Garden-Fresh Tomatoes

Okay, so today's Vegan Thing I Like is not a product or a restaurant or a person or a location, but it is something that I Like a lot: Tomatoes fresh from my own garden!

Generally speaking, my method of gardening is the following: Put stuff in the ground, water it, and hope for the best! This year, I planted everything into the garden straight from seeds actually kind of late in the season, but woah! The tomatoes really took off this year into giant bushes. (I also had cucumbers in abundance and even a few ears of corn.)

Honestly, one of my favorite indulgences these days is to stand in the garden eating delicious cherry tomatoes right off the plant. Of course, never far away is my sweet Maizy (you can see her lurking photo) who probably likes garden tomatoes even more than I do! I will definitely miss this when the winter hits!

Lou Malnati's Chicago-style Pizza

So, I live in Chicago. I'm not from Chicago originally, but now that I'm here, there's this whole "Chicago-style Deep Dish" thing and, don't you know it, there's currently no restaurant that I know of in the city making a vegan Chicago-style deep dish with a cheese alternative. Well, don't worry about that! You can get deep dish that is completely amazing without the cheese and Lou Malnati's will make it for you. We recently had out of town guests visiting (from Portland!) and knew that they had to try this local cuisine. There are a few things to look out for when ordering from Lou's, like that their usual pizza spinach is soaked in butter, but they also have a fresh version for the salads that they can substitute. You have to be pretty clear, but their dough is vegan and this pizza is worth the effort. We had ours with spinach, olives, and hot giardinera (another Chicago food that I had never eaten before moving here), all topped with tomatoes (Chicago-style). This baby is loaded, oily enough that I couldn't dream of missing the cheese, and supported by a perfectly crunchy crust. I've seen attempts made at eating this by hand, but these are fork slices, for sure. Next time you're in Chicago, this is a food that I recommend not missing out on.

Kabul House

Recently, I had the pleasure of my first Afghani meal at Kabul House in Skokie, IL (do not judge them solely on the many gross meat photos on their main page). Kabul House is a restaurant that was open in Skokie for a number of years, closed down, and has reopened sort of recently. They have a small menu that includes a delicious Vegetarian Platter. The platter comes with soup (tomato lentil or noodle vegetable, both of which can be served vegan with no yogurt on top) and contains four different dishes which are served with rice. The rice is long-grain and includes shredded carrots and raisins. The dishes are a sort-of curry, though they are differently seasoned than Indian-style cooking, and also a bit lighter overall. They included cauliflower, pumpkin, eggplant, and spinach. I loved all of these dishes, and when combined with the rice, they were even better. My favorite was the cauliflower with the eggplant coming in a close second. The spinach and the pumpkin, which was much sweeter than expected, were also good. If you ever have occasion to head to Skokie, I recommend stopping into Kabul House and ordering up some of this vegan good stuff. Just remember to order everything with no yogurt and none of the chutney-type sauce they bring to the table (it has a small amount of yogurt as well - but the bread is okay) and you'll be good to go!

Take a Hike Scone

The Vegan Thing I Like today is, I think, kind of unexpected. Bleeding Heart Bakery (multiple locations in the Chicagoland area) is known for their super sweet baked goods (some of which are vegan). Their cupcake icing is so sweet that they have a warning at the counter not to order it if you don't expect an explosion of sugar in your mouth. So, what's perhaps unexpected is that the item I like most of Bleeding Heart is one of their less sweet offerings - the perfectly amazing and delicious Take A Hike Scone.

This scone is darn near perfection. It's just sweet enough and loaded with seeds and dried fruits (no nuts or coconut, both of which I am allergic to - rejoice!). The inside is a bit cakey and crumbly while the outside is just a little bit crunchy. I seriously love this thing. Ever since the new, huge location opened up nearby work, I have to resist the urge to eat these more often. Fortunately, the price keeps me under control (it's worth it, but not always in my budget). Even though it seems weird, next time you're near the Bleeding Heart Bakery, I suggest that you pass by the cakeballs, cupcakes, and even the vegan donuts and go right for this baby! You will not be disappointed!

