Using nuts, soy and seasonings ranging from sriracha to Old Bay, home cooks and caterers alike brought their creamiest, cheesiest entries to the Vegan Mac and Cheese Smackdown.

Organizers estimated as many as 3,000 attendees came out for the second annual event, held Saturday afternoon at Baltimore City Community College, to sample from 28 cooks. The cookoff was part of the inaugural Baltimore Vegan Weekend, a series of events throughout the city celebrating vegan cuisine.

The event drew both repeat and new contestants, as well as a number of first-time attendees.

The people's choice winners from last year's smackdown, who call themselves Flying Pig Labs, returned with a slightly modified recipe. Wife and husband P. Jeanie and Doug Ciskowski of Southern Maryland have been vegans for 30 and 17 years, respectively. Jeanie entered the contest last year after spending about a month developing her recipe.

"You need a smooth-melting cheese and a sharp flavorful cheese," she said. She uses Daiya, a brand free of dairy, gluten and soy, to achieve the creamy texture, and her own cultured cashew cheese for the sharp, cheddar-like punch.

This time she used a bit more cashew cheese in her bid to defend the couple's title.

Other contestants, like Rebecca Daniels-Smith of Prince George's County, were entering for the first time. Daniels-Smith went vegan about 18 months ago and has worked on a perfecting a simple white cheddar-style mac and cheese over that time. Her entry, VGGF (Vegan Geek's Gluten Freeks) centered on gluten-free macaroni and Miyoko's Kitchen cashew cheese, a vegan mozzarella.

"I found this vegan mozzarella cheese, and it became like the holy grail of all recipes because you can do anything with it," Daniels-Smith said.

A panel of judges picked their favorites in eight categories, including best-from-scratch, most-like-grandma's and gluten-free.

Saturday's event marked the second time Pep Foods Inc., a local vegan collective, and Baltimore Vegan Drinks hosted the mac-and-cheese cookoff, which attracted more than 1,000 people in 2016.

Brenda Sanders, one of the event's organizers, attributed the event's growth to the allure of the vegan lifestyle.

"Folks are just ready to try something different. People are ready to get healthier, people are ready to change what they've been doing and do something a little different," Sanders said. "This whole health movement is really picking up steam in Baltimore right now."

The vegan lifestyle was new to Kevin Braughton, 43, who attended the event with his children Holly, 8, and Alec, 6. They adopted veganism as a family at the start of the year.

Braughton, a Severna Park resident, said the transition to vegan eating has been easy.

"Once you get over the first two times, 'Gosh, I wish I had a cheeseburger,' you begin to realize how much other food is out there and how enjoyable it is," he said. "And the more you eat it, the more you end up craving that rather than some of the old stuff."

Longtime vegetarians, like Howard University student Rachel Kenlaw, turned out for the smackdown, too. Kenlaw, 21, was raised on a vegetarian diet and said she eats mostly plant-based foods now.

"This excited me because everyone likes mac and cheese, and I'm starting a health and wellness-type blog because of the position I'm in at my school, and I was like, this is the perfect place to try some new things out," she said.

She tried eating meat for a few years, she said, but switched back to a mostly plant-based diet in college.

"I saw how my body reacted to [a plant-based diet] and I was healthier and I was actually getting sicker when I was eating meat," she said.

Baltimore's Vegan Weekend kicked off Friday with an informal restaurant crawl, and included events to celebrate vegan cuisine. After the mac-and-cheese competition, Pep Foods and Baltimore Vegan Drinks were scheduled to host an after-party at Thrive Baltimore, Pep Foods' new event space and community resource center.

