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

Rachael Sanders likes Tacos

Photo by Rachel Renee.

The Vegan Person I Like today is Rachael! Rachael is a former Chicagoian who is now residing in Hawaii! She's the coolest former employee of the South Loop Whole Foods location and I miss her every time I go in there and don't get to visit with her and have her tell me about all of the new vegan stuff in the store. Rachael's entry includes a lot of info about the Vegan Thing She Likes AND a recipe! She even talks about a Vegan Thing that I've previously featured here on this blog. Great minds think alike!

The Vegan Thing Rachael Likes is Tacos!

Hello! I’m Rachael, a gluten free vegan from Chicago currently residing on Maui. If there is one vegan thing I love more than all other vegan things, it would have to be TACOS!!! The best tacos I’ve ever had at a restaurant would have to be from Irazu Costa Rican Restaurant on Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. I seriously pine for them at least once a week now. One taco is $2.95 and stuffed to the max with vegan deliciousness. One is surely big enough to fill me up but I always order 2. Their rice has big chunks of potato in it, and their homemade hot peppers add a really awesome flavor. There are at least 2 restaurants on Maui that serve vegan tacos. Las Pinatas in Kahului has a 3 taco plate for around $10, but their tacos are boring to say the least (boring rice, boring black beans, and boring lettuce and tomato.) Cilantro in Lahaina has pretty decent roasted veggie tacos that can be made vegan, but I’m pretty sure they put some sort of gluten in there somewhere, because I always leave with a bellyache. Alas, I have made countless tacos since moving here. If there is ever a night without a dinner plan, my future husband and I automatically turn to the beloved taco. Some of the taco creations we have had include authentic Mexican rice and beans tacos, potato and homemade soyrizo tacos, Korean tofu and kimchi tacos, thai tacos, and falafel tacos. Corn tortillas really are the perfect vehicle for all foods!

I’m leaving you with the recipe for my Thai tacos, my future husband’s FAVORITE. I first made these a few years ago with my good friend Adam Scartozzi. We used to get together on a regular basis and cook really great meals, and I really appreciate those experiences, because I learned so many essential kitchen skills with him. I would say he inspired me to go vegan, but I don’t want him to get a big ego.

You’ll need to “dry fry” the tofu first. Use this method.

Rae Rae’s Thai Tacos
Makes 8 tacos 

Marinade Ingredients :
1lb extra firm tofu (my favorite is the Wildwood vacuum packed super firm)
2 shallots or 1 onion, finely chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoon Bragg’s or tamari (or soy sauce if you’re ok with gluten)
2 tablespoon red curry paste (I like thai kitchen brand)
2 cups water or veg broth

Peanut sauce ingredients:
½ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (optional if you don’t like heat)
½ tablespoon braggs
Lime juice from one juicy lime
Water to thin

Assembly ingredients:
16 corn tortillas (or 8 if you don’t double up)
Cucumber cut in half and sliced into thin spears
Carrot, shredded
Thai basil (SUPER IMPORTANT!)
Cilantro
Red pepper, sliced into long thin slices
Fresh jalapeno slices
Several lime wedges

While you are dry frying the tofu, mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. As the tofu pieces are finished cooking, add them to the bowl. Marinate for at least an hour, up to 4 hours. Pour entire marinade/tofu mixture into a large skillet or pot, and cook on medium-low until most of the liquid is gone. While the tofu is cooking, prepare the garnishing ingredients. Heat the corn tortillas. Assemble tacos. Enjoy! 

Ari Nessel likes Nessel Development

Ari Nessel is an amazing vegan, yogi, and phenomenally deep thinker who I met several years ago as a result of our shared enthusiasm for yoga, and specifically the teachings of Yogi Sri Dharma Mittra. I was fortunate, a year or so later, to spend time with Ari in New York during our advanced training with Sri Dharma and to have the opportunity to soak up much of Ari's knowledge which he has acquired through a seemingly unwavering devotion to self-realization through a path of yoga and meditation.

Ari is also a devoted father to his two boys, pictured with him, Jonah (age 4) and Deven (age 18 months). In addition to all of this, Ari is a successful, generous, and purposeful vegan businessperson, as he tells below. The Vegan Thing He Likes is his inspiring business, Nessel Development.

My favorite vegan product, if I can pitch for myself a moment, are my apartment buildings in Dallas. We are a vegan company that provides free vegan lunches to our employees and all food bought at our properties must also be free of animal products. Additionally, we make many efforts to run our complexes in an environmentally sustainable manner. First and foremost, we buy properties that frequently others would demolish and we make them beautiful (really, I mean it). Then, through numerous renovation improvements, the properties become much more water, electric and natural gas efficient. We even have available for residents dog parks and organic gardens at all of our properties. And, if a resident adopts a pet from a shelter while living at our property, we don't charge them a pet fee.

I know you were thinking of vegan food products, but maybe vegan businesses are another way of supporting this movement. Also, we donate a considerable amount to animal rights advocacy groups each year and even provide free housing and offices to Mercy for Animals here in Dallas. (Ed note: Having met MFA folks who were working and living in a Nessel Development building, I have to say that they sound pretty wonderful!)

(Second photo borrowed from www.nesselinc.com.)

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!!

Dan Staackmann likes Olive Ciabatta

The best way that I can think to kick off a whole month of Vegan People I Like is to feature my personal number one vegan person. He is my partner in all aspects of life, including at work (where he is technically my boss, though it never feels that way). He is my boyfriend, Dan Staackmann! Dan is the owner of Chicago-based seitan company, Upton's Naturals, where we both work and which takes us on so many vegan-centric adventures that I was inspired to start this blog. He is a natural entrepreneur, always encouraging people to take the leap into finding their own path towards meaningful work and a happy life. He's extremely humble and extremely easy to get along with. There is no one else on earth who I'd rather have as my partner or as my first Vegan People I Like entry!

The Vegan Thing Dan Likes is the olive ciabatta pillow from Fox & Obel in Chicago.

A vegan thing I like is the Fox & Obel olive ciabatta...perfectly crafted with a firm outer crust, air-bubble-filled chewy center, real olives (not sliced and from a can) and a cornmeal dusting below. Also, no ridiculous “dough conditioners” or additives... flour, water, olives, yeast, cornmeal, salt. Perfect. Like all good breads, best consumed within 8-12 hours of baking and NEVER put in a plastic bag. I challenge anyone to find a finer ciabatta in Chicago, or anywhere else.

Dan hit the nail on the head with this pick. I willingly vouch for these being some of the most amazing bread that you will ever eat. Well worth a stop. We often pick one of these up each for a snack when we're in the area.

Vegan MoFo Month!

Yeah! It's Vegan MoFo month and we're all in! For the entire month of October, Vegan Things I Like will be featuring different Vegan PEOPLE I Like and the Vegan Things THEY Like! I'm aiming for one every day, assuming that the people I like don't let me down and keep me supplied in entries! That's 31 totally awesome vegan people telling you about 31 totally awesome vegan things! October is going to ROCK!

The first entry is coming very shortly. Check back every day to learn about lots of awesome vegan people and lots of new vegan things!