Pre-Coachella Kale

The Chefs: Hilary and Herbivore

The Menu: Knock, knock! Who's there? Kale! Kale who? Kale with soy chicken, cherry tomatoes, carrots, avocado, and onions! (I'm looking for new and inventive ways to describe the contents of this kale salad.) 

The Goods: It's an action-packed week, so I'm packing my brain with superfoods in preparation. In addition to our super-awesome Twitter chat this Wednesday with vegan parents (including one of my favorite interview subjects ever, Mayim Bialik), I will be heading to weekend two of Coachella in a mere 72 hours. At the top of my to-see list: vegan freak-folk maestro Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, who apparently stole the show last weekend and who is one of my perennial musical idols. Looking for your next travel adventure? Check out the 5 Vegan-Friendly Towns on our Radar, all of which offer as many plentiful plant-based eats as they do enthralling activities. 

Super-Sized Salad

The Chefs: Elizabeth and Valencia Whole Foods

The Menu: An enormous salad of mixed greens, spinach, chickpeas, grated carrots, kale, avocado, tofu, and a Health is Wealth Mushroom and Onion Sprout Burger.

The Goods: It's Friday, and that's pretty good. Whether you're already at Coachella (like one of our lucky editors!), heading to a cabin for a weekend of city-living detoxing, or just enjoying a break from the rain, there's something we're sure you'll enjoy: and Anderson Cooper giggle fit.

Salsa Master's Delight

The Chefs: Hilary and Papalote Mexican Grill

The Menu: A ridiculously tasty burrito stuffed with black beans, rice, guacamole, potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms, and generously doused in Papalote's unbeatable salsa. 

The Dish: Thursday is the new Friday. Online Editor Anna Peraino is abuzz with her imminent departure to Coachella Music Festival (which I will follow her to, but next weekend) and we're hungover from our sugar-heavy ice-cream bar taste test from yesterday afternoon. (Keep an eye on our Instagram account for potential sneak peeks from Coachella!) Plus, it's burrito day! Papalote is one of our go-to taquerias, but for info on where to find the best vegan Mexican fare in your hometown, try Yelp's new veg-friendly filters. Also, Friday is not the new Saturday, so we'll see you next Friday, aka tomorrow. 

Celebratory Pizza Party

The Chefs: Hilary and Patxi's 

The Menu: Two fat slices of vegan deep-dish pizza stuffed with vegan cheese, spinach, and onions, and topped with zesty red sauce and garlic. 

The Goods: Today is the best! After a rousing design meeting of putting the finishing touches on our March+April issue—including our amazing cover idea—I scored tickets to Coachella Music Festival after hovering in an online queue for upwards of an hour. Might I mention that this year's lineup is loaded with vegan artists, including Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Jeff Mangum (formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel), Cedric Bixler of At the Drive-In, and Dennis Lyxzen of Refused. If you're as stoked as I am, check out Global Animal's post about veg-friendly Coachella. Celebration was in order, so we decided to indulge in some insanely good vegan deep-dish pizza. If the meat-lovers in our lives could taste a slice of this stuff, we're pretty sure they're convert on the spot. Want to help a loved one check out the vegan life? Check out the VegNews Vegan Starter Kit for the five easy steps to cruelty-free splendor.