Vegetarian Detective

H appy New Year as well! 2016 will certainly bring new things. We know that. One change has already been announced by Blogger. It will affect you and me both if you keep up with Vegetarian Detective using Google Friend Connect. Parent company Google has announced that to continue Google Friend Connect service you will have to have a Google account. I have a suggestion if you don't want to open a Google account. Sign up to follow Vegetarian Detective by email. I follow other blogs by email and I don't get anything more than what I asked for—notification of and links to new blog posts. Dear reader, I hope I won't lose you in 2016. Each and every reader is important to me and I hope to continue to grow and improve and provide you with interesting content for years to come. All the best to you! I leave you with the essential elements of Blogger's notification and a link to the entire post. So, in an effort to streamline, in the next few weeks we’ll be making some chang

Arugula Salad 4 handfuls of arugula Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette (below) Toss the arugula with the Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette, which is an adaptation of my  Sweet Mustard Vinaigrette . Makes 4 side salads. Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon agave syrup 1/2 tablespoon mustard 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan salt pepper Whisk or shake together the lemon juice, olive oil, agave syrup, mustard and Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Makes 3/4 cup for 4 side salads. ♥ Becki

T his Saturday, Oct 17, 2015, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST On a computer or mobile device near you!   You—plus as many guests as you want to invite—are invited to chat with authors and win e-books at the Google+ ( http://ow.ly/T8ldP ) side of the launch of Melodie Campbell & Cynthia St-Pierre's A KILLER NECKLACE: Fashionation with Mystery Book 2. Doesn't matter if you have or haven't read A PURSE TO DIE FOR: Fashionation with Mystery Book 1. In fact, that first mystery in the series will certainly be one of the prizes. At this party, chat with Cynthia but also chat with and ask questions of special guest mystery/suspense authors 'appearing' from around the world: 1:30 p.m. Lorna Gray (Italy)—author of FINDING DAYLIGHT 2:00 p.m. Patti Phillips (U.S.A.)—author of KERRIAN'S NOTEBOOK 2:30 p.m. Nanci Pattenden (Canada)—author of DEATH ON DUCHESS STREET Sara Onnebo (Sweden)—author of VARGEN I TULISAARI will drop in if/when she can. Cheryl Kaye Tardif (

  Who is the dead woman at the bottom of the stairs?   When Weather Network star Gina Monroe arrives in Black Currant Bay for her wedding shower, all is bliss. But happiness turns to horror when Gina and close friend Becki find the hostess with her head bashed in.   Strange things come to light when Gina and Becki are asked to sort through the dead woman’s belongings. Just who was this woman? And why did frumpy Louisa have a closet full of vintage couturier clothes?   As the investigation continues, the danger increases. Arson reveals the hiding place of a fabulous sapphire necklace, which leads to more questions and ramps up the risk for Gina and Becki. A killer is determined to keep the identity of the dead woman a secret—even if it means killing again.   ♥ Becki   PS Coming very soon! PPS Please share. Buttons are below. Thanks.

S o here I am posting a pic of Spicy Hummus after all. Dig in! ♥ Becki

B uon giorno!   I feel like a snob saying, "I'm just back from Italy." That's me: jetsetter. Yeah, right!   But wow...Italy!   I could talk up a storm, and I surely will as I adjust to being back here, six time zones from magnificent Italia . I often ask people who've just travelled what was their favourite part of their trip. If I ask the same of myself, my answer is seeing Michelangelo's sculptures. His Pietà and The Statue of David literally moved me to tears. I just can't believe I saw "him" in person!   So...our plane from Toronto was delayed six hours and we missed the first day of activities, but we still visited Rome, Montecatini, Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, Vinci, Florence, Cinque Terre and Assisi. Quite the agenda for ten days, including the two flight days, wouldn't you say? But Trafalgar made it work. I would go on a Trafalgar trip again in a heartbeat.   Things I learned in Italy:   In the regions we

1 banana 1/2 cup cashew milk 2 tablespoons Sunwarrior raw vegan protein powder 1 tablespoon cacao 1 tablespoon raw agave syrup 8 ice cubes Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender, in the order given, and blend. Serves 1. ♥ Becki

Lemon Broccoli Soup 2 cloves garlic 1 lb broccoli florets and stems (peeled and coarsely chopped) 1/2 onion, chopped 1/2 lemon, juiced and zested 3 rounded teaspoons (for 3 cups) vegetable bouillon powder water 1/2 cup cashew milk salt pepper In a covered pot, simmer the garlic, broccoli, onion, lemon juice and zest, vegetable bouillon powder, and water to barely cover, until the vegetables are tender. Blend and return to the pot. Stir in the cashew milk. Salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and grate pepper on top to garnish. Serves 2-4. ♥ Becki PS All the comment and share buttons are below. Thanks!

T he next step beyond vegetarianism is veganism. Even if I believe that it's possible to enjoy milk and butter and cheese without cruelty to the animals that provide them, I also believe that in our mass-market society, the norm is not cruelty-free dairy. The next step beyond veganism is the raw food movement and it is utterly intriguing to me—the theory that vitamins, minerals and especially digestive-friendly enzymes are preserved by not heating food above 118ºF. When I eat raw I feel wonderful afterward. That's good enough for me! So let me share with you a recipe that's as kind and as close to nature as it's possible to get. Try it yourself and see what you make of the raw food evidence. Red Pepper Soup 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained 3 red peppers, cut in pieces 1 tablespoon red onion 1-1/2 cups water 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons agave syrup 8 strawberries 6 cloves garlic 1/4 tbsp rosemary salt pepper Pour all the ingredien