All posts tagged: vancouver

Why I love Vancouver

There are so many reasons why I love Vancouver. The people, the energy, the fresh mountain air, the fact that we have the largest coastal temperate rainforest in the world, the proximity to the Pacific Ocean… need I say more? That’s why it’s always such a pleasure when our friends visit and we have the opportunity to show them around, while at the same time renewing our love for this beautiful, lush province. Irek and I spent last week with fellow Travel Bloggers and Hawaii natives, Reid and Maryrose of Wanderlustyle Travel and Lifestyle Blog. They visited Canada for the first time with their globe trotting 10 year old son Landon (who happens to be the coolest, most relaxed kid I’ve met). We were also reunited with two very special people, Kim and Phil (Love Over Blood, The Vegan Artists Collective) who we first met in Bali last year… I loved them from the very first second. On their first full day in Vancouver, we headed to a few must-sees in the area: Capilano Suspension Bridge, Lighthouse Park, and The Cleveland Dam. The weather was exactly what you’d …

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 …

The Naam Restaurant

Lately, I’ve been hearing really good things about The Naam Restaurant, located in the heart of Kitsilano. So, on our way to the beach the other day we stopped in for a quick lunch to see for ourselves. The Naam has a lovely outdoor patio area with plants all around and a really homey, welcoming feel. The menu has a huge selection of different cuisines, from Mexican, to Thai, to Italian even. I had a very hard time deciding what to order! We went with nachos to start, which were good, although too much daiya cheese (dairy-free) for my liking. And then I had a veggie burrito with a garden salad and some potatoes. The burrito was good, although again, too much daiya cheese. The flavours overall were nice but for me, there was just something missing… it didn’t ‘wow’ me. And as for Irek, he ordered his usual – a veggie burger. He said pretty much the same thing; the food was good but it wasn’t outstanding. That being said, The Naam is open 24 …

Power of Cold-Pressed Juices

If you were to ask me what’s one thing you can do to improve your overall health, hands down I would say start drinking cold-pressed juices. When Irek and I first went vegan, within weeks we felt more energized… Then, once we added cold-pressed juices to our diet, we again felt this newfound boost of energy and vitality. We have a juicer at home and make a different juice almost everyday. The days we aren’t home to make our own, we head to Melu Juice & Health Bar (in the Coal Harbour area). Their juices are super delicious and they also offer 1 day, 3 day, and 5 day juice cleanses. I tested out the 1 day juice cleanse last week and it was amazing. I’ll definitely be back to try the 5 day cleanse very soon! Whether you buy a juicer and make your own juices at home, or head to a local juice shop like I do, it’s definitely something you should be adding to your diet. The way in which cold-press juices are made …

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 …

Meet on Main

Meet on Main

There are a lot of really awesome restaurants on Main Street but my favourite is Meet on Main! I love the chilled out atmosphere, the menu is full of veggie comfort food, and the staff is super friendly… what more could you want? Irek and I spent a few hours there yesterday – he worked on his watch list for the Live Trader session, and I had a business meeting with an awesome company based in the Vancouver area. After we finished our work we stayed another hour to grab a bite to eat! My dish was super yummy! Usually when we go to Meet on Main we both gravitate towards the vegan burgers because they’re sooo good! But I thought I better switch it up last night and instead had a really delicious bowl filled with rice, kale, mushrooms, mung beans, tofu and the best cashew gravy ever! It hit the spot. 🙂 Irek had his usual burger, obviously. If you’re in Vancouver, definitely check out Meet on Main! Especially if you’re leaning towards going …

Culver City Food Truck

Culver City Food Truck

Irek and I decided we need to start checking out all the Vancouver food trucks. There are so many around the city and yesterday was our very first time trying one! We had some seriously epic salads from the Culver City food truck. Mine was full of rice noodles, kale, radishes, shredded beet, shredded carrot, hummus, etc. and topped with a super delicious lemon chia dressing. I highly recommend trying some of their deliciousness if you’re in the downtown core! The Culver City truck is usually parked on the corner of Thurlow and Hornby in Coal Harbour (check The Street Food App to confirm location). So, if you work downtown and are leaning towards a more plant-based diet, this is a great option for your lunches. I used to work 2 minutes away from where they’re located, and if I knew about them back then, I would have been eating there everyday! Super healthy, vegan, and very tasty… what more do you need?! Have a beautiful weekend. Molly xx __________ “By eating meat we share the responsibility of …

Beach Workout

Yesterday Irek and I went to brunch at my favourite restaurant, Heirloom Vegetarian. I just cannot get enough of that place!  After we ate and Irek did some work, we headed to Jericho Beach in Kitsilano, and did a quick 30 minute HIIT workout (sprints, lunges, squats & tricep dips).  So nice to be able to exercise outside! Hope everyone had a lovely weekend and sending lots of love for the week ahead! 🙂 Cheers, Molly xx __________ “Let us try to recognize the precious nature of each day.” – Dalai Lama XIV