Soy Dessert Contains Undisclosed Milk Ingredient

A week ago, on April 9th, The Canadian Food Inspection Agency released an advisory that So Good Non-Dairy dessert products contain an "undisclosed milk protein". The advisory names the vanilla flavor specifically, however, personally, I am now skeptical of all flavors across the board.

The company's website claims that the soy dessert is both free of lactose, dairy, and animal fats. Perhaps they are hiding behind this language, but I think this is pretty evil.

Admittedly, I was slowly working my way through a pint of the rich chocolate frozen dessert last week.

Now, have been left with a sour taste in my mouth.

Lola Rosa: A Vegan Treasure in the Ghetto (McGill Ghetto, that is)

The weather on the East Coast has been variable to say the least: warm Springtime one day, only to be plunged into near Winter temperatures the next. And I, at the mercy of Mother Nature's wild mood swings, was rewarded with a cold. Fingers crossed that it's the last one of the season. As I have been hiding under the covers for the last few days, I missed my usual Friday Food post.

Better late than never.

Last week, during one of said Spring days, my sister, nephew, and I made our way to Lola Rosa on Milton in the McGill Ghetto. In a former life, before Lola Rosa existed, my sister and I, ironically neither of whom a McGill student at the time, were roomies in the Ghetto. As longtime vegetarians always looking for new places to eat, had the restaurant been around in our days, we would have surely spent many an evening here.

The menu is vegetarian with many vegan options--often by simply omitting the cheese, and ranges from a standard veggie burger to a mystery dish aptly named Pleasure Pie. Flavors are a mix of Mexican and East Asian Curries.

My sister opted for the burrito. Served with a salad, and slathered with their homemade salsa, she reported that it was delicious, although I did not have a taste due to the cheese. For us vegans, however, the burrito can be served without the cheese.

Intrigued and unable to resist the lure of its name, I originally ordered the Pleasure Pie, but ended up with the hemp burger due to a light kitchen glitch. No disappointment here. Served on a classic Montreal bagel, the burger was perfectly spicy all on its own. The homemade salsa served on the side and hot peppers give it an added kick, if you so choose.


We were then spoiled and offered a dessert on the house, to make up for the Pleasure Pie mix up--although, I have to admit, that it worked in my favor. The dessert menu is a nice mix of cakes and pies, from chocolate to key lime, that includes a vegan chocolate option. No thought required on this one. Served with a raspberry couli, the vegan chocolate cake was so moist and light that it was hard to believe that it was both vegan (my sister's comment) and chocolate cake (my own). Vegan or not, I highly recommend that you make your way over to Lola Rosa simply for the cake.


A quick peak into our table's drawers gave up a cute surprise:


With a healthy coffee and tea selection as well, Lola Rosa is the perfect destination for a brunch (weekends only, with vegan options), lunch, dinner, or an afternoon (after-class) snack. Word to the wise: the portions are enormous, so come with either your appetite securely in your backpocket or ready to share. Also, the restaurant isn't very large, so either arrive early (as we did) or be prepared for a bit of a wait. We sat down for lunch around noon, and within 30 minutes all of the tables were occupied.

Cozy, surpringly good for children, and very affordable, there's no question why Lola Rosa has become popular.

I do have one teensy complaint: no vegan cheese option.

Lola Rosa: 545 rue Milton, @ Aylmer, 514 287 9337

Fact or Fiction?

You be the judge...

Chickpeas and Other Beans: Three Go-To Recipes

Truth be told, I went to the store today to fetch ingredients for my Curried Lentil Soup. Along the way, it seems I was sidetracked by the fresh scents of Spring introduced to my nose by the wind. By the time I arrived at the store, I had forgotten all about my wintery soup and instead concocted other beanie plans.

Lugging home several cans of chickpeas, I instead made a fantastic batch of Homemade Hummus, Oven Roasted Chickpeas, and a 6-Bean Mixed Salad. Admittedly, I am not exactly a culinary wonder kid, but these are all great staple recipes using ingredients both easily found in your pantry and refrigerator. Everyone needs a large repertoire of those.



