Exciting new brunch menus!

It's January, which means lots of people make resolutions like "have breakfast every day," and then they find out that breakfast happens in the morning, and it all breaks down.  Never fear, that exactly why people invented brunch!

Brunch at Teatree Cafe

New Live interior

The fine folks at Teatree Café and Eatery (867 Danforth Avenue (e. of Jones), 416-901-9089) have new brunch offerings including a vegan cornmeal flapjack with homemade raspberry jam and pure maple syrup, along with a rum-raisin french toast with oatmeal bread and orange slices.

Live Organic Food Bar (264 Dupont St at Spadina, 416-515-2002) is also featuring brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-3, with a menu including donuts, omelets, French toast, burritos and waffles on the cooked side and on the raw side French toast, crepes, quiche, tacos and more.  They've also got some great new cocktails including something called the Scottish Kaiser.  If you can't get out of bed in time for Brunch, or even Sunday, Live can still hook you up: TVA members get 10% off from 4pm onwards Monday to Wednesday, excluding liquor.

New Locations

Last month we asked our readers about the new Urban Herbivore location, and we got feedback from two of you!  Brandy writes "the new Urban Herbivore is opening at College and Dovercourt, inside the new Octopus Yoga building, just west of the YMCA. i went by it yesterday and it looks ready to go. A server at Fressen last night said opening was happening this Sunday." Shawn writes "The secret new location is in the yoga studio Octopuses' Garden.  They've moved from the Annex to a new spot on College St just West of Dovercourt.  Urban Herbivore have been working on the new restaurant space in the yoga studio but still not open." ** Update! We called the Augusta location and they said the new location is OPEN at 967 College Street, inside Octopus Garden Yoga Centre

Save the date!

Here's a heads up that one special night in February there will be the annual Chocolate Party at Panacea. What is a chocolate party? Boardwalk Chocolates sets out samples - that you eat for free. Yep that's it. No strings! More details as we get closer to the howling winds of February. For now, just circle the entire month in your calendar.

EarthMade desserts

Waaaaaay up there

Since the new Toronto mayor's plan to extend subway service is bound to include Barrie, let's just go ahead and include that city in our updates, shall we?  People, it's a vegan bakery, you'll make the trip, trust me, and they're willing to arrange delivery for a fee, so check out EarthMade, which, well, here's what they had to say: "at EarthMade, we specialize in vegan baked goods. All products are 100% natural, vegan (free from dairy, eggs or other animal by-products), preservative free, free from artificial colours and flavours and free from refined sugars and flours. Organic ingredients are used whenever possible. We also make gluten-free, nut-free and sugar free treats, to suit your dietary needs. HandMade, HomeMade, EarthMade."  Orders can be placed by phone at 705-716-5733 or by emailing info@earth-made.ca .

And if Barrie's too local for you, how about North Bay?  Veg Out Organic Beverage Bar uses only healthy, whole, organic ingredients to create beverages such as fresh fruit smoothies and freshly-made juices. They also prepare light lunch items, raw desserts and healthy snacks.  You can find them at 207 Ferguson Street, 705-495-0020.  Or just, you know, head North.

In the News

Vegetarian Haven's head chef Jack Li was featured in the Toronto Star's Chef's Showcase, which included a recipe for Shanghai Noodles.

The Globe and Mail ran a profile of vegan meal delivery service Tiffinday this month, including a huge photo gallery. Tiffinday specializes in vegan lunch deliveries right to your office.

T.O.F.U. magazine has a new issue out!  To promote the issue, editor Ryan Patey has been profiling a number of Toronto-based advertisers and contributors, including Toronto's own Sweets From the Earth, Boardwalk Chocolates, and Zoe Rasputin from Veg*n Adventures and Socials in Toronto.

A new hotspot - with a veg menu!

Barbi pointed out some of the buzz around Woodlot, which features a separate vegetarian menu and is apparently so busy you need to make a reservation a week or so in advance!  We can't find the link, but the Toronto Star compared the two menus last month and we're told the veg options won out on almost all of the dishes.  Woodlot is at 293 Palmerson (at College) and Michelle posted some nice comments about the menu options over on Yelp .

Findings on Twitter

te aro storefront

Te Aro (983 Queen East) tweeted "Delicious vegan baked goods from @BunnersBakeShop have arrived.....yuuuuummmmmm!!!" As we noted last month, Bunner's has their own location at 3054 Dundas St W if you want togo straight to the source, but Te Aro has a lot of great vegan options for those of you on that side of the city!

