For Leap Day, fast-food chain Arby's decided to pull out all of the stops and unveil a one-day only vegetarian menu.  

Their meatless menu, as it turns out, is really just a menu of bread, cheese, and sauce with a few vegetables here and there. It's not all that surprising since their brand is devoted to "meatcraft." 

Their version of the roast beef sandwich? "A toasted sesame seed bun minus Arby’s famous thinly sliced roast beef, marinated and roasted in Arby’s restaurants every single day. Available in Classic, Mid or Max sizes." So essentially just a piece of bread. 

Not very inventive and perhaps really just an early April Fool's Day joke. Apparently, vegetarians only eat once every four years. But, if their vegetarian menu goes well today, their chief marketing officer said they will bring it back on  February 29 every year. 

​Protein. 

That is the number one question people ask me when I tell them I am a vegetarian (now vegan). Many people simply can't understand how I survive, let alone live 25 years later, without eating protein from an animal. "Crazy," they tell me.

Truth be told it's not crazy. And it's not difficult. As this picture shows you, incorporating a proper amount (about 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men)  of protein into your daily diet is not difficult for a vegan or vegetarian. And it doesn't all have to be high in fat or calories.

These were items I just had lying around the house. There are so many other forms of non-animal derived protein too. The foods pictured include: Chocolate Vega One protein powder, Farro, whole Cashew, Avocados, Stonyfield Farm organic plan nonfat yogurt,  Peanut Butter, Quinoa, Hemp Hearts, Chia Seed Super mix, three varieties of beans, and pea protein powder. 

If you are a vegan or vegetarian, where do you get your main source of protein?

If you have thought about going vegan or vegetarian but have been concerned about where you will get your protein, think again. When you put your mind to it and do it long enough, it becomes second nature.  First, I'd start out by buying a vegan protein powder (I love Vega One) for nearly half of of your daily protein intake, plus its packed with vitamins and minerals and tastes great. Contrary to what society tells us, we don't need meat to survive and thrive off of for protein. 

My sister-in-law sent an article featured in Urbanette Magazine to me recently and it was too good not to mention. 

Urbanette Magazine conducted an interview with Michelle Pheiffer and asked what is her big secret to her youthful look. Her answer? She's a vegan. Amazing. 

She describes since going vegan she has not only noticed improvements in her skin, but it has helped her stay lean, and ultimately she wants to live longer. Don't we all!? Check out the interview, it's definitely worth a read. 

I squealed a bit when I read this earlier today so I had to share. Have you ever considered being a chef or simply just advancing your cooking skills? I know I have...

The Natural Gourmet Institute and The Vegetarian Times have teamed up to offer their first online cooking course. The course, Foundations of Plant-Based Nutrition, walks you through the basic nutrition principles, plant-centric cooking techniques, and what it means to follow a plant-based lifestyle. 

The class begins on April 27 and registration opens on April 5. However, if you want to enter to win the cooking course for FREE, you should do so by March 31. The Vegetarian Times will be selecting one winner each week between now and March 31. Click here for the official contest rules. 

The course is designed for beginner and advanced cooks and fortunately there are no prerequisites to taking the class. This post definitely qualifies as a FTW or for those of you who don't know what that means..."for the win." :) 

It's National Chili Day guys!

I'm mostly excited about this because I've never actually made chili before or used a crock-pot...until now! Holy cow, apparently I have been living under a rock. I could not believe how easy using a crock-pot was. How have I never made a meal with it before? Go ahead you can laugh at me.

To participate in National Chili Day I made a spicy vegan sweet potato and black bean chili. The best part was when I woke up this morning and my apartment was infused with a delicious aroma. I need to wake up more often to sweet smells like this.

The recipe is inspired from the Minimalist Baker's chili recipe and adapted to use up vegetables and ingredients I had lying around the house, quickly turning it into the "everything but the kitchen sink" chili.  But most likely, they are ingredients you too already have in your home. It's hearty, filling, spicy, vegan, gluten-free, and so yummy. Perfect dish for the winter!

