Vegan Food in Toronto : Notebook Entry Two

Back in August, my boyfriend and I went on a weekend trip to Toronto. We explored the sights and went apartment hunting for his move to the city.

wish restaurant

During my short stay, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to explore some vegan restaurants in the area. Discovering new food is truly one of the most exciting parts about eating a plant-based diet. When people find out that I’m vegan, I’m often asked about the food I can eat since people tend to perceive veganism as a restrictive diet, which it is in a sense, but not in it’s true nature. If you take a moment to think about your diet, there is most likely a vegan alternative for your favourite dishes. A vegan diet does not primarily consist of salad and tofu.

At times, finding vegan food can be a struggle, especially in restaurants. Most places I've been to have very limited vegan options and I’m left ordering a plain salad with a side order of french fries. Of course, there is nothing wrong with eating salad and french fries, but if I choose to go out to eat, I would rather have something a little more self-indulgent. That being said, when I do see vegan options on a menu or have the opportunity to eat at vegan restaurants, I definitely carpe diem and try as many things as possible.

During our stay in Toronto, we had the immense pleasure of eating at two remarkable restaurants: Wish and Live Organic Market. We had such a lovely time at both places, the décor and ambience adding to the positive experience. And lets not forget the delicious food!

My boyfriend is not vegan and doesn’t particularly enjoy vegan or vegetarian dishes. Luckily for both of us, Wish had vegan options, after substitutions, as well as meat dishes so we were both able to benefit from the mouth-watering cuisine.

veggie burger at wish restaurant 

soup at live organic market 

On the other hand, Live Organic Market is a vegan restaurant. The gorgeous back patio is full of life; flowers and plants surround you, creating a serene environment with all the beautiful colours and smells. 

We enjoyed a peaceful afternoon sipping on delicious soup and enjoying each other’s company. My boyfriend loved his meal and was pleasantly surprised that he was able to get such a hearty vegan dish. 

On our final day in Toronto, we decided to pick up pizzas and head to the boardwalk to enjoy the beautiful summer weather. Another great discovery was Pizza Nova. Who would of thought that a popular pizza chain would have the option to substitute for vegan cheese? It just goes to show how veganism is becoming more prominent in our society and businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the need for vegan options in order to cater to their customers.

I’m eagerly awaiting my next Toronto visit in order to continue discovering delicious vegan food…oh and to visit my boyfriend as well.

Talk soon,

Janelle xx

New Beginnings : Notebook Entry One

I want to try something new. This past year has inspired me to push myself and to reassess what is most important to me.

This year has been one of great changes. I decided to go vegetarian in February and went vegan a few months later. Contrary to what many may think, I did not change to a plant based diet for health reasons; I did it because I now believe it’s the right thing to do.  I found myself watching documentaries and reading articles about veganism, consumerism, sustainability, globalization, factory farming, among others and it opened my eyes. I have to be honest; I did not instantly feel the need to change. Like anything else, I felt inspired for a few hours after viewing or reading the content, and the feeling quickly dissipated.  It is not that I did not care, more so, reality would set in. I have been eating animals and their by-products my whole life, why change now?

It took a few weeks of research for my mind to open and the message to stick. Breeding, torturing and murdering animals for human consumption and vanity is not acceptable. We are abusing our status to exploit other beings. In today’s society, we have the means to strive without having to resort to this type of behaviour. Foods are at our disposal that we might not have had access to in the past.  We do not need to eat animals and their by-products to live a healthy and happy life.

Let me be clear on my stance, I feel strongly against the exploitation of animals via factory farming, not so much those that hunt and fish for their food. I grew up eating wild game. My grandpa would hunt, trap and fish and nothing would be wasted, nothing was exploited.  We did not hunt more then what was needed.

I also understand that hunting, trapping and fishing is part of many people’s livelihood and holds a large cultural significance.  Again, I am not against this. I understand that not everyone has the means or access to an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

With this said, I personally don’t see the need for me to consume this type of meat or any meat. With what I have at my disposal, I can strive and live a healthy life strictly eating plants. I don’t have to take an animal’s life to cater to my own. I have access to other means, and I will utilize those.

Veganism for me is all about intent. I’m not trying to abide to what others think being a true vegan should mean.  My intent is to reduce unnecessary suffering and exploitation. My intent is to eliminate my consumption of animals and factory farmed by-products. My intent is to not view animals as food, but as livings beings. My intent is to be more compassionate.

Almost half a year into my vegan journey, I can safely say that I have made the right life changes. I feel much better physically and mentally. I’ve noticed many positive changes and I’ve never felt better. However, I’ve started to fall in a vegan tunnel of junk food consumption.  At first, I focussed on eating whole plant foods and ate as little processed foods as possible. With the discovery of vegan snack foods, that changed. I allowed myself to start eating unhealthy foods, trying to validate it with the mindset that it’s vegan, so it’s ok. I have never allowed myself to eat chips, candy, chocolate, ice cream and pizza in such abundance before, so why now?

My primary focus on becoming vegan was not health, but I have to start making that a priory. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like eating healthily or cooking healthy meals. I just became lazy. I think many people can relate to that. For me, taking liberties leads to taking more, until I don’t think about it anymore. I have to change my mindset and start thinking about what I’m putting in my body.

This brings me to the reason for writing this post. I just moved to a new town, I've started my career and endless possibilities await me. I want to challenge myself in order to become the healthiest I can be. I’ve decided to eliminate my consumption of most processed and pre-packaged foods. I personally don’t think this will be difficult for me since I love to cook and make up with new recipes. I just need to change my perception of priorities. I strongly believe this will bring positive changes to my health and well-being.

I am publishing this on my blog as a way to keep me accountable but also, to share my journey and recipes with those few who are interested in following it.

Talk soon,

Josée xx