This Canadian Thanksgiving enjoy a vegetarian feast. We have links to the best recipes, tips on what to serve, and how to avoid stress when vegetarians and meat eaters will be at the same meal.

Where to eat

Moe's Southwest Grill (35 Eglinton Ave East, e. of Yonge, www.moes.com, 416-489-6637) has just joined our discount program! Moe's Southwest Grill has won the Most Vegetarian-Friendly Mexican Food Chain category in PETA's sixth annual Proggy Awards(2009).

"With an ambiance that says "hip" and a menu that's teeming with fresh burritos, tacos, and fajitas, we have risen to the top of informal Tex-Mex eating. The perfectly spiced beans (black or pinto) and rice (Spanish or brown) are vegan (they don't contain any meat or animal byproducts), as are the guacamole, nachos, tortillas, and taco shells. Additionally, we will substitute grilled tofu for meat in any of our dishes. There are always three kinds of grilled vegetables on hand. As always you get free chips and salsa with any meal purchase."

Camros Organic Eatery (25 Hayden St, www.camroseatery.com, 416-960-0723) is launching a brand new organic juicebar on Monday October 5 2009! They serve vegetarian dishes and salads with aromatic Persian influence. Eat-in or take-out.

Glo Bakery (www.globakery.com, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) has opened in Milton. They are a all vegan bakery that creates organic granola bars. Glo Bakery, located in Milton, Ontario,

Pizza Village Cake & Pastry (107 Kennedy Rd. S., n. of Steeles, Brampton, 905-487-2626) 100% all vegetarian eatery has been discovered in Brampton. If you've tried their pizza, cake or pastrys let us know, because it sounds like an intriguing combination.

The Cupcake Tree (www.thecupcaketree.ca, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , ) was at the Annual Food Fair. If you fell in love with their lucious vegan cupicakes, you can place an order on their website.  Most flavours  of cupcakes are available in vegan and sugar free.

White Lotus – Vietnamese Vegetarian Cuisine (303 Lansdowne Ave, n. of Dundas W, 416-539-8488) is new to TVA's discount program. They will give 10% off to Vegetarian Discount Card holders. They serve all vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant . Shawn writes "Their lemon grass-chicken is very tasty (a little spice and lots of lemon) it came with rice with sauce, some pickled vegetables on the side and a little onion/coriander soup on the side. It's comes the closest in taste to one of the best Vietnamese veggie places "Lotus Garden" that was on Dundas but long gone. Most dishes are around 7.99 and appetizer in the 3-5 range." 

Say No to the Soy Milk Surcharge!

BlogTO  has put together a great article and googlemap with 50 places that don't charge extra from soymilk! Take a peek here : http://tinyurl.com/nosoycharge. Earlier this year Toronto vegetarian Sarah Veale made a post she called the Soy Latte Project to catalogue cafes that don't charge for soy or lactose-free milk.

Nineteen runners will be running for the Toronto Vegetarian Team at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon this weekend. Watch the video below to find out why we're running for the Toronto Vegetarian Association.

Post-run update: And we've done it! Thanks to those who ran and to all those who made a donation in support of the Toronto Vegetarian Team

Where to eat

Bo De Duyen (186 Spadina Ave, n. of Queen St W,) has re-opened as a cafe serving hot tea, bubble tea, cold soy milk served from a fountain machine, and frozen mock meats to take home. Now a cafe serving hot tea, bubble tea, cold soy milk served from a fountain machine, and frozen mock meats to take home.

Online Stores

Left Feet (www.leftfeet.ca, 416-360-5338) has closed their store front. They will still accept special orders for Vegetarian Shoes and mail order footwear anywhere in Canada. They are now an online boutique featuring sweatshop-free vegan footwear and accessories.

Today John and Liam are all over the place with their topics of conversation.  Liam retracts his thoughts about quinoa and its supposed high calcium content - the two then discuss vegetarian ways to get calcium, but you don't want too much.

The two were happy to receive emails this week from the not-too-far-away Pickering/Ajax and the very-far-away Manila; thanks for writing in Mindy and Marie.

The question of the week deals with honey; John and Liam agree to disagree on this subject, but here's a couple of reasons why John doesn't eat honey.

Other noteworthy issues on this edition: 
- Liam is debating the vegan options at Sneaky Dee's, Rancho Relaxo and Queen of Sheba. 
- John is excited about the marathon next week. 
- Georges Laraque is vegan. 
- There's a Sarah Kramer calendar giveaway; Joelle won the Dreena Burton cookbook giveaway.
- There's a new Raw restaurant in Mississauga. 
- The Totally Fabulous Vegan Bakeoff is October 3rd; sign-up and details are here.  You need to sign up by September 26th.
- Vegan soundboard.

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The 25th Vegetarian Food Fair brought out thousands of enthusiastic visitors this past weekend.

Want to know more about all the happenings at the 2009 vegetarian food fair? Listen to our special Food Fair Podcast and check out our 2009 Vegetarian Food Fair group on Flickr. Be sure to add your photos to the mix. 

