All posts tagged: foodie

Famoso Pizzeria

I was recently invited to try some vegan pizzas at Famoso Pizzeria on Commercial Drive in VanCity. I can’t lie… I was a bit skeptical seeing as I just visited a brand new, fully plant-based pizzeria in China Town and was blown away. But… obviously I accepted the invite… who says no to pizza?! And, to my pleasant surprise, the pizzas were so good! 🙂 The menu was vegan & vegetarian friendly, with the ability to substitute Daiya cheese on any of the pizzas. They also had some nice vegan salads + a fully vegan sandwich…. so there were definitely options! It’s actually the perfect pizzeria to visit if you’re heading out with both omnivores and herbivores! And, the more us herbivores band together and order plant-based dishes from restaurants like this, the more they’ll realize the demand is there and in turn, increase their vegan offerings (perhaps phase animal products out altogether… a girl can wish can’t she?!). Famoso Pizzeria has locations across Canada in BC, AB, SK and ON. If you have a location near you, I …

Virtuous Pie Restaurant

My favourite food for as long as I can remember has been pizza. But since going vegan 14 months ago it’s been the one food I haven’t really eaten much of. I’ve made it a few times at home but it’s been mediocre at best… So, you can imagine my delight when I heard there was a new vegan pizza + ice cream shop opening in Vancouver! Virtuous Pie opened their doors just a couple weeks ago in China Town and I cannot recommend them enough. Their pizzas and salads were soooo delicious. And, their dairy-free ice cream was the best Irek and I have ever had! So… do yourself a favour and get some vegan pizza from Virtuous Pie! They deliver too. 🙂 Hope everyone is having a fabulous week so far. Sending lots of love!! 🙂 Cheers, Molly xx __________ “I will not kill or hurt any living creature needlessly, nor destroy any beautiful thing, but will strive to save and comfort all gentle life, and guard and perfect all natural beauty upon the earth.” – John …

Lettuce Love Cafe

I’m so happy that we made a last minute decision to try Lettuce Love Cafe in Burlington the day before we flew home to VanCity. Lettuce Love Cafe is situated in the beautiful city of Burlington, Ontario (about an hour South of Toronto). It’s 100% plant-based and the food was absolutely delicious! It’s safe to say it was the best food we’ve had in the GTA since transitioning to a herbivorous lifestyle. Lettuce Love Cafe has actually been rated the #1 restaurant in Burlington multiple times over the last 6 years and they have plans to expand and also offer a smoothie bar + smoothie bowls right next door! What more do you need in life?! I already can’t wait to go back next time I’m in the area! Irek and I both rate this restaurant a 10/10 hands down. We loved our meals so much. I had a Mexican bowl with a really nice tofu scramble, and Irek had a power bowl with sweet potatoes, kale, mushrooms etc. We also tried some avocado fries, which …

The Hogtown Vegan Restaurant

Last week, Irek and I went to the #1 vegan restaurant in Toronto called The Hogtown Vegan. They specialize in vegan comfort food with a southern twist. This is the type of restaurant you could bring a meat-eater to and I guarantee they would leave satisfied. Actually, it was the first time in a long time that Irek and I both struggled to finish our meals… not because they weren’t good (they were delicious) but because the portion sizes were so massive! Since going vegan, I haven’t had a proper club sandwich- which is one of my favourite things! That changed thanks to The Hogtown Vegan! I can honestly say that it was the BEST club sandwich I have ever had. It was massive, and a bit difficult to eat, but worth every single bite. The meat substitutes used on the sandwich were tofu slices (which mimicked bacon), and soy “chicken”. The soy “chicken” was the best meat substitute I’ve tried since going vegan. I don’t think a meat eater would be able to tell the …

Quinoa Pasta

What I Eat in a Day – Part 2

For breakfast I had a big blueberry smoothie… It was super filling, and very similar to the smoothie recipe I posted a few weeks back: Banana Berry Smoothie. I had this smoothie around 9am and a couple hours later I also had a big bowl of pineapple (to keep me full until lunch). For lunch I made a very simple quinoa pasta salad and on the side some sourdough bread with hummus and hemp hearts. In the summer I love making traditional salads like pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw etc. It’s so easy to make them vegan and actually healthy for you! For dinner I made my own version of Lebanese Mujadra. Not sure how close it was to a traditional Mujadra, as I’m not really one to follow a recipe… I prefer just to wing it, be creative, and hope for the best! In this case, it worked out and was very delicious (Irek rated it a 10!!!). I will definitely be making this again soon. In addition to the 3 meals above, I also …

