Padmanadi Vegetarian Fine Cuisine

June 19th, 2010 will be forever remembered in Edmonton as the grand opening of Padmanadi Vegetarian Fine Cuisine @ 10740-101 Street! Not only was this date exactly 7 years 7 months and 7 days after the arrival of Kasim and his family in Canada but the sun could not have been shining any brighter on this wonderful occasion. The restaurant was overflowing with smiling patrons who had long been anticipating this very special day. There was non-stop musical talent and heartfelt speeches -- including one by former NHL player George Laraque who publicly declared himself to be a vegan on June 1st, 2009.

I was very happy to be able to attend this beautiful event and even more excited to hear that they would now also be featuring vegan brunches every Saturday and Sunday from 9-2!  I was lucky enough to be able to partake in a vegan brunch the very next day and I can hardly wait to go again this weekend!  It  is SO worth a visit whether you are vegan or not!  The fresh squeezed organic orange juice is just the first part to the start of an outstanding organic experience. Pictured below is one entree that is unlike anything vegan you have ever tried before -  "Eggs Benedict" served traditional style here along with veggie ham.  Photo number two below is an order of Banana Coconut French Toast served with a side of veggie bacon. Check out their menu on their website for more details that will have you circling the date on the calendar for the next weekend brunch!  http://www.padmanadi.com/documents/brunch_menu.pdf 

Well that's all I'm going to feature for today.  Look forward to further posts in the future -- there's just too much goodness to cover in one article!  In any case I hope to see you at Padmanadi soon!
If you're interested in viewing photos of the grand opening click:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/35723494@N04/sets/72157624215504583/

Becel vs Earth Balance

When I saw the ads popping up on my computer that Becel had bought out a vegan margarine I was so excited.  Another super large corporation plasters the "V" word for all the world to see on another very mainstream product.  It's awesome to see that veganism is penetrating the minds and pocketbooks of behind the scene shareholders. It makes me laugh to think of these stuffed suits sitting in boardrooms saying what the "H" is Vegan but who cares -- put it on there if it's gonna make us more $$$$!  They may not be a "pure" company like Earth Balance but hey how fussy can we get at this point!  Not everyone can afford to shop at exclusive health food stores with their exclusive prices.  So if we're looking at that as a dividing factor (and I don't think it is one we can forget) than we have to be thankful for whoever was behind the scenes at Becel that is helping to bring a new vegan product to the masses.

It's too easy to get caught up in "pure" attitudes and overlook the fact that for many people disposable income is an issue and there is a pretty big difference between $3.99 for Becel from Safeway and $5.69 for Earth Balance Organic Whipped Butter Spread at your local health food store.  It's also much easier for people to find a "chain grocery store" than an "organic food store" in most neighborhoods.  I understand that there may be other issues behind Becel but if we're looking strictly at what's on the label and for people who want to be Vegan and support the concept of veganism than it's a really positive new product for them to embrace.

With respect to flavor - Becel does have that going on -- it's a nice light buttery taste and one that most people are used to.  I love the fact Becel is spreadable straight out of the fridge whereas with Earth Balance (particulary the non-whipped versions)  you have to remember to put it on the counter for a bit or you won't be spreading anything.  I find that the Organic Whipped Butter Spread is the tastiest product, as well as the easiest spreading butter in the Earth Balance line and will continue to use it as I prefer to use organic wherever possible. And of course,  the 1/4 lb blocks of  Earth Balance hard margarine are still ideal for baking cookies and the like. With the increasing demand for organics in the marketplace I'd guess that it won't be long before  Becel will come out with an organic version of their vegan margarine as well.  In the meantime I'm pleased to know that there is now a second choice out there and it's as close as the nearest grocery store shelf in almost any neighborhood.

Vegan Shampoo & Vegan Bakery (Toronto)

You can't eat this but it was pretty exciting to see a "vegan" shampoo on the  "regular" store shelves. Not only that they actually put the word vegan on the back of their product. If you click on this picture it should be big enough to see it clearly.  I love the pretty colors they used to package the shampoo as well.  Clearly I'm a product junkie and easily taken in but just for the record it did a fine job of shampooing and conditioning my hair. Who ever thought that vegan would become mainstream enough for a major cosmetics company to start using such terminology to market their product?  Obviously veganism has made it's mark and it's clear it's not a trend but a movement that's only going to continue to gain strength with every passing day, month and year!

I'm still remaking all my favorite "old" recipes on here and neglecting my creativity in trying new vegan recipes in favor of knitting but I'm gearing up towards some ideas for fresh spring recipes. It's hard to believe that Easter is less than two weeks away.

