Hello and welcome to the weekend. Finalizing the freshly posted pecan bar recipe absolutely consumed my week and I just really want to eat some vegetables for the next couple days haha.

Often when I’m working on a baking recipe, I’ll have a tested version that I’m happy with. But then I think about tinkering and giving it a little something extra, and that spirals out into multiple versions going through test rounds. That’s what happened with this recipe! I was committed to incorporating mashed cooked sweet potato as a binder even though all signs were pointing to it not being the right move. The center wouldn’t set, the texture was too fudgy to be a proper pecan bar, and my partner kept saying that the taste of sweet potato was throwing him off. I kept at it because including sweet potato just seemed to give it an unusual edge! When I circled back to the more gooey traditional style (minus vegetables lol), that’s when things started clicking. Sometimes you have to let things be what they are! A lesson in baking and life :)

I hope that you’re taking care out there. Our usual assortment below, with some well-loved vegan Thanksgiving mains in the recipe recommendations! Lots of mushrooms and pot pie situations, go figure! If you have any questions for a future edition, just pop them in the comments or send me an email. Be well.

5 Things I’m Reading:

1. Charli XCX has a Substack!!
2. For Some Nuns, Baking Is an Act of Devotion via The New York Times Style Magazine (gifted)
3. Why Squirrels Drive Us Absolutely Nuts via The Walrus
4. Want to quit your smartphone? Join this club. via Vox
5. Life in Beige. Are GLP-1’s worth a life devoid of pleasure? via The Cut (non-paywall)

5 Things I’m Enjoying:

1. Podcasts: The Menopause Mystery on Radiolab, Clare Foster (garden editor at House & Garden magazine) on Inside + Outside & the founder of Honey’s ice cream on The Other Side.
2. Weirdly tempted by this May Queen tree topper haha
3. I have listened to the new Robyn single about 50 times. It’s been out for two days!! Takes me back to 2010 in a nice way.
4. Crispy Bean Tacos are a new easy dinner fave in our house
5. Amelia Dimoldenberg’s dry humour just does it for me. Her new “Passenger Princess” series with F1 drivers is great.

5 Questions:

1. I think you answered this before but I can’t find it. Brand of stainless steel frying pans?
   I have an All-Clad D5 set that I absolutely love and will have forever. Brands offer to send me cookware often and I turn them down because I have everything I could need with the All-Clad set plus one nonstick pan for my guy to use because he’s still in the learning curve with stainless. I’ve also worked with Meyer pans (made in Canada!) and it’s a great experience. They’re a bit lighter, which is a plus!
2. What kind of bean or legume currently has your heart?
   Pinto beans are the one for me lately! I eat them in rice and beans for breakfast a lot, and I also prefer them over black beans in the taco recipe linked above.
3. Have you ever considered moving towards a subscriber model? I would subscribe!
   I want to keep the recipes and newsletter free, so probably not. I also sometimes dip for a couple weeks and don’t post anything (a recipe is giving me difficulty, life stuff is overwhelming etc). I would not feel right about doing this with a paid subscriber model! And if I can be honest, I personally get newsletter fatigue sometimes and don’t want to add to the pile.
4. What other creators are on your inspo/watch list right now?
   Loving @chefclarisseflon, @kristenhushen, @irene_matys, @shakaylafelice, and @frontyardveggies lately.
5. Fellow Ontario resident here (who’s missing Trader Joe’s)… have you been? What’s new?
   I haven’t and I don’t foresee myself crossing the border/going to the US for a while. I do miss a little TJ’s/Wegmans shopping trip, not gonna lie! I Love my American friends and family deeply, but I’d prefer to spend my money in Canada on Canadian made products as much as possible for now. I do follow @traderjolene to keep up to date though ;)

5 Seasonal Recipes:

1. Mushroom Gravy Pie with Garlicky Kale Mashed Potatoes (GF)
2. Vegan Butternut Galette with Apples, Shallots & Black Pepper Crust (GF)
3. Spinach & Mushroom Polenta Pie with Almond Ricotta (GF)
4. French Onion Shepherd’s Pie with Lentils & Creamy Cauliflower Potato Mash (GF)
5. Vegan Mushroom & Red Wine Bourguignon Pot Pie