W Burger Bar (10 College St) reached out to us with this tweet: "Come check out our homemade veggie burgers! They're vegan and delicious!!" so we checked in with them for more info. The burgers are made from carrot, green pepper, red pepper, canola oil, veggie grind, tofu, veggie base, garlic, flour and oatmeal.  The buns are baked in house but are brushed with egg whites, so if you want a fully vegan option you can order the burger in a lettice wrap.  They also have a portobello mushroom burger that is egg and dairy free (again, minus the bun) and feature a variety of vegetarian soups.
 
Finally, Facebook's the same thing as Twitter, right?  Anyway, TVA got this message from Deena: "I have been enjoying the restaurant: Cool Hand of a Girl. It's on Dundas St. West in Toronto, just east of Keele St. and it's open for lunch. Try their grilled tofu sandwich with organic coleslaw side with pumpkin seeds. Very satisfying." You can find them at 2804 Dundas Street West, (416) 832-1076.

	Tweet if you love TVA! Come follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/torontoveg We’re on Facebook Join the Toronto Vegetarian Association Facebook Group to receive invitations to events and more! Want even more news? Want even more news? TVA members are entitled to a free customized version of VegE-News. Find out more.

Happy New Year from the Toronto Vegetarian Association!

We welcome you to this year with some NEW features in eLifelines for 2011. We heard your feedback, and we're excited to bring you more stories, more restaurant reviews, and inspiring tidbits of animal and vegetarian advocacy in the city.

We'd also like to give a warm welcome to new columnist Andrea Gourgy who will be joining veteran Amy Symington in bringing you monthly nutritional information and recipes. Both graduated from George Brown's Culinary Management and Nutrition Program, with a certificate in vegetarian cuisine, so they'll be sure to tempt your palates, starting with this month's molasses.

Don't Miss These Upcoming Events!

The Health Starts Here Cooking Series is back for 2011, starting on January 30th with Resolution Revolution: Revamping Ideas About Diet Foods. Find out more in the TVA in Action section.

Do you remember tasting salted caramel cupcakes? Dan's fabulous fudge? Chocolate triple nut tart?

Well now you can try them again using your very own copy of the Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off Book of Recipes! 

We hope you'll enjoy this e-book of winning recipes from the last three years of the Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off.

Click here to download your copy of Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off Book of Recipes.

Whether it is Christmas, Chanukah, Solstice, or Kwanzaa – enjoy a vegetarian feast. We have links to the best recipes, tips on what to serve, gift suggestions, and E-card links. Plus, how to avoid stress when vegetarians and meat eaters will be at the same meal.

Celebrating in Toronto 

See Where to find holiday fare in Toronto

This holiday season, you can promote vegetarianism and support rescued farm animals at the same time, by making a tax-deductible donation today to our Support Local Farmed Animal Sanctuaries campaign.

We need your help to continue our campaign working with Animal Outreach, a registered charity that supports farm sanctuaries in Ontario directly and raises awareness of the impact that a non-vegetarian diet has on animals. Local sanctuaries like The Roosters Inn, Cedar Row, Ruby Ranch, Snooters, and Refuge RR for Horses/The Canadian H.E.A.R.T need support to pay for expenses associated with saving and nurturing their rescued animals. 

When you donate today, your donation has a double impact; half of all funds raised will go to Animal Outreach to support animals like Featherbottom, Norman & Ashli. The other half of your donation will support the Toronto Vegetarian Association’s work to inspire people like Derek & Zita to choose a healthier, greener, more peaceful lifestyle.

Your charitable donation this holiday season will make a difference to the lives of animals and people. Please make a donation today!

Please make sure to specifiy if you would like your holiday donation directed to the Support Local Farmed Animal Sanctuaries campaign.

1. Give a Gift of Compassion:

Choose any two hardcover books from this set for $50: Farm Sanctuary, Eating Animals, Diet for a Hot Planet, and The Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath: Some Paradoxes of Human-Animal Relationships

Also see "Where to find holiday fare in Toronto"

New in Catering!

Yummy food from A Vegan Affair

A Vegan Affair Event Catering stopped by the TVA office last month to demonstrate some of their meal options (pictured on the right.)  TVA staff were treated to curried white bean zucchini tomato soup (served with quinoa and sprouts,) mini pizzas with pesto sauce, and raw pie. Not to sound biased, but it was all insanely delicious and far more attractive than these photos could capture! Their catering options include bringing food to your location with or without meal service, and a beautiful event facility is available North of Toronto as well.

