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March / April Veg Guide Updates!

Happy (almost) April! If you’re near Dundas West, you’re in luck; there are THREE new vegan places nearby! But there’s lots this month for everyone, including a new big chain offering vegan burgers, and some great places east of the city. Read on!   Fig Kitchen and Market 29 Toronto Street South, Uxbridge Fig Kitchen and Market features a market with all vegan goodies, produce, cheeses and so much more, plus a restaurant (with an awesome patio to come). This is brought to you by the owner of the Bar Cafe which closed recently to make way for this larger location. This is your place north-east of the city to get Vego bars, all the vegan cheeses, Loon kombucha, and so many more hard-to-find goodies. We can’t wait to try their patio out this summer! The cafe offers espresso drinks, smoothies, pizza, bowls, salads, sandwiches and more!    Harlem Bodega 1307 Dundas Street West Harlem Bodega makes amazing Harlem style Puerto-Rican food, and it’s delicious. We love their chopped cheeze and their fried pastelillos. And now west enders can enjoy their food, because they’ve… Read More

Filed under: News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Restaurant Guides Toronto Veg Blog Uncategorised Veg Directory Updates

Discount Profile: Pizzeria Du

Discount: 10% off Tues-Thurs, and Sunday, for take-out or delivery Veg Status: All vegan Location: 536 Queen Street West Who doesn’t love a good pizza with a crispy crust? I certainly do! So I was very excited to hear that Pizzeria Du was participating in LocalLicious in March, and offering a stellar deal of a pizza, appetizer, and pint of gelato for only $34. While Pizzeria Du is of course, known for their pizza, they have quite a few appetizers and salads to choose from so it wasn’t an easy choice! I decided to try something I haven’t had before: panelle. I was super impressed with the crispy fried coating and the brightness of lemon! The wide range of gelato flavours (they have more than 25!) also made for a difficult decision. There are classic flavours like chocolate, mango, or strawberry, and unique ones like tamarind or stout beer. I went for something in middle: hazelnut praline. Of course, the pizza was the star of the show. The Canadian Deluxe was topped with a generous mix of both veggie meats and vegetables! There was veggie pepperoni and ground beef, as well as fresh mushrooms and green peppers. Pizzeria Du makes… Read More

Filed under: Discount profiles Eat Veg elifelines Food and Restaurant News News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Uncategorised

Food and Recipe of the Month: Spring Mix Soup

Care of Andrea Howe, of glowingongreens.com  The weather is getting warmer and our meals are getting brighter. The transition from winter to spring means we are able to include more fresh produce as growing season is beginning. One of the earliest and quickest growing produce we have in Ontario is Spring lettuce mix. These adaptable greens can handle cooler temperatures and moist weather. They’re a perfect April ingredient. Spring lettuce mix often includes a variety of greens including, spinach, radicchio, arugula, and frisee. This variety of greens offers a range of different nutrients. The most notable ones being fibre, vitamin K, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Fibre is a powerhouse nutrient in produce with the ability to reduce risk of cancer and chronic disease, including Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found mostly in leafy greens. It helps with blood clotting, wound healing, and can aid in bone health. Vitamin C is also a nutrient that promotes wound healing and skin repair. This means that leafy greens are an essential ingredient for healthy skin. Finally, antioxidants are found in all fruit and vegetables. Their abundance in leafy greens is quite notable. Antioxidants… Read More

Filed under: Eat Veg elifelines Food of the Month News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Nutrition Uncategorised Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes

Food and Recipe of the Month: Microgreens

Care of Andrea Howe, of Glowing On Greens Microgreens are an exciting, fairly new ingredient to add to our meals. Due to their small size, they are more concentrated, meaning they have higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants when compared to their mature, full grown counterpart. Microgreens come in different varieties, including alfalfa sprouts, broccoli shoots, amaranth, and watercress. They are a crunchy and delicious ingredient to add as a garnish, or to include in salads and sandwiches. Microgreens have become popular due to their beautiful addition to meals, and their nutrient profile. Studies of microgreen have found they have up to 40 times higher the antioxidant level compared to their more mature versions. Higher levels of antioxidants in the diet can lower the risk of many chronic diseases and cancers, including heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. These crunchy greens also contain fibre, which can help to lower the risk of various diseases and cancer. Along with benefits to your health, microgreens are a fun way to add an extra element to your dish, along with added benefits to your health. Try using them as a garnish to your soup, stew, or in this Warm Sweet Potato Couscous… Read More

Filed under: Eat Veg elifelines Food of the Month News News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Nutrition Uncategorised Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes

March 2021 Social Groups

TVA Reads is holding their next Zoom book club on March 17th at 6:30 pm. They’ll be discussing The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson. Email tvareads@veg.ca for more info and to RSVP. The Toronto Starch Solution Group meets the first Friday of each month at 7 pm on Zoom. Their March meeting is Friday, March 5th. If you are interested in learning more about health promotion and maintenance through whole foods, plant-based eating, join them, bringing your questions, struggles, or success stories to share. Email starch.tva@gmail.com for the Zoom link. Read More

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Black & Caribbean Owned Veg Restaurants!

