Vida Vegan Con 2013

I was honored to once again be invited to Vida Vegan Con, the Vegan bloggers conference held in Portland, Oregon. I was part of two presentations: Cookbook & Product Reviews workshop and  Ethics Beyond the Plate panel. I'm not a very strong public speaker, but I try my best. I feel strongly about Veganism and I think my spin on it deserves a spot at the table. If I'm going to speak anywhere, it makes sense at Vida Vegan (or a Star Wars convention.) As you can see above, the 2013 Vida Vegan Swag Bag was right up my alley. So many great products!  

On the first day (Friday), the exhibitor hall was opened up. Inside, companies were ready to show off their new Vegan products. Organizers Jess, Janessa and Michele (pic, upper left) were making sure I didn't sneak in before it was time. Virtually all of the great mainstay companies were there. To be honest, I was pretty overwhelmed and didn't get half of the pics I wanted to. Also, I'm not much for crowds, but I did manage to get a couple pics off for you home viewers. All of the venders were good sports and they were more that happy to give you a sample of their amazing products.

What kind of sample do you want? Ice cream? Check. Nachos? Sure. Pot Pie? No prob. I'd like to say a thank you to all of the companies that attended Vida Vegan and handed out samples. It shows that you go the extra mile for your Vegan customers, and we won't ever forget!

So enough of the swag bags and samples, I'm here to do some work! The Ethics panel didn't require too much prep, only that I form my thoughts into coherent sentences (which can be difficult.) But thankfully we had some awesome panelists (Laura Beck, Jamie J. Hagen, Leigh-Chantelle and Erika Larson) who had some great ideas and opinions. Also we had an awesome moderator, Jason Das, so everything went well. Bullet dodged!

But for the Cookbook/Ethics class, I made a little PowerPoint that you can see a part of above. I basically want to show that anyone can do it. I presented my steps for reviewing products and creating a blogpost (let's just say there were a few cats involved.) I had fun presenting and hopefully someone was inspired to review cookbooks or products. Thank you to Lisa Pitman and Hannah Kaminsky for rounding out such a great class.

When I wasn't eating, speaking in panels or classes, I was attending other people's events! So many great things went on during the 3 days, I tried to attend everything I could. The schedule was packed and there was many good choices. A little something for everyone.

And the main thing about Vida Vegan was to have fun! Yes, Veganism can be a pretty heavy topic sometimes and yes, our work is never done, BUT we have to show Veganism can be exciting and enjoyable. You have to emphasize that the choice not to eat and exploit animals is the right decision by not being a Debbie Downer all the time. 

One of my favorite classes of the con was the Vegan MoFo Workshop (pic, lower right-hand corner) led by Kittee Berns, Mo Martin and Amey Mathews. Veganism doesn't have to be boring and I think Vegan MoFo shows that. Being friends with Panda With Cookie (pic, lower center) proves valuable. Setting Portland on fire and eating all their pizza with Kelly and Louzilla (pic, upper right) is always a riot. Watching the Austin peeps turn a bar in PDX inside out (pic, upper center) was amazing. I could swear I was in Texas!!! And obviously, hanging out with Isa (pic, upper left) a majority of the time is a joy, xoxo. Ooh, I even won some prizes at Vegan Battle Royal!  

All of these Vegans in one place makes for happy times! It gives you a chance to meet new friends and get reacquainted with old friends. Whether it was my friend Dan (pic, far right) from The Gay Vegans. Jason and Jesse (pic, far right) from SuperVegan and NY Feral Cat Initiative. Dan and Nicole (pic, far left) from Upton's Naturals and Vegan Things I Like. Or my twin sister Amey from Vegan Eats & Treats (she's not really, but it sounds plausible.) Great to see everyone, I wish I had more pics!

So you have Vida Vegan Con going on and all of the fun outside events happening, but there's even more! Vegan donuts, more specifically, GRAPE VEGAN DONUTS. They were my calling card for Vida Vegan 2011 and this Vida Vegan was no exception. I ate at least one grape Voodoo Doughnut everyday I was in Portland. You see, I can't get Vegan donuts in Omaha, so it's kinda a big deal, you know? Peace to Voodoo Doughnuts and their Vegan Grape Ape doughnut. I'll be back soon!

You can't live on donuts alone shockingly. But thankfully, Portland is one of the most Vegan friendly cities in America. I ate way more than this but these are some of my favorites. Starting at the upper left hand corner and going clockwise is Portobello, Vita Cafe, Veggie Grill and Blossoming Lotus. Tons of great food, I'm so jealous of you Portland!

