Archive for the ‘Good Eats’ Category
dessert, gluten-free, non-GMO, nut free, Sorelle and Co., vegan
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on July 22, 2018 at 6:38 pm
In the ever-changing Toronto landscape, it seems like there’s a new vegan restaurant or café popping up at regular intervals no matter what neighbourhood you find yourself in.
If you happen to have a sweet tooth – rush down to Sorelle and Co., and be prepared to be amazed by the confection selection. Feast your eyes on the prettiest non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, vegan, nut-free and preservative-free food you’ve ever seen.
Mind you, if you like to people watch in upscale Yorkville, it’s a great place to simply soak in the swanky decor. Be warned – unless you’re there to grab and go, be prepared to wait for a table.
Clearly it’s never been more trendy to be vegan, which to me is good news all around. Marie Antoinette would approve of the lush setting, elegant dishware and decadent desserts. It’s always a cause for celebration when vegans can have our cake and eat it, too!
baba-ghanouj, kosher, natural, non-GMO, Sunflower Kitchen dips
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on June 7, 2017 at 1:19 pm
Move over hummus. If you eat a lot of dips, like we do, then I highly recommend Sunflower Kitchen’s classic eggplant dip. Fresh, non-GMO, kosher – this company makes some of the best-quality dips you’ll ever taste. This all-time favourite makes a perfect appetizer or snack with veggies and crackers. Try it as a spread on wraps or in sandwiches. We also love it as part of a meal with flatbread or naan.
Sunflower Kitchen Baba-Ghanouj (www.sunflowerkitchen.com). However you spell it: baba ghanoush, baba ganoush, or Sunflower’s preferred baba-ghanouj – this is one delicious dip. Almost as good as homemade, perhaps even better since there’s no prep time or cleanup – it’s already made and ready to serve! PRODUCT NOTES Wonderful, smooth texture with real eggplant pieces, skin and all. Has just the right flavouring that comes from roasting the eggplant. BOTTOM LINE Look for the large container, as the small one won’t last! I normally buy two large containers each time I’m out shopping, as it seems to disappear overnight in my house. Plus, I’ve noticed it sells out fast, so clearly I’m not the only one who has discovered it. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back to any other brand. (And if you do find a better one, I’d like to know about it!)
fair trade coffee, non-dairy, organic, So Nice for Coffee, soy beverage, vegan coffee creamer, whole bean coffee
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on March 16, 2017 at 9:00 am
Not a day goes by when I don’t drink coffee. Although there may be small blips of time – like during pregnancy with my daughter, or the odd illness here and there over the years that keep me from eating. That said, we’re not talking Timmy’s here. It’s only premium whole bean, dark roasted, organic, fair trade coffee that makes the grade in our house. Yes, we refer to this black, liquid gold as our “life-saving beverage” of choice. While “please” and “thank you” have their place in our home, the real magic words uttered are, “the coffee light’s on!”
So when I became vegan, I wondered how coffee would fit into this plan since I drink my coffee regular (cream and sugar). Sure, I tried every type of non-dairy milk from hemp to almond, rice and soy milk but these watery additions only led to a sad, sludge-like end product. If you’ve ever put skim or one per cent milk into your coffee, then you know what that’s like. One glorious day, I happened on the soy creamer that dreams are made of…and once again, the day was saved – by coffee!
Sad note: As of 2019 the company has stopped making this amazing product. When I reached out to them, they mentioned a new oat-based creamer would take it’s place. Haven’t tried it yet, but will let you know when I do.
gluten-free, granola bar, Made Good, nut free, organic, snack, vegan
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on January 27, 2017 at 3:17 pm
We’ve tried a lot of granola bars in our household over the years so we know something good when we find it – particularly when it’s organic, gluten-free, nut-free and vegan. Although my daughter is now in university, she still takes snacks just about every day. Both my husband and I like to have quick-and-easy items to grab and go, too especially when you’re on the road or running errands.
