Most Common Mistakes Vegans Make... I've Made 'Em All, Part 1

I have become a little lazy with blogging lately. I noticed that I am spending way too much time on facebook, LinkedIn, and the internet in general. These procrastinatory habits, along with receiving my very first rejection from a publisher letter and my incessant journal-keeping, have all led me to feel like a real writer. Finally! Yet, I think I have stated this before. Why, oh why, do I need to have these rites of passage to feel like a real writer? Well, I think it is because society does not always look highly on writers. I mean, isn't everyone writing a book? Doesn't every celebrity have a children's book or a cookbook? Aren't there a billion blogs out there? Who am I, then? Writer, shmiter. By the way, I am beginning to not like blogger/blogpost (the site in which my blog lives). The formatting over the last year sucks. I can't get the layout right and they keep updating and improving blogger until the features are unrecognizable. On another note... Recently, I have come across a few websites that are talking about common mistakes that vegans make. I found these articles helpful and wish I saw them at about the time I became vegan two years ago. Here are a few examples... These mistakes were written by Jenné Claiborne, a vegan chef, cooking instructor, and health coach from the website Amanda Rose Wellness. Here top 3 mistakes are: Mistake #1. You've unconsciously become a Bread-a-tarian I have totally been there and done that. I have toast each morning and often this is the safe go-to option when I am in a restaurant with no vegan options. Bread and salad (without creamy dressing) to be exact. (Often this is what the sympathetic waiter actually offers me as a meal with maybe... just maybe some plain rice. This is the typical scenario which led me to re-introducing cheese in such scenarios. Sniff. You made me eat... cheese.) The salad is not so bad since it may be packed with ingredients but it is hard to get that "full" feeling on leafy greens. This is where the bread comes in. It is very filling and you can dress it up with ump-teen toppings. Mistake #2: You’re not eating enough Okay, this was the case for me two years ago when I first became vegan. Oh my God. It was the first week of being vegan. The headaches, the fatigue, the bitchiness, the crankiness, the light-headed about-to-faint feeling, the I'm-still-hungry-every-hour feeling... did I mention the light-headedness. (My husband asked me if this was "de-toxing". It felt more like withdrawal from some mind-altering substance... not that I have any idea what that is about.) If you're going through this phase of veganism, get out of it REAL FAST. What did I do? Well, I said to myself, "Der gots to be a better way." I went on the internet and found the vegan food pyramid. Ta da! This Vegan Food Pyramid saved my life. I began to follow it and eat all of the servings suggested. When I did this, bought a few vegan cookbooks, and tried these meals, I not only felt full all the time, I felt GOOD. Keep in mind, while I was becoming vegan, I was also recovering from the removal of my whole thyroid, adjusting to the doses of Cytomel and then later Synthroid (the synthetic hormone to replace natural thyroid), and preparing for "going hypo" (I guess I do know about mind-altering withdrawal after all) and then radiation. Given all of this, with lots of adjustments, going vegan was do-able. Mistake #3: Being unprepared As I mentioned, in my early years of vegan-dom, I was totally unprepared. I did not have any makings of a vegan meal in my house other than a half bag of kidney beans and some rice. After I got the vegan pyramid and my cookbooks, I loaded up on such vegan staples as nutritional yeast (still don't know what that is), extra firm tofu, and almond milk. I learned to cook everything from great stews to casseroles to rice dishes to vegan pie and even Jamaican beef patties. (Please see my Vegan Photo Albums for proof.) I have also learned to travel vegan and be not so the pesky houseguest. I buy my own vegan eatables and also make plans ahead for wherever I may be staying. I go to sites like Happy Cow to find out the vegan restaurants in whichever city or community I will be in. But being unprepared is something that still happens to me. The school I teach at just so happens to be beside a Dairy Queen and a gas station. Uh oh... you can guess what happens when Blue Butterfly is at the school and has had an especially busy, hectic, noisy, hot (the portable and classrooms I teach in have no air-conditioning), long day and she is leaving the school at 6pm or 7pm? C'mon. I'm sure you can take a guess. Let me add that I did not bring any 3pm snacks and I'm also famished and I have a sweet tooth... I buy $2.00 bag of mixed-nuts... $2.00 for 75 grams of something that I can make at home for a lot cheaper and did you see the fat content? 28 grams of fat for a 75 gram bag of trail mix! Half the content of this bag is fat. OR... it gets worse. I tiptoe into Dairy Queen and I check out their flavour of the month blizzard but then I don't buy their flavour of the month blizzard. Instead, I by a mini or small Dairy Queen Turtle Blizzard with cookie dough. This is what I'm eating, people! These foods are not even vegan! Plus, if you look like on my list "Why Did I Get Thyroid Cancer?", milk is on that list. Oh... the horror! Okay, well I know the first step in recovery is to acknowledge that there is a problem. The second is to take the first step in fixing it by stocking up on vegan snacks in my classroom (a nice collection of seeds since nuts are not allowed due to the peanut allergy, dried fruit, soynut butter sandwiches, fruit, soya or coconut yogurt, a mini-fridge in my classroom to store it all) and getting my ass out of the school at a decent hour. (C'mon! Everyone knows teachers finish working at 3 o'clock. Duh!) But I shouldn't be so hard on myself. At least, I try to live a vegan existence in this meat-a-tarian world or at least this side of the world is. If I lived in many rural parts of the world and/or my fish allergy was non-existent, my diet would consist of very little meat. So at least, I am giving myself a pat on the back for making the effort. But still... they made me eat cheese.