Toronto Vegetarian Association Executive Director, David Alexander, was there to reflect on the successes of this year's event. Watch his YouTube recap here.

Visit the Toronto Vegetarian YouTube channel here.

Day one of my Veggie Challenge had me coming home to my roommates who had invited friends over, and were all cooking steaks on the BBQ. After 23 years of eating meat, my mouth started to water and my insides panged with that familiar craving. It IS BBQ season after all...

But I stuck to my gut and opted for salad and a slice of pizza instead. Throughout the week I found it difficult to go out with friends and explain to them that I was "doing the vegetarian thing" for a week. We went to sushi, and street meat, and more BBQs... it was difficult. People tried to argue with me and tell me I was making a stupid choice, that people had been eating meat for thousands of years etc etc... that on top of the fact that I still seriously craved these meaty meals. I wanted the polish sausage! My mouth watered at the shrimp!

After a week of going full-veg (I wasn't fully veg before this; I had been making veg choices, but still had the odd hamburger here and there) I felt great. I had energy, didn't crave as much junk food, and realized that even though the smell of meat may make my stomach tighten, in the end it all comes back to compassion. Compassion for the animals and the Earth, and not wanting to put suffering and torture into my body.

I now consider myself a vegetarian (it's been about a week since the official challenge ended) and it's interesting. I never thought I'd feel this way or want to change my eating habits this much. Sometimes when I'm out I have to remind myself that I'm not going to order the chicken, and other times I get frustrated or discouraged when certain restaurants can't even prepare decent tofu. In the end though, think of the benefits! I feel great, look great, have ridiculous energy, and now I actually crave carrots instead of brownies. Imagine that.

I think the Veggie Challenge is an excellent thing, and have strongly encouraged my friends to give it a try. Even if just for that one week, they'll know that they're saving a lot more than just the price of a $2 hot dog... they're saving lives and saving the Earth, and ultimately that's the best karma one can get.

– Jenny, early 20's, Toronto

Today's show was recorded live on site of the Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair, so you can hear waves and stuff in the background.  We think it's calming.

Colleen roped in Angela and Jason to talk about just a small smattering of the things they saw, learned, ate and bought on the Friday and Saturday of this event, including some of the new vendors, volunteering experiences, how cool TVA is (no, really!), cool books, and refried beans.

Much time was spent discussing the awesomeness of the Iron Chef competition held Friday night, where two professional Toronto vegetarian chefs battled it out over the course of an hour while giving out a few secrets along the way.  If you only catch one thing on this week's show, you'll want to hear the part about dijon mustard.  We're not sure we believe it ourselves.

Finally, if you've been taking pictures at the Fair (or just want to see some,) be sure to check out the Food Fair Flickr group .

This week's show is a piehole-stuffing 31 minutes. 

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The Food Fair is here!

Join us this weekend for our 25th Annual Vegetarian Food Fair at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.

The 25th Annual Vegetarian Food Fair kicks off tomorrow evening with our opening ceremonies - join us at 6:00 pm for some delicious chocolate cake prepared by Green Earth Cuisine.

Don't miss talks from Brendan Brazier and Aaron Richards, two fitness experts who will be discussing the advantages of a plant-based diet for health and fitness, and how your values can help your wellness.

At 7:30 pm, join us at the Lakeside Terrace for a cooking demo with a competitive edge: The REAL Iron Chef pits two vegan chefs against each other in a bid to create the yummiest, most iron-rich plant-based meal, right before our eyes, in just one hour!  

The Food Fair continues all weekend long with cooking demos, talks from well-known nutritionists, chefs, authors, as well as musical performances throughout the day on the Redpath Stage... not to mention, over one hundred vendors and some great deals on the best veg food in the GTA, all at Harbourfront Centre, and admission is FREE.

See you there!
After visiting the Food Fair, add your photos to our Flickr Group pool to share.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/09vegfoodfair/

Click here for a map of Harbourfront Centre
Click here for a full schedule of events

Welcome to the September edition of eLifelines. Summer may be winding down, but at the Toronto Vegetarian Association that's nothing to frown upon! The end of summer means the start of new celebrations and events - the Annual Vegetarian Food Fair, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon and the Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off.

The first signs of fall have also brought us good news, including new directory updates, a decline in the slaughter of animals in the US and a new online program from Brendan Brazier that can help even more people go vegetarian and save the lives of more animals.

If you're still feeling sad and sluggish thinking about the end of summer, there's no better time to keep up with good nutrition habits so be sure to read about the nutrient of the month, Omega Fatty Acids. 

And if all else fails, let's face it - everybody loves to save a little money and eat great food! So read about the whopping 15% discount being offered by Sadie's Diner in the discount profile column.

Don't Miss These Upcoming Events!

The 25th Annual Vegetarian Food Fair is less than two weeks away, the weekend of September 11 to 13th. Get your apron on and join us one month later at the 2nd Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off where you can participate as either a baker or a taster, or both!

Find out more in the TVA in Action section or on facebook.