If you live in the Toronto area you are too lucky for words -- today my facebook friend Sherry Vanstone posted a comment about a new Vegan Danish Bakery.  I've given you the link so you too can drool and wish you had such a bakery near you! A girl can dream! Ask me how jealous I am of Sherry -- so much so I'm almost looking a little green :)

Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins

Another delicious gluten free version of one of my all time favorites -- carrot muffins.  I've been craving them for a long time but I've been reluctant to put down my knitting needles.  Still going strong on the knitting but my desire for a fresh muffin finally did me in and I spent today doing some baking and cooking.  I've just been making the same old recipes so had nothing new to share but I think if you're looking for gluten-free versions of baked goods you're going to really enjoy this carrot muffin recipe I came up with today.  Turned out a bit sweeter than I expected so might try it with a little less sugar next time but otherwise seriously delicious and they filled the kitchen with a wonderful spicy aroma thanks to the cinnamon. In case you're wondering why you can't see the raisins (I just recently bought Newman's Own brand of organic raisins and I highly recommend them) or carrots it's because I blended my wet mixture in the Vita-Mix  -- my grandson won't eat muffins with  whole raisins hence my reason for blending!  If you have a fussy little toddler this works out perfectly.  He loved them -- and ate 1-1/2 for a snack! I love gluten free verson muffins for toddlers because almond flour is nutritionally superior to white flour and since they are too young to eat nuts whole it's a great way to get in some extra calories.

Ingredients

1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp. agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup finely grated carrot
1/4 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the wet ingredients together -- let stand for about 1/2 hour or so to allow raisins to plump up. In the meantime measure out your dry ingredients. I put all the dry ingredients in my vita-mix as well to whirl them together and also to make the almond meal into a finer grind. I can only get the Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal and it's slightly coarse so I find it works a little more like a flour by processing it in the Vita-mix along with the other flours and dry ingrdients. I also whirled my wet ingredients in the Vita-Mix as well but this is totally optional. Mix wet and dry together thoroughly. I used 1/4 cup mixture per muffin. (I used If You Care Muffin Liners -- which have been revamped and are once again excellent -- make sure to look for the red triangle on the side to assure it's the new, improved version!). This batch made 11 muffins. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Most muffin recipes say 350 but maybe my oven runs on the low side because I need 375 to produce a nicely baked muffin. One day I should do a real test with an oven thermometer.

My latest trio of comfort dolls! These little guys are so fun to knit and I'm just so glad that they're going to comfort children who have very few luxuries in this life. Thanks to ICROSS Canada for giving me the opportunity to participate in this.

GoGo Quinoa Soup-Stew

What an aptly named product -- GoGo Quinoa! We all need to go to quinoa more frequently but it's a tough one for some people due to the bitter flavor it can have depending on the brand you buy and how it's cooked.  Well this one is a no-brainer and there is absolutely no bitter flavor whatsoever so  pick up a package of GoGo Quinoa and Vegetable Soup mix and make this delicious soup-stew with it!  It's really inexpensive considering it's organic, fair trade and good for you!  I picked up several for $3.29 each and each box contains two packets of 65 gms.  You only need one 65 gm packet for this recipe.  I've been busy knitting comfort dolls (see veggie prairie girl rambles below for more info on this if you're interested) so I've been neglecting my cooking duties!  However after 3 days of literally muffins and smoothies I thought it was time for a little more veggies in my life and my favorite bean -- chickpeas.  I'd still rather continue knitting than cook this week so I  was looking for something really really quick and this is it!  For the amount of effort and ingredients it's got a lot of great flavor plus you're getting a good portion of the "got-to-get-more-in-your-life-quinoa-grain".  Plus it makes a very nice mild blend for  hungry little toddlers if you have a little munchkin running around your house like I do!  Whirls up nice and smooth in the mini container of your magic bullet.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 carrots, sliced

2 potatoes, cubed

1 (14 oz)  tin diced tomatoes

1 cup cooked chickpeas (I used canned organic)

1 (65 gm) packet of gogo quinoa

2 teaspoons veggie powder
2-3 cups spring water

Saute your onion and carrots for about 5 minutes in the olive oil.  Add 2 cups water, the potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, veggie powder and quinoa.  Simmer until veggies are cooked -- add more water depending on  whether you want soup or stew-like texture. This soup cooks up quickly and is ready too serve in less than 45 minutes.  Really tasty! GoGo Quinoa!

