Mr. Smiles (#13-00854) is a year old Rabbit.
In his own words:  I am a happy-go-lucky little guy who would love a home to call my own.  Sometimes I get so happy, I do flips in the air!  Cilantro is my absolute favorite, so bring some veggies and come snuggle with me! Rabbits are pets with special needs, so please do a bit of research before taking me home.

Meet him:
South Bay Pet Adoption Center
12910 Yukon Avenue
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 676-1149

Gertie (# 12-05585) is a 5 year old Chihuahua mix.
In her own words:  I want to go home with you!  I am a tiny girl who loves to go for leisurely strolls and small romps outside.  Even though I do enjoy my play time, I especially love cuddling.  In fact, I can’t get enough lap time!  Come see what a snuggle-bug I am!

Meet her:
South Bay Pet Adoption Center
12910 Yukon Avenue
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 676-1149

Abigail (#12-04475) is a 10 year old Domestic Short Hair.
In her own words:  I am a sweet older lady who would love to be your lap cat.  I ended up at the shelter when my family could no longer take care of me.  Please come by and see what a special girl I am!

Meet her:
P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center
7700 East Spring Street
Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 570-7722

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One of the easiest ways to get into being vegan is to treat yourself to a few good cookbooks.  The market for vegan cooking guides has exploded over the last few years, and without some direction, typing in “vegan cookbook” into Amazon will yield a laundry list of authors that is overwhelming to the untrained eye.  Below is a short list of my favs.  If you want to master the art of vegan cooking, these are must haves.

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero
$10.85 at Amazon HERE

While it may seem odd that I’m picking a dessert book first, if you are wary of vegan cooking as being tasteless, boring, or inferior in any way – this is the first book you should pick up.  Because, really, if you can’t be vegan and enjoy dessert, what’s the point?  Also, half the point of cooking is to impress your guests – and trust me – this book will do it.

Veganomicon
by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero
$17.40 at Amazon HERE

Another bible by the godmothers of vegan cooking.  If there is one cookbook you are going to purchase (after their Cupcakes Take Over the World of course), make it this one.  It comes in solid hardback, which makes you feel like a “real” chef.  While these recipes are definitely not basic, the directions are clear and easy to follow.  Definitely the most comprehensive vegan cookbook out there, in my opinion.  Also makes a great gift.

Spork-Fed
by Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg
$12.35 at Amazon HERE

I’ve known Jenny and Heather of Spork Foods for years and have always been a fan of their super fun cooking classes.  I love the clear, easy-to-follow directions in this book, and the pictures will seriously make you drool.  The brunch section is probably my favorite.  Strawberry Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast?  Um… yes please!

Vegan Lunch Box
by Jennifer McCann
$13.57 at Amazon HERE

An extension of her popular blog, Jennifer McCann’s accompanying book contains her best recipes for healthy, fun, and tasty vegan lunches – for kids or adults!   She covers all the childhood favorites, everything from “Tofu Fish Sticks” to mini pizza, pups in blankets, and “Nut Butter and Jelly Cut-Outs.”  A great gift for parents concerned about how to pass on their vegan values to their school age kids.

Vegan Planet
by Robin Robertson
$14.93 at Amazon HERE

Like Veganomicon, this is a huge volume with recipe after recipe.  It’s practically 600 pages and contains over 400 recipes!  As compared to the other book, though, the recipes here are simpler with fewer steps and more common ingredients.  It’s a great starter cookbook.  Recipes range from “Butternut Squash and Wild Mushroom Lasagna” to “Maple-Pecan French Toast.”  It also has a great section called “Vegan Basics” that covers nutrition and meat/dairy alternatives that will steer a newbie in the right direction.

Sinfully Vegan
by Louis Dieterly
$13.46 at Amazon HERE

Yes, another dessert book.  This was one of the first cookbooks I got, and it contains some killer recipes including “I Can’t Believe They’re Not Sinful Brownies” – the best brownie recipes I have come across.  Turn the page, and the next recipe is “Death by Chocolate Brownies.”  Heaven.  Also inside are recipes for various cakes and breads, pies and tarts, cheesecakes, puddings, smoothies, and even candy.