Amanda Riester likes The Chicago Diner

Amanda Riester is a super inspiring lady and one of the newest members of the Upton's family, as she's recently started working with us to do in-store demos! Who isn't going to want to stop and chat up this lady when they see her sampling seitan in their local store!? She's a competitive body builder, recently winning first place in the ABA Natural North America 2011 and a former Golden Gloves boxer. So yeah, she's pretty awesome. In addition to that badassery, she's also a pit bull mom (me too!) and pet-loss grief counselor. She's the total package of kindness, compassion, knowledge, experience, and good lookin' to boot. What's not to like?! Amanda rocks!

The Vegan Thing Amanda Likes is the Chicago Diner (YUM!)!

What vegan thing do I like? Where do I even begin? I love so much! I suppose other then seitan, which I eat 4 times a day, my favorite vegan thing is The Chicago Diner. It is by far my favorite restaurant! Other then being on my couch cuddled up with my hubby and dogs while watching reruns of The Golden Girls, there is no place in the world I would rather be! I absolutely LOVE it there!

Photo of the Diner's Soul Bowl (obviously)
taken from VeggieDiner.com!

My favorite meal goes like this:
An appetizer buffalo wings with ranch. My main course is a gyro with sweet potato fries and for dessert the chocolate cheesecake with extra whipped cream followed by a cup of their delicious coffee with soy! Sometimes on Sundays, my mom and I drive all the way out there from Schaumburg just for a cinnamon roll and coffee.


When I was training for my last competition, my diet was so strict I had limited food options, but their soul bowl was the perfect meal for me! Yumm!

Emelda Kavanaugh-Ortiz likes Broad Shoulders Animal Rescue

The Vegan Person I Like today is Emelda Kavanaugh-Ortiz! Emelda is a dedicated friend to the animals and the Founder and Board President of Broad Shoulders Animal Rescue. If you're friends with Emelda on Facebook, sometimes you'll get lucky enough to get an updated on the small army of foster animals at her home, including teeny tiny kittens (I hear you bloggers are big cat people, so look, there's a picture of a cat right there! Pandering!). Emelda is a full-time proponent of social justice who also works with the Chicago Abortion Fund and has worked with Food Not Bombs, Animal Defense League, and others. She is a wonderful person to get connected with and, if you're looking for a new cat to move into your house and feature in your blog, she's got you covered!!

The Vegan Thing Emelda Likes is her rescue, Broad Shoulders Animal Rescue!

(Oh my gosh, THAT FACE!!!)

If I can bang my own drum, my favorite vegan thing is the rescue I’m a part of, Broad Shoulders Animal Rescue. As a rescue, we are 100% foster-home based and are all volunteer. We promote animal adoption, Trap-Neuter-Return of feral cats and other animals (the only scientifically proven and humane method for dealing with alley cats), the No-Kill Movement (a fight to stop shelters from killing the animals in their care) & veganism.

We are the only active rescue I know of that focuses on cats and dogs (and small animals occasionally!) that promotes veganism. “Go vegan” is on our business cards, veganism is discussed in our literature and at our orientations, we promote vegan websites/business/etc. on our social media sites and website, and all adopters get vegan information in their adoption packets. Our board is 100% vegan run, all of the events we organize are vegan, and we promote plant-based diets for any animal that can be healthy on such a diet.

We’re celebrating our 3rd year this November with an all-you can eat vegan waffle brunch!