Events continue Sunday . Five restaurants, Harmony Bakery and Cafe, Land of Kush, NuBohemia Cafe, One World Cafe and Red Emma's Coffeehouse and Bookstore, are hosting vegan brunches. And Paulie Gee's Pizzeria and Bar will also host a vegan pizza fest from noon to 4 p.m. The Hampden restaurant will serve at least 12 specialty vegan pizzas, plus appetizers and desserts.

smeehan@baltsun.com

twitter.com/sarahvmeehan

Read more here:

Second annual Vegan Mac and Cheese Smackdown grows in ... - Baltimore Sun

Arthur Mola/Invision/AP

Leilani Munter's funding for her car -- a project she has been working on for five years -- is led by A Well-Fed World, a nonprofit that responded after she gave a speech for winning an award as vegan athlete of the year.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Leilani Munter will return to the racetrack for the first time in two years when she competes Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

For the environmental and animal-rights activist who races cars, Munter will compete in the Automobile Racing Club of America season-opening race thanks to sponsorship that she views as a product of several years of work, with the purpose of looking ahead to her advocacy work.

Munter will drive her "vegan-powered" car, which has sponsorship from a collection of nonprofits, to promote a plant-based diet. In addition to the car, the funding will also support a tent that will give away vegan food samples for four days during the Daytona race weeks.

"When I'm going to vegan festivals or clean-energy events, it's preaching to the choir," Munter said Wednesday at the track. "I'm standing there talking to a bunch of people who already get it. ... For me, I always feel like I'm making the most difference being at the track.

"This one, giving out the food, will probably be the greatest impact I will have."

Her funding for this car -- a project she has been working on for five years -- is led by A Well-Fed World, a nonprofit that responded after she gave a speech for winning an award as vegan athlete of the year.

"I was starting to give up on the vegan car," Munter said. "I was like, 'You know, I have emailed all the people I know, I have been talking about it for years, and it's just not happening. Maybe it was just too soon to try to do something like this.'

"Then, just giving that 10-minute acceptance speech, I got the call two or three weeks later."

Among the athletes who will be at Daytona over the next week to support the cause is former NFL player David Carter, and one of the chefs will come from a vegan food manufacturer.

"We're serving the kinds of foods race fans are going to find at the track," Munter said. "I'm not going to show up with kale. I'm showing up with vegan chicken wings and meatballs -- stuff they would expect to find at the race track. ... We're not going to open minds if we're not putting food in their mouths.

"That is the moment where people change."

Every time I sit in the race car, a little part of me is thinking, 'This could be the last green flag that I take. This could be the last time that I sit on the starting grid.'

Leilani Munter

Getting people to change is why the 43-year-old Munter still races. She has competed sporadically in developmental leagues in both stock cars and IndyCar over the last several years as she devotes time to her causes.

Her most recent races have included promotion of documentaries "The Cove" and "Blackfish." Earlier this year, she was banned from SeaWorld property after the park called the sheriff while she was standing outside the gates with flowers and a sign mourning the death of killer whale Tilikum.

Munter, who spent nearly four years dedicating most of her time to the climate crisis and mass-extinction film "Racing Extinction," where she drove a Tesla, said she doesn't worry that her activism or news of her SeaWorld ban could turn away sponsors. She also knows that her activist-themed sponsorship isn't designed for longevity. She has competed in just eight ARCA races since 2010, having finished as high as 12th twice -- at Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Speedway in 2014. Both those races came with the Venturini Motorsports team, which she will race for on Saturday.

"These were all nonprofits [sponsoring me these races]," Munter said. "They don't have multimillion-dollar budgets where they can run a full season. I never really expected any of them to turn into a full season.

"That comes with the territory of me being an activist and wanting my car to carry these cool messages. ... You work really hard, you get the car on the track, you get one race and then you're starting over again."

Because of that, Munter knows Saturday could be her final race. But she never knows, as her activism continues.

"Every time I sit in the race car, a little part of me is thinking, 'This could be the last green flag that I take. This could be the last time that I sit on the starting grid,'" Munter said.

"I savor every moment. ... It's been two years since I've been in a car. It could be never that I'm in a car again."