Laurel’s Kitchen
by Laurel Robertson, Carol Flinders, and Bronwen Godfrey
The original edition can be found used on Amazon, also check out the 1986 edition HERE

This is the first book on vegetarianism I ever had.  My mom, a vegetarian in the 70′s (but not currently), gave it to me when I was 12 and first took the plunge.  Note, however, this book is not all vegan. In fact, I would say at least half of the recipes call for milk or eggs (although they are easily veganized).  Why am I listing it then?  Simply because, in 1976, when Laurel’s Kitchen was published, this was considered a ground-breaking cook book in the growing world of natural foods.  The recipes, in fact, are secondary to the nutritional information and Laurel’s forward of the personal journey she took to write this book.  It is easy to forget that a little over 30 years ago, being vegan meant making your own soymilk and even tofu.  There was no fake meat or veggie burgers, unless you, yourself, made them out of legumes and brown rice.  70 pages of the book contains charts listing the cooked and uncooked nutritional values of various foods.  A whole other section talks about the importance of various vitamins and minerals.  This was a time when not only were people searching for delicious vegetarian recipes – they were gathering evidence to present to the world to show that this could be a legitimate diet.  If you have never read Laurel’s Kitchen, I suggest you pick up a copy (preferably one of the older editions!) and see how far we’ve come.

Read the other posts in my Vegan 101 series:

VEGAN 101, PART 1

VEGAN 101, PART 2

I *HEART* QUINOA

I *HEART* TEMPEH

I *HEART* KALE

VEGAN 101, THE MASTER LIST

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We understand your concern and are working towards proactive measures to correct our mistake. We will change the header which says “Give Pets Away” as we ourselves find it very insensitive and we agree with you unequivocally that pet abandonment is nothing we would like to encourage. 

I read about a new volunteer networking site today on Mashable and, after going to the site, was disappointed to see a page heading labeled “Give Pets Away” so I wrote them a quick note.

What are your thoughts?  Do you agree?

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There have been a few attempts at vegan soft serve over the years but Milky’s on Robertson Blvd really blows everything I’ve tried before out of the water.  Milky’s offers both regular fro-yo and a vegan version…. and the dairy-free ones that I tried were actually really, really good!  It  features 9 double machines with 18+ flavors that are rotated weekly. Four Flavors are 100% pure Vegan Kosher Parve, with a separate topping bar that has everything from fruit to carob chips (all clearly labeled “vegan” if so).

I tried all the vegan flavors available: regular vanilla, strawberry lemon, and peanut butter…. and they were all super yummy.  Plus I added coconut, toasted nuts, and sprinkles.  I would definitely recommend the peanut butter, it was AMAZING!  My giant bowl below cost less than $5.  I will totally be going back soon for more, I just wish it were closer to my house (but maybe that’s a good thing!).

Milky’s Frozen Yogurt
1429 S Robertson Blvd
Los Angeles, CA.
(424) 354-3197

Mon – Fri: 11:00 am-11:00 pm
Sat: 11:00 am-12:00 am
Sun: 11:00 am-11:00 pm

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This is my cat James.  He hates Summer.

If your pets are as miserable as mine during the So Cal heat, check out these tips from the AdoptAPet.com blog to keep them from getting as pissed off as James.

Keep Your Pet Safe this Summer

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Did you know that Charles David has a vegan section on their website?  Well, you very well might, but I just found out.  Now, I’ll be honest… I’m not crazy about the offerings (the exception being the svelt “Adele” pictured above, on sale for $59 here) but props to Charles David for joining Lulus.com in having a vegan shoe section on their website!  Hopefully they will continue to add to it…

What do you think?  Check out a few more of the vegan shoes on CharlesDavid.com below!

Want more Vegan Shoe of the Day offerings? Follow me on Pinterest!

