Apparently I’m long overdue in writing a new blog post…it’s true, it’s true. I admit it. I have left it a long time but it’s this time of year! The Holiday Season…I’m slightly stressed about Christmas, we’re moving this month, I was in a Cookie Exchange and lost 3 days of my life to baking. It’s been madness! Now not every little thing on this post I’m excited about, but I’m excited to TELL you about. I have to blog to get it off my chest. (I’ll be sure and let you know which ones I’m not excited about…)

There’s a new joint in town to eat at, and it’s aptly named Chomp. The full name is Chomp Vegan Eatery. Yes, you read right. A vegan restaurant has come to the Tri-Cities area of the Lower Mainland and some of us couldn’t be happier. While I am NOT a vegan, I do support the lifestyle and by being a vegetarian myself, I feel I make the best choices I can for me. I totally love the idea of indie eateries popping up that offer something just a little different and cater to a particular group. Hopefully another vegan restaurant can help dispel the myths that we non-meat eaters live on lettuce and carrot sticks. While the masses may be able to somewhat accept a vegetarian in their midst, I think that vegans still have a long way to go unfortunately to get the acceptance and understanding they deserve. I urge you to check out Chomps website, and this article in the Georgia Straight for more info. Aside from the menu, the site offers up a ton of information including awesome pics, the concept and idea behind Chomp and a little Q & A section about veganism. I personally can’t wait to try it out but will probably have to wait until after the Holidays!

Some of you may remember a post from the summer about a vegan cupcake shop opening soon in Vancouver called Fairy Cakes. While the actual storefront has been delayed due to some maintenance issues with the building, beyond the owners control…you can STILL get your cupcake fix. Don’t worry. Seriously. The Fairy Mobile will be a-fluttering around the city ready to deliver sweet-gooey goodness anywhere and everywhere. You can reach them at 604.442.YUMM (9866) or via email at fairy_cakes@live.ca. As you know I love supporting local and especially love supporting vegans and vegetarians so if you have a special occasion coming up, or you just want a real cupcake without all the ‘crap’, call up the folks at Fairy Cakes!

*NOT EXCITED ABOUT:* I’m usually pretty vocal and positive about the PC Vegetarian products available at Superstore, No Frills and Loblaws etc. I’ve blogged about the Worlds Best Meatless Burgers and Meatballs (which really are the best) and the Worlds Best Meatless Chicken Breasts made with the help of gardein (Love, Love, Love). But My Guy and I have a not-so-glowing review of the PC Vegetarian Wings available in the frozen section. They were a major disappointment and just thinking of the money we wasted, the time I wasted preparing it and the fact I choked it down because I didn’t want to waste it, almost makes me want to weep!! I’m shocked to be this disappointed in one of their veg products, so it’s hard to write something negative. My first complaint was the sauce that came with it. I thought first they would have already been coated, so maybe the flavour would have ‘sunk’ into the product a bit more, but they came with a little sachet of sauce. It wasn’t NEARLY ENOUGH. The amount was so tiny it didn’t coat all the irregular shaped ‘wings’ and we only got 11 in the package! It was just the Worlds Best Meatless Chicken Breast product shaped into what I assume were supposed to be chicken wings…So the sauce barely covered them and because they are a frozen product they leak a fair amount of water in the first few minutes of cooking. Result? Mushy, wet baking pan and what little sauce there was, pretty much slid right off. The end product was dry and tasteless. I thought wings were supposed to be saucy and messy! If you really want to try this product, get the Meatless Chicken Breasts along with some of your fave BBQ sauce and MAKE YOUR OWN. Trust me. ** I cannot find this product on the PC website**

A product we did LOVE however, was The Worlds Best Meatless Breaded Chicken Strips. I don’t recommend you eat them alot as they seemed kind of greasy but wow, tasty! Moops gave them an enthusiastic thumbs up and dipped them in sauce, whereas My Guy and I were super impressed with the value for the money, the taste and texture and how with some added veggies it was a complete and filling meal. PC got this one right…

I’m slightly scattered right now and would love nothing more than to try to remember all the stuff I wanted to blog about…but my mind is a million miles away. It’s the Holiday Season and I’m thinking of the presents that need wrapped (and the ones still to buy) and the house that needs to be packed up since My Guy and I are also moving this month. Don’t you hate packing up and unpacking a few days later? Everytime I do this, I think “I’ve got to condense my life…” and I still lug around the same amount of boxes, if not more. I did recently donate alot of clothes in the summer to charity shops, and felt good to move out some things so that someone else may benefit from them too. I just didn’t do quite enough…

It’s easy to get down in the dumps this time of year, or to get overwhelmed with it all. I try to think of Christmas as being for the children. They still have an innocent belief in the tradition of the Holidays, and it truly is THEIR time. As adults do we really need another bottle of perfume? Another sweater we might not wear? What about just being with those you love, enjoying good food and drink and setting a limit to the amount of presents you give? If you have to give, set a limit…or make your own gifts…donate what you would have spent to a local organization like the Food Bank.

Love the one you’re with.

Bring Peace back.

‘Tis the Season.

Tags: BBQ sauce, Chomps Vegan eatery, PC blue menu, superstore, tri-cities, vancouver, vegan, worlds best meatless chicken breasts