Please Donate

Hello anyone who happens to stumble upon my blog. Please check out the following Indiegogo link (a fundraiser that I am part of):

http://www.indiegogo.com/Onion-and-the-Ivy?c=home&a=459888

Our Story

The Baker Street Art Gallery is a creative drop-in centre. It is a welcoming space where anyone can sit and paint, have a snack, connect, share knowledge, and be a part of a non-judgmental community. It is a safe space that provides free art supplies and a positive environment for anyone interested in engaging their own creativity and that serves as a weekend home for some fifty Guelph artists, many of whom are participants in the Our Place Youth Centre and Fresh Start Housing programs. The Baker Street Art Gallery is a place of empowerment, where individual voices can be expressed through the medium of art and where stories are acknowledged and valued.

And it is a space full of stories: unique stories about life in Guelph that too often go unheard by the wider Guelph community.

We are a group of students from the University of Guelph working with the gallery to create an anthology of paintings, poetry and prose focusing on the stories of people whose lives are affected by the important work being done there. The book will be a high-quality, limited printing that will be sold by donation with funds going to pay for needed art supplies.

We also hope to hold a launch party to celebrate the release of the anthology and the opening of a public art show featuring work by many of the artists working at The Baker Street Art Gallery. This event will be an opportunity for the artists to celebrate and sell their work, meet with old and new friends, and connect with artists from other pockets of the city. Speakers, musicians and actors from the Gallery and elsewhere may perform.

The Impact

At the core of this campaign is the desire to bridge gaps between communities, where the marginalized can be given a way to share their stories and be respected for them.

If we are not able to receive the money that is required for this project, it will be just another way that this community has been ignored and rejected by those who surround them. This project is about affirming a group of individuals who are trying to rise above judgment and make use of their skill sets. Through art they tell their stories and this project gives them the platform that is needed for these stories to be heard.

What We Need & What You Get 

Our project in its entirety will cost upwards of $5,000. The majority of the money will be going toward the anthology. Any additional money will go toward the book launch, all proceeds from which will go directly to the gallery for supplies (paint, canvases, etc.). Other funding sources include the University of Guelph, bake sales, donations, etc. By donating to this project, you are affirming the power of art and the power of stories. You are saying that you believe everyone deserves to share their stories, no matter who they are, or where they came from. Any businesses that attach themselves to this project will gain attention from not only this community, but also a wider community of art enthusiasts who know the therapeutic benefits of painting and creating.  

Other Ways You Can Help 

If you are unable to donate, please spread the word about Baker Street Art Gallery and what they have accomplished within the Guelph community. Just sharing this project through social media, or word of mouth will heighten our chances of reaching our goal. 

Their website can be found at the following link: http://www.40bakerstreet.org/artgallery.html

If you would like to contact our group directly, you can email us at:

40baker.street.project@gmail.com

Mexican Tofu Scramble with Vegan Hollandaise Sauce

I have been making vegan scrambled 'eggs' for some time now, and have been meaning to put up the recipe, but was waiting to create something that would make people to try them. Tofu, when broken up and flavored appropriately tastes remarkably like scrambled eggs. The texture is nearly bang on, and you can flavor them in a whole bunch of different ways. The recipe below is my favorite way to eat them, and couldn't be easier to whip together for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The scramble is topped with salsa, which is then topped with this creamy vegan hollandiase sauce which is, in my opinion, better than the real thing!

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 block of tofu, frozen, de-thawed, drained of excess water, then crumbled with your fingers

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

pepper, lots

1/2 tsp cumin (optional)

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 can beans (your favorite), drained and rinsed

1/2 cup corn kernels (optional)

Hollandaise Sauce (adapted from Being Vegan):

1/4 cup vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)

1/2-1 tbsp thickener (flour, or arrowroot powder work great)

3/4 cup milk alternative (I use almond)

2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

pinch of turmeric

pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

1/8 cup lemon juice

1 tbsp veganaise (or mayonnaise alternative)

Other:

4 pieces (or more) of toast

1 cup salsa

1) For the tofu, mix everything together in a large bowl (aside from the salsa). Allow to sit for about 30 minutes so that the flavors can come together. 

