Onion Soup, Mashed Potatoes

The Chef: Chas

The Menu: A rich, flavorful onion soup of kale, seasoned tofu squares, carrot, celery, kidney beans, garlic, thyme, and lots of savory, crisp onion paired with a complementary comfort food classic, mashed potatoes and gravy. Chas took a samosa-filling inspired take on this standard side by adding peas, almond milk, veggie broth, and seasoning, and literally took a page from American Vegan Kitchen for the gravy recipe. Despite our assertion that a carb-filled meal was exactly what we always want, Chas also busted our one of his signature salads tossed with avocado dressing.

The Goods: Oh yes, this meal was a big, heaping helping of awesome. If there's one thing that the VN staff can rally around it's vegan mashed potatoes and gravy. The only thing more exciting than indulging in this satisfying fare is finishing off our meal with dessert from Sticky Fingers. During a weekend trip to Washington, DC, VN Art Director Sutton Long visited the capital city bakery and was gifted a box of dairy-free desserts by Sticky Fingers' Manager Ben Adams. Lets just say we're not complaining about any of it.

Garlic Pasta and Greens

The Chef: Lyndsay

The Menu: A light, flavorful pasta dressed with garlic, rosemary, and olive oil, then tossed with diced tomato and garbanzo beans. Lyndsay also transformed Frankie's delicious homemade bread into the best garlic bread we've had, and finished the meal with a simple salad of mixed greens and avocado. Yes, it was pretty much perfect.

The Goods: After a weekend of heavy rain, we were lucky enough to enjoy our plates of pasta al fresco thanks to a gorgeous, sunny day here at the VNHQ. Oh, and maybe we had Cowvin Cookies from Sticky Fingers for dessert. We also might still be thrilled about the arrival of our March+April issue, which ships to subscribers this week. All in all, we're a pretty freaking happy office!