Link:

Leilani Munter 'vegan powered' for her ARCA return - ESPN

Women's Health

'I Tried Going Vegan For A WeekHere's What Happened' Women's Health As food trends go these days, going vegan is about as cool as you can get. Not only does eating a diet of just plants promise to lower your cholesterol and make your skin look positively glow-y, but its devotees carry a certain aura of righteousness ...

Original post:

'I Tried Going Vegan For A WeekHere's What Happened' - Women's Health

SATURDAY, FEB. 18, 2017, 3:34 A.M.

By Eve Glazier, M.D., , Elizabeth Ko and M.D. Andrews McMeel Syndication

Dear Doctor: One of my resolutions for the new year was to become a vegan, and now my girlfriend is saying Ill have to take supplements to get enough vitamin B12. Why cant I get B12 in my diet, and what will happen if I fall short?

Dear Reader: Your girlfriend has done her homework vitamin B12 is a nutrient that is essential to human health. And while it occurs naturally in a wide range of animal foods, B12 is not found in any plant foods. As a vegan, youre now going to have to rely on supplements to be sure you get enough B12.

Why is it so important?

Vitamin B12 is a bit of a workhorse. Not only does it play a key role in the proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, its crucial to the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. As though that wasnt enough, B12 also aids in DNA and RNA synthesis, and is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Research shows that B12 also has a hand in maintaining mood and memory.

The body does not store B12, so you need to ingest it every day. Beef liver and clams have the highest concentrations of the nutrient. It is also present in varying quantities in red meat, eggs, poultry, shellfish, milk and milk products. Many breakfast cereals and some dairy products are fortified with B12. For vegans, there are non-dairy milks, meat substitutes and nutritional yeast products to which B12 has been added. Dietary supplements are widely available.

What happens when B12 is in short supply?

Considering all the roles the nutrient plays in health and well-being, the list of symptoms is long and sometimes quite serious. People with a B12 deficiency may feel weak and tired, the result of the vitamins role in producing the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. Since B12 helps maintain the protective sheath around your nerves, a lack of the vitamin can lead to strange sensations like numbness or tingling, as well as problems with balance or walking. Mood and memory may also suffer.

In extreme cases, B12 deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, a blood disorder in which the red blood cells produced in the bone marrow are unusually large, malformed and immature.

And while your girlfriend is right about your need for vigilance in getting enough B12, she may do well to examine her own B12 status. Recent studies suggest that up to 40 percent of the population, vegan or not, may be flirting with B12 insufficiency. Due to physiological changes associated with aging, the elderly are at increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Individuals who have undergone weight-loss surgery must also make a special effort to get enough of the nutrient.

As for you, a newly minted vegan, we recommend that you seek professional advice, preferably from your family doctor, to be certain that you forge a wise nutritional course.

******

Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and primary care physician at UCLA Health.

******

(Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095.)

Read the rest here:

Vitamin B12 deficiency possible with a vegan diet - The Spokesman-Review

Written by PETA | February 15, 2017

To us, the people who run 3 Brothers Vegan Foods are culinary heroes. They perform the noble task of shipping vegan pizza to the hungriest pizza lovers nationwide. This delivery service will be a game-changer for you.

More and more people are learning that cows produce milk for the same reason that humans doto nourish their young. Calves on dairy farms are taken away from their mothers when theyre just a day old and fed milk replacers (including cattle blood) so that their mothers milk can be sold to humans. With so many delicious vegan cheeses available now, switching to cruelty-free options is a cinch.

3 Brothers pizzas are made to order and promptly frozen. You can store them in the freezer for up to six months in their original packaging. The companys delectable Margherita pies are available in packs of two, four, or six and are ready to heat and eat on delivery. Check out all the pizza collections here and note that you can also get a variety pack of four pies.

The Seitan Buffalo comes with seitan, buffalo hot sauce, and vegan homemade blue cheese.

The Works is topped with vegan meatballs, seitan sausage, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and soy pepperoni.

The Bianca features cashew ricotta cheese, cashew buffalo cheese, and spinach.