VegNews TV: A Vegan Tour of Toronto

I'm a big fan of VegNews magazine so of course I was ecstatic that they came to Toronto to show us some love. I have been to many of the restaurants that Jasmin Singer and her crew visited in the video including Hogtown Vegan and One Love which I have reviewed on this blog. By the way, there are a lot of vegan establishments if you live in the downtown Toronto neighbourhoods like the Annex, Riverdale, Kensington Market, and Queen West. It would be totally AWESOME if you could also easily find vegan food establishments in the eastern, northern, and western ends of the city (big up Scarborough, North York, and Etobicoke).

City of Toronto Map (the light blue area is old Toronto)


Nevertheless, in Toronto, we are pretty blessed to have the variety of vegan restaurants available. I will never take for granted the fact that our street food vendors always sell veggie dogs.

Vex in the City: Part 18 Fresh

Taste of the food >< >< >< >< Very good. Fresh always comes out on top when it comes to taste.
Look of the food >< >< >< >< The presentation of the food is always well-done. It looks tasty, bright, and healthy.
Environmentally-Responsibility >< >< >< >< >< There is reuseable cutlery, plates, cups, and utensils. There is a section on their website called Sustainability which describes their environmentally responsible practices by 1) using biodegradable and compostable take-away containers, 2) cooking oils that are recycled for biodiesel purposes, 3) wastes that are composted or recycled when possible, 4) recycled paper products, and 5) biodegradable environmentally safe cleaners.
Health Savvy >< >< >< I did not see any print or online material about the benefits of eating food at this restaurant. However, I like that the vegetable juices, shakes, and beverages are available. There are also E3 Live shots and Elixirs which are described in the menu with a number of health benefits.
Hospitality/Warmth >< >< >< >< >< The staff was very friendly. Since this a large eatery, there is a host and then a team of waiters so you do not sit for long without service.
Décor/Vibe >< >< >< >< >< The decor was very modern and funky. Compared to the decor of the old location, I love the use of orange, green, blue, and accents of purple. See the cover of the cookbook below to get a better idea of what the inside looks like.
Added Perks >< None. They did not know I was doing a restaurant review.
Ethical and Community-Minded >< >< >< >< There is a bit of information where groups and communities could place some information. Plus, they have a website a

Price (for a main course)
$0 - $9 to $30 - $39 It really depends what you order and eat.

I used to go to Fresh a-l-o-t. Too many times to count. My boyfriend (currently my fiance) and I would go there and each time and order the same thing. He would have the Buddha Bowl and I would eat Dosas. We loved their sweet potato fries, their cashew cookies, and he would always order one of their overpriced juices. I would always think that they were overpriced since I knew I could make the same thing at home a lot cheaper but so is the experience of eating at a restaurant. There came a time when we went to Fresh so much that we got tired of it. All the food began to taste the same.

