Vegan Burger and Pickles

The Chef: Jennifer

The Menu: A veggie burger from Hilary's Eat Well, topped with Daiya's jack cheese, Wildbrine miso horseradish kimchi and red beet and cabbage sauerkraut

The Dish: We eat a fair amount of veggie burgers here at VNHQ (for example, yesterday's beet burger that will be in the July+August Veganize It! column) so you know it has be pretty delicious for us to eat it during lunch. I also like that you can literally pop this veggie burger in the toaster to cook it. Healthy fast food indeed! We picked Wildbrine's line of pickled veggies as a Best of Show award winner and I can't get enough of its kimchi. (Don't tell my co-workers, but I think I ate most of the jar in our fridge.) Have a great weekend everyone!

Taco Friday

The Chefs: Jennifer, Colleen, and Hilary

The Menu: A taco bar with freshly made guacamole, green chile tortillas, salsa fresca, black beans, cilantro, and chopped tomatoes and lettuce. Bonus bar: nachos topped with Galaxy Mexican shreds, tomatoes, and black beans and quesadillas filled with Galaxy Mexican shreds and Daiya Jack and Cheddar Cheese.

The Dish: Editorial Assistant Rashida Harmon is a genius. She came up with the idea of combining the Galaxy Mexican shredded cheese with the black beans we got in with the EZ Bean Cooker. And that's how Taco Friday was born. Combined with a beautiful day on the deck, it was the best way to celebrate not one, but two different types of vegan cheeses (Daiya's new wedges and Galaxy's new shreds) that both melt and taste great. I'm also impressed that the EZ Bean Cooker made a batch of black beans in 50 minutes (no pre-soaking required!). It doesn't get better than this, friends. Have a great weekend!

Herbivore Smorgasbord

The Chefs: Elizabeth and Herbivore

The Menu: A roasted beet salad with grilled tofu and avocado; a vegan beef quesadilla with guacamole and salsa; and an Indonesian noodle salad with cucumber, cabbage, greens, sprouts, grilled mushrooms, and peanuts, all tossed in a peanut dressing.

The Goods: As might already be clear, I was particularly hungry when I ordered lunch today. VN volunteer extraordinaire Peter Ryan stopped by for lunch, and asked me to surprise him with a choice of salad, but somehow (even though I know that Herbivore's salads are enormous), two salads just didn't sound hearty enough, hence the quesadilla. The triple-threat lunch you see above was awesome for two main reasons. One, everything was really tasty. Two, now I don't need to worry about what to get for lunch for the rest of the week—the answer is leftovers! If you need a little help deciding what to eat today, check out our Pinterest account. There are food boards of inspiration galore!

Pasta Two Ways

The Chefs: Jennifer and longtime VN friend Peter

The Menu: Spaghetti in tomato sauce, a baked version of spaghetti with a layer of spinach and topped with Daiya cheddar cheese, and a side salad, covered in Parma!

The Goods: It's a good day, my friends. First, I give you our canine editors, Cal and Khane, who just gave us notes on our May+June issue (my article came back with quite a few red marks). Second, I present you with pasta two different ways. VN friend Peter, who is also the guardian of our canine editors, made us a homemade tomato sauce then served it over spaghetti and then a baked version with spinach and Daiya cheddar cheese. Third, we got in samples of Follow Your Heart's new Vegenaise flavors! We're talking vegan tartar sauce, pesto, horseradish, barbecue, chipotle, and roasted garlic. Life is good.

Roasted Tomato Soup & Giant Kale Salad

The Chef: Jennifer 

The Menu: Roasted tomato soup and a kale salad.

The Goods: Yes, my co-workers (they shall remain nameless) teased me about the size of my kale salad. The leaves were literally falling off the plate. But I have a good reason for eating half of a bunch of kale. After baking/eating the top cookie in our Holiday Cookie Contest—chocolate sugar cookies with peppermint candy cane frosting—I needed to eat my weight in greens. The tomato soup, my friends, is one of the best I've ever had and it's the Veganize It! recipe from the January+February  VegNews. As Managing Editor Elizabeth Castoria aptly described it, "This soup is a great grilled cheese dipper." I'm lucky that my husband is the king of vegan grilled cheese sandwiches. Thanks, Daiya! If you're running low on your favorite vegan pantry items, enter our $100 Pangea shopping spree giveaway. Now, I'm off to finish the rest of my salad.

Cozy Cheesy Farfalle and An Apple a Day

The Chef: Hilary

The Dish: Bow-tie pasta smothered in mozzarella Daiya and marinara sauce with shallots, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes, plus a delightfully crunchy and sweet Honeycrisp apple. 