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I have yet to meet a vegan who doesn’t LOVE pizza or QuarryGirl.com, me included.  So I’m super psyched to help out and spread the word about Vegan Pizza Day 2012 on June 30th!

Chicago Vegan Foods and QG are teaming up to “celebrate the awesomeness of vegan pizza.”  You in?  Of course you are.  So  pizza party it up at home, in the frozen section of Whole Foods or Locali, or check the list below to see if some of your favorite restaurants will be offering discounts on June 30th.  Or try a new place!  Your top pizza parlor pick not make the cut?  Leave a comment in the list below and maybe we can get them to jump on board…  More restaurants to be added!

RSVP to Facebook event for updated info.

Yea for pizza!!!!!

New!  zpizza will be offering their Berkeley Vegan Pizza by the slice all day on June 30th (they don’t normally offer vegan pizza by the slice).
Locations: all across the USA… see if there is one near you by checking here!

LOS ANGELES

Cruzer Pizza – Will be offering a TBD special! Check back for more details.
4449 Prospect Ave, Los Feliz. Check out their menu here

EVO Kitchen - 10% off all vegan fare (desserts included!).
7950 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Check out their menu here

Follow Your Heart - Will be offering a TBD special!  Check back for more details.
21825 Sherman Way, Canoga Park. Check out their menu here

Masa of Echo Park - 25% off all vegan deep dish pizza (dine in only).
1800 West Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Check out their vegan menu here

M Cafe – Will be offering a vegan pizza special (Melrose Ave location only).
7119 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Check out their menu here

Mohawk Bend - Will be offering a TBD special!  Check back for more details.
2141 W. Sunset Boulevard, Echo Park. Check out their menu here

Pizza Cookery - 20% off all vegan orders. just mention vegan pizza day.
6209 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Woodland Hills. Check out their vegan menu here

Pizzanista - Creating a special vegan pizza from june 26th-30th.
2019 E. 7th Street, Los Angeles. Check out their menu here

New!  Tomato Joe’s - 20% off vegan items.
27732 McBean Pkwy (Santa Clarita). Check out their menu here

New!  Urbano Pizza Bar – Vegan Pizza & Calzone specials TBD!
630 W. 6th St. Suite 116 B & C, Los Angeles. Check out their menu here

SAN FRANCISCO

New!  Beretta - Will be offering a TBD special!  Check back for more details.
1199 Valencia Street, San Francisco. Check out their menu here

Patxi’s Pizza - “buy one 14” vegan pizza, get one 14” extra thin vegan pizza for free.”
Valid at the hayes valley location only, 511 Hayes Street. Check out their menu here

New!  Source – new vegan pizza menu including special pizzas named for QuarryGirl and vegansaurus (mention either and get 10% off the specials) and a special dessert pizza!
11 Division Street, San Francisco. Check out their menu here

LAS VEGAS

New!  Slice of Vegas - “buy one get one free” deal on vegan pizzas!
3930 Las Vegas Blvd South | Ste 120 (inside Mandalay Place). Check out their menu here

 NEW YORK

Paulie Gee’s - Will be offering a special pizza made with beet greens, sliced roasted beets and post-oven cashew ricotta.
60 Greenpoint Avenue, Brooklyn. Check out their vegan menu here

*  photo by quarry girl

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So I’ve been wanting to address the notion of how expensive it is to be vegan for awhile. I get that a lot “Don’t you have to shop at Whole Foods all the time?”

Here’s the thing. Both these statements are true. I DO shop at Whole Foods way too much, basically because it is a vegan paradise and the trek to Follow Your Heart market can only be made once every few months, and Nature Mart doesn’t carry…um… things with sugar. And Trader Joe’s, well it’s getting better, but still needs to step up its vegan game.

Anyway, yes I shop at Whole Foods, and yes it is expensive. However, you don’t have to live at “Whole Paycheck” to be vegan. And if you do, there is a very conservative way to do it– frequent their Bulk Bins and try to buy only the 365 brand products to save money. And don’t ever, ever, ever go into the wine section (TJ’s wins on that one).