It took about 10 minutes to prep but was in the crock-pot overnight. So it's a great meal idea to make the night before or first thing in the morning to have ready for dinner the same day. It'll probably cost you about $10- $15 to make if you 

Here is what you will need:

4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks of celery chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup dry red lentils
2 cups vegetable stock
1- 16 oz jar of thick and chunky salsa 
Several slices of fresh jalepeno pepper
2 cups sweet potato, chopped

Spices to taste to add extra flavor: (I didn't measure these but literally just added a few dashes of each) 

Ground Cumin
Chile pepper
Chipotle Powder
Parsley flakes
Salt 
Pepper

And your choice of shredded vegan "cheese" to top off your chili when it is finished cooking.

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into a crock-pot or slow cooker for at least 4 hours, but preferably up to 8 hours so all of the spices can marinate into the vegetables. Enjoy!

Cashew cream is the latest vegan rage. It's creamy, easy to make, and a fabulous cheese substitute. 

Here is very simple way to make it and incorporate it into your meals. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups whole cashews
Water

Directions:

Soak cashews in a bowl covered in water overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse cashews. Place drained cashews in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy. Slowly add water if needed to reach desired creamy consistency. 

As I was cleaning out my fridge the other day, I found something in there that was a bit foreign: leftover cashew cream. This has never happened before and I wasn't quite sure what do with it. When I made vegan mac and cheese for the first time one week ago, I had a fair amount of cashew cream leftover but read that unlike heavy cream and dairy products, it will actually keep for a few weeks in your fridge. So there it was, just staring back at me in its Tupperware daring me to creatively use it. 

What was I to do with a few cups of leftover cashew cream? I did what any working wife with typically very little time to make dinner did: I experimented from a few google searches. Here is what I came up with: vegan mushroom, lemon, and basil Alfredo pasta. 

It was so easy, delicious, quick, and husband approved that I had to share. It will take a mere 20 minutes to make, cost about $5 if you already have leftover cashew cream, and it is just 8 ingredients plus spices. 

Ingredients:

1 fresh squeezed lemon
1 onion, chopped
1 package sliced mushrooms
1/2 pound pasta
Large bunch (10 or so) fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 fresh garlic cloves, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cashew cream
Salt, Pepper, Dried Oregano, Cracked Red Pepper flakes to taste
Vegan Parmesan "cheese" to sprinkle over pasta. Optional.

Directions:

In a large pot boil pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet with the olive oil, saute onion, garlic, and mushrooms until caramelized. Toss in pasta, cashew cream, basil, and lemon juice. Simmer for 3 - 5 minutes constantly mixing ingredients. Season with salt, pepper, cracked red pepper, and dried oregano leaves to taste.  Serve immediately and top with vegan Parmesan cheese. 

Mangiare! 

Never heard of cashew cream or don't have leftovers? No problem. Read how to make it in just a few easy steps! 

Honey. Warm water. Lemon. 

That's it. Those three simple ingredients are guaranteed to give you the extra boost you need first thing in the morning or to keep you charged all afternoon.  If you are trying to ween yourself off of caffeine or simply try alternative warm drinks, this is one drink to add to your "must-try" list.

When I first started drinking this, I actually felt like I didn't need to drink as much caffeinated tea. For me, drinking this simple concoction had an almost immediate effect on my energy level and improved mood! For a spicier taste, add a few slices of fresh ginger to your drink. 

Honey, warm water, and lemon also have other health benefits, such as weight loss, improved digestion, stomach cleanser, and clear skin. See for yourself how beneficial this simple and inexpensive drink can be for your health. I have found it to be particularly beneficial right when I feel a cold is coming on. 

The exact proportions of the ingredients really depend on your tolerance levels. I suggest starting out with either one-half fresh squeezed or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 8 ounces of hot water, and 1 tablespoon of honey. If you are looking for a lower calorie drink, try substituting the honey for organic light agave. 

As you continue to make the drink, you'll experiment and adjust the proportions according to taste. If you are looking for yet another simpler solution with the same effects, you can buy instant ginger honey crystals on Amazon for just $7 and add lemon juice.  