Vegan Bianca Pizza

A post shared by Besart Astafa (@3brothersveganpizza) on Dec 4, 2016 at 4:20pm PST

The Backyard BBQ features grilled tofu, red onions, and cashew cheese.

For shipping purposes, 3 Brothers ships on Monday and Tuesday. Any orders placed after 1 p.m. on Tuesday will ship the following Monday. Pizzas arrive in recyclable, oven-safe, and microwave-safe containers and are encased in an insulated cooler bag with ice packs.

Want to learn more about the reasons why people are making the switch to dairy-free choices? Check out these 18 images that big dairy doesnt want you to see.

Have you been thinking about going vegan but havent taken the plunge? Order our free vegan starter kit to help you make the switch!

I Want a Vegan Starter Kit!

See more here:

Animals are not - PETA (blog) (press release)

No sooner has Richard Curtiss Love Actually reunion been announced than a rival emerges to its thermonuclear romantic charms. It is the burgeoning closeness between Ms Pamela Anderson, latterly of the beaches of Los Angeles County, and Mr Julian Assange, currently of the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

By way of a recap, the association first came to light last October, when the Baywatch legend was photographed arriving at the embassy to visit the Wikileaks founder, carrying what she said was a vegan meal. Very shortly after, some hokey-cokey over Assanges internet access being cut (by Ecuador, as it turned out) prompted some of his supporters to speculate that he was dead. If hes dead, shrieked confirmed inadequate Roosh V, Id have that food tested. Some fingered Pamela as a possible Hillary Clinton agent, with the various theories doing the rounds including the suggestion that she had given him apoisoned vegan sausage.

And yet if we may pose the question indelicately was the passing of the sausage in the other direction? Over to our two principals, who cant wait to be stagily coy about their relationship, and at considerable length.

First up is Pamela, who speaks to Grazia, with the magazine allowing her to explain why she demurred from answering whether she was in a relationship with Julian. Its very difficult to talk about when youre under surveillance, explained Pamela, hinting she has more viewers at Langley than she has had since being voted off in round one of Dancing on Ice in 2013 (after a series of stumbles, Keith Chegwin would eliminate her in the skate-off).

As she took Grazia into her confidence, Pamela was keeping under the radar at a party for a lingerie brand at Annabels nightclub. Right out of the Salman Rushdie hidden years playbook, that one. Though looking at the transparent lace dress she turned up in, I need hardly tell you Who Wore It Better. Hes a great guy, she went on, of Julian. I dont want to say anything about whether theres aromance. So, lets say were just good friends.

Grazia goes a bit further, alleging they have had a series of dates at the Ecuadorian embassy. Im not sure where else they would have dates, unless for their sixth anniversary hes planning to show her the inside of apolice van, followed by dinner at the Heathrow detention area. After all, if its not old hat to mention, nearly five years into his monstrous pussy-out, Julian is still wanted in Sweden to answer sexual assault allegations.

But what does the man himself have to add on the romance/showmance? Plenty, if his subsequent interview with an Australian radio show is anything to go by. I mean, I like her, shes great, he says of Pamela. Are they in love? Im not going to go into the private details. Come, come. Shes an attractive person with an attractive personality. And furthermore: Shes no idiot at all shes psychologically very savvy.

Note the well-placed psychologically. I love how Julian manages to make even a compliment sound proprietorially undermining. Other people think youre a moron, Pamela ONLY I SEE THE REAL YOU. But theres more. Youve got people like Pamela Anderson who are independent because they kind of manage their own career, the Putin stooge judges. She cant really be squeezed by, you know, a TV executive. All right, all right Ithink she gets it now, Julian. Shes not on the telly any more.