But don’t be afraid of your neighborhood chain grocery store. With the rise of alternative diet lifestyles, most major chains stock a variety of vegetarian and vegan products at less than you would pay at a natural market.  There is usually a decent organic section too.  In addition, some markets double coupons and frequently discount or offer two for one deals. For example, almost every time I buy a Morning Star product at Ralph’s, a coupon for the products spits out with my receipt.
Here is a quick sampling of what can be found at my neighborhood Ralph’s:
(on the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Western in Los Feliz.)

– Huge variety of Morning Star and Garden Burger products including patties, strips, nuggets, and novelties (fake bacon, buffalo wings, etc)
– Huge variety of Amy’s frozen dinners and burritos.
– Whole Soy yogurts in several flavors.
– Silk soy milk in chocolate, very vanilla, regular, plain and lite.
– Rice, almond and soy milk cartons.
– Several different types of tofu.
– 3-4 varieties of Tofurky sliced “meats.”
– 3-4 varieties of Yves  and Gardein “meats”
– Dairy-free sorbets in the ice cream section
– Vegan version of Oregon Chai tea mix.
– Peanut Butter & Co’s White Chocolate Wonderful, Dark Chocolate Dreams and Cinnamon Rain Swirl. (Yeah, I definitely almost fell over the first time I saw those there!)
– Tofutti cream cheese and sliced cheeses.
– Earth Balance margarine and Veganaise.
– Planet dish and laundry soap.
– St. Ives products (majority are vegan, check ingredient labels).

The moral of this post then, is don’t discredit your neighborhood market. They might be more vegan-friendly than you think!

Note: In terms of personal care, markets are definitely not the place for cruelty products. Anything deemed “natural” is usually extremely overpriced. Better to hunt down these kinds of products elsewhere…

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Heidi (#12-04068) is a 4 year old, female Chihuahua mix.
In her own words:  I am great with kids!  I participated in spcaLA’s camp for kids.  I know SIT, DOWN, and BEG, and I walk well on a leash.  I am the perfect lap dog looking for a new home.  Please come visit me and see how GREAT I am!

South Bay Pet Adoption Center
12910 Yukon Avenue
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 676-1149

Rita (#12-02919) is a 4 year old, Domestic Short Hair.
In her own words:  I’m a sweet kitty who loves to lay in the window’s sunlight.  Like some cats, I am a bit of a diva, so I would like to be the only cat in the household.  I am super affectionate and quite friendly.   Come and snuggle with me!

P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center
7700 East Spring Street
Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 570-7722

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So today I sent this email to my friend who is a newbie vegan and I thought it might be helpful for others, newbie or not.  So here is my vegan bible!!  You can get these at any Whole Foods, and also some grocery stores.

Earth Balance – best “butter” spread ever.  I have turned a lot of non-vegans onto it to.  All natural/vegan.

Silk Coconut Milk Vanilla — I’m OBSESSED with this.  It’s my new favorite thing.  Tastes like soymilk + coconut.  I have been having a glass for dessert and that’s it.  A ton of calcium also.  In milk section.

Silk soymilk vanilla. They make a ton of flavors.  And they do creamers and a soy nog at Xmas.  They also started a almond milk line that makes a killer “dark chocolate” version.  Also in milk section.

Gardein products are the best “fake” meat I’ve had.  They make an orange chicken that is killer, and I love their chicken tenders. That being said, I try not to eat fake meat toooo much.

Brown rice or quinoa pasta.  You can find in the pasta isle in blue boxes.  Way better for you than white pasta (which I eat next to never now).  I think it tastes better, and it cooks faster.  Quinoa has a good amount of protein in it.

Quinoa in general.  I love it.  I think it has a great, sort of nutty taste.  And it’s the only grain that is a “perfect protein” — it has all the amino acids in it.  It cooks as quick as say, couscous, like 15 mins.  1 cup quinoa to like 2 cups water.  There are different flavors, WF/TJ’s carries it in red and a regular kind of tan flavor.  I buy both kinds and mix them together.

