Hello and welcome to another edition of our weekly catch up. Sorry I missed you last week! I’ve had a string of bad luck this fall season honestly. Nothing too serious, just a new mishap every time things are starting to mellow out. Case in point: I randomly fractured my finger tip this week! It’s swollen and uncomfortable, but I’m doing my best. Turning the key in the ignition of the car is the hardest thing so far haha. Chopping is also a bit awkward, but I’m being resourceful.

Here’s the usual reads and links to check out! I am showing some Thanksgiving-y/holiday stuff in the recipe section because it seems like folks are thinking about that already. Take care out there :)

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. Did You Know That I Have Been Breathing All Wrong? via The New York Times Magazine (gift link)
2. Bottling Clouds: The Sky Is Full of Scents We’ve Never Smelled via Atmos
3. What if protecting the land started with teaching kids to love it? via The Narwhal
4. We’ve Normalised Feeling Like Shit and Called It Being an Adult via The Lull on Substack
5. On my nightstand: The Lost Journals of Sacajewea by Debra Magpie Earling (for Lilith Lit book club)

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Watching: The Dog House on Channel 4
2. Also watching The Gilded Age! I feel like things have really ramped up this season already.
3. Robyn on Good Hang with Amy Poehler is DELIGHTFUL! (I have loved her since I got the Robyn Is Here CD when I was 12!!!!)
4. Penguin Random House sent me a copy of Simply Plants from the mega popular creator Pick Up Limes. It’s very inspiring and filled with wholesome and easy recipes. Let me know if you’d like to see a recipe preview from the book in an upcoming email blast.
5. For the Niagara locals: the vegan cheesecakes at The Watering Can are so good! I went with my mum this week to get some holiday greens/planters and couldn’t resist a couple treats to go. I absolutely need to recreate the chocolate peppermint one!

5 Questions:

1. What brand of baking trays do you use for the oven and what parchment paper brand?
   All of my baking sheets/dishes are aluminum Nordic Ware ones (the Prism line) or aluminum blanks from the restaurant supply store. The parchment paper I use is from a brand called If You Care. I also use my Silpat silicone mats quite a bit!
2. Favorite way to cook leeks?
   I love doing a sauté of cabbage, chickpeas and leeks together. I’ll go low and slow until I have some caramelization and add minced fresh thyme, a bit of grainy mustard, and minced garlic. Finish with fresh lemon juice and crumbled vegan feta on top! This is especially nice with the Hispi/pointed cabbage. I can post a tested and refined version of this on the blog if folks want.
3. What’s the best substitute for coconut milk in your sweet potato and butternut squash stew recipes?
   If you eat dairy, half and half works. Otherwise, I’d look to a rich, slightly sweet plant-based milk like cashew or one of the creamier oat milk varieties (Silk, Chobani, Oatly, and Planet Oat all make a version of this).
4. How do you make the best of the dark evenings after daylight savings time?
   Shocking answer: cooking! My kitchen has very low lighting and cozy vibes all year, so I really embrace it when the days go dark at 4pm. I also just go to bed earlier haha. Lots of folks complain, but I truly relish this time of year. Summer and early fall is so busy for us and there’s always a lot to do. A little retreat from all of that is nice before the holidays ramp up. It always goes back to presence and gratitude :)
5. What’s the best dairy-free milk for a homemade latte or cappuccino?
   I’ve been doing this mix in my lattes for months now: 3/4 cup West Life Unsweetened Vanilla Soy Milk + 2 tablespoons nutpods toasted marshamallow creamer (Canadians: I order both from Natura Market online). The microfoam is perfect, it’s so creamy, and just the right amount of sweetness for me.

Pinned Recipes This Week:

1. Vegan Butternut Galette with Apples, Shallots & Gluten-Free Black Pepper Crust
2. Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon Pot Pie
3. Romesco Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Herbed Tahini Cream
4. Caramelized Onion Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils & Creamy Cauliflower Potato Mash
5. Spicy Vegan Buffalo Meatloaf Minis