Thanksgiving 2012

I didn't take any pictures while I was home.  This is from the summer.
But it is the view from my backyard.  Vermont is lovely.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  It's all about food and family.  I like it so much that this year I went to Canada for Canadian Thanksgiving just so I could celebrate the holiday twice.  Around Thanksgiving time most food bloggers post all sorts of new recipes for the holiday.  I didn't because we eat the same thing every year and I love it.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Last year we had to adapt Thanksgiving to be gluten free.  With the experimenting last year, this year was a breeze.  My mom even made me homemade gluten free stuffing this year using Udi's bread since I've never tried a packaged GF stuffing I've enjoyed.  I bought a mini GF pumpkin pie at the local co-op since I really didn't need an entire full size gluten free pie laying around.  It was pretty delicious.  We also had the creamed spinach, sweet potatoes, and mashed cauliflower again.  This year we added brussels sprouts to the menu, which I love.  I also had Almond Nut Thins around for all the cracker and cheese appetizers.

I spent six days at home laying low, eating good food, and visiting with family and friends.  What could be better?

Fresh Restaurant Toronto

 

I went out to eat twice when I was in Toronto and both times was to Fresh.  That's right, I liked it so much the first time I went back the next morning for bunch.  View the menu here.  Saturday afternoon we went for lunch and I had the Baby Buddha on brown rice and a smoothie.  Sunday morning I had the gluten free vegan blueberry pancakes served with real maple syrup.  These people really know the way to my heart.

Bunner's Vegan and Gluten Free Bakeshop - Toronto

As I mentioned in my post about visiting Toronto last weekend for Canadian Thanksgiving, Amanda's sister was nice enough to bring gluten free stuffing and pumpkin pie for me.  She got the goods from Bunner's.  Bunner's is a vegan and gluten free bakery in Toronto.  The stuffing was perfect with my Thanksgiving meal and the pie was perfect for dessert.  I was extremely thankful.

Not only did she buy the stuffing and pumpkin pie, but she also got a cinnamon bun.  Her husband sampled the bun in the car on the way to Thanksgiving dinner and deemed it uneatable.  I sampled it when she arrived and deemed it heaven on earth.  With all the amazing food available I kept craving this cinnamon bun and taking little pieces off of it throughout the night.  I then suavely put it in my purse to take back with me to Padmini's apartment.

When we got home Padmini and I laid on her couch in our lounge clothes and kept talking about how full we were.  The next morning we woke up and had pie for breakfast.  To accompany our pie Padmini had a carrot cake cupcake and I had the remainder of the cinnamon bun warmed up in the oven.  Did I already mention it was heaven on earth?  Let me tell you, it's a good thing there isn't a Bunner's in New York or I would be in big vegan gluten free cinnamon bun from heaven trouble. BIG TROUBLE.

I haven't been to the Bunner's location, but if you are ever in Toronto I highly suggest you stop by for a treat.

Canadian Thanksgiving!

Last weekend I went to Toronto for Canadian Thanksgiving.  The fact that it was Canadian Thanksgiving was just an added bonus to the fact that I got to see my three roommates from college.  I transferred to McGill junior year and was very fortunate to land in an apartment with such great people.

This is us in college.

I've seen all three of these ladies several times since college, but this was the first time the four of us had been together since we lived together.  We only got to spend a few hours all together this visit, but it was aca-awesome.  We chatted and saw Pitch Perfect. Go see Pitch Perfect.

Sunday, Amanda's aunt graciously took me and Padmini into her home for Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving in Canada is pretty similar to Thanksgiving in the United States in that it revolves around family and eating lots of good food.  Amanda's family is Italian so in addition to the traditional Thanksgiving cuisine (turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, and cranberry sauce), they had focaccia and eggplant parmigiana.

Their Thanksgiving was amazingly nearly gluten free.  I couldn't eat the focaccia, eggplant parmigiana, or stuffing, but I could eat mostly everything else.  They make their gravy with cornstarch instead of flour and her sister got me gluten free stuffing and gluten free pumpkin pie!  Canadians are so friendly.

Not only was the food amazing, but the company was great.  Thanksgiving at my house is all about food and crazy family dynamics and it was very similar at Amanda's.  From the sister of her uncle by marriage that mostly spoke Italian and asked me when I was getting married, to her uncle that said that he too could be stunning with all the bullshit women put on their faces, to Amanda and her brother in law getting into a heated discussion about organic food, I had a great time.  I had such a nice time I'm thinking of inviting myself back next year as well.

Thank you Amanda for having me at your family gathering and thank you Padmini for hosting me.  Thank you Tahnee for being you.  I love and miss you all.