Kale, Collards and Rainbow Chard.  I sauté these with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice, and eat it with tempeh and grains (like quinoa) or brown rice.  Some people don’t like it but if you make it right its sooo good for you in terms of calcium and different vitamins.

Tempeh.  I love this.  Comes in a ton of flavors now like a lemon and teriyaki.  Or you can buy the plain kind and just brown it in olive oil.  I find its easier to digest than tofu, and you can find a lot of flavors.  It looks scary in the package but it’s easy to cook, and I love the “nutty” taste.

Tofutti sour cream & cream cheese. The best brand.  They make sliced cheese too in mozzarella and cheddar but a lot of people don’t like them.  I like them on sandwiches on with Tofurky slices.

Tofurky slices. Best fake meat slices and comes in a lot of flavors.  You can even get at regular grocery stores but it actually tends to be cheaper at Whole Foods.  Actually, a lot of this stuff minus tempeh you can find in regular grocery stores.

Tofurky also came out with a line of frozen pizzas last year that use daiya and the tofurky meats and they are really good.

Daiya cheese (in either cheese section or vegetarian section).  Comes in cheddar or mozzarella shreds.  It actually melts the best of any cheese I’ve tried.

Peanut Butter & Co makes a line of mixed peanut butter.  Like peanut butter mixed with dark chocolate and peanut butter mixed with white chocolate.  Omg.

Amy’s Frozen Food! They make a whole line of vegetarian/vegan entries including a mac n’ cheese (the pure vegan one is sometimes hard to find – it will say vegan on it, the other varieties contain milk protein).  Really good stuff.  I really like their tofu breakfast wraps and burritos.  And their black bean enchiladas are really good.

A company called Annie’s makes a bunch of vegan salad dressings, including something called Goddess dressing that is so good.

Rising Moon ravioli… Sooo good!  The butternut squash and veggie varieties.  Next to Whole Food brand ravioli in the frozen section.

Also, depending on which WF you go to, they tend to have a lot of vegan options in the hot food bar.  Beware though, they tend to mislabel them vegan.  So check the ingredients.  Some of the WF actually have a whole vegan hot food bar.  They used to make vegan pizzas with daiya too, not sure if they still do it.

I like Lara raw food bars too.  Great flavors.  I keep them in my desk at work for snacks.

Ice cream.  Soy Delicious/Purely Decadent is insane.  They make a coconut line too, and a coconut with cookie dough that is out of this world (obviously I love coconut).  Also, there is an ice cream store in Los Feliz called Scoops, its on Heliotrope & Melrose.  They usually have 3 handmade vegan flavors that are crazy good.  In weird flavors like vanilla & lavender.

They also have vegan sugar & chocolate chips if you are baking.  And there is a FROZEN VEGAN COOKIE DOUGH finally.  Called Eat Pastry.  It’s delicious and so easy to make.  Or eat raw (don’t have to worry about Salmonella ! Whoo!.  In cookie dough section.  There is seriously everything vegan now, its so weird.

Trader Joe’s unfortunately doesn’t have the best vegan selection.  However, their fake chicken and beef strips are my favorites.  You can also buy Morning Star chicken strips that are great too.  I actually think all those strips use Gardein meat actually.  I like making fahitas with the steak strips.  Their edame hummus is so good too, and I love their brown rice pasta.  They also carry quinoa too.  Their frozen black bean enchiladas are good too.

Also there is an iphone app called Veg Out that tells you what vegetarian, vegan or vegan-friendly restaurants are in your area.

Also, are some other “Vegan 101″ links on my website that you might enjoy:

VEGAN 101, PART 1

VEGAN 101, PART 2

I *HEART* QUINOA

I *HEART* TEMPEH

I *HEART* KALE

VEGAN 101, THE MASTER LIST

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Yeah! The vegan version of Jeffrey Campbell’s ubiquitous “Lita” is back at Edge of Urge… Called the “Vita,” these shoes are produced through a partnership the designer has with the owner of Convert, a vegan store in Berkeley.  Read more about it here.