In some ways, none of this should be a surprise confinement can be aturn-on. I imagine Julian has all sorts of unfortunate cases writing to him as penpals; he may even be engaged to six or seven of them. Since he has been inside, the Yorkshire Ripper has had more girlfriends than Mick Jagger, so it seems reasonable to assume that a whole spectrum of notorious incarcerations can be an aphrodisiac. (Unless were putting the Rippers appeal down to the rapes and hammer murders.) Only this week, Britains Most Dangerous Prisoner, Charles Bronson, got engaged again, this time to a former soap opera bit-part player, who told the Mirror: I used to think he was a violent thug, but from the moment I read one of his books, I just had to write to him he was the inspiration I have been waiting for all my life.

(Incidentally, to all those Assange bros now planning to write very silly 4,000-word blogs claiming I am literally equating Julian Assange with Peter Sutcliffe and Charles Bronson: you go right ahead and break ground on those bad boys, my darlinks. If it falls to me to keep you off the streets for an afternoon, so be it.)

As for Pamela, she does seem far too nice to be mixed up in all this. Its so rare that he has someone to come and visit him and bring him things, she says, of Julian. So I want to be able to do that for him.

Of course, his social life wasnt always so sparse. Time was Julian had a constant stream of famous visitors at the Knightsbridge-based embassy, who always stopped off at the nearest grocer (Harrods) to pick up something yummy for him. Their significant funds coupled with their significant lack of imagination meant this was almost always a hamper. I was told by one who saw it that his room ended up almost wicker-walled, with Julian always able to produce a potted stilton or some whisky marmalade for Kathy Lette, John Pilger, Yoko Ono or whoever was on the afternoon shift. (Never mind those stories of Barney the Purple Dinosaur being played on a deafening loop at Guantanamo. In some ways, you have to concede that the Assange celebrity guestlist was the most sophisticated psychological torture ever conceived.)

Some years on, and ... well, its true that you can safely ignore the best-before dates on a lot of those foodstuffs. But I would imagineJulians tinned pt stocks are nearing dangerously low levels. Indeed, the welcome attentions of the strictly vegan Pamela means Julians latest batch of documents from the Kremlin is only the second most-guarded secret in that room, bumped out of its hiding place by his now uber-sensitive supply of foie gras.

Wikileaks is one of the only reliable news stories because its just the truth, concludes Pamela, bravely resisting getting bogged down in The Obvious. I really believe history will look back on him as such an importantperson.

So do I, old stick. For now, there is a distinct spring in Julians step. On Valentines Day, he reactivated his five-years dormant Twitter account (yes, yes there goes the neighbourhood) with a flourish, announcing: Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated (in a curious plot). But of course in what else? Clearly, this is all heading for a headline-grabbing two-shot on the embassys Juliet balcony, and I urge our lovebirds to proceed to it without delay.

Read more:

Pamela Anderson and Julian Assange: friends with vegan benefits - The Guardian

By Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

High Sierra Rustic Alpine is ready to be aged at Miyokos Kitchen in Fairfax.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine is ready to be aged at Miyokos Kitchen in Fairfax.

CEO and founder Miyoko Schinner, who makes artisanal vegan cheese from cultured nuts and nut milks, shows the Miyokos Kitchen cheese aging room in Fairfax.

CEO and founder Miyoko Schinner, who makes artisanal vegan cheese from cultured nuts and nut milks, shows the Miyokos Kitchen cheese aging room in Fairfax.

Production associates Cori Ander (left) and Lance Domdey (back) make High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese at Miyoko's Kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production associates Cori Ander (left) and Lance Domdey (back) make High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese at Miyoko's Kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese has its temperature read while churning at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese has its temperature read while churning at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production assistant Cori Ander readies High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese to be aged at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production assistant Cori Ander readies High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese to be aged at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Vegan cheese startup Miyokos Kitchen drawing lots of investors

When she started her first vegan food company in 1997, Miyoko Schinner couldnt get anyone to invest in the business, despite its $1 million in annual sales. She closed that company, Now and Zen, in 2003.

People werent putting money into food certainly not vegan food, said Schinner. Vegan food was something you had to explain to people.

