South Indian Staff Lunch

The Chefs: Colleen and Udupi Palace

The Menu: The amazing Spinach Masala Dosa with a bowl of sambar soup and trio of housemade chutneys (coconut, ginger, and spicy tomato)

The Goods: There isn't a single person at the VNHQ who doesn't love South Indian food. Heck, we could probably eat it every day if we had to. And the best South Indian restaurant in the city is just around the corner from our offices, so our entire team ventured over for a delicious lunch of dosas, uthappams, idlis, and curries. The occasion, however, was bittersweet, as today marked the final day of our wonderful Editorial Assistant Joni Sweet's internship with VegNews. Joni actually studied abroad in India during college and can often be found diving into a dosa during the noon hour, so it was a fitting place to toast her amazing contribution to VegNews. Immediately following lunch, we headed back to the VNHQ for the official judging of our 2011 VegNews Holiday Cookie Contest (hundreds of entries! 10 finalists! incredible vegan cookies!), for which we'll be announcing our three prize winners on Monday (hello, KitchenAid mixer). We were all in a bit of a food coma due to the excessive sugar intake, but we need to shake it in time for tomorrow night's annual VegNews Staff Holiday Bash. We'll be shakin' up this town if you need us!

South Asian Leftover Mash-up

The Chef: Joni

The Menu: A mishmash of leftover Thai, Burmese, and Indian foods—spicy tofu, glazed eggplant, yellow veggie curry, and coconut rice

The Dish: I had family in town recently, which means lots of dining out (no complaints here!). I’m pretty sure we ate at every South Asian restaurant in San Francisco, hence the assortment of leftovers for lunch today. While South Asian cuisine occupies a large portion of my love for food, so does dessert, and I’m ready for some cookies! We spent much of yesterday sorting through the myriad of recipe entries to the VegNews Holiday Cookie Contest and our top 10 finalists sound amazing. We’ll be having a bake-off on Friday to determine the winners and I can’t wait to bake the Peanut Butter Blossoms. It will surely be the perfect end to the week.

Bolani

The Chef: Joni

The Dish: A bolani—traditional Afghan flatbread—stuffed with potatoes and a side of pesto for dipping

The Goods: When I saw this Afghan specialty at the grocery store, I knew I needed to try it—I’m always on a quest to incorporate international flavor into every meal I eat. Adding worldy pizzazz to food would definitely be a good tactic if you’re considering entering the VegNews Holiday Cookie Contest. We’re looking for the most inventive and delicious cookie recipes known to the holiday season, so send them our way for a chance to win fabulous prizes, like a KitchenAid stand mixer.

Pesto Pasta and a Leafy Green Salad

The Chef: Joni and Valencia Whole Foods 

The Dish: A healthy green salad and pesto pasta with sun-dried tomatoes 

The Goods: See that pesto pasta? I’m obsessed—as my go-to lunch, it costs less than $4 and really showcases the earthy flavor of basil. After yesterday’s amazing feast, I wanted a light lunch so that I’ll have plenty of room for feasting this weekend! If you still don’t have Thanksgiving plans, check out this handy guide for event ideas across the country, and don’t forget to save some time to come up with the perfect recipe for our first annual Holiday Cookie Contest! Have a great weekend (also, isn't it great to be able to say that on a Wednesday?)!

Burrito—Round Two

The Chefs: Joni and Taqueria Cancun

The Dish: A super veggie burrito with rice, avocado, black beans, tomato, and onions, complete with a side of chips and salsa.

The Goods: This photo may look familiar to you because I literally had this exact same meal less than two weeks ago. Hey, for $5, there’s no better place to grab a cheap, quick, and filling lunch. You know what’s even cheaper than burritos? A free vegan Thanksgiving feast, which could be at your door next week! As part of our holiday giveaway series, we’re ready to ship an amazing Thanksgiving dinner package, complete with a Native Foods Wellington and a luscious apple pie from Babycakes NYC, to one lucky participant. All you have to do is tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dessert. Woot! Free food!

