Yummy Things I like to share & Friends from That Cold Province next door

So I have to say, as always with 'long' weekends, they go by way too fast.  Another holiday without family, kind of a drag, but managed to get some boyfriend-family time.

I picked up the divine bread from A Bread Affair and if you should find yourself in downtown Langley, make sure go in and get a dozen loaves.  For reals.  Especially the garlic/asiago, ridiculously awesome.

Somehow we made our way to West Van after meeting friends, Mark and Amee for a great lunch at Yaletown Brewery. What a great Vancouver day! The sun was shining, the wine was cold, it was perfectly warm on the patio- was great to see them since they moved to chilly Edmonton.
                                        
                                        But we definitely missed Kerri & Lars :(

Naturally, when one is in West Van, one must go to Whole Paycheque.

Since I couldn't go broke on this visit, I picked up only a few things.  One of my new favourite things is Little Creek vinaigrette.  So dang awesome, you would have NO idea it is Vegan!  Adding to the awesomeness is that these are made organically and within our very own kick ass province; Okanogan Lake, Kewlona!


PS: I recommend you pronounce it KAY-Lowna... with some silly voice of your choice.

You MUST buy this. Today.

Some other yummy goodies I grabbed were the grilled veggies from the stupendous selection in the deli case.  I always look forward to shopping the pre-made salads and such because they are so darn good!  They have an amazing macaroni summer salad but unfortunately they haven't started making it yet.  Maybe by this weekend????

So for dinner, since I was lazy and had a nice wine buzz, I thought I would go all Mediterranean: grilled bread with Earth Balance - I choose the soy free because frankly, the jury is still out on the advisable amount of soy one should have:

This stuff is beyond better than butter.  Butter now tastes weird to me.
And my colourful finds from Whole Foods deli, paired of course with some nice BC wine:

Warm bread, roasted potatoes, grilled veggies: 

This is my kind of dinner, so easy, yummy and fresh. 

On to Easter Sunday, also known as Game 6 day.  I was perplexed as how to make a warm traditional Easter meal, since now I am meat free.  No glazed ham (apparently piggies are as smart or smarter than dogs dontchya know....http://www.relfe.com/pigs.html ).  No tender roast in the crockpot :( , no painstaking long turkey prep :).

So what is a vegetarian to do?  I searched online of course for suggestions, and really came up with most things I could have figured out on my own, like "festive risotto" and 'easter' lasagne.  Really?  Come on, it is SO not the same.  Since I was under the impression we were having the boyfriends' nephews and sister over, I thought I would pick up some goodies and have an Easter BBQ instead, with the veggie burgers I grabbed in West Van, and veggie dogs for the boys.

I was mistaken.  Since this was Game 6 day, there was only going to be the nephews and festive PIZZA!  *sigh*

Since I was already uninspired by my internet search for amazing Easter recipes for the veg-heads, I succumbed to the delivery of greasy grub.  And because we were in Surrey, and not my hometown of Abbotsford, we couldn't order the world's greatest pizza from AhBeetz.  Therefore I did not partake in photographing the Panago dinner.

And we all now know that Game 6 day is but a mere memory, thankfully, now onto smash the Thrashers!!!

My First Post!

First things first:  Happy Easter!  Happy Birthday to my dearest bestie, Julie!  And of course Happy Earth Day!

Since I haven't entirely decided what my blog will focus on, I will say that I am inspired by fellow blogger and friend, Yolanta:  http://flirtingwithkind.blogspot.com/ who is attempting The Kind Diet.
Therefore, since I have become a vegetarian I will certainly share my adventures with veggies.

I couldn't go whole hog (pardon the pun) vegan.

I must have cheese.  And there is no way that soy cheese is cheese.  I was raised with an appreciation of amazing cheese, and happily my palette is diverse.  And since I'm up against a newly minted hunter-sister who happens to be a Chef du Fromage, I would hate to visit her and my brother in law and miss out on some serious cheese tastiness.  I will happily continue to stay true to my animal loving ways though- but I will enjoy some organic cheeses.  I'm saying 'cheese' way too much here.

And really....I LOVE Mac N Cheese.  There's that word again.  But for the most part, I try not to overdue the cheese because of the calories and fat.  Another adventure I'm constantly enduring: weight loss. UGH.

So for today, since it's noon and I've been absolutely unproductive, I will drag my behind out into the sunny world and head to Langley for some life changing bread from A Bread Affair.  You must get there if you have not already- artisan, healthy, organic loaves of divine heaven.  Low carb diet?  Not here!  www.abreadaffair.com

And off to get some groceries for tonights' dinner with 'the man' > organic ravioli with gorgonzola and walnuts.

Caio!