elyssa: popcorn and coconuts

location: toronto

nothing grieves me more than looking back at all the years that i forbade myself the pleasure of a good grilled cheese. cheesy sandwiches are associated with my carefree youth. with days spent together on the mountain hovering over the george foreman (the only kitchen appliance we could properly operate). when i first turned to healthy living, i stopped indulging. grilled cheese lay abandoned in my youth. little did i know that there was more than cheapo mozarella (packaged in creepy cellophane inserts) between those 2 slices of bread. there was guilt. and fear. and insecurity.

no more.

i'm bringing grilled cheese back.

goat gouda. wheat-free chia bread. a touch of basil.

grape tomatos add a finishing touch.

an inadvertent heart!

reclaiming a long-forsaken favorite food has prompted a flurry of retrospective culinary projects.

one morning, i awoke with a sudden craving for homestyle biscuits (just like the pillsbury package - but far healthier!)

another day, all i wanted was baked beans (you know the ones in a can? nast)

fresh pinto beans. couple dollops of pumpkin & maple syrup.

with the spirit of reclaiming the past, came celebrations of the future. the boy turned 25! of course, food took center stage.

for his special birthday dinner:

'cream' of broccoli soup (vegan)

quinoa with mandarin oranges, pecans, and cranberries (inspired by angela)

...and lastly, organic lamb burgers!

the boy approved.

toiling away in my tiny kitchen, i had a profound revelation. i was assessing the seeming contradiction in the vegan broccoli soup nestled side by side the meaty hunks of lamb. lamb, like all meat products, is a rarity in my house - and yet, i adore it. now, perhaps more than ever do i appreciate a good piece of organic, protein-filled meat. i credit my 90% vegan lifestyle for deepening my love for food - and specifically, for the kinds of food that stem from the life of another being.

the more i 'pretend' to be vegan, the more i find myself increasingly satisfied with this way of life. living in the trend-ridden society that we do certainly helps - considering veganism is a fashion du jour; however, i really do see and feel the benefits of animal-fee choices.

every day i make new discoveries and embrace new substitutions. for instances, who knew creamy broccoli soup could be made with tofu?!

blend silken tofu:

and mix with pureed broccoli/onions. true, the tofu looks far from appetizing in blended form - but the soup was so delicious i was successfully able to feed it to an avowed tofu hater, without him being any the wiser :) while i'll never be the girl that serves tofurky or does a meatless thanksgiving (sacrilege!), on a daily basis - for me, vegan is the way to go.

of course, birthday festivities mean baking! vegan baking! i made an enormous batch of mama pea's dough balls (a blog world sensation). euff. simply divine.

plus, these absolutely amazing coconut-milk cupcakes:

hilarity ensued in the form of a popcorn + coconut themed party.

organic popcorn!

real coconuts!

the coconut water went into the rum punch, and the meat was baked and handed out in chunks to the party people. strange, yet a crowd-pleaser nonetheless.

new goals:

i have less than i month left of this semester - and the pressure is on. oddly enough, i've never looked forward to returning to the mountain more than this. i am so excited! i long for christmas at home. for the spacious kitchen and clean woodsy air. for chocolates and tea downtown. for presents! because of this, i've decided to go home early and complete my schoolwork from there. for now, the task at hand is to make it to dec 10.

per our annual tradition, my family will be spending thanksgiving with me here in canada. here is what i hope to accomplish by the time they arrive:

- pick some new and creative thanksgiving recipes (that won't frighten the palates of our more gastronomically timid guests)

- keep plugging away at these papers (the whole foods cafe is my new favorite study spot - plenty of room, coffee, snacks!)

- start a new workout challenge (discovered on healthy tipping point): two hundred squats and two hundred situps —> a 6 week program that gradually builds you up to being able to do 200 consecutive squats and situps respectively. sounds admirable and doable. hopefully should only require 10 minutes or so in the morning.

current obsessions:

breaking out the christmas music. mushrooms and more mushrooms. starbucks joy tea. figuring out the future.

hira: back to basics

current location: torino, italia. chugging water. really.

your week in the city looks fabulous--candles 79 sounds so familiar. proud (but not surprised in the least) that you went to a vegan restaurant and didn't feel like you were missing out. you look lovely.

i'm trying to recall the last week--what i have been doing, with whom i have been, places i've seen. it frightens me that it all seems like one long night at Murphy's. i guess i've been frequenting the usual places along vittorio emanuele a little too often this past week or so--while i've met some amazing people from italy, norway, ireland---i can't help but feel a bit sloppy.

what a horrid word.

steps i will take to revive the very reasons for coming to torino:

1. long walks. the weather is not that bad. the leaves are colorful. and air is crisp.