So I have no idea when or where the next Vida Vegan Con will be. My personal hopes are Chicago, Austin, Denver or even Portland again. Regardless, I'll be there, either as a speaker or an attendee. It's a life changing experience that every Vegan should get to have. Great classes, great events, great food and most importantly, great people. Thank you once again to Jess, Janessa and Michele for hitting it out of the park and making the Vegan community proud. Let's do it again!

 

New So Delicious Coconut Milk Nog & Mint Chocolate

Sorry to keep bragging about Vida Vegan Con (it was awesome!!!), but when I was there I happened to notice sample boxes for the new So Delicious Holiday Flavors: Nog & Mint Chocolate. I instantly got excited for the holidays! Luckily I'm one of the chosen ones to test out these new flavors before they hit the shelves. I consider it an honor and I want to thank So Delicious for sending these out so quickly.

So let's start with the nog! The words "out of this world" come to mind. If you love your nog thick, creamy & nutmegy then this is the nog you've been waiting for. It's so good!!! I think it's the new standard for Vegan nog.

The mint chocolate was not as thick as the nog but it was equally delicious. I liked this better then the soy mint chocolates of the past because it didn't have the "beany" soy flavor. The mint was refreshing. You'd almost think they crushed candy canes to provide the mint flavor. If you love mint and chocolate, you'll be in heaven.

So when you're looking for holiday beverages, make sure you try both new flavors of So Delicious. I think they knocked it out of the park - even Santa is gonna want to chug this.

Food For Lovers Vegan Queso

A couple of months ago at Vida Vegan Con, everyone received a jar of Vegan Queso from Food For Lovers. I'd heard of their Vegan Queso before but it's not available in Omaha and I just never got around to ordering it. Everyone I know has raved about how delicious it is, so I was pretty impatient to try it myself. Also, I was lucky enough to meet Chris and Crystal, the owners of Food For Lovers, who were super awesome and sweet. In no way did their sweetness influence my review, it's just nice to see a Vegan-owned business that cares about their customers.

A disclaimer: YOU WILL EAT THE WHOLE JAR IN ONE SETTING. I promise you. There is no way not to. I told myself I would spread it out over a day or two. NOPE. I don't know what they put in this stuff but it's mad addictive. The Queso is soooo good. Tangy, spicy and silky all at the same time. I threw some nacho chips in a bowl with some hot Queso, and topped them with some fresh tomatoes. It was heavenly!!!

So, I know I'm like the 100th Vegan blogger to tell you to go buy some Vegan Queso, but you've really got to try it. In fact, I'm going to contact my local Whole Foods today just because I love it so much. And last but not least, if you have been enjoying Randomofo.com during this years Vegan Mofo, you have Chris & Crystal to thank! You two are some amazing Vegans!!!

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Laura Beck

Laura Beck is the spitfire behind Vegansaurus, the Bay Area based Vegan super blog. When she's not running the streets with the magical pink dinosaur, Laura also writes for VegNews, The Huffington Post and SF Weekly. I was honored to meet Laura last month at Vida Vegan Con where she gave the opening address. It goes without saying that she is super nice in person and I can't wait to visit her the next time I go to see my beloved Oakland A's. So now I bring you the one and only Laura Beck!

What is your favorite store-bought veggie burger?
Boca burgers are pretty much my first, my last, my everything. The new Gardein burger tastes JUST like a bb, it's true.

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
Amy's frozen breakfast burrito topped with guacamole and salsa.

What is your favorite ice cream?
So Delicious Coconut Turtle Trails.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Kettle Brand Tias in Salsa Picante. They're vegan Doritos!!

What is your favorite cereal?
Kix and/or Wheatabix. I say and/or because they're really good mixed up with some frozen berries and almond milk. I'm fancy.

What is your favorite candy?
I'm recently into Sjaak's Eli bars. HOLY CRAP, they are magical. They taste like good quality versions of delicious junky candy bars. Also, I love those boom CHOCO boom rice milk bars
because they taste like really cheap waxy milk chocolate, and I used to love that stuff. Screw Godiva, get me a Palmer's Chocolate Easter Bunny and I'm in heaven. If someone makes a vegan version of that, I will buy a million. Or at least ten.

What is your favorite cookie?
I love Liz Lovely everything, because you're eating cookie dough but it's in cookie form! Genius! I also love Eat Pastry cookie dough in all flavors, and the vegan chocolate chip cookies at Trader Joe's. I think they're actually Uncle Eddie's maybe?? Anyway, they taste like chewy Chips Ahoy. So good!

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
It really depends on where the island is and if they have fruit bearing trees and kale sprouting from the sand and shit. Okay, probably not. If I could REALLY choose, I'd take veganized Twinkies, Ho Ho's, and Ding Dong's. I am not going down skinny! Since that's probably cheating, I'll say Follow Your Heart Mozzarella (I really like that stuff, not to melt, but to cut up and eat on crackers, so good!), Uh, I guess crackers then, probably Dr. Krackers, and... Nacheez. It's my current infatuation.