Roasted Stuffed Squash

The Chef: Joni

The Menu: Roasted acorn squash baked with a wild rice & apple stuffing

The Dish: If this dish looks familiar to you, it’s because I got the idea from this week’s Recipe Club. If you don’t recognize it, it’s probably because it’s a not-so-pretty (yet totally delicious!) leftover from the Recipe Club photoshoot my boyfriend and I held over the weekend. If it’s because you haven’t yet signed up for the Recipe Club, you totally should! I swear, while this photo doesn’t do it justice, this meal would make for a gorgeous Thanksgiving centerpiece. If you need more Thanksgiving recipe ideas to complete your menu, check out these 12 mashed potato recipes or whip up some Stuffed Maple Tofu. Or, be smart and just head to one of these amazing cruelty-free Thanksgiving events and call it a day!

Vegan Burrito!

The Chef: Joni and Taqueria Cancun

The Dish: Veggie burrito stuffed with rice, black beans, avocado, salsa, and more

The Goods: The best part about living in California is the vast abundance of inexpensive, fresh, and delicious Mexican food, found on nearly every city block. The Mexican restaurants in my home state of NY pale in comparison, and I’m not sure I can stomach another flat, boring quesadilla when I go back to visit my friends and family in December. If you’re like me and can’t head back home in time for Thanksgiving, consider checking out one of dozens of other cruelty-free celebrations occurring all over the country this month. From feeding rescued turkeys at farm sanctuaries to veganizing a classic dish for a community potluck, it’s easy to feel right at home for this holiday, no matter where you actually are.

Lemongrass Tofu Lunch Special

The Chefs: Lyndsay and Sunflower Restaurant

The Dish: The  lemongrass tofu lunch special, which included Vietnamese hot and sour soup, a vegetarian imperial roll, and a salad.

 
The Goods: Editorial Assistant Joni Sweet and I wanted a lot of food for cheap when it came to be lunchtime, so I suggested Sunflower, which is one of my favorites. As you can see, there's a whole lot of food on this plate, and it cost us less than $10 each. That's a total success, in my book. It's a beautiful Friday, and we're looking forward to a fun-filled Halloween weekend. Just in case you're not stocked up on candy for this festive holiday, be sure to pick up a bag of Dandies, which are on sale at the VN Store. Happy weekend!

Tofu Scramble

The Chef: Joni and Boogaloos

The Dish: Tofu scramble with peanut-ginger sauce, crispy home fries, sourdough toast, and orange juice

 
The Goods: Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig and I headed over to Boogaloos for brunch. This little diner reminded me of my hometown of Saugerties, NY, where 24-hour diners are sometimes the only place to hang out with friends late at night. I’ll be heading back to upstate NY for the holidays to visit my family. Can you believe the holiday season is coming up so quickly? In fact, Halloween is Monday! Get the inside scoop on all the best vegan Halloween candy via the handy VegNews guide.

Ikepalooza!

The Chef: Hilary and Ike's Place

The Menu: A vegan version of the "Not Tonight Honey, I Have a Headache" sandwich: vegan chicken, fakin' bacon, soy cheese, "dirty sauce," lettuce, tomato, pickles, mustard, and barbecue sauce. 

The Dish: Earlier today, a total frenzy broke out at the VNHQ when we found out that one of our favorite sandwich joints, Ike's Place, was giving away free sandwiches today to tweet-happy fans (namely, us!). After what seemed like hours of salivating over the ample options from the online menu, Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig, Editorial Assistant Joni Sweet, and I headed over to pick up our decadent order. We were greeted by Ike himself!

 We waited until we got back to the office to wolf down our sammies like banshees. Hopefully our appetites will recover in time for the post-Vegucated dessert reception—come join us tonight for Obsessive Confection Disorder treats, So Delicious ice cream, and Honest Tea refreshments! 