Years and years ago, I purchased their cookbook for $15 which was a wise investment. This was my first foray into vegetarian cooking. At the time, I found the recipes long, complicated, cumbersome (I like that word), and overwhelming. (I have come a long way since then.)

It had been a few years since my last Fresh visit. In fact, since I became vegan this year, I went to Fresh three different times. Bragging three locations in Toronto (I've only been to one), Fresh has become an institution of great plant-based cuisine. It is also probably the easiest "crossover" menu for the non-veg crowd. (Many of my non-vegan friends have been to Fresh.) I noticed a few changes. First, the menu was expanded to include a wider variety of items. Second, they have a lot more vegan-friendly items. Third, I missed their food, the taste, and variety. On each of my three visits, I had difficulty selecting an item from their menu. Fresh is definitely a must-visit eatery if you are ever in Toronto.

Visit One
I met up with a friend to catch-up in the summertime.




My friend had this fruit juice which I do not remember what it was but she loved it.

I had the All Green juice which was very refreshing and tangy.

The infamous cashew cookie.



Visit Two
Breakfast of Champions. I had a wonderful brunch with survivors to say goodbye to Agnes who is moving across the country. I will miss you Agnes.
The Blueberry Almond Pancake Platter

The Banana Nut Pancakes

I had The Full Breakfast. It was very delicious. The scrambled tofu was amazing and I loved the veggie sausage.



Visit Three
This was from a visit with my fiance and Cid Palacio of the Art for Cancer Foundation. This was Cid's first visit to Fresh.
The Detoxifier juice

I had the Mushroom Onion Burger with Daiya cheese. It tasted very good but they could have melted the Daiya cheese before serving it to me. I could have sent it back but had it just the same. I enjoyed the slaw on the side as well as the yummy sweet potato fries.

The infamous Buddha Bowl.

The amazing vegan carrot cake,

Not to be outdone by the cashew cookie.


The latest Fresh cookbook which shows the interior of the Annex location that I visited.

Vex in the City: Part 17 Mela

Taste of the food >< >< >< The first time meraviglioso, quattro farfalle (splendid, four butterflies). The second time not the greatest preparation, due farfalle (two butterflies) .
Look of the food >< >< >< The presentation of the food was still appealing (unless you looked under my very scorched panini which was all black).
Environmentally-Responsibility >< >< >< There is reuseable cutlery and plates. I also like that clients may dine on the sidewalk in the summer time. I have also seen the owner open the large garage door to adjust the temperature of the restaurant which indicates to me that less energy is being consumed.
Health Savvy >< I did not see any print or online material about the benefits of eating food at this restaurant.
Hospitality/Warmth >< >< The first time I went in April, the owner/chef was so warm and friendly. In December, he was less social. The staff person was nice enough but she did not inquire about my meal or check on me.
Décor/Vibe >< >< >< >< The decor was clean, bright, fresh, and simple and fun. The orange walls, stools, and little knick knack crafts made Mela Vegetarian feel almost more European. The large window welcomes light and a view of the busy street. Mela is small and cozy.
Added Perks >< None
Ethical and Community-Minded >< >< There is a bit of information where groups and communities could place some information however Mela has no website and from what I can tell, no outreach.

Price (for a main course)
$ 0-$ 9 >< I have only been to Mela during lunchtime so I know that you can eat a meal for this price but it does not include a drink or dessert.

Sometimes one restaurant visit just does not give you a full picture of the quality of the food or the service. The first time I went to Mela Italian Vegetarian Magic Cafe was una bell'esperienza (nice experience). Mela serves both vegetarian and vegan options. The chef and proprietore (owner) called me signorina, got to practice my "broken Italian" (I studied Italian for four years in elementary school and one course in university), and the food was amazing. I felt like a valued customer as evident in one of my first blog posts here. So you could say I was looking forward to visiting Mela the next opportunity that became available. Dove e la magia? Where was the magic? I must say that my second and most recent visit to Mela was cosi-cosi (so-so). First of all, the owner did not deal with me directly but spoke through his staff member which I thought was rude. Okay, okay, he may have been busy this time but I was asking if I could take photos and review the restaurant. She said, "Yes". Then when I left, I expected a warm "good bye, thanks for your patronage" but that did not happen. Plus, the eggplant vegan panini that I had months ago paled in comparison to the one that I had on my second visit. First, the inside of the sandwich was a bit cold and then the bottom was completely black (charred) plus it was the last one. Thank God, my company was amazing-- the pastor at my church. She had vegetarian pie and really enjoyed it. I think I could have chosen to exchange the meal but it did not occur to me since I was so engrossed in conversation. C'mon Mela. This was your chance to score extra brownie points from me but I'm sorry that you missed the mark this time.