These shoes always sell out SUPER fast whenever they pop up, so I’d suggest you grab your’s ASAP!  I got mine in the last production run and LOVE them.  They fit great and are actually super comfortable. I’m even thinking about getting a second pair.

Also, check out Edge of Urge‘s line of vegan feather earrings by Jessie Williams (although the site was supposed to email me a pair to review last year but I never got them.  Sad face).

Vita Vegan Platforms by Jeffrey Campbell
 $145 at Edge of Urge

Want more Vegan Shoe of the Day offerings? Follow me on Pinterest!

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“Lookin’ for a girl, I ran into a guy. His name is MCA, I said, ‘Howdy’ he said, ‘Hi’.” 

I was devastated to hear this morning that Adam Yauch aka “MCA” of the Beastie Boys has died of cancer.  I heard the news on KROQ while driving down the 101 to Orange County for a weekend of music that includes the 20th Annual KROQ Weenie Roast tomorrow.  Growing up in LA, I discovered the Beasties around the same time I discovered KROQ… after years of pretending to like boy bands and hair bands like the other girls in my junior high classes, here were three guys I wanted to hang with.  And not because they were “dreamy” or I wanted to be their girlfriend, but because they seemed fun and cool and didn’t take themselves so seriously.  I can remember listening to the Beasties and feeling like I was finally hearing “real” music… More than my introduction to hip hop, even punk, they were an introduction to intelligent, genuine music.

I feel very fortunate to have seen the Beastie Boys for the last time a few years ago at the Live 105 BFD concert in San Francisco.  This was their first show in years, and no one knew what to expect.  They were not only old school but actually “old” now… no longer the party boys of  ”Licensed to Ill” singing about drinking Brass Monkey.  But then they came on right before the headliner (The Strokes) and blew everyone away.  The performance was so high energy and joyous that it really put all the other bands on the bill to shame. One of those shows you never forgot.

I’m writing about this on Veggywood for two reasons.  One, I had more to say then would fit into a Facebook post (and this is my blog so I can write whatever I want).  And two, because, as many of you know, MCA adopted a vegan diet several years ago following a trip to India where he sampled alternative medicine in his fight against cancer.  I don’t know if he remained vegan or continued to advocate it at all, but I give him props for at least making the connection between compassion and health.  It sounds like veganism helped get him through a tough time, and although he lost the physical battle in the end, his spirit, his good heart, and his sweet rhymes are what we will always remember.  Thank you MCA for the musical…and mental… education.  Your infectious joy will be so missed.

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I’ve been really into juicing lately, ever since getting a Breville juicer over the holidays.  In February I did my first juice cleanse in a couple of years, via the lovely ladies at Juice Maids.  I’ll admit my results were mixed.  Overall the juice selection I was sent was much too sweet for me, and I wound up ending the cleanse a day early due to a migraine headache and some stomach cramps.  To be fair though, this could have been due to any number of reasons including the death of a friend that had occurred a few days prior.  There were several things I really liked about Juice Maids including their HUGE menu, the use of reusable mason jars to hold the juice, and the response of their customer service to any questions you had.  Read more about my experience HERE.

This weekend I tried Pressed Juicery because it had been recommended by a coworker, and I really enjoyed it.  For whatever reason, I had no stomach or headache issues at all — probably because I picked only vegetable juice and the juices in general are made with blander, more basic ingredients.  Another thing I liked was being able to pick up the juices at their little storefront in West Hollywood (they also deliver local & nationwide!).  The 10 I ordered (more than enough for me for 2 days) only came to $65.  However, the plastic bottles the juice came in didn’t leave me feeling very eco-friendly, although of course I recycled them afterwards.  I also bought myself a carrot-ginger soup from Erewon market (technically not raw) that I warmed up and ate for dinner… because the one thing I don’t like about juicing is constantly feeling cold.  Day One I felt a little “foggy” but by the end of Day Two I was feeling so great that I even decided to extend my cleanse another day 3 days!  My favorite juice selections were the Greens 3 (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, cucumber, celery, apple, lemon, ginger) and Roots 3 (beet, apple, lemon, ginger)… delicious!  Check out their full menu here.  And p.s…. their almond milk is one of the best things I’ve ever had, no joke.

