This morning I got Kim Sullivan to taste 7 products from this upcoming weekend’s Expo Manger Santé et Vivre Vert in Montreal.
Here are the products we sampled:
1. The Salads-in-a-Jar from Ma Vitrine Bio
These super healthy meal-in-a-jar salads made in Quebec. The maki jar that Kim tasted contains 16 g of protein from tempeh, plus rice vermicelli, shredded carrots, daikon, lettuce and a maple-mint and apple cider vinegar-based peanut sauce. It includes 330% of your daily Vitamin A! The other jars I had on set that we didn’t get to taste there include the Burrito (scrambled tofu with black beans, organic shredded cheese, corn and an avocado dressing), the Soleil (quinoa corn, kidney beans, feta, cherry tomatoes and spinach with a yogurt dressing), the Milos (Mediterranean-inspired with chickpeas, sheep’s milk feta, edamame, red onions and a yogurt, lemon and dill dressing) and the Dragon (shredded beets and carrots with tofu cubes, almond slivers and a peanut sauce). My favourite is definitely the Maki, though, because that peanut sauce with the tempeh is so good. The cheese-free ones are vegan and they’re all gluten free and organic.
These are available at Rachelle-Béry, Avril supermarkets and the IGA at Atwater. They’ve all usually less than $10. AND they’re not plastic! The glass containers are reusable or recyclable.
2. Ah! Tout cru dans le bec’s walnut butter and hazelnut butter
These are soaked, sprouted, dehydrated and stone-ground butters that are thought to be easier to digest and more bio-available, meaning you absorb more of the nutrients. The company is from Morin Heights and the product is 100% organic and raw, which means they weren’t heated about a certain temperature (pasteurization) with the goal of leaving more nutrients in the food. The only place to get these in Montreal is Vida Santé on Jean-Talon, so you’ll have to check out the Expo to stock up. Vegan, organic and gluten free.
3. Pea Pops’ sriracha, ranch and dill pickle flavour snacks
These are Canadian-grown roasted peas that are crunchy, vegan, gluten free and a great replacement for chips. They’re low calorie, low fat and high fibre compared to chips. Plus, they’re 100% vegan, gluten free and non-GMO. These are $4-$5 a bag and are available at some major grocery stores and at specialty stores.
4. NuPasta
Kim didn’t get to taste these noodles, but this super low-calorie pasta is made with the root fibre of the Konjac plant. They’re no-cook, a little crunchy and relatively bland, so best covered with pesto or red sauce. They’re kind of the wunderkind of noodles right now because they’re gluten free, no-cook, low-fat and tiny calorie (25 calories per serving plus 6 g of dietary fibre). They’re popular in Japan as a diet food but are miracles for anyone who’s diabetic or tired of zucchini pasta as a low-carb pasta replacement. These are less than $5 a container.
5. Amour Tonique’s Chaga Mushroom Masala Chai
This is an immune-boosting superfood mushroom tea with comforting, sweet Indian spices, stevia leaf and ashwaganda root, which is supposed to promote cognitive function, reduce stress and revitalize you. Co-creator Julian Patrick Griffin is also a loving super papa, herbalist, permaculturist, holistic personal chef and now extrepreneur. This is $14 a bag and makes tons of tea. You just mix a teaspoon of the powdered blend with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 almond milk (or milk of choice) and simmer three minutes. Strain and enjoy.
6. Rawesome cheesecake
Kim and I were both sorry we didn’t get to talk more about this raw-vegan cheesecake. Rawesome’s line of cakes is made from cashew, macadamia, dates and agave syrup with coconut milk, coconut butter and cacao butter. You can find them at Rachelle-Béri stores and can order them online. They’re not cheap, but they’re dense and delicious. A little goes a long way. Kim tasted the creme brûlée flavour, but other popular ones are the lime, creamy strawberry and caramel flavours. All vegan, organic, gluten free.
7. Fair Trade and Organic Chocolate Chocolate Barks from Prana
Prana just launched this line of chocolate barks (crunchy, chip-size triangles of chocolate) made with fair-trade organic dark chocolate and add-ins of the dried fruit and nuts for which the company is better known. The No Mylk’n barks are especially fun because they taste like milk chocolate but are completely vegan (the dehydrated rice syrup has a nutty, creamy taste, I think). They’re sweetened with organic cane sugar, so the sugar is unrefined at least and the quality of the chocolate turns the snack into a “you’re allowed to feel good about yourself for eating this” kind of treat. My next favourite flavour is the caramelized roasted nuts flavour (“Carazel”).
Note: I also spoke about this event and its philanthropic basis on Montreal Billboard on MAtv last year with host Richard Dagenais. But we talked more about the free activities for kids (blindfolded taste tests of crunchy, chewy, warm, sour and sweet things), the non-profit organizations that’ll be there (Equiterre, the Montreal Vegetarian Association, Fair Trade Canada) and the workshops and cooking demos. All those things and organizations will be once again present and are definitely worth checking out.
And one last note: while Kim didn’t sample any vegan body creams, environmentally friendly artisanal soaps, home Shiatsu massagers or other beauty or wellness products, they’re all there, along with non-GMO seeds, planters, urban gardening equipment, organic clothing companies and more. And the best reason to go to this event (in my cheap opinion) is the discounts on all of these items. If you’re looking to buy a Vitamix, for example, it’ll be on sale. But even if you want to stock up on Vegan protein powder, gluten free granola bars, raw crackers, dairy-free cheeses or organic soups, this is the time to do it.
Thanks so much to the expo for supplying me with all the items to test on Global TV. See you this weekend!
Expo Manger Santé et Vivre Vert
Where: Palais des Congrès
When: March 24-26, 2017 (Friday 9:30am-8pm, Sat 9:30am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm)
Price: $14 for adults, $11 for students and seniors, free for people 16 and under
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