Amazing Grains 'n' Greens

The Chef: Stacy

The Menu: Grains, greens, and lots of 'em! Stacy, ever the intrepid chef, started out with a simple basmati rice and lentil mixture, to which she added some spinach, black beans, and Dukkah hazelnut and spice mix. The result was a warm, hearty, and satisfying blend, which was perfectly complemented by her stellar salad, a fresh and crisp mixture of greens, grated carrot, avocado, and sunflower seeds. But today was no ordinary one-grain day at the VNHQ. No, today was an "amazing grain" day because Organic Athlete and longtime VN-pal Justin Lucke was in the house, and he did not come empty handed. He brought along his homemade pain Poilâne, a whole-wheat masterpiece that was just as delightful on its own as it was smothered in Earth Balance and Parma.

The Goods: We are getting deep into the design phase of our July+August issue, so we're preparing ourselves for some marathon meetings by loading up on our favorite creativity-fueling snacks like chocolate-covered pretzels and peanut-filled pretzels from our preferred provision provider, Trader Joe's. Notice a theme going on here? Yes, we have a slight tendency towards obsessing with pretzels. Is there anything wrong with that? No, we didn't think so.