Cha Cha Cha

Simmer for 30 minutes and voila!!! Top with avocado or chopped cilantro, parsley etc or even grated cheese if you are into that! I should have wiped the edge of the bowl to make the photo prettier but hey, you get the gist. I guarantee that a bowl of this soup will chase away the blues and lift dark clouds .......at least temporarily!

Really these are just rough guidelines, you can add whatever you want to soup. Versatile and always perfect for the don't feel like cooking but want something quick and good and tasty! x

Vegetarian / Vegan Chili Easy Peasy

Sunday morning, end of April and it is cold, grey and altogether uninviting outside. Perfect day to make some bright fragrant colourful chili. No real recipe, I just use what I have on hand. I use shortcuts with the beans, cans are fine. I drain and rinse them first. So here we go.... First chop two large onions and saute them in a heavy pot.( I dry saute them with no oil, when they start to stick I add a tiny splash of water or veggie broth). Add 3 cloves of minced garlic or more....

The story behind the two spoons is this... the small one is a regular sized spoon, the large one was from the set of The Shipping News, a movie with Kevin Spacey that was shot here. A friend of mine was the food stylist and gave it to me after the shoot. It was super sized and I just keep it for fun in my spoon jar on the kitchen counter...

Next add the chopped veggies you've assembled beforehand. I've got zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, peppers, celery, canned corn kernels drained and rinsed, bit of broccoli and some tomatoes.

 Dump them into the pot and stir for a bit.

 Add the spice. I used 3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 Tbsp cumin, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp of oregano and 1 tsp basil. I like my chili really seasoned. Use what you like and adjust for your own taste.

 Throw in the beans. I used red kidney and a can of mixed beans.
Next up add  a 28 oz can of chopped tomatoes and I had a smaller one of seasoned tomatoes so I added that too, as well as 2 cups of veggie broth. Preferably you add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste but I didn't have any. I like it just as well either way. Stir it all together. Cover and simmer away for about an hour or so. Stir occasionally.

Eh voila! I've topped it here with shredded spinach. You can eat it over rice or mashed potatoes and top with chopped avocado and shredded cheese or sour cream or whatever floats your boat. Easy peasy and very good:) Enjoy!

Wild Leek, Vegan Restaurant

A friend of mine, Kirsten Taggart, has just started living a dream of hers! She has opened a cozy Vegan restaurant and Juice Bar in Halifax called Wild Leek. A trained chef, Kirsten has had a love affair with wholesome food for years. Her blog, Kirsten's Kitchen is full of yummy recipes that showcase her special connection with good food.

Located at 2156 Windsor St. on the corner of Lawrence, Wild Leek  is sandwiched between a small variety store and a used book shop. You can't miss it. Painted bright green with two flower baskets and a lovely mural on the side of the building.

It is a tiny spot with just six tables I think, I can't exactly remember the number but it is bright and cheerful and has free wifi!

Dominating the high ceilings is an amazing light fixture, I love it!

The menu is simple with only a few basics available on a consistant basis and the rest is dependant on Kirsten's mood and what fresh produce is available and eventually, special requests:)

The day I was there I had the special which was a Shepherd's Pie,  (lentil base and mashed potato topping) slathered with gravy,and a yummy salad.

My mum who was my dining companion had the broccoli and caramalized onion quiche which I have to say was DELICIOUS! Hard to make it look pretty but you get the gist:)

Wild Leek also makes their own seitan and there are a few things on the menu that utilise it including their own version of Bahn Mi which is a Vietnamese sandwich.

I have to say everything I ate was yummy.Lots of dessert to choose from also. These were to die for, chocolate, pecan, peanut butter thingies...

Mum had a coconut cupcke:)

I know there are a lot of food pics here but hey....it's a restaurant. This was moist and dense and aawesome!

I haven't even touched on the juice bar side of things. Lots of choices there. One which caught my eye was "strawberry fields" Strawberry,banana,coconut and vanilla,mmm
They are open Tuesday to Saturday opening at 8am and closing at 4pm except  Friday 7pm. Friday at suppertime  Kirsten will be doing a dinner service with a lovely plated special meal. Saturday they serve Brunch!

 Pop by and say hi to Kirsten and her sidekick Andie:) Tell em I sent you!