The Goods: With temperatures dropping, I find my urge growing to crawl into a cave with a barrel of hot cocoa and knitted things to hide for the remainder of winter. Due to various social obligations and physical logistics, my dream scenario is unfortunately not feasible. However, I find that a hearty, Daiya-laden pasta dish here and there provides a sufficient dose of cozy to help me beat the winter blues. Now all I need is the aroma of fresh-baked cookies from the VegNews Holiday Cookbook to keep me feeling toasty. Submit your best cookie recipe to the VegNews Holiday Cookie Contest today! The deadline is Friday for showing us how brightly your baking skills shine. 

Vegan Tacos & Nachos

The Chef: Jennifer

The Menu: Smoky soy curls, Food for Lovers vegan queso, roma tomatoes, Tofutti sour cream, and nachos piled high with Yves fake ground beef and Daiya pepperjack cheese.

The Goods: I fell in love with soy curls the moment I tried a bite of Native Bowl's Mississippi Bowl while in Portland, OR for Vida Vegan Con. They reminded me of seitan strips but more flavorful, so I made sure to snag some in the Whole Foods' bulk bins before I left Portland, land of amazing vegan eats. While at VVC, I met the lovely Julie Hasson, the chef/owner behind Native Bowl, and found a smoky soy curl recipe in her Vegan Diner cookbook. So I whipped up some tacos and nachos for dinner. And what makes a great dinner even better? Leftovers for lunch. I need a hearty lunch after shopping at our very own VegNews Vaute Couture Pop-Up Shop! Discounts on the fall collection + awesome sales on Vaute Couture's past items + Fat Bottom cupcakes = happiness. Just add in some soy curl tacos, and I'm ready for Labor Day weekend. (Psst ... the sale continues on Saturday, so don't miss out!)

Heirloom Tomato Salad and Savory Gnocchi

The Chef: Hilary

The Menu: Savory whole-wheat gnocchi with vegan bolognese sauce, Daiya, and mushrooms; a refreshing heirloom tomato salad with basil, silken tofu, avocado, and balsamic vinaigrette. 

The Goods: I decided to come prepared with a lunch suitable for rain or shine, given San Francisco's schizophrenic weather, so I packed both light and rich options today. Most of the staff was gone this weekend on an action-paced foray to the Animal Rights Conference in Los Angeles, so much of the morning was spent sharing stories about the trip's inspiring speakers and amazing screening of Vegucated, as well as the staff's enthusiastic sampling of The Veggie Grill secret menu. My stomach was grumbling with envy, but thankfully I had prepared an heirloom tomato salad and some rich, satisfying gnocchi. The Italian-inspired combo served as a great pick-me-up for a Monday afternoon (much needed as jackhammers deafeningly ravage the sidewalk outside), and the sunshine came out just in time for a rooftop picnic.

Pizza with Fiona Ma

The Chef: Anna and Patxi's Chicago Pizza

The Menu: Patxi's deep-dish vegan pizza, filled with spinach, red onion, chopped garlic, and quite a bit of Daiya mozzarella cheese

The Dish: Today I and the rest of the VegNews staff received a double treat: Patxi's deep-dish vegan pizza delivered by none other than California Assemblymember Fiona Ma! We all had a tasty and thought-provoking lunch, discussing topics such as the pros and cons of ballot initiatives, the use of social media in politics, and whether or not there is a better slice of vegan deep-dish out there (the consensus was no). For dessert, I'm already dreaming about the popsicles on this week's VegNews TV. Orange creamsicle? Yes please.

The VegNews staff with Assemblymember Ma!

Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

The Chefs: Elizabeth and Louie Castoria

The Menu: A delicious bowl of (what else?) Bachelor Soup, accompanied by a big shredded kale salad with carrots, shredded beets, cucumbers, and avocado, and vegan eggplant Parmesan with Daiya and the best homemade marinara sauce on the planet.

The Goods: One of the best parts of Mondays is that they come right after the weekend, which often means that you get to relive part of your work-free revelry by lunching on leftovers. Today, I got to enjoy not only my favorite soup (I've seriously had it six times in the last week. Send help.), but also dined on leftover eggplant Parmesan made by my very own dad! He's a genius when it comes to translating Italian classics into vegan versions, and this crispy, delicious dish leftover from Easter dinner was no exception. Here's hoping that everyone had a wonderful weekend, and that we all get to enjoy the week ahead.

Vegan Pizza

The Chef: Jennifer

The Menu: Vegan pizza with spinach, tomato, and Daiya pepperjack cheese.

The Goods: I recently moved to Berkeley, which is a vegan haven, and VN Editorial Assistant Alexandra Chang (a University of California Berkeley graduate) told me to head to Berkeley Bowl for its large produce section. She was not kidding. I felt like a kid in a veggie candy store. I might have bought my weight in kale and giant Fuji apples. So when I was running out the door this morning, I hadn't packed a lunch but I grabbed a tomato and some baby spinach. When I got to the office, I decided to make the VN staff vegan pizzas topped with fresh tomato, spinach, and Daiya pepperjack. We sat outside, enjoying the beautiful San Francisco weather. Instant mood booster, indeed.