Where to eat

The Annex HodgePodge (258 Dupont St., e. of Spadina, 416-513-1333) has increased their discount to Vegetarian Discount Card holders to 10% on items made in house. They are a tiny cafe with four counter seats. Vegan options include: four different kinds of roti, all their soups, wraps, desserts and more. 

Calico Cafe and Catering (1226 Bloor St W, www.calicocafe.ca, 416-536-1883) is a vegetarian cafe. They make their own desserts (all vegan, some GF), breads, smoothies, and juices. "The spiced cappuccino is amazing! And if that wasn't enough, they grow their own herbs and some vegetables in the garden out back." from Sara via Veg.ca.

Raw AuraOrganic Cuisine (94 Lakeshore Rd E, w. of Hurontario St, Mississauga, 905-891-2872) has just opened in Mississauga, offering all vegan and all raw food delights. They are a raw  restaurant offering a wide menu of tasty looking appies, salads, main courses, desserts and juices

Hot Yam! (33 St George St, n. of College, www.hotyam.blogspot.com) has got a great review from NOW magazine. Take a read here. They serve  all vegan, mostly local and organic lunches at the International Student Centre one day a week. During the summer it will be Thursdays.

Rancho Relaxo (300 College St, w. of Spadina, 416-920-0366 ) has removed shark from their menu! "...We understand Shark to be a beautiful creature and agree that having it on our menu was wrong, uneducated and an irresponsible choice...." They are a Mexican vegan-friendly dinner restaurant.

Rashmi's Veg Cakes (80 Pertosa Dr, Brampton, vegcakes.com, 905-970-0666) has opened in Brampton! They create egg & nut free cakes for all occasions. Online ordering, delivery and pickup. 100’s of cake designs and characters to choose from. Custom cakes and last minute orders accepted. 

Royal Paan (1386A Gerrard St, w. of Coxwell, 416-405-8080) is a  new all vegetarian joint in Little India thats open until 2am!  They serve Chaats, snacks lassis, pav bhajis & new creations, such as a Samosa Burgers! Dine-in, take-out & catering available.

Wild Earth Cafe and Bakery (2142 Queen Street East, at Glen Manor, 647-348-0202) is a  new bakery and cafe in the beaches with vegan and gluten free treats. Wild Earth offers vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-Free baked goods. 

The Whole Grain (1171 Victoria Park Av, n. of St. Clair, 416-553-7276) has a new bakery uptown with all vegan goodies.  No Dairy or Eggs! Muffins, cookies & breads!

Earth Friendly Services

Do Bamboo (698 Coxwell Ave, www.dobamboo.com, 416-465-4800) has just opened offering environmentally friendly bamboo clothing & home products. Also give 10% off regularly priced items to Vegetarian Discount Card holders. They are a bamboo clothing and home products. TTC Coxwell subway station is steps from our location. Check website for hours.

Earth Wise Cleaning Services by Joeann (647-341-2910) has now offering environmentally friendly & vegan cleaning. Joeann is now taking new clients.

Nutrition & Wellness

Sitting at the Gate (www.sittingatthegate.ca) offer new healing workshops from Theodore Tsaousidis of Snow Lion.

Vacations & Retreats

Aziza Healing Adventures: Retreats & Getaways (Creative personal growth, aziza.ca, 416-696-0086) has has changed their discount to Vegetarian Discount Card holders to 5% or 10% with 90 day advance booking. They offer self-discovery journeys for women, couples, singles and private groups combine creativity, journaling, reflection, yoga, hiking & Spa.

Sahayoga (Prince Edward County, www.sahayoga.com) has increased their discount to Vegetarian Discount Card holders up to 10%. They are a vegan retreat in Prince Edward County by Belleville Ontario.

Other Discount updates

See Vegetarian Discount Card List for all discount availalble. 

Sage Cafe & Catering (166 McCaul St, s. of Baldwin, 416-340-7345) has decided to stop honouring the Vegetarian Discount Card.

Sugar & Spice (265 Augusta Ave, s. of College, 416-593-1664) has has decided to no longer accept the Vegetarian Discount Card.

Today John and a recently engaged Liam have a lot to talk about.  Liam wants podcast listeners to voice their opinions on how he can appease the bride's family (who is Filipino) by having traditional dishes at the reception which are vegetarian.  In other words, if you know of any caterers who can produce vegetarian/vegan Filipino dishes please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

The two podcasters also discuss the upcoming Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair (September 11 - 13 at the Harbourfront Centre).  There is a lot going on that weekend - please check here for the schedule.

John is happy to announce that he has joined the Toronto Vegetarian Team for this year's Toronto Waterfront Marathon.  He was also surprised and delighted when he discovered that he had been sponsored by a member of TVA (Thank you!).  If you are interested in sponsoring John, the Toronto Vegetarian Team, or any member you can do so here. 

Other tidbits from this week's podcast: the Dreena Burton cookbook giveaway is still going on, the Totally Fabulous Vegan Bakeoff is taking place on October 3rd, praiseworthy dishes from Veganomicon and Millenium, and a raw desserts wrap up.

This week's show is a Mexican avocado 32 minutes. 

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