If you are looking to cleanse, I highly recommend Pressed Juicery !  However, if this is your first time cleansing you might want to consider a company that holds your hand a little more, like Juice Maids.

“Like” Pressed Juicery on Facebook
Follow Pressed Juicery on Twitter

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Reno (#12-03103) is a 2 year old Domestic Short Hair.
In his own words:  Everyone that meets me thinks I’m a very special guy. I’m only 2 years old so I still love to play but what I love most in the world is the company of people. (and other cats are ok by me too!) I’ll be your shadow and follow you everywhere, giving lots of love along the way! Come by and see what a handsome sweetie I am!

P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center
7700 East Spring Street
Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 570-7722

Padme (#12-03216) is a 1 year old, Australian Shepherd mix.
In her own words:  Hug me!  I am a sweet girl who loves tummy rubs and long walks.  Although I enjoy my play time, my favorite activity is to spend time with people.  I just can’t get enough touching and petting!  Since I am such a smart dog, I would enjoy a basic obedience or agility class.  Visit me here at the shelter and see why I would make the perfect companion.

South Bay Pet Adoption Center
12910 Yukon Avenue
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 676-1149

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Amethyst Heart Earrings from The Animal Rescue Site

Besides being a site where clicking every day provides FREE food for animals in shelters, the Animal Rescue Site also has a really great online store where you can find all kind of unique and very affordable gifts.  Their jewelry selection is amazing: good quality and really reasonable prices.  They have tons of great pieces that you won’t find anywhere else, at a fraction of the price you would think.  Plus each purchase contributes a number of bowls of food for shelter animals.

These earrings, fair-trade made in India, are only $12.95 HERE and contribute 28 bowls of food for animals.

“Sweet Desires” Gift Basket from Allison’s Gourmet

Allison’s has a number of gifts that would be amazing for Mother’s Day, this basket containing cookies, brownies, chocolates, toffee and coffee is the most decadent ($125).  Some other seasonal (and yummy) offerings include Mexican Chocolate Brownies and an Organic Tea Sampler.

“Spork-Fed” Cookbook on Amazon

Delight your mom with a copy of Heather Goldberg and Jenny Engel’s new cookbook “Spork-Fed,” available for purchase from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  Featuring a forward by Emily and Zooey Deschanel, the book is a super fun intro to vegan cooking and baking with the adorable Spork Girls.  Read my interview with them about the book HERE.

Cruelty-Free Beauty Basket from Etsy

Curate your own sampling of beauty items from a number of all-vegan companies that can be found on the community marketplace.  There are plenty of beautiful soaps, lotions and cosmetics to be found at amazing prices.  Two to check out are Naked Eye Beauty (based in Los Angeles) and French Girl Organics.

Want even more vegan beauty product ideas? Follow me on Pinterest!

Shoes from Mink on Zappos

Is your momma a fashion maven? Treat her to a pair of sweet sandals from the all-vegan line by Rebecca Mink, with 13 pairs available on Zappos right now.  Mink Shoes are made in Italy of sustainable resources such as wood, rubber, cork and organic fabrics.  Check out the Mink story HERE and more of my vegan summer shoe picks HERE.  Want even more vegan shoe choices? Follow me on Pinterest!