As an attendee in previous years, I can confidently say that the Vegan Waffle Brunch hosted by Broad Shoulders is super delicious, fun, and for a great cause! I highly recommend that you carve out some time to attend this year! You can connect with Broad Shoulders on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Andrea Govender likes Justin's Peanut Butter Cups

Today's Vegan Person I Like is my old friend, Andrea Govender! I have known Andrea since sometime in the 90's when we spent years navigating hardcore shows and a seemingly vegan-unfriendly suburban Detroit together. Andrea still lives in Detroit, in a big, beautiful, old home that she is restoring with her husband, Curtis. I love her dedication to and passion for a city that so many have left behind (guilty as charged!). Andrea is a jack of all trades working as a nanny and a rock-climbing instructor in addition to being a student and a mom! So yeah, she's a total badass.

She's pictured here with her son, Arlo, and the other Vegan Thing She Likes, Justin's Peanut Butter Cups.

I love many things that are vegan, but when I tried to think of something to write this post on nothing seemed exciting enough. I eat a pretty boring diet, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, etc. very delicious but not amazing. So last week while grocery shopping I kept an eye out for something new and delicious to try, I found it with Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. I prefer homemade ones, but if I make a batch I’ll eat too many so these are good in a pinch to satisfy my yearning for the chocolate peanut butter combo. I’m also excited about these peanut butter cups because it’s amazing to find something like this at the store! Being vegan has become much easier over the past fifteen years and I’m thrilled to find things like this commercially available. I had the little boy I babysit for, who is not vegan, try them and even he liked them. The picture shows me holding a new vegan thing I like, the peanut butter cups, and my son wearing his favorite vegan thing a “Bacon had a Mom” t-shirt from Herbivore clothing. Thanks Nicole for allowing me the opportunity to share a vegan thing I like!

Chris Zibutis likes Vega Sport

The Vegan Person I Like today is huge nerd (and, yes, my friend), Chris Zibutis. I mentioned Chris in yesterday's post about his wife, Monica, with whom he lives (duh) and works as a wedding photographer. In addition to photographing weddings, Chris also does other projects including a lot of artist and live music photography, which you can admire on his blog! He's even photographed me and my dogs and made us look good! Chris also makes some downright decent homemade seitan (no sponges!) AND made homemade vegan candy corns at Halloween last year! This is a man with talent!

Photo from shop.sequelnaturals.com

The Vegan Thing Chris Likes is Vega Sport Performance Protein.

After trying many many different vegan proteins and different supplements I have come to the conclusion that Vega Sport Perfomance Protein is hands down the best.

Unlike most Vegan proteins that focus on just one kind of protein or soy protein isolate, Vega makes their own blend of Yellow Pea, Brown Rice, Alfalfa, Hemp and Saviseed (sacha inchi) proteins. It also contains 5,500mg of BCAAs and 5,000mg of glutamine per serving. So you don't have to worry about finding additional vegan supplements.
And most importantly it tastes awesome!

Monica Zibutis Likes Ras Dashen

Today's Vegan Person I Like is Monica Zibutis! She is a stellar wedding photographer and all around super great lady! She works weddings as a team with her husband, Chris, pictured at left. Seriously, if you are getting married anywhere in the world, hire Monica. In fact, even if you're not planning on getting married, you might want to consider it just to get your photos taken by these two. They regularly travel the country (and further!) to shoot beautiful pictures of beautiful people in beautiful locations. You can visit Monica's website here and her blog here. As you can maybe guess from her photo, Monica is getting ready to save us all by populating the world with a new generation of awesome vegans. I can't wait to meet her little human baby (which flavor she's having remains to be seen), but it would be great if s/he waited to join us until after the legendary Zibutis Thanksvegan celebration so that we can all still attend and chow down. See you in December, Zibaby!

The Vegan Thing Monica Likes is Ras Dashen Ethiopian restaurant in Chicago!

I like Ethiopian food, specifically from Ras Dashen in Chicago. I haven't had many pregnancy cravings but that is one thing I just cant get enough of! I liked it before too but lately we have eaten there every time possible that we have been in Chicago. the foods are so simple and delicious and while we usually feel very full afterwards, we never feel awful or greasy like we do after some meals out. 

