Munchable Brunch

The Chef: Lyndsay

The Menu: A tasty blend of sweet and savory items. Lyndsay told us this morning she was hankering after some hot cakes, so she started off by mixing up a batch of light and fluffy pancakes, which we topped with chopped banana and walnuts, almond butter, and agave nectar. For the savory side of the plate, she mixed up some black bean "sausages." Now, you may be looking at this plate and thinking, "Hey, I don't see any sausages!" and you would not be the first person to say as much. Some of our dining companions thought they were just another variety of pancake, but luckily found out that these were a savory item before piling on the jam and agave. We didn't mind the confusion, though, since they were tasty as all get-out, especially served in tandem with the usual suspects in our lunchtime line-up: Parma and fancy flavored ketchup. Lyndsay also rustled up some excellent sautéed potatoes with onions and garlic, just for fun.

The Goods: It's pretty quiet around the VNHQ today with Elizabeth and Colleen out of the office, but we still had a lively lunch, featuring a heated discussion about run-ins with the law. Luckily, most of us have managed to stay out of trouble, although Lyndsay and Melissa did consume more than their legal limit of ice cream yesterday at MaggieMudd in Bernal Heights. Keep your eyes peeled to Press Pass for the whole scoop.

Everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Sandwiches

The Chefs: Stacy and Melissa

The Menu: A smorgasbord of sandwiches! Our chefs today used just about everything they could from the fridge, and the results were as delicious as they were varied. Melissa whipped up a lovely tofu salad with almonds, raisins, celery, and a touch of curry powder, which we slathered on toasted bread and topped with Tofurky slices, baby spinach, grated carrots, and more condiments than we could count. Some of Aurelia's awesome millet salad got reinvented with the addition of grated beets and carrots, sliced zucchini, and chopped green onions. We also doused carrot sticks, baby white carrots, and chips with Roasted Mole sauce, garlic dips, and spiced ketchups.

The Goods: Usually Fridays serve as our clean-out-the-fridge days, but today our chef tag-team pulled out all the stops. It's amazing just how many different condiments one magazine staff can fit into a standard-size refrigerator. Sandwiches are pretty much made for loading up with savory extras, which means that today's meal was pretty much perfect.

Hot Dog!(s)

The Chef: Colleen

The Menu: Fan-freakin'-tastic Friday frankfurters. Colleen warmed some delicious whole-wheat buns, and we piled these pups high with a smorgasbord of sauces. Ketchup, spicy Dijon mustard, relish, barbecue sauce, Artichoke Hummus, Vegenaise, Roasted Green Salsa, and Roasted Mole were just a few of the ample options. Alongside these barely contained buns we enjoyed crispy fries and a vibrant salad with dried cranberries and Swiss chard.

The Goods: Ever wonder just exactly what a group of educated, professional, dedicated vegans talk about during lunch? Saving the animals? Bettering the movement? Opening new, exciting restaurants/boutiques/animal sanctuaries? Not today, friends. Today we discussed such enlightening topics as the work histories of Sandra Oh and Margaret Cho, who had/had not seen Saved by the Bell during their youth, and which of the incredible, delicious treats from Sticky Fingers that arrived yesterday were our favorites. Yes, it's Friday. Yes, that's good news all around.