And so it begins.
The next round of cookbook editing is going down in my living room. This round is called the “first pass” and it marks the first time that I’ve done any editing on paper. It’s kinda nice to be off a computer screen for a bit, however spending half my life on a keyboard has not improved my penmanship one bit! Oh boy, I feel like I need to re-train my hand how to write…
It felt a bit like Christmas morning when this huge package arrived in the mail this week…for some reason, I felt so nervous to open it!
I love seeing the book in its actual size – a gorgeous 8×10” trim (I fought hard for this large trim size!) with 100 of my most-loved photographs and recipes.
Line by line, I’m going through the entire book with a fine tooth comb marking any last minute edits in red ink. Hopefully by page 300 I can still see straight! Maybe an IV of caffeine would help?
Thank you again for supporting me throughout this journey. I never thought I’d be here, that is for sure.
As many of you know, it’s also Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Big work assignments love to fall around holidays, don’t they? I had high hopes of sharing a couple Thanksgiving recipes for you this week, but I’m afraid they are not quite ready to share. I did a trial of this stew yesterday and was hoping to finalize the recipe this morning after a second trial, but I haven’t nailed the gravy broth yet. The first trial was too bland and the second one, well, let’s just say I overcompensated a bit. I guess you know what I’ll be eating for the next week. It will just have to wait a bit longer. In the meantime, I’ve put together a round-up of some of my favourite Thanksgiving recipes from my archives and from some of my favourite blogs! As always, no turkey is required to enjoy one helluva good holiday meal.
To my fellow Canadians, I wish you all a lovely Thanksgiving!
Appetizers:
Spiced Red Lentil, Kale, and Tomato Soup
Roasted Yellow Beet Salad with Warm Maple Mustard Dressing from Post Punk Kitchen
Holiday Salad with Cranberry Apple Orange Vinaigrette
Main Course:
Glazed Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf
Herb and “Cheese” Drop Biscuits
Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout, and bread Stuffing with Apples via Gena Hamshaw on Food 52
Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Pecan Almond Parmesan
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Rosemary and Garlic
Cranberry Apricot and Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf
Quinoa and Red Lentil Cutlets from Fat Free Vegan
Itty Bitty Pumpkin Garlic Knots
Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie with Gluten-Free Pecan Crust
Appleberry Pie with Olive Oil Crust from Post Punk Kitchen
Pumpkin Gingerbread with Spiced Buttercream
Gift Ideas:
Homemade Pumpkin Butter From Scratch (or from a can)
Slow Cooker Naked Apple Butter
Smoothie
Creamy Butternut Date Smoothie for Two
Baked Doughnuts for Everyone Giveaway Winner!
Last but not least, the winner of the Baked Doughnuts for Everyone giveaway goes to #519 – Christine H. Her favourite doughnut flavour is “Double chocolate with sprinkles!”
Congrats Christine! I will shoot you an email to collect your info. Thanks again to Ashley for this generous giveaway. :)
For the record, growing up my favourite flavour of doughnut was always Maple Glazed or Sour Cream Glazed (from Tim Hortons, of course). I think I will have to recreate one some day…
The pictures on the proofs looked amazing, like every thing you create, so original and different! I am so proud of you and I am only one of your bloggers, I cannot imagen the sense of accomplishment you must feel and your family must be so so proud. Cannot wait to see it all finish, congratulations!
My family is still very much far from being on the vegan bandwagon – but we did have cranberry sauce ;) so excited to see the finished cookbook!!!
Wonderful! Congratulations! I’m so excited to see it. :)
Just came across your website about 2 weeks ago. I absolutely love it. Already started revamping my kitchen supplies based on your pantry blog. Can’t wait for your cookbook to come out. Thanks for the inspiration and motivation!
Amazing can’t wait to see the finished project !!
As your sister Kerrie says you are amazing :)
Jenna McNaughton
It’s good you show us how much work goes into a cookbook. I think, when looking at the gorgeous result, we tend to think it was oh so easy.
love the photos of you working on your cookbook!!
I am so excited about your cookbook – and it must be so exciting to be in the editing stages, congratulations! I can’t wait – and know of a few people who will be receiving copies as gifts once it is published. Good luck with the rest of the process!
Thank you Heather! :) Yes very exciting to be editing. It’s actually a lot more fun than I thought!
Oh how exciting and inspirational! Congratulations on your book! Such a gorgeous accomplishment.
Thanksgiving is when I discovered your incredible website as I was searching for vegan recipes for the most important of Canadian feasts! A co-worker at my school in Brookville told me about your site and it has been an inspiring few years since then, as I’ve enjoyed following your adventures, recipes and photos.
I cannot wait for the cookbook to come out, Angela! Congratulations on your wonderful success, and thanks for the years of excellent information and inspiration!
Thank you Lesley!! Is that Brookville school off Guelph line? If so my husband went there. Small world!!
Haha! Yes, that’s the school! It really is a small world….I worked there for 8 years until January 2012. There were so many parents of students there that had attended themselves. People who grew up in that area really seem to stick around into adulthood.
Now that I’m at an Oakville school, I find myself missing that small-town feel of Brookville all the time. Such a gorgeous drive every morning up Guelph Line!
The best to you, Angela! You’ve worked hard and truly deserve all this great success!
Thank you for re-posting some delicious Thanksgiving recipes. I made the cranberry salad for a potluck and it was a huge hit. I could drink the dressing. Could it count as a smoothie?!
The books looks great so far. Can’t wait for a completed hard copy!
That first pic is nothing short of stunning! Good luck getting through the rest of the work but HUGE congrats for making it to the first pass! I can’t wait to get a copy!
I haven’t been keeping up to date on my OSG but it’s so exciting to see that your cookbook is getting closer! Congrats!
I just wanted to say I can’t wait for your cookbook to come out!! I’ve tried so many of your recipes and everyone has been a hit! Your granola bars (lara bars) are always in my fridge waiting for lunches! I also made a chocolate pie you posted for some of my friends who laugh a bit at my healthy eating antics, and they ate every last bite ;)
Thanks for all the amazing recipes and for making healthy eating easy AND super fun :)
Hi Angela! I just your found blog and can’t wait to make the GF Pumpkin Pie with the Trad filling. But for some reason none of the links to the filling or to the printer page (for the full recipe) are coming up for me. The screen simply says “closed to comments”. Any way you can repost or email me? Thanks so much!! Your blog is heaven!
Hi Beatie, It should be fixed now, sorry about that. Recipage had some issues last week.
I am no vegan, but some of these could make for some GREAT side dishes! :)
Thanks for all the great recipes! I plan on making the Festive Chickpea tart soon. I would also like to try making the Pumpkin Pie with Gluten-Free Pecan Crust, but when I click on the link it brings me to a blank page. Has anyone else had this problem?
Hi April, It should be fixed now. Sorry about that – Recipage had some issues last week.
I personally can’t wait until your cookbook comes out, I am super excited! What I can see from your photos on this post looks stunning. And I know your recipes will be incredible.
I made the Pumpkin Gingerbread with Spiced Buttercream last year for the holidays and it was AH-MAY-ZING!
Those bars look so delicious!!
RECIPE bonanza…WOW! Love the sound of each title and can not wait to whip up those smoothies! Thanks for sharing and I can’t wait to see your cookbook!! Lots of Love C