Superfood Soup at Freshii

A very layered superfood soup. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 16, 2017 at 8:54am PDT

I needed something fast and healthy after being at an event, which rn well past the lunch hour one Saturday. I headed to Freshii at 103 and Jasper, and had the Superfood Soup. The soup was served in a plastic container, and the contents were very layered. This meant I ate one element of the soup at a time, until I got closer to the bottom when the quinoa started to rise. The flavour was very mellow, with a sweetness to the tofu. The soup was very hot and filling, and I knew I was eating something healthy.

Vegging Out: Quinoa Black Bean Soup and Fries at Sailin' On

Quinoa black bean soup #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 24, 2016 at 11:43am PDT

I was performing at the Earth Day Festival over the weekend, with food provided by vegan food truck Sailin' On. The weather was quite damp and chilly, so after my first setI warmed myself up with a bowl of quinoa black bean soup. The quinoa made it very thick and hearty, with a bit of spice and a colourful topping of tomatoes and avocado. It really hit the spot.

Sailin' On fries #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Apr 24, 2016 at 12:41pm PDT

A little later in the afternoon after I played another set, I had an order of plain fries (they come plain or with a couple of different toppings). The freshly cut fries were not too greasy, enhanced with coarse salt, and delicious. I've never had fries from Sailin' On before, and I can see (and taste) why they are so popular.

Edmonton Folk Music Festival 2015

I attended the 2015 Edmonton Folk Music Festival from August 6-9, and once again food was a part of my activities.

I decided to stay vegetarian for most of the weekend, and started off with the ginger beef from Padamandi. Kasim also threw in a spring roll and veggie chicken drumstick. The flavour and texture of the "beef" is a pretty good imitation of the real thing.

I also had the combo of Pad Thai, green curry with tofu, spring rolls, and rice from Numchok Wilai. The curry tasted great but was a bit too hot for me. Very satisfying portion size.

I have never eaten in Langano Skies before, but tried the split pea curry with injera from their booth. Tasty without being spicy, although a bit of a challenge to eat in such a setting.

The weekend got hotter as it progressed and I found the quinoa avocado salad from Sailin' On to be flavourful and refreshing. My only suggestion is to have the avocado better integrated - it could have been pureed and seasoned and presented more like a dressing as opposed to a few plain chunks here and there.

Calico Baking Company is a new vendor on the scene, selling its local creations at various events and farmer's markets around the city. Their fare was perfect for the morning/early afternoon workshop sessions. The mint water was especially wonderful on a hot day, and simple - water infused with mint leaves. My muffin was supposed to be banana sourdough with chocolate, but was actually more like bran.

As the weekend wore on, so did my resolve, and I wanted a morsel of meat. The lemongrass beef skewer from Hoang Long satisfied that craving.

My final full meal was the chili chicken from New Asian Village. A hearty portion, although the pile of saffron rice satisfied my need for carbs better than the cold roasted potatoes.

Of course, no visit to the Folk Fest would be complete with a green onion cake (from the food booth of that name) . . .

. . . Or, my annual serving of fresh-made greasy French fries.

Dinner at Earl's

I took a business colleague out to dinner this week at the 170 Street location of Earls'. I started off with a half order of pan bread with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar dip. It was a light, yet flavourful way to begin the meal. To drink, I had one of the featured craft sodas. Not too sweet, mine had a lemongrass base with lime soda and some orange.

For my main I had the Thai veggie bowl and added chicken for an additional $4.50. I have had this before, but with tofu as the protein. The lemongrass sauce had more of a kick than I remembered, and the combination of vegetables, chicken, and quinoa was very filling.

Vegging Out: Vegan Lemongrass Tofu Quinoa Bowl

Supper on a patio in the summer can be really delightful, especially when sharing the experience with a friend. Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when I ended up at the campus location of Earl's. I ordered a vegan bowl with tofu and a variety of vegetables atop a bed of quinoa, served with a lemongrass sauce. Although the portion seemed skimpy at first, there was more than met the eye. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, although the onions, stated on the menu as "crunchy," were actually caramelized, not fried. The sauce really completed the dish, and I loved how it was served to the side so the customer could control the amount (I can imagine it being overpowering for some, but I ended up using all of it). A perfect summer dish!

Dinner at Murrieta's

I was excited to have supper on the weekend at Murrieta's. I was in a vegan state of mind, so opted for the quinoa saute, which was a deep dish of the delectable grain with roasted vegetables, lentils, and chickpeas, finished with olive oil and herbs. The flavours blended very well and all of the protein in the chickpeas and lentils really filled me up. I especially liked how the tomatoes added moisture to the dish.

A healthy main course made me feel less guilty about having dessert. The flourless brownie was so rich, it was almost like eating a chocolate bar, except gooier. The ice cream added moisture and the berry compote was a little too sweet - it was already a sweet dish.