Granola Minis by MadeGood If you’re searching for a healthy snack the kids will love, look no further. These tiny little morsels are filled with – believe it or not – vegetables! And yes, the pickiest kid will enjoy them not just because they are fun to eat but they taste great. PRODUCT NOTES So many good flavours to choose from – strawberry (pictured), mixed berry, apple cinnamon, chocolate chip and chocolate banana. The hard part will be deciding which one to try first. The granola bars are simply larger versions of the minis. BOTTOM LINE Perfect for school (or work) lunches, these may cost a little more than your regular snacks but the better-quality ingredients make it worth your while.
Disclosure Notice: We participate in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program, which earns fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites. Our participation does not influence our content decisions but helps to offset the costs involved in maintaining this website.
drink, ginger ale, gluten-free, hand-crafted, Health, kombucha, non-GMO, organic, raw, vegan
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on January 6, 2017 at 6:31 pm
There’s been a bad flu bug going around. Particularly during this past holiday season when most of us were getting together with family and friends. If the flu didn’t get you, perhaps the drinking, overeating, rich foods or sugary treats all took their toll.
While I was out shopping one day, I noticed a woman grabbing this item from the fridge section and was intrigued. Ginger remedies tend to be my go-to when I have stomach upset or cold symptoms. So I thought it might be a good one to try as something different while we had holiday guests. I’m sure glad I did!
Kombucha Gingerade by GT’s. I’ve never seen this line before but the fact it was organic, non-GMO, vegan and gluten free made it appealing. As you know, I am always eager to try new organic and vegan products. PRODUCT NOTES In a nutshell, it’s probably the strongest ginger ale you will ever try – with real bits of raw ginger in it. My mother didn’t like it at all but the rest of us really enjoyed drinking it. BOTTOM LINE Both my sister and cousin had a bit of stomach flu and found it helped them to recover. Plus, there was a day or two when I was also feeling a bit queasy and it immediately made me feel better! I’ll have to keep my eye out for the other flavours. If they are as good as the gingerade, it will definitely be worth the search.
cafe, Food, marinated tempeh, non-GMO, sandwich, tempeh, Tofurkey, Turtle Island Foods, vegan, Vegetarian
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on April 29, 2016 at 10:31 am
Recently while I was in Owen Sound, I visited one of my favourite cafes – The Bleeding Carrot. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend dropping by. Everything I’ve tried on their menu has been amazing. So when I asked the owner what was one of the most popular sandwiches he said, the Maple Tempeh Sandwich — it’s like a BLT but uses tempeh instead of bacon. He was quite convincing because for one, I’ve never really liked bacon so have never ordered a BLT, and secondly hadn’t tried tempeh, so I wasn’t sure if I would like it. Glad he urged me to do so. It was so good, I asked him what he used and he was kind enough to show me the package.
Marinated Tempeh by Turtle Island Foods. The people who brought you Tofurky, have also created an entire line of tempeh products. The Smoky Maple Bacon is the one I enjoyed in the sandwich so when I was in the store and saw the Sesame Garlic, I grabbed that one and the Coconut Curry, too. PRODUCT NOTES Just like bacon, the tempeh comes in strips that need to be fried up. Some, like the Coconut Curry, are heavily coated in marinate, which makes them a bit sticky when you’re peeling them apart. While we’re big fans of curries – the seasoning in this one wasn’t up to par, so much so we were afraid to try the others. Thankfully we took the plunge. BOTTOM LINE As for the flavours – Smoky Maple Bacon and Sesame Garlic – they were winners all around. Great in sandwiches, stir-fries and just as a side dish as part of a big breakfast.
Disclosure Notice: We participate in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program, which earns fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites. Our participation does not influence our content decisions but helps to offset the costs involved in maintaining this website.
almond, Chocolate, Coconut Milk, Food, Frozen bars, frozen coconut milk, frozen dessert, non-dairy, organic, So Delicious, vegan
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on July 25, 2014 at 1:07 pm
During the hot summer, there’s nothing our family enjoys more than retiring to the garden after dinner for a frozen dessert. Well, if we’re talking about these frozen dessert bars it’s easy to make any excuse to take a cool break. And since they’re dairy-free, we can all indulge in this treat every now and again.
So Delicious Mini Coconut Almond Bars As soon as we spotted these dairy-free beauties in the freezer section, we grabbed them. On closer examination my daughter noticed the NON GMO and Certified Vegan product labels, and into our cart they went.