2) For the sauce, whisk the butter and flour together in a small pot over medium heat until the butter melts, and a paste is made. Add all of the other ingredients (aside form the mayonnaise), whisking to combine. Allow to come to a boil, whisking continually until it has thickened. Remove form the heat, and whisk in the mayonnaise. 

3) In a pan, heat a small amount of oil. Fry the tofu scramble for about 5 minutes, rotating with a spatula, until it has browned slightly. 

4) To assemble, place a generous amount of the tofu mixture on to a piece of toast, followed by some salsa. Spoon the hollandaise sauce on top of this, and enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

This recipe is adapted from the LakeFamilyRecipes site, which was adapted from the "Eat Shrink and Be Merry" cookbook. The original recipe is so close to be vegan, that I knew I had to try it out. This is a deliciously creamy soup that is sweet enough for picky eaters, but interesting enough for the adults. This reminds me of another recipe on my blog called "Peanutty Sweet Potato Stew", but without the tomatoes. Both are delicious, and both can be tweaked with whatever you have in your fridge (I did).

*** Update, so SAD! Whenever I make a soup, I have a tendency to leave it in the pot overnight. Truth be told, that doesn't seem to matter with the more vegetable based soups, but a soup with coconut milk....that's just asking for trouble. I woke up this morning, ready to pack some of this delicious soup for lunch, and lo-and-behold it was sitting, outside of the fridge, staring at me in disappointment. I really wanted more of it, so naturally I blamed my husband.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):
1 tsp oil
1 tsp vegan butter (or more oil)
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (the original recipe calls for 3/4 cup celery)
1 huge sweet potato, or a couple of smaller ones (the original recipe calls for 2 large sweet potatoes), diced
3/4 tsp ground curry, cumin, and coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3-4 cups vegetable stock (the original recipe calls for 2, but it depends on how thin you like it)
1 can coconut milk
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp agave, or 1/2 tbsp brown sugar (the original calls for 1 tbsp brown sugar)
1 tbsp lime juice

1) Saute the onion in the oil and butter (if using) over medium heat. Once the onion becomes translucent, add the peppers, the sweet potato, and seasonings. Saute for about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic, along with the stock and milk. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes become soft.
2) Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then mash slightly with a potato masher (or if you want a softer soup transfer to a blender). Enjoy over rice, or on its own :)

Chocolate and the Slave Industry

I recently watched a saddening documentary about the chocolate industry and slavery. Young children are taken from their homes (stolen in many cases) and forced to work as cacao bean farmers. They are not paid, are not able to go to school, and essentially have their entire childhood ripped from them, all so that the rich can eat chocolate. I have posted the documentary below, and I hope you get a chance to watch it. I have also posted some "Fair Trade" chocolate companies below. In fact, many 'vegan' friendly chocolates are "Fair Trade", but you can always go for the dark chocolate variety as well.

Fair Trade Chocolate Companies:

Camino

Green and Blacks

Equita

Organic Fair 

Divine Chocolate

Endangered Species Chocolate

Bonvita Chocolate (Rice Milk available)

Potato and Leek Soup

I L-O-V-E-D potato and leek soup when I was younger, especially when it had bacon in it. Obviously my vegan ways have disallowed me to have a bowl from this same recipe, but I can certainly come pretty darn close to it with vegan ingredients. I use vegan bacon in this recipe, but have added in some optional ingredients if you are unable to find it. This soup is creamy, and also slightly cheesy flavored because of the addition of nutritional yeast. I had a big heaping bowl of this with fresh baked biscuits. You can also make this in the crock pot (just add all of the ingredients, and set it on the 6 hour setting). I opted for the quicker pot method because I wanted this soup in my belly, NOW.

Ingredients (serves 6):
1 tsp oil
1 tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 medium leeks (or 1 large leek), finely chopped (cut the majority of the dark leaves off, as well as the root. Rinse the remainder thoroughly and finely slice it).

