Tacos, Part Deux

The Chefs: Anna and Taqueria Cancun

The Menu: Rice and bean tacos (one black, one pinto) topped with salsa and avocado, plus a heaping handful of tortilla chips

The Dish: I've been craving tacos ever since since last week's taco-filled celebration of the 1,000th Café VegNews post, and I'm happy to have caved into my craving. These tacos are totally delicious and super cheap to boot—I got everything for less than $5! After a weekend of rain and temps in the 40s, the sunny 60s have returned to the City by the Bay, so I enjoyed my delicious, cheap meal on the deck with my coworkers, where we discussed ways to make our dollars stretch at our favorite neighborhood lunch spots. Want more money-saving tips from the VN editors? Check out Savvy Vegan, our blog for smart vegan penny pinchers.

Salad & Southwest Hash

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: A spicy, savory Southwestern hash filled with potatoes, black beans, pinto beans, garlic, onion, bell pepper and spices including cinnamon and cayenne. Elizabeth paired this mega main course with a crunchy salad of mixed greens, carrots, and cherry tomatoes and finished the whole thing off with guacamole-covered garlic bread.

The Goods: This hearty lunch was exactly what we needed after a morning spent working on design for our September+October issue. With less than a week before we go to press, we're pretty much dying with excitement to share our fantastic Food Issue, full of the very best of all things veg. As we wrap up production on this issue, we're also gearing up to begin work on our November+December issue: And we need your help! Be sure to make your opinions heard by voting in the 2010 Veggie Award polls, the world's largest survey of vegetarian people, places, and products, running from August 1 to August 31. Get ready for it!

Bean Burritos, Carrot Salad

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: Fully-loaded burritos stuffed with fluffy white rice, black beans, pinto beans, Harmony Valley Vegetarian Hamburger Mix and seasoned with cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, and oregano. We heaped a helping of this hearty filling onto slightly warmed sprouted grain tortillas and topped them off with green curry sauce. Elizabeth also whipped together a scrumptious salad with peeled carrots and raisins. 

The Goods: With today's lunch, Elizabeth has singlehandedly refined the concept of making something out of nothing. Of course, barren cupboards and almost no fresh produce didn't flummox Elizabeth for a second; hence our lovely Latin food inspired feast. The only thing that could have made this budget-friendly meal more resourceful would be rolled-from-scratch tortillas like the recipe perfected by VN's very own Savvy Abby. 

Saucy Peanut Pasta

The Chef: Chas

The Menu: Splendid brown rice spaghetti mixed with pinto beans and covered in a savory peanut sauce made up the bulk of this tasty meal. Chas also prepared a side of perfectly steamed broccoli marinated in his simple, signature sauce: olive oil, Braggs Liquid Aminos, and nutritional yeast. A wonderful green salad filled with chickpeas, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, broccoli slaw, avocado, and mixed greens completed this well-balanced, satisfying meal.

The Goods: As you may have already noticed, our VN's Chef Chas has returned! In March, Joseph's friend Chas spent a week at the VNHQ, cooking lunch, helping out around the office, and generally winning our hearts forever. We were all incredibly sad to see him go, and we begged daily for his return. No, this is in no way an exaggeration, and yes, we realize it sounds sort of creepy. Being the kind, generous soul that he is, Chas agreed to return to our offices for a three-week stay. Today marked his first day back as VN chef, and we couldn't be more thrilled. If you need proof, don't take our word for it: We believe the amazing meal pictured above says it all.

Multi-Bean Soup

The Chef: Liz

The Menu: Have we ever mentioned that maybe we love a little something in our office called the Vita-Mix? Because we effing do. Liz blended today's delicious soup—which featured potatoes, tomatoes, all kinds of beans, carrots, and spices—as well as her freshly made salsa. Did she made homemade tortilla chips to go with the salsa? That's right, she did. The salad—made of mixed greens, beans, and avocado—she left intact, to our delight.

The Goods: It's been a freakishly long time since our last blended soup, and we were thrilled for the return of this satisfying main course.

Cookbook Week: Eggplant Chana Masala

The Chef: Lyndsay

The Menu: Hearty, spicy Eggplant Chana Masala courtesy of The Kind Diet by our very own January+February cover girl Alicia Silverstone! This take on a classic Indian vegetable dish calls for eggplant, onion, garlic, chickpeas, tomatoes, and a can of vegetarian chili—Lyndsay chose Pinto Beans and Spelt Chili by Eden Organic. Lyndsay seasoned the chana masala with cumin, curry powder, and fresh cilantro, and served the stewy mixture over piping-hot white basmati rice. Paired with a lovely green salad, this filling meal was the perfect perk-up for our particularly overcast Monday afternoon.

The Goods: Today kicks off our cookbook week for The Kind Diet, which is good news for VN staffers and readers alike. For the staff, it means having a recipe to follow instead of our usual flying-blind approach to lunchtime meal-making. For our readers, it means the chance to win a copy of Alicia's kind cookbook! To win today's copy, simply tell us in the comments: What is your favorite veg Indian dish?

