I have nothing to talk about.

This weekend has been kind of a boring one. If it wasn't for getting out to a concert on Saturday night with my friend James, I pretty much could have stayed in bed for a full 48 hours. Something has happened to my will power this week. I don't want to do anything, I don't want to talk to anyone and I kept the curtains down. It snowed all day today and that just made things worse. I hate having no energy. Everything seemed like a struggle. All I could think to myself is, one more hour lying on the couch.. and then I will go do something, anything. I get like this every year. Something happens when the seasons change. First I get a little excited just because I know I'll be able to cook soups and stews again.. but then not long after, that burst of energy fades and I fall into a major funk.


I have not cooked anything today... really I have done nothing today worth posting. I have been planning all week to fit in some blog time to express my displeasure with Starbucks. Right now I am blogging in Second Cup, so it seems fitting to go with my mood, tonightis the night!

For the longest time, Starbucks gave free soy milk with a registered card. About a year ago, they brought in a new loyalty program. I could still have my free soy, but only after I reach gold status... i.e. make 30 transactions. I love to have a coffee in the morning and a fancy coffee at lunch, so it didn't take me long to get on the gold plan with them. Since then, I have been happily enjoying my latte's without having to pay for soy.

As of this month, Starbucks has suspended the free soy! To be honest, it was really the only thing keeping me a loyal customer. I am now going to Second Cup because I figure if there is not monetary reason for choosing my coffee shop, I might as well support a Canadian company.

But, this brought about a lot of anger... Why the fuck do I have to pay an up-charge of $0.50 - 0.75 for a 1/4 cup of milk!? I get mark-ups. I really do. I know the food industry needs to do this to make money... but, why oh why are we picking on people that don't drink cows milk. It isn't all vegans.. there are a lot of people out there that are allergic and plenty more that just prefer soy or almond to dairy.

It's not like these coffee shops are going out and spending $3.00 - 5.00 for a small container of non-dairy milk. There are obviously contracts in place and I am sure they are getting a good deal. Plus drinks at these coffee shops are already building in for the cost of milk.. that's why dairy milk drinkers don't pay more. It makes no sense to me at all. Especially if you look at the menu and order something that does not normally come with milk. To add dairy milk to this there is a $0.50 fee.. So why is it that something like a latte which has steamed milk built in the price needs an up-charge?

Honestly it makes me think long and hard about how much do I really need to have a fancy overpriced drink at lunch every day. I don't, not at all, but I use coffee shops as my way to get a break. A break from work, from everything. Now I am second guessing whether I should even be going anymore.

I think the thing that makes me so mad about Starbucks in particular is that they seem like the type of company that would discount up-charges and get ahead of the locally owned coffee shops with a more competitive price. They know though that their customer base is addicted.. and will probably pay regardless of the price. Sad, I know I probably will go back.. but I will be thinking twice before I do

Ah well, honestly as mad as I am... it's not like I have to buy their product.. I don't even have to buy something that requires milk in it. I just had to get it out there, that I noticed the change and I am not a happy customer.

So.. I think that ends my mini-rant of the day. I have been sitting on this one for a couple weeks. I thought it my let my rage boil and make for a better post, but I am already getting over it. That said, I have not really been back to Starbucks since. I am really enjoying Second Cup. I like the coffee better, the tea and they have a way better selection of treats. Granted none are vegan... except possibly a veggie roll. I am looking into that one.

I feel a little guilty about not posting anything all that informative today. I do have a new smoothie to try tomorrow though. I absolutely love smoothies. When I bike to work, smoothies were an absolute must to my day. They make everything a little better. It is a rare morning I am in a bad mood after my morning smoothie. I make mine in a magic bullet which does a mediocre job. It is not good at crushing ice, but I find that very few blenders are capable of it. If anyone knows of a good blender out there (Vitamix, I know, but hoping for a cheaper alternative) I normally make a green smoothing in the morning, but once in a while I change it up and make something that I would say is closer to a snack smoothie. Here is one I am planning to make tomorrow.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Serves 1, couple minutes to make