4-6 strips vegan bacon, chopped (I use the Tofurky brand. If you can't find it, after the soup has cooked through add a few shakes of liquid smoke + 1 tsp soy sauce, which helps lend a 'bacon' flavor to the soup)

6 small yellow potatoes, chopped into 1 inch pieces

7 cups vegetable stock

1 cup milk alternative (I use almond milk. You can also use a cream alternative.)

1/3 cup nutritional yeast 

lots of pepper

1) Saute the bay leaves, onion, leeks and sea salt in the oil and butter, in a large pot. Once the onions become translucent, and the leeks begin to wilt (about 5 minutes), add the vegan bacon (if using, if not add the alternative ingredients once the liquids have been added), and the chopped potatoes. Allow them to saute for a few minutes, or just until the bacon has browned slightly Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and allow the soup to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are softened. Remove the bay leaves, add the milk alternative, nutritional yeast, and pepper, allowing the soup to simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet and Salty Lettuce Wraps

I'll be honest, I am obsessed with lettuce wraps, make them all of the time, then put them on my blog, and am now running out of names for them. Mostly I just don't like to follow specific recipes for lettuce wraps because I like to use up whatever I have in the fridge. That's what sparked these lettuce wraps, because I realized I had run out of hoisin sauce (so I couldn't make my 'Sweet and Saucy Lettuce Wraps'). So, sorry for the repetition, but these don't taste the same as the others because of the addition of (drum roll please) Ani Phyo's Gochuchang Sauce!!! I just ordered her new book "Ani's Raw Food Asia", and will most definitely be making as many recipes from it as I can. Other than the sauce, these lettuce wraps have more raw ingredients, making them healthy and crunchy.

Ingredients (serves 4):
Noodle Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sesame oil (toasted)
a few drops of sriracha sauce, or hot sauce (optional)
a few grinds of pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger, or 1 tsp fresh minced ginger


1/2 cup chopped cashews, or peanuts

Ani Phyo's Gochuchang Sauce (modified):
1 heaping tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
some water to thin it out (about 1 tbsp)

Lettuce Wraps:
1/2 package rice noodles
Water

Lettuce wraps (you can buy them pre-trimmed, or just use your favorite lettuce, or leafy greens)
1 red bell pepper, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 carrot, grated
1 small apple, cored and grated

1) Cook the noodles according the the package directions. Whisk together the noodle sauce ingredients in a large bowl (along with the cashews). Once the noodles are cooked through, drain them, and add the noodles to the sauce in the bowl, folding to combine and covering with a plate so that they can soak up the sauce. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
2) Whisk together the gochuchang sauce, adding as much water as needed to thin it out slightly. Set aside.
3) To assemble, place some of the warm noodles on to a lettuce leaf, top with crunchy veggies and apple, then drizzle with the gochuchang sauce. Enjoy!

"Crock-Pot" Barbecue Lentil Stew with Sweet Potato

I haven't pulled my crock-pot out for at least a couple of years. I honestly had to wipe the dust off of it before I used it. The minute I started cutting up the vegetables, and just chucking them into the pot, I knew that I should have pulled it out a LONG time ago! This stew is really delicious; a great comfort food as Fall approaches. I currently have a cold, which prompted me to use the crock pot in the first place. This may mean that I over seasoned the heck out this soup, but my husband thought it was great the way it was.

 Ingredients (serves 4-6):
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large sweet potato, cubed
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach
1 can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup lentils (I used red)
1/3 cup quinoa (optional, you can also add some more lentils)
2 jars tomato sauce (I used an organic sauce that has a 'spicy' kick to it)
1 1/2 jars water
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt
lots of pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup your favorite barbecue sauce

Extra barbecue sauce for drizzling



1) Place all of the ingredients in a cock pot, and allow to cook on the 6 hour setting. Once finished, remove the bay leaves and scoop into a bowl. Drizzle with extra barbecue sauce and enjoy :)