Oh, how things have changed. Just over two years after Schinner founded Miyokos Kitchen, a producer of plant-based cheese, the Fairfax company has received $6 million in funding. The investment will help pay for a much larger Petaluma facility and more efficient equipment that will help it keep up with demand. Its products, like cashew-based Cultured VeganButter and Fresh VeganMozz, are sold across the country in at least 2,000 stores, including Trader Joes, Raleys and Whole Foods.

After starting out making 800 rounds of cheese per week, the company now produces 100,000 a month. Schinner expects to hit $10 million in sales this year, and 10 times that in five years.

The explosive growth was not part of the original plan. We were going to be a local, artisanal producer like Cowgirl (Creamery), have a retail shop and sell our products in Northern California, said Schinner, also a cookbook author and co-host of the cooking show Vegan Mashup. It didnt work out that way.

The new investment also will allow Schinner to add a line of more basic cheeses with the same nutritional value as, for example, a milk-based cheddar cheese. They will cost $5 to $6, as compared to the current price of $10 to $13 for packages of her artisanal vegan cheeses. Shes also about to introduce a smoked mozzarella version.

The funding comes from JMK Consumer Growth Partners, joining previous investors like Obvious Ventures, the venture capital firm of Twitter co-founder Evan Williams, which also backs the plant-based companies Urban Remedy and Beyond Meat.

Schinner said that their interest shows how much the market has changed in the 20 years since she started her first food business, a change she attributes largely to Millennials.

People are eating foods that align to their mission in life, she said. Its more about conscious eating and the relationship between the food on your plate and the impact it has, not just on your own health.

Schinner believes her investors are not just responding to current trends but what they think the future will bring: (Investors are) aware of the greater impacts of food and they realize this is the time to get in on it.

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan

Read the original:

Vegan cheese startup Miyoko's Kitchen drawing lots of investors - SFGate

By admin | February 15, 2017

If youve been sitting out on coffee break runs, consider this your chance to tag back in.

Pop Sugar (and about one hundred other blogs) announced that 600 Starbucks locations across New York have rolled out a new vegan menu item; overnight grains. The parfait-like breakfast item blends steel cut oats, quinoa, and chia seeds together with coconut milk, shaved coconut and almonds. Served in the cold case section of the store, itsbasically a jazzed up version of the internets beloved overnight oats, for those who dont have the forethought to prepare breakfast before bed.

Photo from StarbucksMelody

Ringing in at a hearty 360 calories with 6 grams of protein, theyre hoping to leverage the popularity of their other best-selling, protein-heavy options (none of which are vegan) with the current sensationalism of plant-based eating. At least its a much healthier option than the Justins dark chocolate peanut butter cups that stare down vegans at the cash.

With an abundance of great vegan options on every corner in New York, time will tell if this item is a success for the coffee chain, and if it rolls out to their other trillion locations.

Go here to see the original:

Starbucks adds a new vegan option : Ecorazzi - Ecorazzi

As Kitchen 17 moves around the corner in Lakeview into a larger space, another vegan eatery will take over the soon-to-be vacated space. Heather Bodine-Lederman hopes to open Chicagos first all-vegan bakery, Pie, Pie My Darling, by August at 613 W. Briar Place. The news has already put a smile on many faces. Vegans have stood in line for hours at pop-up markets trying to procure one of the bakerys popular pies or cakes.

Bodine-Lederman uses canola oil, non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening and non-dairy butter substitutes like Earth Balance to avoid eggs and dairy products in her baked goods: I find that butter can sometimes weighs the cake down a bit, she said.

She started out concentrating on pies, but has expanded to cakes, including cheesecakes. When the bakery opens, she wants to make cookies, breakfast pastries, cake and pie shakes, and savory pies. Bodine-Lederman envisions selling grab-and-go items, too.

Right now, the bakerys most-popular item is Funfetti cake. The sprinkles give customers of all ages a child-like feeling, and thats Bodine-Ledermans goalto bring back memories. The space will be remodeled and will feature a totally-new decor. Theyll also serve coffee.