Broccoli and Coconut Rice

The Chef: Joni

The Dish: Steamed broccoli over coconut rice with soy sauce and sesame oil

The Goods: I spent this past weekend in Los Angeles to participate in the Urban Food Crawl. After spending Saturday afternoon sampling creative vegan food from six restaurants, I thought I’d be stuffed for days. Being the bottomless pit that I am, I still couldn’t help but pull over at The Whole Enchilada on my drive back to San Francisco. This produce stand was incredible, satisfying both my appetite and my wallet with 10 artichokes for $1, five avocados for $2, three pints of fresh strawberries for $5, and other amazing deals. This pit stop made dinner easy at 10pm, hence the leftovers you see here today. As if that wasn’t enough, today our caterer brought in samples of hors d’oeuvres to be served at the VegNews Book Bash. Seriously, these little bites were so delicious, you’d be crazy not get your ticket before they’re sold out. The party is happening this Friday and we can't wait to see you then!

Lentil Soup Win

The Chef: Joni

The Menu: A bowl of homemade lentil soup, made of brown lentils, veggie broth, carrot, onion, mushroom, ginger, garlic, sage, rosemary, oregano, basil, and fresh kale, and scented with a sprig of fresh rosemary
 

The Goods: No shame—this is literally about the fifth bowl of lentil soup I’ve eaten this week. I regret nothing, as this soup is ridiculously amazing. I spent all day on Sunday cooking up a soup storm because the weather forecast predicted cold, damp grossness. Fortunately for me, those consistently incorrect forecasters were true to form and now I have my favorite soup and my favorite weather—a huge win. Speaking of wins, have you seen the beautiful cover of the Veggie Awards issue of VegNews? It’s only the prettiest thing that will ever sparkle on the newsstands. But you don’t have to wait for that; advance copies are available for pre-order right now. Today is a day full of victories, so perhaps I should challenge my office-mates to some Bananagrams in hope that the trend continues… 

Thai Curry With a Side of Bananagrams

The Chef: Joni and Osha Thai restaurant

The Menu: I ordered a side salad, samosa, and yellow Thai curry with onions, potatoes, tofu, and red peppers.

The Goods: Thai food: the can’t-get-enough-of-it, punched with coconut-curry flavor, best-leftovers-ever cuisine. Seriously, Asian food is probably the best stuff on this earth and I would love nothing more than to have masala dosa, ginger-garlic stiry-fry, and Burmese veggies in my life every single day. While some of our staff are getting to dine on authentic Thai cuisine on the VegNews Vacation in Thailand right now, the rest of us are finalizing the details of the articles to appear in our January+February issue. But, not until we duke it out in a mid-lunch Bananagrams competition. Editors playing word games—that should count as work, right?

All Green

The Chef: Joni and Valencia Whole Foods

The Menu: Pesto pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, tofu and green beans glazed with ginger, and iced green tea

The Goods: Seriously, think twice before sampling this pesto pasta sold at Valencia Whole Foods—it’s so good that I have to it nearly every day. Why is something so delicious located just a block away? Speaking of delicious, check out this huge delivery of bread that arrived today, courtesy of Dave’s Killer Bread. After all this pasta and bread, you can certainly find me happily snoozing on our sunny deck. Thank you, post-lunch, starch-induced coma. For a more exciting event on the deck, come to the VegNews Book Bash with Spork Foods on October 21. Tickets are selling out fast!

Burrito for the Broke and Busy

The Chef: Joni and Amy's Kitchen

The Menu: Pinto bean burrito topped with spicy tomato salsa and corn tortilla chips

The Goods: Amy's burritos topped with salsa are my go-to lunch during busy weeks. They cost significantly less than going out to eat and I just pop them in the over 40 minutes before lunch time. What could be easier? Despite this busy day of finalizing the cover for our November+December issue, lunch was spent lounging on the deck with the ladies of VN, dishing about celebrities and soaking up the sun. Ah, the life. If you're interested in finding out about cruelty-free fall threads, join us on tonight's Twitter chat for a discussion on compassionate fashion.

Ginger-Garlic Stir-Fry

The Chef: Joni

The Menu: Stir-fried carrots, string beans, sugar sap peas, water chestnuts, red peppers, tofu, and mushrooms atop brown rice.

