GIVEAWAY! OOAK Show Tickets and Miniature coffee earrings

Its that time of year again! I can't believe one of a kind is almost here! Please keep in mind that this giveaway is only open to anyone that lives in or around Toronto. Or anyone that will be in Toronto between Nov. 24th to Dec. 4. I hope you will take part in the giveaway, and good luck to everyone that takes part.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get Your Free Gift Card!

Hi Sweets!~ Thank you so much for always being there and so wonderful, to all the work I do. It means so much that you love it as much as you do. As a little thank you, I hope you will think about using this $5 off gift card on your next order on my Etsy Shop. One thing you should know is there is a minimum order of $5 to use. Find The gift card here.

Interview Series with Yuki from Yukitchen

Hi Sweets~ I know it has been a while since I have done an interview but I thought it was time! I just love Yuki and all her wonderful treats that I think you will agree. I wouldn't know where to start eating one of her works of art. Anyways here it is. I hope you enjoy it! 

Tell us a bit about yourself:
I’m the girl behind of Yukitchen, with two huge dimples and a passion for cute and healthy living I created this website as a place for me to express my love for whole foods transformed into the cuteness. Welcome to my happy kitchen!

I was born and raised in Japan, to extremely old-fashioned parents. My mother works full-time in Japan, but she never skipped cooking homemade meals for me. I began to notice my lifelong interest in food while she taught me how to cook. “Be a good cook.” She used to say, ” You’ll make someone you love happy”

So what is your blog, all about what do you offer?:
My website motto is "supercute cooking for healthy geeks". The website is a place for me to express my love for whole foods transformed into the cuteness. The recipes and ideas you’ll find there are inspired by my plant-based way of eating, and my deep passion for animals, movies, animations, and video games.

So, describe the process of creating your items: how, when, materials, etc.?:
Majority of the Japanese food I make is inspired by my mother, and rest are the new food ideas and spices I picked up from my travels to the foreign countries.

Got other hobbies that you love?
Reading, painting, daydreaming, writing, karaoke, snowboarding, and traveling to new places.

Any advice for people starting out?
Take good care of what you are interested in. That's what makes you "you".

What other artist do you like/love?
I love Lesley's painting from "When Guinea Pigs Fly", and Angela's cooking from "Oh She Glows"! They always inspire me.

Okay, last question, where do you see yourself in ten years?
Ooh.. I dislike questions about future but.... hopefully still doing Yukitchen with my little mini-me's!

Find all of Yuiki's links here:
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Tori's Bake Shop

I thought it was about time for me to post my favorite place to eat in Toronto! Tori's Bake Shop is a small little shop down by the beaches. By day they are mostly known as a dessert bakery. (they do have sandwiches, hot drinks and other yummys too) But from thurs-sun. night they have a late night eats! And this is where I come in for the tasty treats!
The first time we went it was a little quite but more often then not the place is super busy and you need to book a reservation. Or you will be sitting at the bar, not that there is anything wrong with that. The food is amazing, on top of also being vegan! There are also gluten free options. I think one of the things I like the most about this shop is that their menu is different every week. If you're in the beaches I really do think that this is a place you do have to try out for yourself!

Vegan Pasta Premavera

I just love this recipe its so easy to make and takes no time at all!
Serve: 6
Prep time: 15 min
Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Sauce:
1 cup nut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fresh basil
1/4 tsp dill
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp arrowroot
half a bouillon cube

Veg:
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic minced
1 carrot sliced
1 cup broccoli flowerttes
2 zucchinis sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms

Pasta:
1 pound uncooked noodles

Steps:
Sauce:
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a pot stirring over medium heat until thickened. Around 7 min. Remove from heat.
Pasta:
Cook the pasta according to the package, set aside.
Veg:
Heat the water in a new pan, add the soy and garlic. Add the carrot and broccoli. After about 3-4 min add in the zucchini. After 2 min more add in the mushrooms then cook for the last 2 min. Turn off.

Once everything is made take the cooked pasta add the sauce and stir. Next mix in the veg. If you would like garnish with grape tomatoes.
I hope you enjoy it.

Yummy from Greens Vegetarian Restaurant

A little while ago, a friend of mine invited some of our work and I to go out for lunch. She took us to this wonderful restaurant close to Kensington market in Toronto. I can't wait to go back the food was so good and so much its so easy to share with a big group.  Oh and before I forget its a veg restaurant!
We started our lunch with hot and sour soup. We then went onto having spring rolls and taro wantons. Our mains where eggplant, a seafood mixed vegetables, and a pork with mixed vegetables, lemon chicken, and fried rice.
The food was soo good! If your close by please think about going. I think Chris and I will be going on our next date night. What sounds like it would be something you would like?