She had this loaf/pie which contained different veggies (I don't remember which ones). She really enjoyed it.


The beautiful eggplant parmigiana (vegan version) panini which looks a little well-done from the top...

but burned to a crisp on the bottom.

Vex in the City: Part 16 Kale

Taste of the food >< >< >< >< Light, fresh, and tasty.
Look of the food >< >< >< >< I like the look of the food. It is so simple and vibrant and fresh. The greens never look wilted or unappetizing.
Environmentally-Responsibility >< >< >< >< I see an environmentally responsible approach with Kale. You can choose to place the food in a biodegradable take-out container or use dishware and cutlery. They also try to use locally grown produce whenever possible.
Health Savvy >< >< >< >< I am not sure about the answer to this one. I did not see signs around the establishment to describe the health benefits. The website describes Kale as a "vegan organic macrobiotic" eatery. They also are trying to offer customers "the opportunity to make good decisions quickly by serving fast and nutritious lunches and dinners". However, they are not overt or "preachy" about this message. They could use some literature or some small pamphlet about their philosophy.
Hospitality/Warmth >< >< >< >< The staff was friendly. The owner was made aware that I was reviewing her business but I don't feel like they went "out of their way" on my account. It is also a pretty independent experience since it is self-serve buffet-style.
Décor/Vibe >< >< >< >< The decor was clean, bright, fresh, and simple. I loved the series of black and white photos featuring green kale. The large window welcomes light and a view of the busy street.
Added Perks >< I did not receive any perks or freebies for reviewing this spot.
Ethical and Community-Minded >< >< Kale offers a healthy alternative to its customers. Although this is an area of growth for them.

Price (for a main course including dessert and drink)
$ 10-19 >< >< Very reasonable especially for organic vegan food. For around $ 15, I had a meal with coconut water and dessert.

It's always nice to find a hidden neighbourhood gem. Tucked in the bustling and burgeoning neighbourhood of Yonge and Eglinton amid condos, office towers, and store-front boutiques and shops is the only vegan/vegetarian restaurant for miles-- Kale. I have passed this place countless times over the last year and a half without venturing in but once. Recently, I found out that the owners' of this restaurant are the same folks who ran Sunny Cafe located inside Noah's Natural Foods on Bloor. When I lived in the Annex, I loved to visit the family-run Sunny Cafe for their prepared vegan food buffets-- the steamed fresh kale and broccoli, the juicy beets, the baked tofu, the banana balls, and amazing rice salad. Mmmm... I love to savour those delicious memories. So when I found out the news that I could enjoy those same treats in a pleasant "sit down" atmosphere, I had to make my next lunch plans at Kale. I met my old college roommate and friend Amy for lunch. She is also a bit of a "foodie" and inspired me years ago when she would make the most amazing meals in our basement apartment. We were university students and my other roommates and I (there were five of us living in that basement apartment) tended to make quick and prepared meals with our short schedules. Not Amy, she would bake and cook comfort foods with standards beyond the typical "college diet". We had a pleasant lunch which was very delicious and affordable. The nice thing about a vegan buffet is that there is lots of variety and the foods are consistently fresh. The price was also quite reasonable for what you get and the place was bustling with a lot of clients coming in. You also get a revolving selection of items so there is plenty of variety and you never quite know what you'll get when you visit but one item is always sure to be there-- lots and lots of fresh kale.





The very famous Kale.




Vegan food buffet-style!