In addition to attesting that Monica is awesome, I can also attest to the awesomeness of Ras Dashen where we just recently went out to eat WITH Monica and Chris! Monica even brings home extra injera bread to snack on for the next few days after a visit. She is committed.

Marla Rose likes Iced Tea

Marla Rose is another Chicago vegan and one of the main organizers for Chicago VeganMania along with her husband, John. She's also the lady dressed like a cupcake on the website (and at the event)! She writes the awesome blog, Vegan Feminist Agitator in addition to being the Chicago Vegan Restaurant Examiner. She is a super upbeat and nice lady, unless you write something ignorant on the internet and then she will eloquently rip you to shreds. Yep, Marla is pretty darn cool.


The Vegan Thing She Likes is Iced Tea!

Maybe I’m weird that with all the great vegan stuff out there, I choose iced tea. As long as it’s not caffeinated, it’s fresh and there is plenty of ice, I am usually pretty content. (Oh, except for the ultra-fruity teas that taste very artificial or the ones that are supposed to mimic coffee or the ones that are just too wispy and unassertive. Okay, I am a pain.) As someone who almost literally bounces off walls after consuming anything with even the notion of caffeine in it, I am grateful for tall glasses of this stuff. It tastes the very best when my husband pours it for me: he balances the ice somehow like a staircase, the tea is just perfectly refreshing. Or maybe I’m just lazy and I want him to bring me tea. It’s my little secret.

I just happen to have the Trader Joe’s brand Organic Spiced Rooibos Ruby Red Chai here as I am on this particular kick - I am a serial monogamist with the iced tea that strikes my fancy until I move on to another and eventually wander back to teas I have left in the dust (they always forgive me) – and it is a good one. I like rooibos in general because it reminds me of a milder, smoother black tea and this one, flavored with cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and other aromatic spices, is great on its own, with an orange slice or lemon slice or even, if you’re feeling in the mood for a little decadence, dressed up with a glug of maple syrup and a few splashes of coconut milk creamer for a homemade iced tea latte. Mmm…

I spend most of my day writing and a glass of iced tea is my perfect companion. Occasionally the ice shifts and there’s a little clink as everything moves around but other than that, the iced tea is a perfectly silent, supportive companion. It makes me feel a little taken care of whether I’m in the throes of writer’s block or in the midst of a creative flow and is just another example of a lovely thing that happens to be vegan by nature.

Andrea Juracek likes Revolution's Tempeh Ruben

Today's Vegan Person I Like is Andrea Juracek! I love love love Andrea. She is a really cool lady and pit bull mom who started up an awesome Chicago pet rescue with her friends called One Tail at a Time. One Tail does a million cool fundraisers throughout the year (including Doga - yoga for you and your dog which I am honored to teach with my sweet dogs) and helps a seemingly endless amount of dogs find their way out of animal control and into foster, and finally forever homes. Andrea has a super big heart and is so dedicated to social justice for both animals and humans. She is a lady that I definitely recommend getting to know. She also likes great vintage stuff and her husband, Pat (who is a non-Vegan Person I Like)!

The Vegan Thing Andrea Likes is the Tempeh Ruben from Revolution Brewing.

The vegan thing I like is the tempeh reuben (no cheese, extra kraut) from Revolution Brewing in Logan Square. My husband and I went to Revolution when it first opened and this is what I got. The recipes at the time were still being worked out and at first it was not so great - it was just lots of bland tempeh on some bread. Since it was a new place, I brought it up to the manager just to give some feedback. She was happy I did so and comp'd us all our drinks! We decided to keep coming back since it was in our neighborhood and the beer was great. With every visit the food got better and better. The reuben has blossomed into this amazing sandwich that is perfectly seasoned. Revolution's vegan thousand island dressing and sauerkraut add in to make it one of my all-time fav sandwiches.