Wrap-It-Up Wraps

The Chef: Colleen

The Menu: Some hearty, delicious wraps that may have been inspired by what we had in the kitchen. What we had, it turns out, were whole-wheat wraps, pinto beans, greens, mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes. Colleen roasted the spuds, sautéed the beans, 'shrooms, and carrots, and wrapped everything together with mashed avocado. Yum.

The Goods: We're not bragging, but this week we might have whipped up one of our all-time favorite covers, double checked our document, and talked endlessly about Thanksgiving. Oh, did you know that's happening next week? If you are in a panic over what to serve, take the advice of one of our favorite chefs, Jesse Miner. He'll be chatting away over on VegWeb this Sunday, answering all your vegan holiday questions. The guy knows his stuff, including knowing the way into our hearts, which—as if there were any question—is through chocolate. Jesse joined us today and generously brought along chocolate-covered peanut-butter truffles. Um, yeah. That's how you wrap up a week!

Cheesy Enchilada Bake

The Chef: Lyndsay

The Menu: A Frito-crusted, melted-cheese-topped-five layer enchilada bake, plus salad. Whoa. Lyndsay followed PETA's recipe for her main course, which she generously smothered in Daiya cheese and Fritos. In case you ever need a salty, slightly spicy dish, this one's a winner. Layers of beans, vegan meat crumbles, tortillas, cheese, and chips all blended together in a rich enchilada sauce. Following the fiesta theme, Lyndsay made a very colorful salad with sliced bell pepper, tomato, and red onion. Up top, you see a lovely gazpacho that was brought in as a suprise treat by our lunch guest, Jayne.

The Goods: Yes, we're still obsessing over the best uses for Daiya, which will likely be in every single lunch until we've completely exhausted our supply. So, tell us, what's your favorite recipe that could use a hearty dose of (vegan) cheese?

Scramble and Sticky Fingers!

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: Something sort of like brunch, and sort of like whatever was in the kitchen that could be easily thrown together. The result? A Mexican-food-inspired tofu scramble with corn, black beans, and pinto beans; a big, fresh salad with avocado and chopped cherry tomatoes; and finally home fries that were doused in Parma!

The Goods: Just in case anyone is wondering, if you only have half an hour to prepare lunch, it's probably best to go ahead and skip the roasted potatoes. While these little nuggets were the perfect vehicle for some fancy ketchups, they delayed the beginning of lunch a bit, which is never a popular move here at the VNHQ. Thankfully, the day was saved by the arrival of a surprise treat from Sticky Fingers! We'll be very happily under our desks in hyperglycemic comas if anyone needs us.

Monday Mezze

The Chef: Lyndsay

The Menu: A delicious Mediterranean treat! Ms. Lyndsay busted out a light and lovely couscous, some pimento-stuffed and kalamata olives, a fresh pinto-bean dip, a mixed green salad with homemade lemon dressing, and triangles of whole-wheat tortillas and pita, with which we scooped everything up. Eff yes to finger food!

The Goods: Today's lunch matched the absolutely gorgeous sunshine that's blasting down on us here in SF. We could just as easily have been dining al fresco alongside the sparkling Mediterranean as we were today here in the city. With a new magazine in our hot little hands, it's the start of an exciting, heat-wave week here at the VNHQ.

Peanut-Sauce Pizazz

The Chef: Stacy

The Menu: A creative combination of rice, beans, and broccoli, which we doused in Spicy Peanut Sauce. Inspired by the presence of Napa cabbage in our fridge, Ms. Stacy whipped up a delectable Asian-style salad complete with edamame, dried cranberries, and a lovely sesame dressing. If all that yumminess weren't enough, she also roasted some sweet, simple rutabagas.

The Goods: Salad might rank right next to rice and beans in terms of being something we could (and do!) eat every day. Sure, sure, we know that vegetarians get stereotyped as people who only ever eat salads, but when there are so many incredibly delicious combinations possible, well, why not? What are your favorite, more-exciting-than-iceberg salad recipes?

Right-On Rice 'n' Beans

The Chef: Aurelia

The Menu: A delicious medley of brown basmati rice, chipotle chile-infused pinto beans, Native Kjalii Foods' Roasted Green Salsa and Roasted Molé Sauce, and Turtle Island Marinated Tempeh, all under a layer of melted nacho-style Teese. Yes, this was one of the most flavorful combinations we've had in a long while. Aurelia didn't stop there, and also busted out a light side salad and some lovely sautéed kale with onions and button mushrooms. We'll be in blissful, full-belly comas if anyone needs us.

The Goods: You really just can't go wrong with rice and beans, can you? Perfectly flavorful on their own, they also make an ideal base for any sauce, topping, condiment, or seasoning you could ever want to use in the kitchen. Do tell, what's your favorite rice-and-beans-based dish?