1) Homemade Hummus:
1- 15 oz. can of Chickpeas
2- small cloves of Garlic
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 Lemon, juiced
Salt to taste


Step 1: Rinse chickpeas thoroughly.

Step 2: Put all ingredients in a blender, and blend, stopping every once in awhile to scrape down the sides. I found that I had to mix as well in order to achieve a smooth consistency.

Step 3: Blend to preferred consistency--stopping at a slightly chunkier mixture for a drip, and continuing onto a creamier result for a spread. Add olive oil and/or more lemon juice in order to achieve the creamy consistency.


I would highly recommend on starting with 1 clove of garlic, unless you are a garlic lover like me. The garlic can be a little overpowering. This is definitely not the hummus to bring to the office or to serve on a date. Also, make sure to go easy on the salt if using canned chickpeas.

Hummus purists will note that I omitted Tahini. I find that with a good helping of lemon juice there's really no need for it. And with the refreshing zing of the lemon, the naturally buttery taste of the naked chickpea is able to shine through. I also throw in a little lemon zest for good measure.



2) Oven Roasted Chickpeas with Cracked Pepper
1- 15 oz. can of Chickpeas
Liberal amount of freshly Cracked Pepper, to taste
Small dusting of Garlic Powder, to taste
No salt if using canned Chickpeas, but salt to taste if using dried variety

Step 1: Pre-Heat the oven to 425.
Step 2: Having drained and rinsed the chickpeas thoroughly, pat dry with clean kitchen towel. A little dampness is good, as it will help the pepper stick.
Step 3: Lay the chickpeas out on a cookie sheet, pepper to taste. Add garlic powder to taste.
Step 4: Roast chickpeas from 30 to 38 minutes, turning them over every 10 minutes or so.
Step 5: Turn off heat and let roasted chickpeas sit for about 10 more minutes.

With my oven, I roast the chickpeas closer to 30 minutes. I find that, at that point, they have started to blacken at the edges, are very crispy on the outside but still a little tender on the inside. It's preferable to let cool before serving, but, if you're like me, feel free to eat them right off the pan like popcorn.

Personally, I love this mix. The pepper stings my lips slightly, and the garlic is nothing more than a light flavor in the background. You can use paprika, curry, chili pepper powder, or anything else that suits your fancy--go wild and let your imagination soar.

And one last warning, eat these consciously. If you're not careful, you can look down and realize that you just ate an entire can of chickpeas.



3) 6-Bean Mixed Salad
1- 15 oz. can Mixed Beans of choice (any choice of bean will do from lentils to kidney beans)
3- Roma Tomatoes
1- Cucumber
2- Stalks of Green Onions
Olive Oil and Vinegar to taste
Cumin to taste
Freshly Cracked Pepper to taste
No salt for canned beans

Step 1: Drain and rinse beans thoroughly.

Step 2: Chop all ingredients and combine in large bowl.

Step 3: Toss with Olive Oil, Vinegar, and liberal amounts of Cumin and Pepper.

Anything can be done with this base--add avocado when in season, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm. Anything goes really, combining anything and everything that is in season. The key is always the cumin. Cumin, as it turns out, is the perfect accoutrement to beans, as taught to me by my best friend whose bean salad remains unrivaled to this day. It took me forever to figure out the difference between our recipes.

Light, refreshing, and satisfying, the salad can be eaten alone, as a side dish, or served on a bed of lettuce. I, honestly, live on this during the summer months.

Blame spring fever on what happened here this afternoon.

On a Chilly Friday Afternoon...

I discovered a surprising little spot for a warm, comforting, and totally sugary snack--Indigo's! Seriously. At the downtown Montreal location, they serve soy milk and a whole assortment of Skinni granola bars and cookies in the upstairs café. I opted for a soy latte and Skinni granola bar.

I searched everywhere online for Skinni products, hoping to share more locations with you. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have a website. Hours of google searching without results, although I did turn up some surprising results for "skinni in montreal"!