• 1 small banana, chopped and preferably frozen
• 1/2 cup milk (almond is what I used, but any kind works)
• 1/4 cup coconut water
• 1-2 tsp ground chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter (natural if you have it, if not then you may want to tone down the sweetener)
• 1 tbsp sweetener (I used agave)
• Ice (I usually do 3-4 cubes, but depends on the size of blender)

Instructions are very simple, put everything into your blender and blender for a solid 2 minutes. More if necessary. The nice thing about a magic bullet is that you are blending in the cup. it helps with portion control and with mess. Once less thing to clean up is great in my world.

Why do I love this smoothie? It is loaded with potassium from the coconut water, chia and banana. It is very hydrating, coconut water is really good for keeping hydrated. It is also good on a hangover. I don't get a hang over often, but if I do, this is a great smoothie to cure it. In the past I was a believer in powerade to cure my hangovers, but really it is the sugar, salt, potassium that is doing it. This smoothie has all of those and tastes way better than those dumb sports drink.

This is an awesome smoothie for after a workout, or in the morning. Some people like to add protein powder to their smoothies and I this would be a good one for it. I usually don't though. I just don't enjoy the taste of protein powder. I hear though protein powder in the morning is a good way to keep sugar cravings down, so I am considering trying it. Just need to do some research on what type to get.. Seems there are a lot more vegan ones out there these day!

Trapped in hotel!

Still no way to access my blog while here. Shout out to my best friend James for helping out. So, because of this (the stupid computer, not James... because James is the best), still no pictures to post, but I am still blogging!

 

Yesterday I wort e a little about eating in airports, but what about after you get to the hotel? Sometimes when I travel for work I can go eat out and there isn't a lot of problems, however, when I travel on my own, I tend to eat in my room a lot more to save on money. Every stay I learn something new about how to make it a bit easier for me. Here are some tips for any vegans out there, or really anyone who wants to be able to save a little by eating in.

 

First thing that you need to deal with is your room. You need to try and get one as well equipped as possible. Look for hotels that have kitchenettes or suites. Double check before you book the room for what that means because every hotel is different. The room I have right now has a fridge and a microwave, but I have had other suites that have a full kitchen right down to utensils and pots and pans. I find that if you are looking for cheaper spots, just go outside the touristy areas and you will have a much better chance. If you don't mind a small commute, it is worth it. If you are not so big on a commute, look for private owned hotels. You are taking a slightly larger gamble with them, but just do a little research and it will work out.

 

Now, once you got your hotel room and they have confirmed it is a for real suite with something to cook with, ask after you check in if they can provide cutlery, plates, bowls etc. You can ask for her things like pots and pans if you got an actual kitchen For the most parts, hotels are accommodating.

 

So what to cook? Well, depends on what you are working with. Where I am I have just a microwave and fridge, so I am pretty limited. For breakfasts, I usually have instant oatmeal, miso soup, breakfast burrito, cereal. At home, I have a green smoothie and it is really hard not having one when I am away. I have actually considered bringing my immersion blender, but because I fly, I haven't. Definitely an option if you love a smoothie in the morning and check baggage or drive. Lunch I rarely eat in my room, but on the few occasions that I have, a sandwich is an obvious one. If I am low on cash, this is my easy standby. Instant soup is another easy one, but not that great. My favourite is pita chips, hummus and veggies. Filling, easy and requires pretty much nothing.

