Vegan Spanikopita

I LOOOVVEEE spanikopita. But, because it has cheese and butter in it, I can't eat it. So, I made a vegan version with soy feta cheese and Earth Balance butter. The filo pastry I used was made with oil, not butter, which was awesome! I found it at Sobey's. Here is the recipe:

8 cups spinach - no stems

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 cup dill

2 cups green onions

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups onions

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces

14 filo sheets

3/4 cup butter, melted

1. Shred spinach. (I sat in front of the tv and used scissors) Combine it with parsley, dill, green onions and salt. Let it sit for 15 mins, then press out any liquid that forms.

2. Heat olive oil in skillet. Add onions until transparent. Add spinach mixture. Saute for a few minutes. Add feta and pepper.

3. Place 7 filo sheets in a buttered 10x17x2 pan, brushing in between each sheet with melted butter. Add spinach mixture. Add remaining sheets on top, layering with butter.

4. Cut it into pieces before you bake at 375* for 30 mins.

An Homage to Cheese

I can't break it. There is always cheese on EVERYTHING.

At most mainstream restaurants I go to - and even independently owned ones, there is cheese on everything. And if it's not cheese, it's meat. And often both.

So, I haven't been able to go one week as a true vegan because I eat out at least twice a week with friends, family, or the new bf. It's hard to go to places (especially with a bf who doesn't eat spicy food, enjoys eating meat, and doesn't tell me where he wants to eat EVER, just that he doesn't want to eat THERE.)

So, I'm settling. I'm eating cheese if I must, and never eating meat. That's what I've chosen, and I'm okay with it. Because cheese is f-ing good, and it's not a lot. And I know I'm not supposed to be eating it because it's made from milk that is taken from cows and goats that are being harmed, but sometimes I just need to eat cheese.

And I'm okay with that.

Falafel Burger

These are a favourite of mine from Rachael Ray. They are so yummy and so good for you! I love putting cucumbers on them, especially the ones I got this Saturday at the farmer's market - 6 for $1.00. Hello! I love a good deal!

Instead of the sauce that Rach uses, I just use hummus. Today I used red pepper hummus from The Happy Camel, which has a store in Edmonton, but is also found at the St. Albert Farmer's Market.

Try the recipe - it's quick and tasty.

Secret Daughter

I just finished reading Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. The style is similar to other popular fiction out today where each chapter goes back and forth between characters. I like this style, as I find it is easy to follow and I always want to know how the last events in that chapter are affecting the character coming up in the next chapter.
I am not sure if that made sense.
This book was a page turner and a really good story with themes about what constitutes a family, sacrifice, and coming into one's self.
The characters are charming and real. I tried to think of who my favourite character is, but I can't even decide. I love one of the main characters, Asha who is trying to find her identity as an adopted Indian girl in an American family. I also love her mother, Somer, who doesn't relate to the Indian world at all, as a white American woman, and feels like she is losing her daughter who moves to India for a year and reconnects with her father's Indian relatives. I am finding it particularly poignant at this time in my life as I am having discussions about having children, which I have NEVER wanted to do. But, now I am considering it as my boyfriend wants to have 5. He think we should compromise and go between my 0 and his 5 and have 3. That is a far cry from my absolute certainty that I would have none. I think my biggest fear with having children (besides the obvious pain - which I honestly don't know if I can bear) is that I will fail them, be a bad mother, or they will end up abandoning me at 14 to do drugs in the back of a warehouse somewhere. I don't know if I could handle that. Everyone says I'll be a good mother, which I don't doubt at all, but that doesn't mean I will do it, just because I'm good at it.
Irregardless, my fears of becoming a mother having nothing to do with this book.
Please read Secret Daughter!

Thai Peanut Salad Wraps Unwrapped

So tonight I tried a new recipe. I made Thai Peanut Salad Wraps. I think they would be really tasty, but I'm not a huge fan of peanut sauce. But, I did eat most of it. I bought some unsalted organic peanut butter today because my doc wants me to cut out more salt and because it's just pure peanuts. It's good - probably better with jam.

I liked the salad wraps because they were light, but filing. They are great for summer. I put some whole grain basmati rice beside it. I need to eat more whole grains.

My good friend, Heather, wants me to have a vegan dinner party. If I do, I think that will be definitely be on the menu.

Vegan BBQ

Tonight I did a vegan BBQ. For the most part it turned out great. I made potato salad with Veganaise and no egg. While the potatoes were boiling, I BBQed a veggie dog and a veggie skewer. It looked really nice on the plate, but . . . .

the veggie dog was disgusting. Looks like I won't be eating any more of those.

Then I made banana blueberry raspberry (fresh from the garden) muffins. I just took them out of the oven. They smell really good.

New Rules

Alright. I'm sure some of you saw this coming. I have to make new rules for myself before I seclude myself from my friends. I need to be able to eat cheese at restaurants. Last night, Saba invited me out to eat here, but everything on the menu either had meat or cheese. Honestly, I couldn't have eaten anything there. And, since I won't eat meat (a. because I usually never ordered meat anyways as restos and b. because I haven't eaten meat in about a month so I will get sick if I eat it) I had to go with the cheese option. I ordered the portabello and eta pasta. I'm not going to lie, that salty cheese tasted good. Could I have ordered it without cheese? Yes. But, I am not the type of person who likes to make a lot of changes with the waiter. I don't like to cause a problem.
So, I've decided that if I can't get anything on the menu that is vegan, I will opt for the cheese option, still having no other dairy or meat.
The last thing I want to do is tell people I can't go out with them because I might not be able to eat. I have decided that when at home and cooking for myself, I will stay strictly vegan as I have been. But, when out, I will opt for cheese. Not purposefully, just if I'm forced, you know, by my 4'11 friend Saba.