Build-Your-Own Birthday Burritos

The Chef: Aurelia

The Menu: A birthday bonanza of burritos! In celebration of the birthday of one Frankie McGee, Ms. Aurelia busted out some first-rate burritos. Warm flour tortillas made the base for Mexican-spiced rice, savory pinto beans, chopped lettuce, roasted butternut squash, sliced avocado, fresh salsa, chopped scallions, and two—count 'em—kinds of vegan cheese, namely saucy Nacho Chreese and shredded cheddar Teese. Um, yum. That's pretty much all there is to say about a spread like this. Oh, did we mention that the festivities got going a bit early with a taste testing of some artisan olive oils and sea-salt blends? Yeah, they did. They also extended beyond the burritos with an absolutely delicious apple crisp from Ms. Colleen, who used apples right from her own tree as a special treat.

The Goods: Who says eating all day long should be reserved for holidays? Around the VNHQ, we'll go ahead and take just about any excuse to share a big, fantastic meal, and Frankie's birthday is certainly no exception. Here's a brief list of things that would suffer drastically if we didn't have Frankie:

1. Our plants—they would all be dead.
2. Our intake of chocolate-covered everything.
3. Our happiness! Frankie is a much-loved member of the VN crew—we'd be lost without her!

Comfort Chili

The Chefs: Jenny and Aurelia

The Menu: Hearty, healthy chili of pinto beans and textured vegetable protein that saved us all from the noontime doldrums. Ms. Jenny couldn't contain her Cuban self (not that we'd want her to!) and made a yummy, herbed yellow rice to complement the filling chili. Aurelia busted out a fresh salad of spinach, arugula, bell peppers, and peas with a light, lemony flax-oil dressing.

The Goods: Today's meal was definitely one made in the mode of, "Oh look. Here's what we have in the cupboard, so we'll make something with it." It's nice to know that no matter how bare the pantry seems, there's always a delicious option lurking in there somewhere, so long as you're open to being creative with combinations. A touch of Americana-style chili with a side of traditional Cuban rice? Why not?

Picnic Pintos and Potatoes

The Chef: Lisa

The Menu: A lovely corn and pinto-bean salad with fresh lime juice, grape tomatoes, cumin, and garlic served with tarragon-roasted fingerling potatoes and leeks. Though you can clearly see Lisa's flair for garnish, it was hardly necessary to dress up such scrumptious dishes. Given today's sunshine and (relatively) warm temperature, this lunch would have been the perfect meal for a picnic in the park.

The Goods: As it happened, we didn't lunch in the park, but we did get to enjoy the special treat of having a couple friendly guests over. The lovely Kristin LaJeunesse, who is an organizer of the New York Capital Region Vegetarian Expo, and her main squeeze Michael came all the way from Boston just to have lunch with us. Okay, of course they were really here on vacation to visit San Francisco, but we were happy to get the chance to meet them! Here they are with the VN team:

There is one more matter of business to attend: the winner of April's Café VegNews giveaway! This month's goodie bag—which will arrived stuffed with excellent VN swag, including a signed copy of columnist Rory Freedman's bestselling cookbook Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, cookies, and some great new vegan products—goes to Amey of springsandwells for her lime-liking. Lime-coconut cookies? Yes please. Ditto cashew-lime-jalapeño cream! Amey, send us over an email with your mailing address so we can ship out your winnings. Congrats to Amey and thanks to all who commented!

Quantum Quesadillas

The Chef: Aurelia

The Menu: An amazing Mexican-inspired meal. A savory combination of pinto and black beans met wonderfully fluffy couscous, and both of these dishes complemented some thoroughly delicious cheese-free quesadillas. If there's anything more exciting than making vegan quesadillas, we just don't want to know about it. Of course, we also enjoyed a vibrant salad with avocado, tomato, and yellow bell pepper. Olé!

The Goods: It happens about once a week that someone brings up the idea of Mexican food, and we get totally lost in dreaming about our favorites. When this mood strikes, we can always depend on Aurelia to come through with something delicious and on-theme. These are "quantum" quesadillas because they were sliced into sections which ensured that we all got our fair share. Yes, sometimes we like to use fancy words. That is all.

Quesadilla Delight

The Chef: Colleen

The Menu: These roasted pepper and Cheezly quesadillas were just the kind of treat we've been waiting for all week—something savory to balance out all of the holiday sweets. Perfectly crispy and accented with fresh cilantro and hot sauce, I can guarantee we'll be repeating this main sometime in the very near future. Colleen sautéed a Mexican medley of pinto beans, corn, mushrooms, and celery artfully seasoned with paprika and cumin and—never neglecting her attention for detail—she included homemade guacamole, garlic aioli, some fresh greens, and a neat little lime wedge per each plate.

The Goods: This is the last post ... of 2007. Did we have you sweating there for a minute? Starting next week we will be on our Holiday Hiatus but will return well rested and in good spirits on January 2, 2008. We hope you all enjoy the season of giving by preparing your friends and family some tasty, Café VegNews-inspired meals.