New Bakery!

Bunner's Bakeshop has opened a storefront location at 3054 Dundas St W in the Junction. They will offer a retail ‘grab&go’ bakery, catering for special events and parties, an online store complete with ‘direct to door’ delivery service, and a wholesale operation for cafés and stores looking to carry a delicious vegan / gluten-free option for their customers. “It all began with a single batch of cookies, made for friends, which I dubbed the ‘Supersonic Gypsy Cookie’ (due to its energy increasing, protein-packed power ingredients,)” said owner Ashley Wittig. “It was full of seeds, oats, vegan chocolate chips and cranberries and people we’re amazed with how rich and satisfying it tasted. Since then I’ve expanded the line to include over 20 unique and delicious products, but the Gypsy remains our bestseller."

New Restaurant Locations!

We received an update from Rawlicious: "Rawlicious has been serving healthy, delicious raw vegan meals for the past two and a half years out of their Junction area restaurant in Toronto’s west end. In an effort to make this type of healthy alternative available to many more people, they have just opened their second location in downtown Toronto, steps from Yonge and Bloor at 20 Cumberland Street.  Well beyond carrot sticks and celery, their menu offers pizza, wraps, smoothies, salads, brownies, ice cream and much more. The raw food movement has been gaining momentum in all parts of the world, particularly within the celebrity culture, and is definitely here to stay. Rawlicious wants to make sure that this type of food is available to people in all cities and towns, regardless of the size of the population. They are also offering franchises for sale across the country."

Toronto's second Loving Hut location is opening soon! Enjoy tasty inexpensive meals at 140 Spadina Avenue at Richmond. We've been told that opening day is December 17, so you should probably call first: 647-351-7618. Updated: now open!

New in the Discount Program!

Martin Aiello is a vegan realtor serving the GTA, and he's offering $500 cash back on the purchase or sale of a home in the GTA to TVA Discount Card holders.

Renovations & New Discount!

Jennifer at  Live Food Bar  says she'll be closing on Dec 2, reopening January 2 and that they're doing full renovations. Visit in the new year and check out their fresh new look! Starting January 2nd they will have an all new organic vegan brunch menu including frittatas, donuts, waffles, raw and cooked French toast! They are going to offer a welcome-back 15% discount to Vegetarian Discount Card holders during the month of January for Monday - Wednesday after 4 p.m.

New rumours!

We've heard news that Urban Herbivore might be opening a 2nd location but we haven't gotten any confirmation yet.  Does anyone have any news?  Email us on this (or any other tip) and you can receive fame and fortune.  Well, mostly fame.  Unless you want a code name like "Deep Green."

We also spotted this tweet from Sadie's Diner : "Vegan doughnuts have arrived! Vegan doughnuts have arrived!"  Sometimes you don't need to dig any deeper and just start running, right?  Update! The doughnuts are coming in from Rise Above Bakery + Catering, and they've been arriving for the past two Fridays.  Mmmmm....

Image from Burrito Bike

New nothing-like-this-before!

Remember Dial-A-Bottle? This is better... place your order online and have a veg or vegan burrito pedal-powered over to you, for only $7!  Burrito Bike make deliveries to downtown locations between 6pm and 1am on Friday nights. Place your order via via Facebook, email or call them on Friday night at (416-948-6676.) Read more about it here: Torontoist and EYE. 

New all you can eat goodness!

We told you about Saravanaa Bhavan's new location in Brampton back in October. Now they are offering all-you-can-eat buffet from 12-3 daily. There are many all vegetarian items to choose from, and only 3 options are not vegan. The friendly staff serve you fresh dosa crepes to your table hot off the grill!  Located in the Bramalea City Centre complex, in the Queen Street and Dixie Rd corner.  Open 7 days a week, 12pm-3pm and 5pm-10pm 

New Coffee!

The free nightly newspaper T.o.night tipped us off to The Grind House at 281 Augusta Avenue: "The Grind House is a new cafe in Kensington Market...If you're vegan, celiac or just plain picky you can definitely find something to eat here."  I stopped by to check it out and was told there's always a vegan soup or chill as well as vegan smoothies, and they're working on bringing in more vegan baked goods.  Oh, and they've got one of those fancy Clover coffee machines that you might want to try.

Do you have a hot lead on the Next Big Thing in our increasingly vegetarian Toronto?  Let us know so we can have an amazing set of updates in January to kick off 2011!