I Instagramed this picture of a green smoothie I made for the first time this morning and was amazed at how many "likes" I received. So I figured I would do a short post on it as well. 

This smoothie is so easy, packed with nutrients, delicious, and fat free that you'll be wondering why you hadn't tried it earlier. It's meant to be part of a 24 hour juice cleanse, but this detoxifying drink is good enough to drink as a filling standalone breakfast. Drinking this for breakfast this morning, the light and refreshing taste reminded me of summer and not the dead of winter, which was a welcome feeling for sure.

The other day I bought Toronto-based Fresh Restaurant's latest cook book, "Super Fresh" and it is chock full of different and creative vegan recipes, including this "Easy Green" smoothie. It's meant to be made with a juicer, but until I have one of those, my blender will do. If blended long enough, it actually turns out pretty smooth.

Here is the recipe (it'll probably cost you about $8 - $10 to make):

1/2 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh cilantro 
1 cup lightly packed Spinach
1 cup lightly packed Kale 
1 English cucumber
2 cups chopped pineapple 
3 green apples

Blend/Juice and enjoy! 

Tip: If you have a blender like me, save some time chopping and washing the ingredients and use pre-trimmed, pre-washed Kale from Trader Joes or Whole Foods. And try a package of frozen chopped pineapple from Trader Joes or Wegmans. It may cost a bit more, but it's a huge time saver and still provides all of the nutrients as if you had cut them yourself.

This Valentine's Day was particularly special, not because of the number of roses or gifts I received but because it was my first as a married woman! It's still something I'm adjusting to, but it's a very good adjustment. 

But this Valentine's Day was also special because my husband and I celebrated with a Vegan brunch at one of the Fresh Restaurants in Toronto. We were briefly visiting Toronto over the weekend for my friend's wedding and found ourselves with a few hours to burn before our flight.

Fresh is a Toronto-based casual vegan restaurant that has been around since 1999 and boasts four locations throughout the city. Fresh isn't pretentious. The staff are extremely friendly, welcoming, and quick. The restaurant on Bloor Street was homey and quaint.

Not only is the menu creative, inventive, and delicious, it's easy on your wallet. It's rare to find a vegan restaurant that actually tastes good AND you don't have to spend a fortune. They have truly hit a home run: eating healthy DOESN'T have to break the bank. If only more restaurants and people could catch on to this, we would be making real progress.

Best of all, their menu is expansive and I actually had to take quite a few minutes to decide what I wanted to eat, because truly I wanted to sample everything. We probably did end up ordering more than we should have, but how often can you get to a place like that? I was truly in my happy place. We both also were very appreciative of the fact that Fresh didn't try to gauge us with "special Valentine's Day" prefix menus, that are typically overpriced and not very good. They just offered their regular menus, which include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. 

In addition to the dishes shown above in the slide show, I tried a seasonal apple crumble pie square for dessert. It was so good that I didn't even share it with my husband. Fresh doesn't bake their desserts but outsources them to Sweets from the Earth, a family-owned bakery also in Toronto. They are amazing in their own right. Check out their website. 

In addition to food, Fresh offers a wide range of teas, coffee, fresh juices, shakes, and smoothies. For drinks my husband ordered the "energizer" green smoothie (kale, romaine, spinach, orange, strawberry, blueberry, and banana) and I ordered the sweet ginger tea (green tea, maple syrup, raw ginger). Both were refreshing and delicious. 

I enjoyed my brunch so much that I ended up buying one of Fresh's latest cookbooks, "Super Fresh" which I've had a hard time putting down. I never thought I would consume a cookbook in the same way someone might consume a great novel. 

Should you ever find yourself in Toronto and need a great restaurant recommendation, definitely try Fresh. You won't be disappointed. And I would absolutely recommend starting with the vegan poutine as we did, because no trip to Canada is complete without eating poutine! Thankfully my new cookbook has the recipe for vegan poutine so I can make it at home.