Food Issues: World Food Day

World Food Day was held on October 12, 2013. It was a global day of action to raise awareness of the need for safe, healthy food and to educate about problems with GMOs (genetically modified food) and the companies that produce them (like Monsanto).

Around 500 people gathered in End of Steel Park to listen to speeches on topics ranging from the corporate takeover of our food to the importance of bees to the ethics of fluoride in our drinking water. We also marched around Whyte Avenue.

One of the most interesting parts of the event for me was hearing organic farmers speak about the impact of corporations in their work, and the danger they feel exist from using seeds that are GMO. Most of these farmers drove several hours to make it to the rally, and admitted they felt rather out of their element!

Of course, in case anyone got hungry, the vegan food truck Sailin' On was available on their last service of the season. All of their food was non-GMO. I had a vegan "BLT" with the "B" replaced with coconut.

To view videos of the event, including speeches and footage from the march, just get started with the video posted below or just click here.

Breakfast for Lunch: Vegetarian Omelette at Tasty Tom's

Vegetarian Omelette at Tasty Tom's, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Tasty Tom's (9965 82 Avenue) is a popular diner on the east side of Whyte Avenue. I go here from time to time for breakfast dishes, and decided to try the vegetarian omelette the other day. The peppers were peeled and soft, the onion was sweet, and the mushrooms were plentiful. My meal had to be replaced at first since I asked for no cheese, but if I liked cheese I probably would have been disappointed as it appeared to be melted processed cheese. The potatoes were also not as good as I remembered them - rather bland and under-cooked in places.

Chilli Chicken Bites at Naanolicious

Chili Chicken Bites at Nannolicious, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I love how Naanolicious is so conveniently located right next door to Blues On Whyte. A pre-Saturday afternoon jam meal consisted of Chilli Chicken Bites for me. Tender chunks of chicken breast were prepared in a sweet and spicy chilli sauce, with peppers and onions, served in a poppadom basket. I normally would have winced at the amount of onion, but it was sweet and went well with the chilli sauce. The chicken itself was divine - tender, juicy, yet no overpowered by the sauce. The poppadom basket got soggy quickly, and other than appearance did not add much to the meal. However, the portion was bigger than it seemed and I was full for the rest of the day (I also had some potato stuffed naan bread).

Vegan BLT Wrap From Sailin' On

Vegan BLT wrap from Sailin' On, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

How appropriate for a vegan food truck to be providing nourishment at a rally concerning food security. Sailin' On had its last day of service for the season at the World Food Day march and rally, serving up a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and fries to the hungry crowd. This was my first time ordering food from the truck. My BLT wrap was fresh and delicious, filled with lettuce, tomato, carrots, and a generous portion of "bacon" made from coconut! It was salty and tasted very much like the real thing, albeit with a coconut undercurrent. The garlic vegan mayo held everything together flavour-wise without being overly dominating. I hope I have more chances to experience Sailin' On when it sails back into service next year.

Pub Night: Guinness Beef Stew

Guinness beef stew pie at Canadian Brewhouse, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I did not actually intend to have supper in a pub this evening, but The Canadian Brewhouse was directly across the street from where I had to attend an event. I decided on a pint of Strongbow and the Guinness beef stew, which was served in a deep bowl with a pie crust on top, cleverly branded with the word Guinness and decorated with a Canadian flag on a toothpick. The stew was full of large chunks of sirloin and potato (including the skins), in a rich Guinness broth. This is one of the best pub pies I have had, including ones from "English" and "Irish" themed places.

Sablefish at Murrieta's

Sablefish at Murrieta's, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I love certain kinds of fresh fish, and was excited to hear about the sablefish special at Murrieta's last weekend. It was cooked in a light crumb coating atop a sweet piece of cornbread, surrounded by roasted vegetables with just a bit of a spicy kick to them. The fish was cooked to perfection: hot all the way through, but so moist and fork tender. The coating and corn bread worked really well together, while the vegetables added colour, moisture, and texture to the dish.

The Pho Files: Vietnamese Beef Stew at Thanh Thanh

Vietnamese beef stew at Thanh Thanh #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I had supper with a colleague at Thanh Thanh the other evening and decided to try their take on Vietnamese beef stew. Although the bowl does no look big, it was packed with noodles, chunks of beef, carrots, and a delicious broth that tasted heavily from star anise. The carrots were cooked to perfection and I think there must have been a quarter of a cow in that bowl - I never ran out of meat! The noodles had a pleasant flavour all their own, not just absorbed from the broth. I was really, really stuffed after barely finishing my bowl, something I rarely say after having pho.

Sweet and Sour Vegan Pork at Padmanadi

Sweet and sour vegan pork at Padmanadi #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

My adventure with Padmanadi began with this dish, and I had it again for lunch this week. Sweet and sour vegan pork - a crunchy meat substitute served as a lunch special with rice and two spring rolls. This huge portion also featured some vegetables.

Breakfast for Lunch: Back to Tutti Frutti

Waffle with fruit and English cream from Tutti Frutti., a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Sometimes, I just really want fruit. So, breakfast for lunch is inevitable. I headed to Tutti Frutti for my second visit and had the mammoth waffle with fruit and English cream. The waffle was crispy and had a good flavour, enhanced by the mountain of fresh fruit and generous English cream. Very satisfying.

Twisted Yogurt

Twisted Yogurt #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I would have tried Twisted Yogurt (located on Calgary Trail) sooner, but it is very far out of my way. finally, the opportunity arose this week. The selection of yogurt flavours was decent, and I combined plain with chocolate and raspberry. The chocolate was not all that rich, but the other two flavours were good. I think the selection of toppings is the biggest of all of the different fro-yo places I have tried. They even line the wall. Most of the cereals are in hanging containers that you have to release with a lever, and the stuff comes out FAST! I would prefer everything just be in bins to scoop out, because I ended up with far more Lucky Charms than I intended. It is a good thing I liked them! I would definitely come here again if I am out this way and have a craving for frozen yogurt.