By Nadia W.
A few weeks ago, I was heading out of town for a week on a well deserved vacation. It was Saturday night, and I was stumped about what to prepare for supper because my fridge was bare. My weekly visit to the farmer’s market occurs on Sunday, so by the time Saturday rolls around it’s slim pickings.
I had a bit of a hankering for a burger, was resisting. I really did not want to make one. But I happened to have some Gardein beefless burgers in my freezer, and not much else.
I must admit, I was hesitant to try them. I tend not to eat a lot of processed foods and well, these burgers are definitely processed. You’re probably wondering, am I a food snob who hates processed foods? No, no, not at all but I prefer whole foods to their processed counterparts.
But, I was starving and needed something for the night. I decided that in order to bulk up the veggie side of things, fries would be part of the menu, so I purchased two sweet potatoes, enough for myself and guest.
So what’s my verdict on the burger? It was delicious! Succulent and juicy- words that most people think can only be associated with burgers made from dead animals. I’ll be honest, veggie burgers on the whole aren’t great. They’re sort of a vegan necessity, and most menus have one these days, but they’re not the sort of thing I would normally go out of my way to consume.
But these? They were light tasting and did not have that frozen taste. These burgers are great for those ‘I don’t know what to feed my family’ nights. Normally, when having a burger, my toppings would include avocado, tomatoes and kale, but the only things I had on hand were mustard and Daiya vegan cheese.
It wasn’t a banner night for healthy eating for me, but it did the trick and it was very satisfying.
Here’s the recipe for the fries:
Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
– 1 to 2 sweet potatoes
– 1 TB oil
Roughly equal amounts of each of the following:
– Poultry seasoning
– Cumin
– Garlic powder
– Salt
– Cayenne pepper
Method:
– Wash sweet potatoes
– Cut into wedges
– Pat dry with dish clean cloth or paper towel
– Transfer to bowl
– Add dry ingredients and oil
– Mix together
– Transfer to baking sheet
– Bake at 350F until cooked
This is one of my favourite things to make, or bake. Actually, it’s the only thing I do bake.
Veg Fest and The NCVA Vegan Cupcake Challenge is less than two weeks away! Ottawa’s best amateur vegan bakers are no doubt immersed in a frenzy of last-minute baking and testing as they vie for the title of the NCVA Vegan Cupcake Champion and the fabulous prize package that accompanies the prestigious title.
Shawn Scallen runs 
Ron Eade has been the food editor at the Ottawa Citizen, the capital region’s largest newspaper, since 1998. He is also the authour of Omnivore’s Ottawa, a blog encompassing all things food in the Ottawa region.
Auntie Loo’s is a small vegan bakery here in Ottawa. Ms. Loo learned to cook at the knees of her family members, and the majority of what she produces are these very recipes- veganized! Auntie Loo firmly believes that if you want a dessert, it had better taste like one. Auntie Loo’s uses organic products whenever possible, and works with and purchases from small local businesses.
VegOttawa Association 