Salad & Voodoo Burger

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: A lovely kale salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado, plus a Gardein Ultimate Beefless Burger topped with Nacho Mom's Voodoo Queso and a sprinkling of Parma!

The Goods: After our amazing trip to Portland for Vida Vegan Con (read: eating my own weight in awesome vegan food every day) I am very ready to return to my salad-eating ways. Kale, you're my best friend. While I was plating my salad for this here photo, an idea struck me. Since we had both the burgers and the queso just sitting around in the fridge, could these two great things go great together? Indeed they did!

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…

Quinoa Chickpea Salad

The Chef: Jennifer 

The Menu: Chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, romaine, and quinoa with a Goddess dressing

The Goods: In preparation for the blogging conference Vida Vegan Con in Portland, Ore., I've been eating a bit healthier because I plan on consuming my weight in vegan food in the food-truck capital (I'm looking at you, Native Bowl). Thanks to vegan cookbook author extraordinaire Isa Chandra Moskowitz for the lovely salad and dressing recipes from Appetite for Reduction. That book has been my go-to for awesome, healthy meals. The multi-color cherry tomatoes are from my mom's backyard garden and I've been snacking on these little gems for weeks now. If you can't make it to Vida Vegan Con to network, chat tonight with top bloggers including Kathy Patalsky, Chloé Jo Davis, Allyson Kramer, and more special guests during our "Blog to Business" Twitter Chat at 6pm PT. Never done a Twitter chat before? It's as easy as making this salad, trust me. See you there!