CHAU Veggie Express

Yesterday, Irek and I had a lovely vietnamese meal at CHAU Veggie Express. They have a few locations around Vancouver and we’ve actually been wanting to visit for quite some time. CHAU Veggie Express opened in 1986 and originally served dishes rich in animal products, but over the years, they evolved into a restaurant that serves predominantly vegan dishes. The owners listened to their customers, their friends, and their own personal beliefs that eating meat, dairy and eggs was not ideal and not what our bodies need to survive & thrive. The dishes at CHAU are colourful, aromatic, and super delicious. The portion sizes are also quite large, so you definitely won’t go home hungry! Irek and I probably could have shared a main course… but what’s the fun in that?! Haha. Also, Irek’s not the best at sharing when it comes to food… But seriously, if you’re into Vietnamese food, and located in the Vancouver area, this place is fabulous (and also a great option for take-out). Go try it out and let me …

Paper Plane Restaurant

On our last day in Nice, Irek and I found this little vegetarian brunch spot, called Paper Plane, which also had some decent vegan options. It wasn’t the most amazing food we’ve ever eaten, but it was tasty and it hit the spot… I wasn’t able to eat the second portion of my meal because although they said there were no peanuts in the food, we could clearly see that there were… Since I have an anaphylactic allergy to peanuts I obviously had to pass. If you’re traveling abroad and have a peanut allergy you need to be so careful. Even if they tell you that there aren’t peanuts in the dishes you still need to be skeptical and super cautious. It’s safest to eat at places where they do not have any peanuts on the premises at all. If you are skeptical or have any hesitations, just walk away. It’s not worth the risk. Now, all this being said, if you do not have any food restrictions, Paper Plane is a good option for vegan brunch in …

Le Speakeasy Restaurant

There are only a handful of vegan restaurants in all of Nice, and one that you MUST visit is Le Speakeasy. This little restaurant was opened by a California native 18 years ago, and became the first vegan restaurant in existence in Nice. The owner is also the server AND the chef – and she is mega talented. The flavours of her cooking reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner – less the animal cruelty! This amazing woman dedicated her life to spreading the vegan message and offering plant-based alternatives to the people of Nice and the tourists who visit each year. It has not been an easy road for her… Owning a small business in France (never mind a vegan restaurant!) is riddled with challenges, harassment, and corruption. If you do not conform – it will not be easy for you. Period. I was truly inspired by her story and she actually mentioned that she’s considering writing a book in the future to create awareness and educate people regarding the challenges she has faced in France, and …

Caju Vegan Restaurant

If you’re looking for healthy, raw, plant-based options in Nice I have the perfect solution for you! There is this incredible little restaurant in Old Town called Caju Vegan. They are not fully raw but have tons of raw options, cold-pressed juices, amazing smoothies, and so much more. It was exactly what Irek and I needed to refuel our bodies after too much wine in Paris! Not only was the food amazing, but the two owners were the loveliest people we’ve come across during our travels in France. They gave us suggestions of where to travel, and just had such beautiful energy. It was so refreshing visiting this restaurant- it had a very similar feel to many of the vegan restaurants we go to in Vancouver- so if you’re in Nice and dying for some high quality plant-based food, you MUST go to Caju Vegan. We are heading back to Nice for a couple of days on the weekend and will most definitely be going back. 🙂 Cheers, Molly xx __________ “Ethical veganism results in a profound …

Gentle Gourmet Cafe

As I mentioned in my last blog post, vegan places have been somewhat difficult to find in France. That being said, they are around you just have to make a point to find them! On our second day in Paris, we went to a beautiful little restaurant called Gentle Gourmet Cafe. I can honestly say, it was one of the best vegan lunches I’ve ever had… I feel like I say that a lot, but it’s the truth! My sister and I both ordered the risotto which was so unexpectedly flavourful we couldn’t believe it! Irek and my brother-in-law, Shane, had the portobello burgers, which were also delicious and the presentation was just incredible. We also tried the vegan fois grois… I was a bit hesitant seeing as fois grois is duck pate. But it was actually very enjoyable as well, and again such strong and intricate flavours! If you’re in Paris and looking for plant-based options, in my opinion, this restaurant receives a 5 star rating. Have a beautiful day! Molly xx __________ “Vegan food …