2. rediscover the joy in cooking for myself. slowly.

3. practice my italian with my friends, even if they want to practice their english. go to the states.

4. shop. shoes. (this is important, not so much for the product, but for the act that involves wandering. i like to wander).

current obsessions: mushrooms, sauteed with balsamic, garlic and onion. plated with a rustic guacamole--simple, filling lunches. shawls in place of jackets during fall transition.

grateful that i have friends who share a love of traveling and learning--thinking of you often, and living your adventures as well as mine. egypt, guatemala, austria, italia.

for the weekend: hiking. parks. gardens. lots of yoga.

hira: apertivo culture and fine piemonte dining

current location: pane amore, via madama cristina. with sarah. (friendly owners, the best chocolate muffins, and wireless. soothingly familiar feelings.)

there is a beautiful thing about food in italia--it is everywhere. but unlike the states, it's hard to find food that is produced in mass quantities, yet retains quality and taste. affordable yet classy. traditional yet diverse. enter: the apertivo. brilliant, really, and quite a social endeavor: in addition to eating and drinking for a mere fraction of the normal cost, you also mingle with italians, americans, and other europeans. perhaps a more hira-esque alternative then multiple, consecutive nights at the same pub (ahem, murphy's.)

this week, we decided to try a new apertivo at la drogheria, in piazza vittorio venetto--the piazza that is booming in the evenings, twinkling with white lights, and provides breathtaking views over the bridge and river. a simple 5 or 6 euros will buy you a drink of choice, and unlimited access to the apertivos set out--la drogheria had grilled zucchini and eggplant, tomatos, polenta with a selection of sauces, pastas, foccacie, frittate, mele con canella (apples with cinnamon), couscous, and baskets of bread with various oils and balsamics.

cafes and small ristorante hold apertivos nightly, drawing in a number of people who love food and love to mingle. ergo, it's difficult to whip out the camera and snap photos while simultaneously balancing a glass and plate and smiling at the stranger talking to you. also, the lighting is less than stellar. i do what i can.

a beautiful night-view of piazza vittorio veneto

the road down to the bridge and river

drinks, couscous, apples and frittata

when we are not apertivo-hopping, my usual ragazze (amiche) and i are taking restaurant recommendations from the amazing daniele (i say this in hopes that he will read this...) and venturing out to try new foods. this time, we decided to celebrate at a piemonte ristorante called scannabue--located under a beautiful church at the corner of via baretti and via saluzzo. dining outside with torches of fire to provide warmth, we were first served the ultimate bread basket. i like options. this basket gave us 4 choices. next, aqua naturale and .5 litres each vino bianco and vino rosso. the owner came to greet us, and explain some items on the menu--upon his recommendation, i chose the 'guancia'--deer cheek. tipico piemonte. very soft and succulent.

getting warm--sitting outside because it was too crowded indoors!

clearly not skimping on the chocolate here...

celebrating. (hahahah)

and when i'm not eating or hiking, i am teaching this little one her english verbs. don't tell her nonna that we really spend the majority of our time simultaneously playing hangman and listening to shakira on my ipod (elisabette is a big fan).

this week: i was doing well by cooking at home and buying fresh fruits and vegetables--well, in the past week, i have eaten out too much. so this week, i am instituting clean week, italy. this includes 5 visits to the new gym i just joined (mostly because it is closed on the weekend) and cooking at home every day this week for dinner. i'm craving a detox.

obsessions: truffles. chocolate muffins at pane amore, dark-toned paisley scarves, latinos, bicerin, the return of the headband, carelessness.

currently thinking about: settlements. new ones. the ongoing struggle for justice.

i think of you often, dear. remembering the long summer days. love that you are reflecting back on the mountain and bringing it along with you. reminding me to reassess.

our story is not over.

hira: EATaly

whats a girl to do when there are no Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or My Organic Markets around? If you're anything like me, you go to EATALY. Like everything else that is slightly amusing, i am obsessed. everywhere you turn, there are rows and rows of the days best produce, hanging racks of fish and meat, baskets of fruit and shelves of balsamic and olive oil. Nestled in between the rows of cheeses and sweets, there are several places one can sit and eat, each bar concentrating on either pasta, meat, dolce, etc.

today, i'll let some photos tell you a story. im on my way to a calcio (soccccer JUVENTUS) match :)