Chicagos vegan community can be a close-knit group, and Bodine-Lederman met Kitchen 17 owner Don Clements two years ago at Vegan Vortex. Thats the vegan festival where Pie, Pie My Darling was a vendor. Clements offered his space to Bodine-Lederman back then, as he had plans to move to a larger restaurant. Bodine-Lederman hopes she can bake for the new Kitchen 17, offering fancy desserts that would be exclusively available at the new restaurant.

While Clements struggles with the oven space at Kitchen 17, Bodine-Lederman said thats not a worry as theyll install new equipment. Bodine-Lederman also wants to broaden her audience to non-vegans. She still relishes how her baked goods make her fellow vegans happy. Few restaurants and bakeries offer vegan choices, and theyre often subpar. That wont be a problem at Pie, Pie My Darling.

I want a bakery that vegans can walk into and have to struggle with what to choose because theres so many choices, she said.

Theyre touting this as Chicagos first all-vegan bakery. Restaurants such as Soul Vegetarian East on the South Side have been selling vegan baked goods for years, but Pie, Pie My Darling has more of traditional bakery/cafe component.

VegNews was the first to report the story.

See more here:

Chicago's First All-Vegan Bakery Will Sell Pies & Cakes In Lakeview - Eater Chicago

When an eagle-eyed Philly-area vegan spied yet-to-be announced new dairy-free Ben & Jerry's flavors, we couldn't wait to try them. When reached for comment, its Grand Poobah of P.R. (yes, his real title) just told us he could neither confirm nor deny that the new flavors would be announced by mid-February (but that they were delicious). And finally, the day has arrived and with a whole new flavor we didn't even know was coming.

The three new flavors, Caramel Almond Brittle, Cherry Garcia, and Coconut Seven Layer Bar, use the same almond milk base as the O.G. certified vegan dairy-free flavors. And they weren't playing around when it came time to introduce diary-free alternatives to their family of pints. It took 60 tries before they finally hit the jackpot: a vegan alternative that could stand proud next to their line of beloved pints. Creamy, but without the cream. Impossible? Not to the people who already taught us that we could imagine Whirled Peace and that humans could eat Phish Food. To see if the new flavors were equally delectable, we assembled some R29 taste-testers who were are regular ice cream devotees. Could we be swayed?

In a word, yes. Having never tried a vegan ice cream before, I had a lot of assumptions: compared to regular ice cream, it might be icy, or chalky. Or, even if it tasted pretty good, I might still rather be eating the real thing. All those misconceptions flew out my head as soon as I tried my first spoonful of the Caramel Almond Brittle.

Like the O.G. vegan ice creams, the new flavors use an almond milk base that mimics real ice cream to a creepily accurate degree. Velvety-smooth, the almond brittle flavor also packed a flavorful punch. The almond base matched perfectly with the almond brittle flavor, reminding one taste tester of a wedding cake. The salted caramel swirls added a nice contrast to the small bits of crunchy toffee. It would taste delicious with a healthy drizzle of chocolate on top.

Next, we scooped into the Coconut Seven Layer Bar. So packed with coconut flavor, we had to double-check to make sure the base wasn't coconut milk. Just as creamy, this was also the chunkiest of the pack. Fudge, walnuts, and swirls of graham crackle and caramel filled ever bite. If you're skeptical of almond milk base, this one is a good place to start: the delicious coconut flavor almost completely masks any almond flavor.

The final flavor we tried was Cherry Garcia. Like its original, dairy-based older sister, it's a cherry-flavored base with cherries and fudge flakes. It got high marks from tasters for how well the almond base flavor complimented the cherries.

When we tried to choose a team favorite, however, we fell into infighting. And when we couldn't declare a winner of the three, it became clear that it also meant there were no losers. Vegans, lactose-intolerant, and regular 'ole ice cream eaters alike all gave the new pints two spoons up.

Read the original here:

We Tried Ben & Jerry's 3 New Vegan Ice Cream Flavors - Refinery29