Cooking By Laptop

I know it’s officially the holiday season when the fencing goes up at Jack Poole Plaza, and behind it, a carousel, a village, and lots and lots of twinkly lights. The Vancouver Christmas Market has opened its doors, y’all! 

For me, the Christmas Market has been a holiday tradition for many, many years. I could go back through my archives and pull the photos, and someday I probably will, but today is not that day. 

As with any event I go to that includes food (and lets be fair, why would I even go to an event if it didn’t include food??), I’m always on the lookout for the vegan and vegetarian options. 

Here’s a quick rundown of some of my favourite vegan options at the Vancouver Christmas Market this year: 

Das Gulasch Haus: a hearty stew of carrots and potatoes, spiced with paprika, this stew comes served in a bread bowl, which is both so comfort food-y and sustainable all at the same time! 

Das Kartoffelhaus Hurricane Potatoes: those crazy spiral potatoes on a stick! 

Taste the Wild: these guys have a delicious vegan mushroom soup. Soup is what you need when you’re outdoors at night in December. Also, wine. You need warm, mulled wine. They have that, too (but not at Taste the Wild). 

JJ’s Fresh Roasted Chestnuts: I mean, does it get more Christmas than freshly roasted chestnuts? I think not. 

Mr. Hotcakes: they serve a pancake filled with melty brown sugar… it’s reminiscent of your childhood and will make you very happy. 

Candy Meister: don’t forget that they have tons of vegan candy options here. 

One thing I thought was interesting about this year’s market were the vendors selling sustainable goods. One major reason I don’t eat meat is because I believe a vegetarian diet to be more sustainable and environmentally-friendly, so to me, sustainability and being meat-free go hand-in-hand. 

So I wanted to highlight a few vendors at the market that weren’t selling food, but were selling products that can help to reduce waste and have a lower impact on the environment. 

Amezing Lights are made from recycled milk cartons. They come in a kit, so part of the fun is building the light. They are kind of like Lego; you can follow the formula, or you can branch out and create your own. 

Clockwise from top left: Life UNPacked, The Straw Hut, Ru Supply and MysGreen

Single-use plastics are one thing I am trying to cut out of my life. But in order to do so, you need to replace your ziploc bags and your plastic wrap with sustainable options. At the market, you’ll find Rü Supply, who sells sustainable lunch bags, The Straw Hut, who is providing an alternative to single use plastic straws, MysGreen who is selling beeswax wraps (to sub out for your plastic wrap) and reusable pouches (to sub out for your ziploc bags), as well as Life UNPacked, who’s got environmentally-friendly grooming supplies, like toothpaste, bar soaps and shampoos, cotton swabs and floss. All of which are vegan! 

What’s your favourite part of the Vancouver Christmas Market? Comment below and let me know!