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2 Friday, November 19, 2021 brooklintowncrier.com Some ideas are just too simple. A fellow I know recently waxed philosophic about the additional electric vehicle parking spaces the town is installing in various locales like the library, arenas, etc. He noted that, at this juncture, not many of those prime spots will be taken since these EVs aren't yet ubiquitous. What a waste, he surmised. His idea? Create a magnetic decal to resemble the cap EVs have, plunk it on his car, and use the parking spots. He also owns a refurbished vintage car and wants to see the looks on people's faces when they see it's been "converted" to electric. One has to admire the man's chutzpah for even thinking of it. Sneaky? For sure. Still…His is a cheap solution to a personal challenge. Mine though is more warped. As the debate rages over the alternate route for trucks around our downtown, I believe there is a relatively simple, inexpensive, civic-minded, and even income-generating solution. Tolls. This publication, it's illustrious mogul of an owner and staff of one have indeed been all over the highway 412/418 tolls. So it wouldn't be a surprise for someone to wonder why we'd consider adding a toll booth in Brooklin. Before you jump all over the notion, consider the idea. We erect a toll booth at the northern end of Baldwin, around, say, the Columbus intersection. Keep in mind this will be a temporary solution till there's such a hue and cry from trucking companies that they will push for a more reasonable and cheaper one. With Brooklin Concrete on the verge of shutting down, we use some of their cement blocks for traffic calming to force vehicles to snake their way from Carnwith to Columbus. And, heading south as well, to slow down going past Brooklin High and into the core. This will lessen the burden of what the company needs to remove from its site, hence the civic-minded piece of the solution. The tolls needn't be burdensome, just annoying. Perhaps $50 per trip for trucks. Durham Region residents and businesses would be issued transponders for free passage, much like how waste management bins are supplied. Lose your transponder and you buy a new one. Given that Baldwin is a provincial road, which has made the entire issue more complex, we could have an agreement with the province to share toll proceeds. With a little creativity, those monies could go towards reducing the 412 tolls and perhaps even eliminating them. There's more. We ask the province to allow advertising to be painted or placed on the aforementioned cement blocks, again with the dough shared between the province and the town. My guess is that this might be a bit more complex to accomplish than the magnetic EV decal. But hey, you don't try, you don't get. Just a thought Less than half the picture by Richard Bercuson There was a time when being plant-based was a lot harder than it is today. However, in recent years, there has been a considerable rise in interest, acceptance and adoption of this lifestyle. When I first made the switch to being vegan, I was constantly asked how I got my protein. But I haven't been asked that in a long time. Initially, you may find making the change challenging so go at your own pace. It gets easier. I found what helped me was finding "my people, " those with similar interests. I'm into fitness and love to trail run, so I initially was drawn into the lifestyle by Canadian triathlete Brandon Brazier, the creator of the plant-based product line called Vega. I also follow the No Meat Athlete and Rich Roll podcasts. My concern was staying strong, being able to run trails and keeping pace with my active life. Follow blogs and media I also love to cook so I follow several blogs and social media pages including: Oh She Glows, The Minimalist Baker, Dreena Burton, and Sam Turnball. These blogs have great recipes and tips. Recently, Dreena Burton's new cookbook, "Dreena's Kind Kitchen," was awarded first prize in the world's first vegan cookbook contest by the International Vegan Film Festival. Sam Turnball's cookbook, "Fast Easy Cheap Vegan," was awarded third place in the same contest. Interesting fact, all four of these bloggers are Canadian. A client suggested I follow podcaster Jay Shetty. In one episode he interviewed Simon Hill, who has a best-selling cookbook, "The Proof is in the Plants." I understand this book is science-based which appeals to my logical mind. I`ve just ordered it and will share with you information that is new and interesting. I also studied plant-based nutrition at Cornell University because I decided that if I was going to incorporate this lifestyle into my business, I needed to know more and be sure I was giving factual information. So as I said, find your people to make the transition a little easier. This recipe is my all time favourite salad dressing which I`ve been making for years. Dreena's Hummus Salad Dressing - Recipe from Let Them Eat Vegan! 1/4 cup chickpeas 1/4 cup water 2 1/2 tbsp tahini 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp tamari 1/2 tsp dijon mustard 2-3 tsp fresh oregano leaves (see note) 1 very small clove garlic (or 1/2 small-med) 1 - 1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar (or more to taste) 1/4 tsp sea salt Freshly ground pepper to taste 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt/pepper if desired. Note: If you don't have fresh oregano, don't use dried. Keep the flavour more vibrant and fresher, and instead of using dried oregano, try adding a tbsp or so of chopped parsley, or a lesser amount of other fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary (1-2 tsp). Fresh herbs can be omitted, however, and this will still have good flavour. Sheree`s Hack: Freeze leftover fresh herbs for use in other recipes. Knowledge sources Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson