I am so ready for the seasons to change.

Living in Canada means winter feels like it lasts a decade.

But we're so close now to having fresh greens that don't cost $10 a bag... I can almost taste it. There's something about knowing that local strawberries are not that far in the future that makes the last stretch of cold weather feel slightly more bearable.

Until then, though? I'm still relying on pantry staples like rice and frozen veggies - anything that means I don't have to bundle up and go to the store.

I recently filmed this veggie rice recipe and I was so excited about how it turned out that I've been making it constantly since. It's basically a shortcut for fried rice, except there's absolutely no frying involved (so please don't come at me!!).

It's a total dump and cook situation. You just toss your rice, smoked tofu, veggies, and a quick sauce into a single pot, and half an hour later it's done and smells incredible.

If you want a few other fun ways to use up the rice in your pantry, I've got two favorites!

The Crispy Rice Paper Dumplings give you all the best flavors of sushi with zero rolling skills required, and they're made on a sheet pan so cleanup is super easy. Then there's the Crispy Rice Salad, which turns leftover rice into crunchy, smoky vegan "bacon bits" over warm roasted veggies. It's honestly such a good way to keep eating salads when it's still freezing outside.

Another hack for this last stretch of winter, is having the new Vimergy drops on hand.

Excellent for cold and flu season. Unlike most gummies these have no added sugar and are sweetened with fruit. They contain the same amount of zinc as 14 cups of raspberries!

They are amazing.

Until next time,

Carleigh