Sandi Swiss likes Ground Flaxseed

Sandi Swiss is a lovely vegan lady who is also the bearer of sweets! She is the baker behind the Chicago suburbs' best (only?) vegan bakery, which she runs with her partner Brian, Canary Confectionery! They don't have a storefront location, but you can order baked goods, truffles, and other sweet treats from them for your own party or event. Canary Confectionery even made the cupcakes for my most recent birthday celebration! You will be able to find Canary Confectionery treats for sale in the food court at the upcoming Chicago VeganMania. Sandi also runs a group called Compassionate Friends of the West Suburbs which she keeps updated with information, events, and other items of interest.

The Vegan Thing Sandi Likes is Ground Flaxseed!!

I am sure there is someone our there thinking "WHAT? Of all the awesome vegan foods out there you choose flaxseed!? What about pizza? Or Earth Balance? How is flaxseed better than ice cream? Nothing is better than Diaya cheese...This girl is nutty!"

BUT, after thinking about all the vegan things I like, I realized that I wanted to talk about something that is awesome in more than one way, I use alot, and that some people may not know about. So I thougt about my eating habits, and that led me to ground flaxseed! In addition to the health benefits to flaxseed (Omega-3 fatty acids, high in fiber and lignans) it is very versatile. I first started using it in my morning smoothies for the health benefits. A banana/mixed berry/flaxseed/kale smoothie really makes a tasty difference in the morning!

Being a baker, I also use it as an egg replacer for some of my vegan treats! Some people say it has a nutty flavor, so I usually use it in recipes that go well with nuts or already contain nuts like fall cookies and carrot cake. Now I was really nervous the first time I uesd flaxseed in baking, when you mix it with water or a milk substitute, it gets reallllly gummy and makes for quite the unusual batter. But something magic happens in the oven and fantastic baked goods appear chock full of omega-3's and fiber!

While I was on vacation with my friend Melissa, she made raw "pancakes" using ground flaxseed, and they were so tasty, I make them at home now with bananas and nuts. Flaxseed is also found in crackers and other snacks, however it does need to be ground to get the health benefits. I buy mine whole and in bulk at Whole Foods and grind it in my Vita Mix, because I read that it has the most nutrients right after being ground. The rest I put in my freezer. You can also buy it already ground! If you haven't already tried flaxseed, I hope that you consider tossing it into your next smoothie or cookie recipe.

Gill Gillono likes Merry Hempsters Vegan Lip Balm

The Vegan Person I Like today is Gill Gillono. Gill is a Chicago Vegan scene staple who you can usually find smiling or offering a hug or up to her armpits in the nearest garbage can fishing out all of the recyclables and compostables because SOMEONE just chucked it all in there together like a neanderthal! My favorite thing about Gill is the innate value that she sees in every single thing, person, or animal she encounters. She is "too good" for no one and as a result, is the most amazing bridge builder in our vegan community. She brings people together and creates solid, diverse community amongst those who have existed alongside each other for years but never had this catalyst to connect. You can find her doing all kinds of things like Greening (a fancy term for joyfully separating trash!) at Chicago VeganMania (and about a dozen other events and places including the park near her home). She also supports our pit bull friends (she lives with two) by devoting her time to Don't Bully My Breed. She also recently organized a bike ride fundraiser for Chicago's nearby Wedrose Acres animal sanctuary in Gridley, IL where she organizes a monthly vegan potluck which is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

The Vegan Thing Gill Likes is Merry Hempsters Vegan Lip Balms.

Photo from MerryHempsters.com.

As a nature loving, non makeup wearing Vegan gal I realize the importance of cruelty free moisturizers. I am also a Freegan who does not shop unless absolutely necesarry. One of my biggest pet peeves is dry skin, including my lips. I've yet to find a Vegan lipbalm while dumpstering so I was thrilled when the Merry Hempsters generously offered free samples of their Vegan lip balm to all of our riders on our recent 1st Annual Two day Vegan BikeRide for Wedrose Acres. This stuff Rocks! It comes in a variety of flavors, it isn't oily, it lasts, it's made from Hemp which is another favorite product of mine, it's all natural, over 70% organic, certified Vegan, no bees were harmed & it feels great! The company is super kind, generous& supportive of local causes, as well. I'm kind of addicted & when I run out of my sample tube I will venture out of my comfort zone & actually walk in the front door of a store to get more which is a testimony to how much I dig this product.