John is flying solo today, but that’s not going to stop him from expressing his excitement over some recent events.  Last weekend John had the chance to do some fine dining in Northern California.  He reports that the hype around Millennium restaurant is entirely true.  Also, he had a great time eating (and being serenaded) at Gracias Madre.  When he wasn’t eating at these places he happily ate tortillas and avocados. 

John also has other reasons to be excited.  Next weekend he is going to be at an all vegan wedding; he may get drunk off of vegan cupcakes and lose all inhibitions and join in the karaoke festivities.  On top of this, John purchased a dehydrator; this means that his kitchen is going to turn into a kale chip assembly line. 

There were also a couple of emails this week that deserve attention.  Angela wants to let everyone know that Bunner’s, Toronto's first vegan and gluten-free retail bakery, has been launched.  This is special news for all those vegans with a sweet tooth. Lisa O. also has news (even though John forgot to mention it on the podcast): Live Food Bar will be closing on December 24th and reopening January the 2nd due to renovations; they are going to offer a welcome-back 15% discount to Vegetarian Discount Card holders during the month of January for Monday - Wednesday after 4 p.m.   

Next Saturday is the Resource Centre Holiday Sale.   This will be your last chance to visit the Resource Centre before the new year; Wednesday, January 5^th will be the next time the Resource Centre is open.

This week’s podcast is a creamy avocado 10 minutes. 

Today Liam and Lisa O. (with Angeline in the background) are tired from troubleshooting the new microphone and would just like to wish you happy holidays and let you know about the upcoming sale in the TVA Resource Centre on December 18th from 12-4pm. Save on books and enjoy some vegan baked goods as well! 

They also wanted to let you know that there will be a vegan bake sale tomorrow (December 5th) at Panacea from 1-6 pm, which will help fund local activist Bob Timmons' upcoming trip with Sea Shepherd.

Lisa has just learned that there are kelp noodles at Baldwin Naturals for anyone still looking, but that's it for today's updates. 

Happy holidays, everyone!

Today's podcast is a microphone-cooperating 3 minutes.

Listen Now!

	Tweet if you love TVA! Come follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/torontoveg We’re on Facebook Join the Toronto Vegetarian Association Facebook Group to receive invitations to events and more! Want even more news? Want even more news? TVA members are entitled to a free customized version of VegE-News. Find out more.

Happy holidays from the Toronto Vegetarian Association!

Winter is upon us, but that's no reason to fret. 

Instead, celebrate the season at our Holiday Book Sale and Bake Sale at the Resource Centre, or have a festive meal at Vegetarian Haven. Need some compassionate food and gift ideas? Be sure to check out our special plant-based holiday survival guide.

If you need a cake for your own holiday party, consider ordering a delicious treat from one of the Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off's professional winners, LPK's Culinary Groove.

And speaking of the bake-off, calling all bakers! The Canada AM Cookie Challenge is happening NOW. Learn how you can enter and show off the fabulous world of vegan baking!

Read on to find out more details about the above, and to get your hands on a refreshing recipe for carrot and daikon salad. 

Don't Miss These Upcoming Events!

Our Annual Holiday Open House and Book Sale is happening December 18th. Find out more in the TVA in Action section or on Facebook.

• 50% off sale on older books such as: The Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian Cooking, 125 Best Vegan Recipes
• Gifts of Compassion to Educate Friends and Family: Farm Sanctuary, Eating Animals, Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath and Diet for a Hot Planet, any two books for $50
• Books to Impress Your Guests at Holiday Meals: Get $10 off The Conscious Cook when you buy any two of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar or Ani's Raw Food Desserts
• Get a FREE copy of Lickin' the Beaters or the Vegan Monologues with a purchase of $60 or more

Today Liam and John are half way through the episode when they are joined by Angela and Baby Dax.  This of course leads to a thorough examination of vegan donuts.  Angela placed an order with Artisan Doughnuts.  The three adults try the donuts – not surprisingly, they are very tasty. 

The donuts were not the only food on the menu for today.  Liam and John also were able to feast on some pizza, and Lisa O.’s date squares.  Lisa’s date squares are so tasty that Liam wants to hire Lisa O. as his personal chef.

Liam also has questions about red food colouring.  Maybe you’ve got the answers.  Liam has the answer to “where is a good place for vegans and omnivores to have brunch?”  He suggests Maggie’s is the spot. 

This episode is an outstanding award winning 28 minutes.

Listen Now!

Liam holding Dax, John holding donuts and Natalie and Barrett holding their TOFU award

Nominees and a few of the TOFU awards from TVA: