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!

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. 

Curry Meatless Chicken

The Chefs: Lyndsay and Family Garden Chinese & Japanese Cuisine

The Menu: The Curry Meatless Chicken, which has onion, zucchini, red and green pepper, and rice, in a delicious curry sauce.

 
The Goods: I've been doing a lot of cooking these past couple of weeks, and last night I really needed a break. So I did what any sane person would do, and ordered Chinese from my favorite local spot. I'm never disappointed with their meatless chicken dishes, and I was very happy to not have to lift a finger in the process—unless you consider opening the door for the delivery guy. Once again, after a busy and speedy week at the VNHQ, it's finally Friday. We wish you all a merry weekend!

Holy Guacamole!

The Chefs: Joni and Jeremy

The Menu: Amy’s Kitchen pre-made black bean burrito topped with Jeremy’s spicy guacamole, a side of Beanfields bean and rice chips, and sweet, crispy palmier cookies for dessert. 

 
The Goods: In between preparing updates for VegNews.com, writing VegNews Dailies, and consuming mass amounts of caffeine via cup after cup of coffee, I managed to stop and take a break with a California-inspired lunch. My boyfriend Jeremy makes the most amazing guacamole ever, with onions, spicy red peppers, lime juice, and more. Whenever he makes it, we’ll put it on everything we eat until not even a molecule of the green stuff remains in the bowl, so I had to take some to work with me before it all disappeared. And as for the Beanfields chips, the VNHQ staff cannot get enough of them; there always seems to be an open bag tempting us somewhere in the office! This lunch was great and will surely power me through the rest of this writing-intensive day. 

Bagel, Tofutti, and Tomato

The Chefs: Lyndsay and Javalencia

The Menu: A classic BTT—sesame seed bagel, Tofutti, and Tomato.

 
The Goods: It's been a crazy day, and unfortunately, I forgot to eat breakfast, which I never do. So by lunch time I was completely famished, so I picked up this satisfying sandwich from our local café, Javalencia. A smaller lunch than I'm usually used to, but definitely tasty. We at the VNHQ are very happy to see the weekend arrive, and we hope everyone has a good one. Monday will be a crazy day as well when we launch the 2011 Veggie Awards Survey—make sure to vote!

Masala Dosa

The Chefs: Joni and Udupi Palace

The Menu: Crispy masala dosa filled with spiced potatoes and onions, steamy sambar (lentil-onion soup), and three kinds of chutney—savory coconut, seasoned tomato, and zesty ginger.

The Goods: Nothing inspires fantasies of travel to exotic, sunny locations more than grey San Francisco mornings. Since the vacation had to fit within my hour-long lunch, travel to India via feasting on a masala dosa at Udupi Palace was the next best thing! Besides, with such a busy and exciting week here at the VNHQ as we finish up the September+October issue of VegNews, not even lousy weather could tempt me to actually leave town. We’ve also got a Twitter chat with four amazing farm sanctuaries tonight at 9PM ET/ 6PM PT. But at the VNHQ, when we work hard, we play harder, and I can’t wait for summery cocktails at this month’s Vegan Drinks Night at Martuni’s this Thursday at 6PM. 

South Indian Fare at Udupi

The Chef: Lyndsay and Udupi Palace

The Menu: The mixed vegetable uthappam with sambar and chutneys.

The Goods: The VNHQ is practically empty today, with everyone gone except myself, and our two editorial assistants, Anna and Alexandra. To liven things up a little, we decided to have a special lunch at Udupi Palace, which is just about two blocks away. The restaurant seemed to be unusually busy, but we received our food right away, and it was extra delicious, if I do say so myself. We wish you a happy weekend!

Very Sloppy Joes

The Chef: Lyndsay

The Menu: A delicious vegan Sloppy Joes sandwich, which consists of onion, red bell pepper, and textured vegetable protein. A side of pretzels and an apple helped to top off this satisfying lunch.

The Goods: I took a small hiatus from cooking, so once I got back to it, I needed to keep it simple—at least for the first few meals. These yummy Sloppy Joes were just the ticket! I followed the insanely simple recipe from The Urban Vegan cookbook, written by VN Contributor Dynise Balcavage, which I recently purchased since I'm a fan of her blog. Now don't be fooled! Not all of her recipes are this easy, but I look forward to trying the more intricate ones, such as the Nouveau Pot au Feu (a French stew), which I've heard really good things about. It's been a busy week at the VNHQ, but every week comes to an end, and we hope everyone has a great weekend!

New Year's Lunch

The Chefs: Lyndsay and Herbivore

The Menu: The grilled "Chicken" sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles, with garlic-lemon sauce, plus a green salad and seasoned potatoes on the side.

The Goods: The whole VN editorial crew went out to lunch today, in order to celebrate the arrival of our two new Editorial Assistants, Anna and Alexandra. There were six of us, but only three menu items were ordered—one Raw Red Beet and Spinach Salad, two grilled "Chicken" sandwiches, and three Southwestern Scrambled Tofus (as shown below). I guess you can say we have the same tastes. We're excited to come back to the VNHQ for the start of 2011, and look forward to eating some great lunches—like this one—too!

We Be Lovin' Sushi

The Chef: Lyndsay and We Be Sushi

The Menu: A sushi feast, including seaweed and spinach salads, inari, avocado and cucumber rolls, shiitake mushroom rolls, eggplant rolls, and delicious veggie tempura rolls to top it off.

The Goods: Yes, this may seem like a lot of food, but it was shared between Editorial Assistant Gabrielle Pope and myself. Plus, it was super cheap, which always wins me over. We Be Sushi actually has two locations on Valencia Street, and this was our first time at the second location, and we found it to be more veg-friendly, and it was just downright cute inside. We at the VNHQ are back from a wonderful four-day weekend due to the holiday, and we're getting ready for one of the busiest months of the year—December! One of the many things happening is our 2011 Vegan Wedding Application deadline this coming Wednesday. If you've had a vegan wedding this past year, be sure to apply before it's too late!

Delightful South Indian Fare

The Chef: Lyndsay and Udupi Palace

The Menu: The Masala Uthappam served with Sambar and chutneys.

The Goods: It's Monday, but not just any Monday, because it's the week of Thanksgiving, and we are truly excited at the VNHQ! In celebration, Editorial Assistant Gabrielle Pope and I decided to dine on some delicious South Indian fare at Udupi Palace, which never disappoints. Tomorrow, the entire VN staff will be partaking in our annual Thanksgiving feast, featuring the Native Food's Wellington, which was part of our giveaway last week. This week, we're giving away a $100 Alternative Outfitters Shopping Spree. Don't forget to enter for your chance to win!

Tomato Soup, Fluffy Bread

The Chef: Liz

The Menu: A hearty bowl of Campbell's Select Harvest Tomato Basil soup sprinkled with fresh black pepper and spinach leafs. To accompany my bowl of soup toasted two slices of whole-grain Dave's Killer Bread—perfect for dipping.

The Goods: This is my favorite accidentally-vegan soup ever, as unlike many Campbell's soups, it uses clean ingredients and steers clear of unpronounceable preservatives. This satisfying soup offered a nice lunchtime break from an otherwise chaotic day here at the VNHQ—moving day! Yes, that's right, as of Monday, September 27, the VN staff will be working out of our new offices in San Francisco's Mission District. We're totally excited for the big move, and in the spirit of cleaning house beforehand, we'll be closing the office tomorrow, and hosting our first-ever Great Big Vegan Garage Sale this weekend. Stop by, meet the staff, and pick up a piece of VegNews history!

Tortilla Soup, Kale Salad

The Chef: Liz

The Menu: A spicy, zesty bowl of Dr. McDougall's Tortilla Soup complete with baked tortilla chips, corn, brown rice, garlic, pinto beans, and carrots served alongside a fresh kale salad.

The Goods: Nothing perks up an overcast, foggy San Francisco day more than a classic soup-and-salad combo. Today's pairing was especially satisfying, as it included my favorite leafy green: kale! Usually I prefer my kale dressed with a mixture or Braggs Amino Acids and nutritional yeast, but with none on-hand I improvised with reduced-sodium soy sauce and black pepper, which seemed to do the trick.

Celebratory Ike's Sandwiches

The Chef: Ike's Place

The Menu: Seriously satisfying, fully-stacked vegan sandwiches from Ike's Place, including one Green Goblin, one Meatless Mike, and a whopping three Brutus' (pictured above).

The Goods: WE LOVE IKE'S! These sandwiches are, hands down, the best in the city—nay, the world. You may be wondering why we differed from our daily, office-made lunch today, and the answer is simple: we're celebrating! This morning, VN Publishers Joseph Connelly and Colleen Holland made a monumental step for VN's future by signing a lease for a new space in San Francisco's Mission District! We're totally pumped to relocate the VNHQ to a happening new neighborhood nudging every great vegan and vegan-friendly restaurant in the city. We won't relocate right away—you know we're going to thoroughly beautify the space first. Once we're all moved in we'll definitely share pictures—yes, it will not be unlike how your friends gush about their new babies, or how your aunt gushes about her cats. We're just that excited.

Indian Eats

The Chef: Joseph

The Menu: A spread of Indian-inspired delights including fragrant, slow-cooked five-spice rice mixed with peas paired with a satisfying stir-fry of zucchini, carrot, and punjab eggplant marinated in a spicy, flavorful sesame seed sauce. Joseph rounded out the meal by serving up a simple spinach salad topped with a savory, saucy dressing.

The Goods: It's Friday! Yay! We're not sure if you're big fans of the weekend, but for us, Saturdays are pretty much akin to Christmas morning. This weekend, half the VN staff is happily working over—not for—the weekend Saturday and Sunday at the second-annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival here in semi-sunny San Francisco. The stacked line-up features a handful of fantastic veg musicians, from punk rockers Social Distortion to indie darlings My Morning Jacket, and we can't wait to revel in all the festival fun. We're also looking forward to all the tasty, local vegan eats available at the event, ranging from veggie burgers to gluten-free vegan sandwiches and vegan sausages. Yeah, not bad. Come Monday, we'll be sure to report on all the Outside Lands fun on Press Pass.

Tofu & Spinach Burritos

The Chef: Lyndsay

The Menu: Mouthwatering Tofu & Spinach Evol burritos filled with potatoes, black beans, tofu, spinach, and tomato salsa wrapped in a doughy whole-wheat tortilla. Lyndsay paired these easy-to-microwave wonders with a helping of homemade guacamole and a simple side salad of romaine, spinach, and carrot.

The Goods: We're big fans of Evol eats, from its tasty wraps to big-time burritos, this no-fuss, no-muss line of products hits the mark for any occasion. While we've never met a burrito we didn't like, but, we have a sneaking suspicion that these burritos, made with 80-percent organic ingredients, are as good for your body as they are tasty for your tummy. Sorry if we're not making complete sense here: That's the burrito coma talking.

Rice and Bean Salad

The Chef: Brooke

The Menu: Savory salad! Brooke whipped up a lovely rice and bean salad by throwing together seasoned basmati rice, black beans, kidney beans, romaine, tomato, and bell pepper, all marinated in a buttery, zesty olive oil and lime dressing.

The Goods: No, we're not complaining about our satisfying lunch of rice and bean salad, and yes, we're now requiring that all salads consist largely of perfectly cooked basmati rice. Sorry about that, lettuce. In other news, Colleen, Joseph, and Lyndsay are back at the VNHQ after a four-day weekend spent in Chicago—and they've reported back with all the details! Aside from working the fantastic, two-day VeggieFest Chicago show in Naperville, Ill., they enjoyed meals at The Chicago Diner and Karyn's on Green and toured the Vegan Essentials headquarters. Are we jealous? Maybe. It's okay though, because we remaining staffers will take any excuse to enjoy a leisurely trip to the Windy City.