These pretty “Monkey” flip flops are made of organic cotton and come in 3 colors. $125 HERE

Rescue Mom T-Shirt from The Animal Rescue Site
For the Moms out there with furry children!  With each t-shirt purchased, The Animal Rescue Site will fund 14 bowls of food for animals living in sanctuaries and shelters.
from $12 HERE

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In one corner we have the first contender: Amy’s Dairy Free Rice Macaroni & Cheeze

When this was introduced last year, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  A real, actual vegan version (no “contains milk protein”).  Still a little hard to find (usually at Whole Foods, Nature Mart, Locali and once in awhile you can find it at a Ralphs), it is worth the search.  Some have said its a little heavy, but wtf is mac n’ cheese if not a little heavy.  Anyway, this is one of my favorite treats (and yes with a boatload of salt, I know).  Decent portion size, average frozen food price… Read my lips: Yum!

But wait, here’s a shiny new… newcomer!  Candle 79 (the beloved vegan mecca in NYC) has entered the ring with their new line of frozen meals, including, you guessed it:  Macaroni and Vegan Cheese.  

It’s pretty different from Amy’s.  The sauce is creamier for one, and not as thick.  It’s about the same portion size as Amy’s, maybe a little bit more food, but definitely less cheese.  But it depends on how you like your mac n’ cheese.  If you like the cheese thick and almost baked on, then Amy’s is for you.  A more “gourmet” version?  Go with Candle’s meal.  I did have one complaint with their mac though — when I heated up the meal, the frozen cheese was piled in the middle, so once microwaved, it turned into a giant glob of sticky cheese that was really difficult to mix through the pasta.  I’m not sure if mine was just a fluke, but if not, that’s something I think they need to improve on.  Regardless, yeah for cheese!  We’ve come a long way from nutritional yeast, baby!

Also check out Candle Cafe’s other frozen meals:  Seitan Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce, Ginger Miso Stir-Fry, Tofu Spinach Ravioli. Available now, exclusively at Whole Foods.

But my favorite of all is MY OWN RECIPE for Baked Daiya Mac n’ Cheese!  Check out the recipe HERE!

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Oh yes, yes I do. Enough posts on vegan ice cream… this is the real good stuff. Kale is my “comfort food.” When I’m starting to feel worn out and tired, I work this into a meal. If you didn’t now, Kale is packed with nutritional value.

Check out this chart from World’s Healthiest Foods:

As you can see the vegetable is super low in calories and high in all kinds of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins K, C and A. It is also extremely high in calcium (important for vegans):  according to this article 1 cup contains 180 mg. Kale is even supposed to have some anti-cancer properties.

Although you can also steam or boil Kale, my favorite way is to sautee it with garlic, olive oil, and lemon, and serve with tempeh or tofu, and rice, millet or quinoa.

I like kale a lot because it has a strong flavor, but if it doesn’t quite suit you, just throw it in as one ingredient of many and it will add just a pepper-y hint of taste.

And since getting a juicer, I’ve become obsessed with making green drinks: kale, green apples, cucumber, ginger, lemon, and cayenne pepper.

Using the Whole Foods iPhone Recipe App as well as the Online Version, I found a simple recipe to introduce you to Kale, check it out below.  The Los Angeles Times also has a great recently article here on how to prepare the perfect kale salad.

Coconut Milk-Braised Greens
Ingredients

Salt to taste
2 bunches kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Black pepper to taste

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add greens and cook for 2 minutes; drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add reserved greens, coconut milk and lemon juice, stir well and simmer until tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Doesn’t it look good?

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I’m a big fan of summer shoes!  If you keep up with my Vegan Shoe of the Day feature, you know how much I LOVE wedges and heels and everything about sandals (preferably with platforms).  Here are some of my favs for summer!

If you want more vegan shoe updates, follow me on Pinterest!  New shoes added almost every day!
And check out more of my Polyvore sets HERE.

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Started by Rebecca Mink in 2004, Mink Shoes are made in Italy of sustainable resources such as wood, rubber, cork and organic fabrics.

Check out the rest of the Mink offerings at Zappos HERE.

Elephant Heel by Mink Shoes, $430 at Zappos 

5 1/4 inch heel, 1 1/4 inch platform

Want more Vegan Shoe of the Day offerings? Follow me on Pinterest!

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