PRODUCT NOTES From the first bite, the taste and smell of coconut was unmistakable. No watered-down flavouring here. Simply top-quality frozen coconut milk generously dipped in a crunchy and delicious chocolate-almond coating. They reminded me of my earlier dairy-filled days in terms of flavour but easily top their fat-filled competitors and pack a mere 180 calories per bar. BOTTOM LINE These bars are keepers. An amazing organic, non-dairy treat like this really has no comparison. To be honest, we weren’t really sure we’d like frozen coconut milk but now that we know how good they really are we can’t wait to try other offerings by So Delicious.
Costco, countless benefits, Food, Health, healthy eating, Hemp, Mango Coconut, Natural product, organic, protein, protein bars, Shandiz Natural Foods, super foods, vegan
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on May 28, 2014 at 10:01 am
In case you’ve missed the news on the super foods front, hemp has long been touted for its amazing nutritive value and countless benefits. There are so many products available now — from the original hemp hearts, hemp cereals, hemp milks and many things more. If you’ve been reluctant to try hemp, here’s an easy entry into healthy eating.
True to Nature bars made by Shandiz Natural Foods.
My daughter was the first to spot these bars in the snack aisles at Costco. Since we love anything hemp in our household and we’re big eaters of organic granola bars — we snapped them up to try right away. PRODUCT NOTES It’s hard to believe that something that tastes this good can also be good for you and so rich in protein! With yummy flavours like Peanut & Peanut Butter; Mango Coconut; and Chocolate Banana – who can resist such decadence? BOTTOM LINE Words of warning: can’t stop eating these. Once you try them, you’ll be hooked, too.
Cheese, Dairy, dairy-free, Daiya, Daiya Cream Cheese, Food, gluten-free, Gluten-free diet, Home, Lactose intolerance, organic, soy-free, vegan
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on November 20, 2013 at 11:08 am
Giving up dairy has been a journey in itself. At first, we went all organic and lately have tried to go entirely dairy-free. Sure we all love cheese in our family and didn’t think we could go without. Funny though, I thought I could still have a bit of cheese now and again – after all, I was the only one in our family who wasn’t lactose intolerant. And who can resist the occasional slice of pizza? Well I’ve been surprised to discover that dairy doesn’t agree with me now – after eating it, I suddenly suffer anything from congestion to stomach cramps, thank you very much.
Daiya Cream Cheese style spread. 
I’d heard about Daiya products from other vegans, so I when I saw this dairy-free, soy-free and gluten-free cream cheese style spread, I thought why not give it a try? The chive and onion flavour is our favourite particularly on fresh bagels (yes, some old habits die hard). We tried the strawberry one but it got a definite thumbs down from my daughter for being too sweet. PRODUCT NOTES Looks and tastes like the real thing. Regular cream cheese eaters will be surprised how realistic it is. BOTTOM LINE Some fake cheese products have a funny aftertaste and people I know have complained about headaches after eating them. So limit your intake, and don’t go overboard. As my Grandfather used to say, “everything in moderation.”
Chickpea, Falafel, Food, Food and Related Products, gluten-free, Hummus, Mediterranean Sea, Middle East, organic, Pita, Tahini, vegan, Vegetarian
In Good Eats, Recently Reviewed on October 3, 2013 at 10:51 am
While I’ve always enjoyed eating falafels, some friends have said that when they have falafel, they feel awful. Not so with these tasty little bites. So grab a pita or wrap and assemble your favorite salads, dips or stuffings together, and get ready to enjoy a lovely Mediterranean meal.
Sol Cuisine Organic Falafel
We’ve tried many different varieties of falafel over the years – from the mix your own kits to the pre-made variety. So far, these are the best we’ve found plus they’re organic. Perhaps it’s because they use organic ingredients they taste better! PRODUCT NOTES They look more like little pucks than veggie balls but have an authentic taste and include an organic tahini sauce – something you don’t see everyday. Having a bake option also means they’re far less greasy than the fried ones. BOTTOM LINE As a busy mom, I can’t stress how great it is to find quality organic foods you can keep in your freezer. It’s a wonderful convenience to be able to whip up a nutritious meal quickly and easily that you know your family will enjoy.
old sage hands 