Vegan in Bellingham

 Temple Bar is one of my favorite spots to meet friends for drinks, and while they no longer list a vegan happy hour special on the menu, the staff there are really great about making something vegan upon request. Their menu changes seasonally, so you never really know what you are going to get, but past choices have ranged from amazing salads with roasted carrots and cavier lentils, to pickled veggies, olives andwarm pistachios, to a roasted cauliflower wedge drizzled with cilantro pesto. I love this place for socializing and unwinding, and I appreciate how they will always make something vegan for me, even if I am not sure what it will be until I ask. If you are looking for a nice place to grab a little bite and enjoy a nice drink, Temple Bar is a great place to go.

 You may remember my post from a year ago about the rosemary walnuts that I was making for Christmas gifts. This year, in addition to the walnuts, I branched out a little bit and decided to try something a little more labor-intensive, and it ended up being well-worth the effort. I used all organic ingredients, from the oranges to the sugar to the chocolate, (and I think if you are going to make candied peels, it is better if you can buy organic, especially since non-organic fruit is often coated with beeswax or shellac, in addition to the pesticide residue that is more concentrated on the outer layer of the fruit peel). All you need is: Six oranges 2 and 1/2 cups sugar, (plus more for coating) water 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips Most recipes call for cutting your peels in lengthwise pieces away from the orange. I wanted to make my oranges into juice, so I cut them in half, but in the opposite direction than I usually would for juicing oranges so that the pieces would...

 You may recall that back in May , I tried to review Book Fare Cafe, but unfortunately they were closed by the time I got there, and I was pretty bummed. I had been meaning to go back ever since, and finally one November Saturday finally provided me with just the right opportunity, and I was able to join my husband and mother-in-law for lunch at Book Fare. Book Fare Cafe is located in Fairhaven in Village Books on the mezzanine level of the store, so it's a perfect place to eat when you are already out and about enjoying all the goodness that is Village Books. I had heard good things about the cafe from a number of different people, and I was really looking forward to my meal. After studying the menu board, I decided on the soup and salad combo. The vegan soup of the day was a creamy red potato rosemary and onion soup, and it was absolutely amazing. I am super-picky about soup, and so I was a little worried that my choice would disappoint me, but it most definitely did not. ...