Salad and Vegan Nachos

The Chef: Anna

The Menu: A spring mix salad topped with edamame, green peppers, carrot, avocado, and Follow Your Heart White Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette. Oh, and what's that over there? Why, it's a heap of homemade vegan nachos!

The Goods: The weather today is less than ideal (let's just say my umbrella turned inside out nine times on my walk to VNHQ), so any chances of going out for today's lunch were scrapped. Luckily I always bring a salad from home, but today I needed a little something extra. So I reached into our stores of Daiya pepperjack and Beanfields chips and voila! Zesty nachos. The warm, peppery cheesiness was the perfect accompaniment to my greens and a tasty antidote to the cold, gloomy rain pouring down outside. Is the weather in your hometown bumming you out too? Check out our 10 mood-boosting tips, and get out of that rut faster than I can whip up another plate of nachos (which I am going to do. Right. Now.).

Rainy Day Quesadillas

The Chef: Colleen

The Menu: Fresh tortillas broiled with Daiya's new Pepperjack cheese, along with an organic green salad with Follow Your Heart's just-launched vegan Ranch dressing

The Goods: The (fantastic) aftermath of Expo West continues. Given today's stormy, rainy weather, our wonderful Associate Editor Jennifer Chef offered to bake up quesadillas for the staff so we could all stay in and keep warm. How could we say no? We're lovin' the new Pepperjack flavor, as it boasts a nice kick while being totally meltable in some of our favorite foods (quesadillas being one of them). And we couldn't be more happy with Follow Your Heart's new Ranch dressing—this is the real deal, people. We could pour this on everything, and maybe we just might. As soon as we finished up lunch, a delivery arrived: cupcake kits from Sticky Fingers! On top of winning Food Network's Cupcake Wars, dealing with the post-show press, they found time to send us a few of these adorable kits. It was a very good day—especially given how busy we are with the May+June issue, which goes to press on Monday. Packed with vegan weddings, a fascinating exposé on product recalls, an interview with HSUS' Wayne Pacelle, and so much more, get ready for another incredible edition of VegNews! In the meantime, have a fabulous weekend, and if you're heading to the Genesis Awards in Los Angeles, be sure to say hello to VN editors Elizabeth and Jenn!

Vegan Pizza Day @ VegNews

The Chef: Colleen

The Menu: A cornmeal-crusted pizza covered with Daiya's new Pepperjack Style Shreds, fresh spinach, black olives, and garlic—accompanied by a trio of salads from local vegan eatery Herbivore (marinated kale salad with faux chicken, organic green salad with avocado, and spinach salad with walnuts in a hemp dressing).

The Goods: When the shipment of Daiya's brand-new cheese arrived to the VNHQ last week, we immediately started planning how to best devour the cheese maker's latest flavor. Today, I brought in a couple of Vicolo's cornmeal crusts (also available in a gluten-free version), piled on the Pepperjack and toppings, and baked up these two pies. At 12:30pm, when the entire office smelled of toasted pizza dough, gooey cheese, and roasted garlic, staffers lined up to fill their plates with this taste test-turned-lunch. Of course, it's our job to try every new vegan product on the market, so it's our duty to devour homemade vegan pizza. The verdict? We're in love. This new flavor is both spicy and smooth, and would taste great on your favorite Mexican dish (we'll also be whipping up a batch of quesadillas later in the week). And to end any vegan meal, how about a bite of one of Sjaak's new candy bars? We're giving away a set of them here, so don't miss your chance to win!

The two pizza pies, just before baking.

Vegan Pizza, Muffins, and Tarts!

The Chef: Alexandra, Paxti's Pizza, and Candle Cafe

The Menu: A vegan feast of Paxti's California Chicago "Stuffed" pizza with Daiya Mozzarella, a variety of Candle Cafe Vegan MiniMuffins, and Candle Cafe Tarts in both Chocolate Peanut Butter and Raspberry Linzer.

The Goods: After a three-day weekend, the VegNews staff was spoiled once more! New York's Candle 79 and Candle Cafe owners Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza visited the VNHQ, bringing with them plenty of amazing tarts and mini muffins (check out the photos at This Just In). My personal favorites: the sweet carrot mini muffins and the raspberry linzer torte. But really, everything tasted incredible, the company was great, and all our bellies were filled with sweetness. As Editorial Assistant Anna so accurately put it, "We have the best job ever." Oh, and let's not forget that our publisher, Joseph Connelly, also ordered a Paxti pizza full of red onions, spinach, and vegan pizza necessity—Daiya cheese (for all you pizza lovers out there, make sure to keep an eye out for our upcoming VegNews.com how-to pizza guide!). I'd never had Paxti's before, and I'm usually more of a thin-crust pizza fan, but this delectable deep-dish definitely had me on its side. And to think that I was originally going to have a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch...