 

When I eat dinner, I prefer something hot.  One thing that I have tried once was tofu scramble (I guess this could be breakfast too, but I always have it for dinner). The tricky part will be getting spices, but you can either pack your own o just buy when you get there. if you can find bulk, it's pretty easy. Chop up a tomato and put it in the bowl, crumble the tofu (Get pressed, more convenient or you can get silken). add with your fave spice and any cooked veggies if you have any, cook for 4-5 minutes. You can also just cook tofu or tempeh in the microwave. I cut it into strips and then if I have it throw some salad dressing (vinaigrette) on it. Cooke for 4-5 minutes and then top with BBQ sauce or marinara. You can have this with instant rice, baked potato (To do this, just wash and poke some holes in a potato, cover with a wet paper towel and zap it for 10-12 minutes) and with some steamed veggies (Throw veggies into a freezer bag, add a little salt and pepper and a couple tables spoons of water. Cook for 3-4 minutes). The one I was hoping to take some pics of was cooking spaghetti squash! At the store, buy a spaghetti squash, being careful that it will actually fit in the microwave. Ask the store if they can cut it for you, lengthwise. Get a plate and put a little water on it. Put the cut squash, cut side down on the plate and microwave for about 10 minutes. Once done you can top it with earth balance and garlic, or with some marinara. Insanely easy to do.

 

Lastly, snacks... I have to admit I don't do a lot of snacks in the hotel. I generally just buy some hummus and veggies or chips and keep some fruit, snack bars etc. But for research purposes, I did attempt one dessert and it was not bad at all.

 

Duke Nukem Apple Crisp

- 1 apple, peeled and chopped

- 1 packet of instant oat meal cinnamon spice flavour (or if you want to get some regular quick cooking oats, it would probably work too)

- 1 Tbsp margarine, melted

- hand full of nuts (I used walnuts and pecans), chopped

 

First, prep the apples and add them to a bowl (or in my case... a glass). Add a little water (About 2 Tbsp) and cover and cook for 1-2 minutes. Next pull the apples out of the microwave and drain the water. Add the oatmeal and margarine and cook again for about 5 minutes. Test the apples with a knife to see if they are cooked. Once ready, top with the chopped nuts.

 

Pumpkin Upside Down Cake

It is Thanksgiving and in my family, we don't do much. However my sister's family does.. So I will be crashing their festivities tomorrow and to ensure that they will let me, I decided to break out the big guns and make Pumpkin Upside Down Cake.

Confession, I forgot to add the chia eggs! Otherwise, this cake holds together just fine.

I actually got this recipe from a funeral. It was so good, that I knew I couldn't leave without finding out what this delicious dessert was. Luckily I did get to take it home with me. It is ridiculously easy to make, but I never thought I could have it again because it called for three eggs and evaporated milk. The eggs was not an issue except for that I normally only make recipes with one or two substituted eggs. Evaporated milk is a whole other issue.

Is there a vegan evaporated milk? Can this be done? I had never seen one before, so I did some googling to find out what was out there. Turns out it is pretty easy. Get some soy milk powder and then double the ratio of dry to water.

So with that small obstical out of the way, here it goes. Let's veganize the best pumpkin recipe I have tried!

Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake
*Addapted from some maritimer's recipe

• One 14 Oz (414 ml) can of pure pumkin
• 1 1/2 cups of soy milk
• 3/8 of a cup of instant soy milk powder
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 4 Tbsp water
• 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box of vegan cake mix
• 3/4 cup melted vegan margarine

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 X 13" cake pan. 

First, make the evaporated milk. Combine the soy milk powder and the soy milk. I used my magic bullet to mix them together, but if you don't have one, just stir it really well until combined. Next, make the chia eggs. Grind the chia seeds in a coffee grinder (or if you have a magic bullet, use it here). Pour in the water and let it sit for a couple minutes. Next whisk or blend in the magic bullet your grinded seeds and the water until it has an eggy consistency.

Like almost all baked goods, mix, pour, bake. So easy!

Now, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, egg and spice in a bowl and stir until combined. Pour the mixture into the greased cake pan and distribute it evenly. Now pour the cake mix on top and the top that with the chopped pecans. Lastly, take the melted margarine and pout this all over the cake (as evenly as you can get it. if there is dry cake mix still, that's OK)

Bake it in the oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until it is browned on top. Let it cool for an hour or so before serving. Serve with vegan ice cream or whipped cream.

Ahh... pumpkin bliss in one hour. 90% of that is just sitting around waiting. That is the hardest part.

If this won't allow me to be able to bust in on other people's thanksgiving, I don't know what will!