The Goods: This summer, I moved to San Francisco from Ithaca, NY, and donated anything that wouldn’t fit in my Honda CRV to my previous roommate. The most depressing things to give up were all of my kitchen items, including my beloved wok. But, a recent trip to Ikea has provided me with a replacement, and now I’m stir-frying everything in my kitchen, with more garlic and ginger than my roommates can probably stand the smell of. While I’m passionate about cooking, it’s nice to have a night off once in awhile, which is just one more reason why you’ll find me at the VegNews Book Bash on October 21, featuring the writers of Sporkfed. Take the night off and party with us—ticket sales start next week!

Gracias Madre Feast

The Chef: Joni and Gracias Madre

The Menu: Quesdadillas stuffed with sweet potatoes and topped with cashew cheese, and a potato-corn gordita with even more cashew cheese, lettuce, and fresh slices of avocado.

The Dish: While oatmeal is a good start for breakfast, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies fail to have the same hearty morning meal effect. After scarfing one of those down with a cup of coffee for breakfast, I was famished by the time lunch rolled around, so Editorial Assistant Hilary Pollack and I feasted at Gracias Madre. The staff spent the rest of the day lounging in the sun on the newly revamped VNHQ deck while discussing stories for the March+April issue. The more time we spend out there, the more we love it, and we think it will be the perfect place for the VegNews Book Bash with the Spork Food sisters this October. Ticket sales start September 15, so keep checking VegNews.com for more details. 

Pesto Pasta and Salad

The Chef: Joni and Valencia Whole Foods

The Menu: Pesto pasta topped with sun-dried tomatoes with a side salad of tossed greens, chickpeas, black beans, carrots, corn, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

The Dish: At least one person (usually more) seems to chow down on Valencia Whole Foods' offerings of delicious vegan fare every single day. I'm addicted to this pesto pasta, introduced to me via Editorial Assistant Hilary, but I'm even more addicted to the beautiful sunshine gracing San Francisco today, enjoyed on our newly revamped VNHQ deck! Consider making an appointment to the Vaute Couture Pop-Up Show for this Friday or Saturday, so you can check out the VNHQ deck's facelift and pick up some new veg threads. Also, today marks the final opportunity to vote in the Veggie Awards, so voice your opinion before it's too late!

Pizza Party

The Chefs: Joni, Colleen, the VegNews staff, and Patxi’s Chicago Pizza 

The Menu: Fresh green salad with ripe avocado and cherry tomatoes, and sinfully delicious vegan pizza from Patxi’s made with spinach, crushed garlic, red onions, and Daiya cheese on a whole-wheat crust.

The Goods: Colleen decided to throw a pizza party at the VNHQ (thanks, Colleen!), since most of the staff is embarking to Portland this afternoon for the Vida Vegan Blogger Conference. They will spend the weekend getting to know the world’s best vegan bloggers and gorging on Portland’s outrageously delicious vegan food (Portobello Vegan Tarttoria, anyone?). On the other hand, I will be here in San Francisco, dreaming of sunny Portland and all it’s culinary delights, as I schlep box after box into my new apartment this weekend. Now to continue working through this pizza-induced food coma…

Burmese Deliciousness

The Chefs: Joni and Yamo Burmese restaurant

The Menu: Spicy Burmese vegetable curry made with carrots, mushrooms, okra, broccoli, eggplant, zucchini, and green beans, served with rice.

The Goods: During an awesome date with my boyfriend at Burma Susperstar celebrating the much-anticipated arrival of the September+October issue last night, I developed an uncontrollable obsession with Burmese food after my first bite. Fortunately for me, I got to indulge in round two of Burmese deliciousness at Yamo, just down the street from the VNHQ. While not the elegant atmosphere of the acclaimed Burma Superstar, this hole-in-the-wall had a line out the door, with people waiting for access to one of the 10-or-so prized stools at the bar in front of the open, bustling kitchen. Yamo’s skilled chefs seemed used to the lunch rush, and managed to get everyone in and out as quickly as possible, giving me just enough time to savor every last carrot, broccoli, and grain of rice, doused in Sriracha sauce, before delivering the bill. Walking back to the VNHQ on this chilly, cloudy San Francisco day, the curry kept me warm from the belly out; I will surely be back to Yamo’s in the near future to feed my newfound Burmese cuisine obsession.