Mikael Nielsen likes Vegan for Life

The Vegan Person I Like today is Mikael Nielsen! Mikael is easily one of Chicago's most prolific animal activists. You can often find him, along with his daughter Riley, taking to the streets to extoll the benefits of a compassionate plant-based diet to anyone who will listen. Some of the groups he works with are Mercy for Animals (where he serves as Chicago's Outreach Coordinator), Vegan Outreach, Justice for Animals, and Chicago VeganMania. He and Riley also care for a large group of animal friends in their own home (I've never met his canine companion, but I hear endlessly from people about how wonderful he is)! If you see Mikael around town, take a moment to say hello and thank him for all of his dedicated, compassionate work!

The Vegan Think Mikael Likes is the book Vegan for Life by Jack Norris and Ginny Messina.

The vegan thing I like is the new book Vegan for Life: Everything You Need to Know to Be Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet. Vegan Outreach President Jack Norris has been a hero of mine for quite some time, so I was super thrilled to learn about this book he co-authored with fellow dietitian Ginny Messina. Not to mention that I have been on a real health kick lately, so the timing couldn't have been better. Written for both long time vegans as well as brand spanking new ones, this book makes no over the top claims or promises about the benefits of a plant-based diet. It is just well researched, useful information that all vegans need to know to maintain good health and is written in an easy to understand way, filled with tables and great references. Not to mention a good resource to answer any questions skeptics might have about all the wonderful benefits of a vegan lifestyle. I checked mine out from the library, but will be buying it shortly as it's one of those books that you will make notes in and go back to time and time again. Read this and you truly will be Vegan for Life!

Marci DiVerde likes Upton's Naturals Seitan

Today the Vegan Person I Like is aspiring vegan, Marci DiVerde! Marci is a high school teacher, Spanish language expert, and a most dedicated student of yoga! I love to see Marci in yoga classes every week and she is always cheerful and willing to try any pose once (at least!). She is an inspiration to fellow students and to me! In May she attended the weekend Yoga and Vegan Cooking retreat that I hosted with Chef Kim Gracen and has been aspiring to a vegan diet ever since. Any encouragement or tips that you can leave for Marci are totally welcome and I will have to remember to refer to her to the grand Vegan MoFo RSS feed. So much vegan inspiration in one place!

The Vegan Thing Marci Likes is Upton's Naturals Italian-style Seitan (eep!). She even included a quick-fix recipe that she likes!

I need to preface this with the disclaimer that I don’t think that I can be considered a real vegan because I just started in August(!) and since then I have more than once met my match with a baked good or really tasty cheese. So I guess I should be called a wannabe vegan, vegan in training, veganish, leaning toward vegan tendencies? I’ll let you decide. 

Becoming vegetarian was very easy for me since I’ve never been a huge meat eater, but eliminating dairy and eggs completely has been challenging. I have had to re-learn to cook since I turned to vegan ways and making dinner that also appeals to my non-veg husband is difficult. He couldn’t be more supportive but the bottom line is he doesn’t always like what I’ve been making and as a result has been eating a lot of frozen pizza. Not. Good. 