Quick Ziti Lunch

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: An Amy's Kitchen Baked Ziti Bowl, plus enormous side salad from Valencia Whole Foods' trusty salad bar. The baked ziti had a lovely tomato sauce, green peas, and even a little vegan cheese, and the salad consisted of spinach, more peas, corn, garbanzo beans, and a (ahem) generous dose of Parma!

The Goods: Sometimes, we have amazing, freshly prepared lunches from our favorite vegan restaurants and share them with you here on Café VegNews. Then sometimes, like today, we eat like powerful magazine editors. Thankfully, our local corner store has a great salad bar and ample frozen vegan options. It's simply too rainy in SF today to only have salad, and ziti is both fun to eat and to say. Zeetee. If you can't get enough of this comforting carb, check out What's Cooking on VegNews.com for a simple Ziti and Tomato Sauce recipe that's nearly as quick to make as a microwaveable meal.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

The Chef: Lyndsay and Patxi's Chicago Pizza

The Menu: A humongous slice of leftover Patxi's Chicago deep dish pizza with Daiya cheese, mushrooms, and jalapeños. I accompanied this with a side of a spring mix salad, topped with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

The Goods: It was a rainy weekend in the SF Bay Area, and I just didn't feel like cooking last night. My solution of course was to order this delicious pizza pie, and I'm using pie in the literal sense, because this baby is huge—one slice will fill you up, and if it doesn't, you're super-human. We here at the VNHQ wish you a happy last week of October, and to kick it off, we have the ultimate vegan guide to Halloween candy over at VegNews.com. Enjoy!

Pizza, Pizza!

The Chef: Abby

The Menu: Pizza! Abby prepared two tasty pizza pies with crispy, homemade crust, slathered in rustic marinara and topped with cheddar and mozzarella-style Daiya cheese, black beans, and veggies including mushroom, tomato, and onion. Abby paired our pizza slices with a lovely side salad of romaine, onion, black beans, tomato, and mushroom. Bellissimo!

The Goods: If you haven't noticed, we're pretty big fans of pizza. The many virtues of vegan pizza are daily romanticized in these here offices, so today's lunch was, lets just say, greatly enjoyed. Sadly, Colleen, Joseph, and Lyndsay missed out on our pizza bounty, as they are in the Midwest for a weekend of sun and vegetarian fun at VeggieFest Chicago in Naperville, Ill,. If you hail from the Chicagoland area, be sure to stop by the festival, meet VN staffers, and renew your subscription. Happy weekend, everybody!

Spaghetti & Vegan Meatballs

The Chef: Liz

The Menu: A molto bene Italian spread including whole-wheat spaghetti with vegan meatballs, toasted Daiya cheesy bread, and an arugula, spinach, and mushroom salad. Liz took the semi-homemade approach to pasta sauce by combining Lucini Tuscan Marinara with diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and roasted red peppers and crafted vegan meatballs by rolling dollops of Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix in bread crumbs. No, that's amore.

The Goods: This gluten-licious lunch was the perfect perk-up after a particularly chilly San Francisco morning. While dining on our Italian feast, we discussed a few of our favorite things: cake, Mad Men, and the 2010 Veggie Awards! The competition is fierce, and nominees and fans alike are launching world wide web campaigns to rally for their favorite vegan people, places, and products in our annual reader poll. We're thrilled to see all of the healthy competition spreading, and we're even more thrilled to tally up the winners when the polls close on August 31. Haven't weighed-in on your vegan top choices for 2010? Do it! Right now! Then tell all of your friends—in this election, every vote really counts!

Cheesy Tortillas & Veggies

The Chef: Abby

The Menu: Homemade cheesy tortillas ala Savvy Abby's signature recipe plus one heaping helping of Daiya cheese. We filled these burritos to the brim with fluffy quinoa and a savory mix of veggies including broccoli, red cabbage, black beans, potatoes, collards, and onions topped with fresh, slightly spicy salsa and a little extra sprinkling of Daiya, just for good measure.

The Goods: Happy August! Today is an exciting day, and not just because Abby whipped up a tasty batch of cheesy vegan tortillas. No, today is extra exciting as it marks the launch of the 2010 Veggie Awards polls! Yes, from August 2 to August 31 you have the chance to sound off about your favorite vegan people, places, and products—and the chance to win fabulous prizes! Polls opened today, so there's no time like the present to submit your votes. Let the electioneering begin!