Vegan Avocado Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 pound whole wheat fusilli
a pinch of coconut oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves minced
1-2 teaspoons salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup basil cut small
2 ripe avocados cu into small cubes
Black pepper

Steps
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package. Drain, rinse and return to the pot. Toss the noodles with just a small amount of oil to keep them from sticking.

Add all the other ingredients. Season with black pepper. Toss noodles, Drizzle with a little bit more oil as needed then season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy! You can serve this dish hot or cold. Wonderful for the summer.

24 Hour Kimchi

I love kimchi and now I make it at home! So why not give this a try. If you haven't been able to tell I love pickled and fermented veg.

Ingredients:

1 head napa cabbage about 7-8 cups coarsely chopped
1-2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 green onion
2 tablespoons salt
6 cups water more if needed
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons sriracha with 1 tablespoon water or kochijn paste with 1 tablespoon water or 1 tablespoon cayenne (I used sriracha)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 black pepper

Interactions:

In a large bowl, combined the cabbage, carrots, and green onions. Add the salt and water. Place a plate inside the bowl to hold the veg under the water. Set aside for at least 4 hours.

Drain the water, you can lightly rinse the veg if you wish.

In a small bowl, mix garlic, ginger, cayenne mixture, vinegar and pepper. Add to the veg and mix well.

Add the veg to glass jars cover and let it ferment overnight. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Store in the glass jars in the fridge. The Kimchi will keep fermenting in the fridge slowly. The Kimchi will keep for up to several weeks.
Enjoy!

Pickled Daikon Radish

I love Daikon so much! Pickling them is soo yummy, a fun little side dish or you can even add it to your sushi! My Fav!

Ingredients:
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/4 salt

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat add the vinegar, water, sugar and turmeric. Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat.

Now Time for the daikon, once you have peeled and cut the radish. Place it in a colander with salt and mix. Place the colander over a bowl and let it drain for at least 1 hour. Rinse the salt off. Place the daikon in a glass jar. (I find you need two) Pour the brine through a colander. Refrigerate over night. This will keep for 4 months.

Enjoy!

Tomato Soup

This soup is  it's soo yummy and creamy/ buttery tasting with out there being either! No oil! So good for you!

Ingredients:
Soup
1 big tomato cut into rough cubes
4 pinches of salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil 
1 (28-oz) can of fire roasted tomato
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup canned coconut milk, plus extra for drizzling
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Croutons
2 Cups rye bread cubed

For the soup: In a large Pot, heat tomato cubs over medium- high heat. Add oregano and basil cook for a minute. Add canned tomatoes and veg broth, bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and puree with a blender or immersion blender. Return to heat add in the coconut milk and the brown sugar. Season to taste.

For the croutons: In a large skillet dry saute bread cubes for about 10 min. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. 

To serve: Distribute in bowls, top with drizzle of coconut milk, basil if you wish, and croutons.

The Happy Cow Cookbook Review

Over the past two weeks I have made 4 recipes from The HappyCow Cookbook. The HappyCow is an app for your phone Link here. It is so helpful if you are trailing and want to find restaurants that have veg or vegan options.
So This book is recipes from all over the world from top rated vegan restaurants. I will do a mini review and my thoughts about each recipe.

Tofu Spinach Lasagna from Buddha Burgers, Israel.

**** 4 out of 5 stars

It was really fun to make but I wasn't 100% with the taste of the cheese I made.

Celery-Breaded cutlet with mixed vegetables from Coox and Candy, Germany
*** 3 out of 5
I will for sure do the cutlet again it was soo good. The mixed veg with the sauce wasn't that good and not worth the time to make.

Roasted spaghetti squash cauliflower and mashed potatoes with porcini mushroom gravy from Peacefood cafe, new york

*****5 out of 5

This was soo easy to make and so yummy! The gravy also could be a mushroom soup, its soo good. 

Porcini-Crusted Tofu from Candle Cafe, New York

*****5 out of 5

Very easy to make, the gravy took the longest, but so worth it! 

I love this cookbook! And I think everyone that wants to try more vegan food for sure should get this book! I can't wait to try more recipes. 

Sadie's Diner

The other week Chris and I went to Sadie's Diner for lunch. Chris had a burger in a wrap since they ran out of buns hehe, and I had a BLT. Both are vegan and made us soo happy that we have an other place around work that we can enjoy lunch. Find any fun food places that you really enjoy?

 There pez wall

The burger wrap

blt