Hot Pink Soup!

The Chefs: Abby and Susy

The Menu: One of the most colorful ways of using Thanksgiving leftovers we've ever seen! Though the photo doesn't quite do it justice, this soup—which was an amalgamation of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and roasted root vegetables—was hot pink in real life, thanks to the roasted beets it contained. Susy (aka Elizabeth's mom) brought the soup makings, some stuffing, and a highly delicious cranberry-Cabernet sauce from the Castoria family Thanksgiving. Abby whipped up her signature biscuits and a big, beautiful salad.

The Goods: Today we had the pleasure of Susy's company and celebrated the birth of our beloved Frankie. OK, so technically Frankie's birthday isn't until tomorrow, but she has celebration plans that don't involve coming into the office, so we took the opportunity to whoop it up with her today. Fun ladies and great eats? We like that.

Sugar and Spice

The Chef: Abby

The Menu: A sweet, savory, and satisfying breakfast. Abby busted out made-from-scratch black bean faux sausage patties seasoned with smoky herbs and spices, and baked marinated tofu for a killer savory combo. Baked oatmeal with cranberries, brown sugar, and a muesli topping made for a hearty side dish that easily doubled as dessert. Sliced organic apples rounded out the plate with a fresh, tangy bite, leaving us all stuffed and happy.

The Goods: There's nothing better than relaxing in the rays with a plateful of food, forgetting the stressors of the workweek and holiday season. Speaking of holiday stress, have you finished your shopping yet? Or, like some VN staffers, have you neglected to even start? Here at the VNHQ, we've got you covered. Check out our just-announced Holiday Blowout Sale, featuring 1-year subscriptions for $15, and our awesome VIP-worthy gift pack for only $40! There, we just saved you a lot of time and headache, not to mention set you up to be the coolest gift-giver around.

Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck

The Chefs: Everyone!

The Menu: Where to begin? Everyone contributed to today's plentiful spread, which was so amazingly filling that none of us is likely to have enough room to squeeze in a single cranberry tomorrow. At 12 o'clock on this fine plate we have the traditional canned cranberry sauce, courtesy of Ms. Frankie. One of our most devoted volunteers, she comes in a couple times a week and keeps us all honest. Moving clockwise we have boiled yucca with traditional Cuban mojito, which in this case is a delicious, raw-garlic sauce—not a minty mixed drink. Next up Aurelia made some damn fine swiss chard with onions, garlic, and just a touch of chile pepper heat. Joseph brought in a huge casserole dish of lovely roasted winter vegetables, garnished here with a rosemary sprig. And finishing off the plate we have Elizabeth's salad with persimmons, pomegranate, and roasted pecans. Oof.

The Goods: Since it's most likely that everyone will be eating a huge amount tomorrow we figured the best way to prepare was to eat a huge amount today. Makes sense, right? Well, maybe not, but what a fantastic way to celebrate. Since it was a special occasion, we had a little something extra in the form of an amazing, gluten-free apple crisp made by Ms. Colleen with apples that grew on her backyard tree. Paired with an extra-rich, super-creamy, non-egg nog from Joseph, the dessert course was as incredible as the rest of the meal. See? Teamwork at the office really does pay off!



Happy Turkey-Free Thanksgiving from all of us here at VegNews! We'll be back on Monday with your regularly scheduled lunch-cast.