Nicole didn’t pay me to say this but one of the products that has been very helpful is Upton’s Naturals Italian flavored seitan. It allows me to make a riff on one of favorite pre-veg meals. The bonus is that it takes longer to boil the water than to make dinner. Here’s what you need:

1 lb. pasta (I like whole wheat farfalle, bowties, but I used rotini this time since that’s what I had)
½ bag of frozen peas
1 package Upton’s Italian flavored seitan
1 package sliced crimini or baby portobello mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil
Vegan parmesan ‘cheese’
reserved pasta water (optional)

Steps:
Put the water on to boil and heat a large non-stick pan with a little oil (I usually do two swirls in the pan)
Put the mushrooms in the heated oil.
Break up the seitan to look like crumbled sausage and add to the pan.
The mushrooms and seitan are done when most of the liquid has cooked off the mushrooms.
Cook the pasta in according to package instructions and put the frozen peas in about half-way through.
When the pasta and peas are done, drain, and put back in the pot.
Add the seitan and mushrooms to the pot and toss together.
If it seems a little a little on the dry side, add some olive oil or reserved pasta water.
Add a generous amount of the parmesan and serve immediately.
Serves 4

Disclaimer #3: I know I’m sitting on a leather couch. Wasn’t a vegan when I bought it. 

John McDevitt likes Vegan With A Vengeance

John McDevitt is a dude who I met very recently at the Vida Vegan Con in Portland, Oregon. He is super friendly, funny, and seems like an all-around nice guy. About a month prior, I had met his girlfriend, Isa Chandra Moskowitz of the PPK as she was hosting the Vegan Iron Chef competition also in Portland, Oregon. She took a picture with me and my partner to show John, who was at home, that she had met us as she said he was a fan of our products. Very flattering! So, it was really great to finally meet the man himself! As it turns out, John is the author of the blog The Laziest Vegans in the World (love it!) and also keeps things moving over at Vegan Omaha. John is using his time here to rave about his girlfriend's book and I think it's totally right and also really, really cute. Go John.

The Vegan Thing John Likes is Vegan With A Vengeance by Isa Moskowitz.

VWAV was one of the first cookbooks I ever cooked out of. I was already Vegan when the book came out but I was drawn to the book because of the cute girl on the cover and the awesome title. When I got the book in the mail, I got a kick out of "Isa" (I pronounced her name wrong, just like everyone else) and her funny stories. I loved that she had a cat named Fizzle and that he had cooking tips throughout the book. AND I loved how she made Veganism cool and accessible. My favorite recipes out of the book are Fettuccine Alfreda, Chickpea Broccoli Casserole and the Tofu Dill Salad Sammiches.

Awwwwww. Another Vegan Thing I Like is Vegans in Love!

Meagen Hugel likes Vegan Beef Slices

Today's Vegan Person I Like is Meagen Hugel! I was fortunate to meet Meagen a few years ago and now run into her at many of Chicago's awesome vegan events. She is a fun-loving lady (see picture) who also likes to cook, more of which you can check out at her blog, Vegan Food Addict. She was a competitor, along with her friend Blythe, in this year's Chicago Vegan Chef Showdown where her team's amazing all handmade ravioli and accompanying sauces took home third prize! You can often find Meagen out saving the animals with her vegan sister, Lauren, at her side!

The Vegan Thing that Meagen Likes is VegeUSA Vegan Beef Slices.

I love VegeUSA Vegan Beef Slices. Sold at Asian grocery stores, they are also available in duck and pork flavors. These slices are dehydrated so all you have to do is soak them in warm water for a few minutes, drain, squeeze the water out, then prepare however you want. I tend to marinate mine in whatever seasonings I feel like at the time. These "beef" slices are delicious in stir fries, kabobs, wraps, etc. They make an excellent beef replacement in nearly any recipe and have a nice, chewy texture.

Kenny Torrella likes Dun-Well Doughnuts

The Vegan Person I Like today is Kenny Torrella! Kenny is the Chicago Campaign Coordinator for Mercy for Animals (blog here!) and I got to know him better as my co-conspiritor in planning the Chicago Vegan Chef Showdown MFA benefit a few months ago and I think he's great! Kenny is a driving force in making sure that we all have awesome vegan options when dining out in Chicago, as he is responsible for a number of local restaurants adding tasty vegan dishes to their existing menus. You can often find him out at the "kick off" events launching these additions making darn sure that no one in Chicago has any excuse not make delicious and compassionate dining choices!