I got all this for about $ 13. There is coconut water in the glass. On the plate, steamed kale, beets, roasted potatoes, Thai rice noodles, potato perogies, baked tofu, curried tofu salad, and other items to taste and nibble.


This is what Amy got for about $7.


The dessert pastry was about $3. Amy let me sample some. It was an apple cinammon dessert and very tasty.


My all-time $ 2 favourite-- banana ball which is made raw from bananas, walnuts, carob, and dates (I think).

Vex in the City: Part 15 Loving Hut

Taste of the food >< >< >< Good, it was nice but nothing too spectacular
Look of the food >< >< >< >< They made this look like food I wished to eat. A little effort goes a long way.
Environmentally-Responsibility >< >< >< >< >< I think Loving Hut ranks high on this one. Besides having reusable cutlery and literature on environmental responsibility, their slogan includes the line "Go Green!" and "Save the Planet".
Health Savvy >< >< >< >< Organic, non-GMO, no MSG food is great. They did have some health literature as well. Showing the benefits to going vegan on their menu or board would have given five butterflies.
Hospitality/Warmth >< >< >< >< The staff was very friendly. My waitress seemed very sincere and so happy that I thought she could not wait to share the bounty of vegan cooking.
Décor/Vibe >< >< The decor was a bit drab and boring.
Added Perks I did not put a rating here since they did not know I was conducting a review nor did I receive any freebies.
Ethical and Community-Minded >< >< >< >< >< Loving Hut is reaching out through its online presence, message, and connection with the Toronto Vegetarian Association. There is a lot of literature in the restaurant and since Loving Hut is an international chain, it has a worldwide community which is evident through Supreme Master Ching Hai's broadcasts with a gazillion different subtitles.

Price (for a main course including appetizer)
$ 10-19 >< >< Very reasonable especially for organic non-GMO vegan food.

Loving Hut: Restaurant or cult? You decide. (Mwahaha.) When I learned that my friendly neighbourhood Loving Hut could be both, I hesitated on visiting this establishment. I read about Loving Hut being an alleged cult in the September 2010 issue of VegNews (one of my favourite magazines) in an article called "Mysteriously Supreme". When I tried to find the article to site, I could not but what I did find was a lot of criticism and objection to VegNews printing this piece. This controversy piqued my interest further especially so many Loving Hut-philes defended this business. Loving Hut, founded by Supreme Master Ching Hai a spiritual leader and entrepreneur from Taiwan (born in Vietnam), is the world's largest chain of vegan restaurants now at around 200 locations.

Supreme Master Ching Hai


A few theories surround the origin of Supreme Master Ching Hai and depending on who you listen to (in this case wikipedia)), she is "a poet, painter, musician, self-published writer and entrepreneur who heads the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, a business group with worldwide interests in restaurants, fashion and jewellery design". Influenced by Buddhism, she developed the Quan Yin Method encouraging people to look within to find their own greatness. All this aside, Supreme Master Hai is an entrepreneurial genius. With her chain of restaurants, she has spread the vegan message worldwide with the slogan: "Be Veg! Go Green! Save the planet!" Sounds good to me, indoctrination aside.

So what was it like to eat at the Loving Hut , one of three such restaurants in Canada?

Loving Hut reminded me of a lot of Asian restaurants I have been to. The interior decor is very simple and the food is great. There is a "Vegan Wall of Fame" which I appreciated. There are tons of pamphlets and books that promote the Toronto Vegetarian Association, plant-based foods, and veganism. This mini-library was right at the front of the store. There was just one thing, actually two. There were two flat-screen televisions hung at both ends of the small restaurant that displayed Supreme Master Ching Hai delivering a speech to a group of onlookers. I could not hear her speech since the volume was off but there were about twelve subtitles on the screen as she spoke.

The Loving Hut-- where dogma and palette collide




Vegan Wall of Fame featuring such celebs as Alicia Silverstone, Gandhi, Coretta Scott King, and Pierce Brosnan.


Screen #1 in operation


Screen #2 was also in operation


I was craving some serious fried food. These spring rolls were really good.


This Savoury Crisp was breaded deep-fried TVP with two dipping sauces.


They also came with fries. Ugh, my arteries. All this fried-ness is a rarity in my books but SOOOOO good.