Veggie Prairie Girl Rambles

People around the world are knitting African Comfort Dolls for the HIV/AIDS orphans of Africa and children of other disaster regions. (4000 dolls were recently sent to Haiti along with meds). The dolls are used as packing material to cushion  medical supplies and when the meds are unloaded, the dolls are given to orphans and the children of the poorest of the poor. Often the doll sent as packing material is the only toy these children will ever own and many HIV AIDS orphans are buried with their dolls. Billy Willabond, a Canadian Peacekeeping Veteran, is the National President of the International Community for the Relief of Starvation and Suffering (ICROSS CANADA) and I send all my completed dolls (I've made 155 to date and  plan to make many more) to their address in British Columbia. He is very punctual about letting you know your dolls have been received and that they are very much appreciated so it's a gratifying organization to donate to.  The dolls are a quick knit and they turn out so cute for the effort involved. Pictured below are five that I just completed this weekend. Feel free to e-mail me if you want anymore details or have questions about how to knit them or finish them. This is a very simple pattern which is good because simple is all I know when it comes to knitting.  Regardless of your level of expertise it's a satisfying project to be involved in.  I encourage everyone to go to the ICROSS website to learn more about what they've done and what they continue to work towards.  Also check out this blog and learn how two Vancouver women who, after  knitting comfort dolls for ICROSS, were inspired to find a unique way to raise funds for charity.

Sweet Potato Hummus

I was inspired to make a sweet potato hummus after seeing it listed on Oprah's website under the category: superfoods! I couldn't bring myself to make the recipe listed there however because I could not handle the thought of 1/2 cup of oil added to 2-1/2 cups of finished product. I personally think that kinda of defeats the purpose...I think even my 2 tablespoons is a bit on the high side as I know you can make it without any oil whatsoever and it still tastes fine. So feel free to eliminate the oil from this recipe. I also really love the taste of the traditional use of tahini in hummus recipes and therefore I do use it and I couldn't believe it wasn't included in the superfood recipe that Oprah listed. After all tahini is a great fat full of beneficial calcium. We really should send her an improved recipe. This is a great recipe for kids as they generally love the taste of sweet potatoes. I remember my nephew Aaron, as a toddler,  was a picky little eater but he would always always eat sweet potatoes! My 2 year-old grandson Nico confirms this to be so, as well, as he was eating this by the spoonful right after I made it. For an excellent reference with respect to "everything you ever wanted to know about sweet potatoes" check out this website! Did you know you could bake several at once and they stay good in the fridge for 7-10 days?  How handy is that?  Did you know that you can make an attractive houseplant from a sweet potato?  All that information and much more is on the above listed website. Do give it a quick read through.


Ingredients
1 can (regular size) of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 sweet potato (roasted)
1 tsp. garlic/parsley powder (or head of garlic roasted along with sweet potato)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tablespoon paul bragg
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tbsp. tahini
2 tbsp. olive oil
2-4 tbsp. original flavor soy milk

To roast your sweet potato -- scrub it, rub it with margarine, prick it with a fork and place on a wire rack inside a ovenproof dish (I put it on a wire rack so that it doesn't get burn marks as that sometimes happens if you place it directly onto your dish).  You can probably pick up cheap, small wire racks suitable for this purpose at your local dollar store. I bent mine to fit the dish I use when roasting vegetables and save it just for that purpose.  Bake at 425F oven for about 45-55 minutes depending on size.  Cool, peel and you now have lots of sweet potato for your hummus recipe.  Eat a little if you like -- it's delicious right out of  the oven exactly as it is. And considering how long it stays good in the fridge (and freezes) bake up a couple of extra while you're at it. I would also suggest roasting a head or two of garlic along with your sweet potato to use in the above recipe in place of the garlic powder if you have extra garlic bulbs on hand.  When you're not able to use fresh garlic I suggest that you use a very good brand of garlic powder like the organic Morton & Bassett as their quality is outstanding.  The difference is definitely noticeable!

Now just put your roasted  hummus and all the rest of your ingredients into a food processor or Vita-Mix and process  using as much of the 2-4 tbsp. soy milk as required until it's the consistency you like. I use soy milk as I always have it readily on hand but you could subsitute vegetable broth if you like. Throw in some extra pepper or cayenne if you like things spicy.  Enjoy with whatever you deem fit (I'm thinking of making some homemade fries to dip in it)!

3-Veggie Buddha Soup

This soup is for my Buddist friends who do not use garlic or onions in their cooking. I don't think I've ever made a soup without onions but surprisingly this didn't effect how tasty it turned out! It's also a real timesaver not to have to do the chop/saute onion/garlic routine so if you're super hungry this is a real bonus. A special hello to my favorite Buddist friends known collectively as "The Padmanadi Family".

Ingredients
3 large carrots, diced
3 potatoes, diced
1-1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 tablespoon veggie broth powder
2 cups water

Let the carrots and potatoes simmer together until almost done. Then put your broccoli florets on top and let steam until tender. Put through a food mill (I prefer the food mill for this soup's texture). Make a thin white sauce (1 tablespoon margarine, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 cups plain soy milk, salt & pepper and if you like add about 1/2 cup of your favorite vegan cheese, shredded to the warm white sauce ). I have lots of Italian Blend Daiya on hand so I did choose to do so. Stir the white sauce through your pureed veggies and you have a hearty soup that will make you and Buddha happy :)