The Vegan Thing Kenny Likes is Dun-Well Doughnuts in New York.

Photo from dunwelldoughnuts.com.

Dun-Well Doughnuts was started by my friend Dan, and his friend Chris. Not only do they make beautiful, delicious vegan doughnuts, they do it in style! These two whippersnappers' doughnuts have now been sold in NYC hotspots such as Lula's Sweet Apothecary, Blossom, Cocoa V, and more!


They're currently raising funds to open up a store-front in NYC and I don't know about you, but I would certainly appreciate an all-vegan doughnut shop in the Big Apple! If you donate to them you'll receive various prizes, everything from free doughnut vouchers, to having your own doughnut named after you, to having a private, doughnut-catered event!


They have less than a month and a half to raise another $11,500, so chip in today and reap your reward! Empower two awesome vegans today.

Betty Alper likes Melissa Shoes

 Today's Vegan Person I Like is Betty Alper! Betty is the baking genius behind Chicago's Bot Bakery, which makes some of the tastiest baked goods I've had! Everything Bot Bakery makes is organic, vegan, and gluten-free and it all tastes amazing! Their treats combine inspired, unique flavors and are really one-of-a-kind (bell pepper cake with lime frosting!?). They don't have a brick-and-mortor location, but you can find them at farmer's markets and find their goods sold at other establishments around the city of Chicago. You can visit Bot Bakery on Facebook or Twitter and learn about where to find them and just what they're baking up next! Maybe they'll become a Vegan Thing YOU Like!

Betty also hosts a great picnic and is a movie aficionado, having seen something like a million movies in her lifetime (okay, so it's in the thousands, I'm pretty sure). She's also usually wearing something cute and unique (like her), so it's no surprise that the Vegan Thing She Likes is fashion-related in the form of Melissa Shoes.

hi i like lots and lots of vegan food but i also love vegan fashion. one of my favorite brands is melissa. They are all mostly totally jelly material and kinda almost smells like candy. Be careful they are so cute you may want to eat them

Kelly Peloza likes Speculoos/Biscoff Spread

 Kelly Peloza is a super cool lady who I finally met in person at this year's Milwaukee Veg Fest when she gifted me a tasty cookie on a stick. She is a super cutie and the author of a book profiling my favorite food group, The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur! So, we know she's a great baker, but she also travels and cooks other vegan food, which you can read about in her cleverly-titled blog, Seitan Beats Your Meat. She even made some tasty tacos and competed in this year's Chicago Vegan Chef Showdown to benefit Mercy for Animals. And she is a student and photographer and makes her own clothes and probably does a ton of other cool stuff that I don't even know about yet. Also, she JUST turned 21 last month! Now don't you feel like a slacker?!

In addition to all of that, Kelly also has a really cute bunny sidekick named Gnocchi who she recently dressed up as our company mascot, which amuses me to no end. I love Gnocchi Upton. You can see her styling his little bunny hair in the photo here. Isn't he a charmer?

Anyway, without further delay, here is Kelly's Vegan Thing She Likes: Speculoos/Biscoff Spread!

This stuff is all the rage on the PPK forums, but just starting to become popular amongst all vegans. Speculoos is a peanut butter-like spread made out of cookies and it tastes like spreadable cinnamon ginger cookie magic. I was skeptical at first, but after eating it on bagels, in baked goods, and by the spoonful, I'm a total convert. I've even added a few spoonfuls to buttercream frosting and completely transformed a cupcake. It can be a little difficult to find nowadays (and make it last if you do find it), but speculoos is just one of those inconceivable things you always wished existed. Speculoos 4eva!


The picture  at the right is just of the cookies that are used to make the spread that Kelly is talking about. If you're still confused, watch this video!!