UPDATED February 2021! There are so many great Black & Caribbean owned restaurants and businesses in Toronto! Carolyn, Patty Queen at Choose Life Foods has put this list together for us, be sure to check all these great businesses out! Who is your fave? V’s Caribbean Restaurant 1221 Weston Rd, York, ON M6M 4P7   One Love 854 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M5R 3G2   Ital Vital 741 Pharmacy Ave, Scarborough, ON M1L 3J4   Veggie D’light 160 Baldwin St #1, Toronto, ON M5T 3K7   Celebrity Pure Vegetarian Address: 1474 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON M6E 2G5   Irie Veggie Takeout Address: 2593 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON M6M 1T3   Vegan Jerk The Pickering Markets 1400 Squires Beach Rd, Pickering, ON L1W 4B9   Shola Vegan I Thali 2768 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4C 1L7              … Read More

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February Veg Guide Updates!

Happy February! We made it through a cold, locked-down January, and think that is deserving of a treat! Here’s some great places you can check out, enjoy!   Khau Gully 1991 Yonge Street This omnivore Indian restaurant at Yonge and Davisville has an amazing vegan menu, including vegan butter chicken, vegan naan, and much more! They offer takeout and delivery, and did we mention VEGAN NAAN? We’re excited!    Plant Lyfe 998 Queen St. E. This spot on Queen E. in Leslieville offers all vegan hot + cold drinks and foods (including smoothie bowls, toasts, baked goods and specials). Plus, when spaces open up again they have a beautiful lounge and meditation studio, offering classes as well! We can’t wait to take a class and have a juice after!    Tapi Go! 835 Bloor St. W. Tapioca Crepes are a staple Brazillian street food, and Tapi Go!, a new spot in the Annex offers vegan options in their sweet, and their savoury crepes, and they’re seriously tasty! We like the Vegan Rainbow Tapioca: Traditional white base… Read More

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Food and Recipe of the Month: Roasted Beet and Potato Salad

Care of Andrea Howe, of glowingongreens.com  Beets take the prize for the prettiest and brightest vegetable. Their bright red colour and earthy taste can be a great addition to salads, juices, or roasted on their own. Beets are a root vegetable and are generally harvested at the end of the summer and late fall. Like other root vegetables, they can be stored for many months and be a great addition to our diet in the winter months. Beets have an impressive list of nutrients that provide many benefits to our health! Their bright red colour comes from a pigment called betalain, a unique antioxidant not found in many other red fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants have been seen to have anti-inflammatory effects, and to reduce oxidation in the body. Basically, they can help fight harmful factors in our body that can lead to the development of disease. Beets are also exceptionally high in nitrates, which play a role in lowering blood pressure, enhance exercise performance, and reduce inflammation. Finally, beets are packed full of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that is important for immune function and skin repair. While beets contain many benefits, their antioxidant content is what is… Read More

Filed under: elifelines Food of the Month News News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Nutrition Uncategorised Vegan & Vegetarian Recipes

Discount Profile: bloomer’s in Bayview Village

Discount: 10% off  Veg Status: All vegan Where: 3 locations! This profile features the location in Bayview Village Shopping Mall, but they also have one at 715 Queen St. West and 873 Bloor Street West. Unless you are brand new to Toronto, by now you should be familiar with one of Toronto’s longest-standing all-vegan bakeries. bloomer’s has been delighting Torontonians for years with their array of donuts, muffins, sandwiches, and more. But now, those living north of the downtown core can enjoy their treats too, and even more! On my way to visit my parents, I decided to stop in to perhaps grab a donut or two. I had no idea how large this new location of theirs was and was blown away! In addition to their cases of freshly baked goods, there was an entire wall of freezers packed with all kinds goodies! There are homemade bagels, cream cheeses, pot pies, and ready-to-go full sized cakes. I grabbed a couple of everything bagels which were almost gigantic, as well as a mini curry pot pie which was just perfect heated up on a cold winter’s night the following week. After oohing and… Read More

Filed under: Discount profiles elifelines Food and Restaurant News News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Uncategorised

February 2021 Social Group Events

TVA Reads is holding their next Zoom book club on February 17th at 6:30 pm. They’ll be discussing the book Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Email tvareads@veg.ca for more info and to RSVP. The Toronto Starch Solution Group meets the first Friday of each month at 7 pm on Zoom. Their February meeting is Friday, February 5th. If you are interested in learning more about health promotion and maintenance through whole foods, plant-based eating, join them, bringing your questions, struggles, or success stories to share. Email starch.tva@gmail.com for the Zoom link.  … Read More

Filed under: News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Uncategorised