Name a product you would like Veganized?
I'd love to be able to go to Denny's and get pie. Preferably Coconut Cream or Lemon Meringue, but I'd be happy with pretty much any kind... just to have pie availability at 3 a.m. would be the best ever.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
Rainbow Grocery, Berkeley Bowl, Whole Foods, Food Fight Grocery, and Vegan Essentials. And Natural Candy Store! CANDY.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Laura!

Return to Portland: Vida Vegan Con Bound!

This weekend is finally the Vida Vegan Con in Portland, Oregon! It's been about a year since it was announced and I was kindly asked to participate in it. First on Saturday is the panel Small Town Represent! which also includes Lauren from Whoa Wren, Ryan from T.O.F.U. Magazine, Bianca from Vegan Crunk and moderated by Elizabeth Castoria, Managing Editor of VegNews. Then Sunday is the presentation Product Reviews and Ethics. Joining me is Kyle from Vegan Vagrant, MeShell from Prarie Vegan and once again the Queen of Vegan Crunk, Bianca!

When I'm not busy from all the Vida Vegan awesomeness, I'd like to hit up some of my favorite Portland hot spots. On the food side of things, the must do's for me are Portabello, VooDoo Doughnut (must. have. grape. donut.), Vita Cafe, Food Fight Grocery, Native Bowl, Paradox Cafe and Homegrown Smoker. For fun I want to hang out at 2nd Avenue Records, Ground Kontrol and Powell's Books.

For those of you who have not been to Portland, make sure you get there one of these days! For someone like me who lives in the most meat-centric part of the country it definitely gave me hope. Maybe someday in the future you will be able to walk into any restaurant or convenience store and there will be tons of Vegan items. But in the meantime, come to Portland, check out Stumptown Vegans and CHOWDOWN!

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Bianca Phillips

Bianca Phillips is the creator of the amazing blog Vegan Crunk, where her love of the Dirty South shines through. On any given day you might see a recipe for Vegan Deviled Eggs, the latest review of a Memphis restaurant or the spotlight on new Vegan convenience foods. When Bianca isn't blogging, she's writing for the Memphis Flyer, specializing in LGBT, progressive and environmental issues. I've never met Bianca personally, but that will change in August when she joins me at Vida Vegan Con in Portland, Oregon. And last but not least, Bianca has an adorable cat named Gelfling. So now it's time to get Crunk, go Bianca!

What is your favorite store-bought veggie burger?
Hard decision, but definitely one of the Amy's frozen patty flavors. I love the Texas Barbecue, but the Quarter Pounders are mighty satisfying. I'm also a fan of the taste of the Soyboy Okara Courage Burgers, but the patties are little too small for my monster appetite.

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
Hands down, the Amy's Vegan Macaroni & Cheese! I love homemade vegan mac & cheese, but no homemade version can top the frozen Amy's mac. It's made with ungodly amounts of Daiya cheddar, so it's uber-creamy. If I made mac with Daiya at home, I think I'd be nervous about using as much as the Amy's folks do because it's a total calorie bomb. But when Amy's does it for me, I feel like it's out of my hands and I'm free to pig out.

What is your favorite ice cream?
I'm a big fan of Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent Turtle Trails, a vanilla soy cream with a caramel ribbon and chocolate-coated pralines. Also love, love, love Tofutti Cuties in any flavor.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
Eco-Planet Vegan Cheddar Crackers totally rule my world!! Also, Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos are a very guilty pleasure! I can eat a whole bag in one sitting.

What is your favorite cereal?
You know, I don't think I really have a favorite cereal. I buy a different brand and flavor every time, so I won't get bored. But the Whole Foods brand of cocoa puffs and anything by Barbara's Bakery are pretty awesome.

What is your favorite candy?
For chocolate, that would have to be Sjaak's Organic Peanut Butter Bites. They're like mini vegan pb cups. OMG! And for fruity candy, I'm a diehard fan of both Sour Patch Kids and the new vegan Skittles.

What is your favorite cookie?
Liz Lovely Cowboy Cookies are an all-time fave! But I also love Uncle Eddie's Vegan Cookies!

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
A package of Daiya mozzarella shreds (which I would totally eat with my hands, cold and straight out of the bag), a jar of Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful, and a bag of Kookie Karma Cheesy Kale Krackers (best kale chips ever!)

Name a product you would like Veganized?
I really wish someone would invent vegan sour cream & onion potato chips! And vegan ranch tortilla chips!

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
I alternate my orders from Food Fight, Vegan Essentials, and Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe. Locally, only the Memphis Whole Foods has a good vegan product selection, so I shop there.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Bianca!

The Laziest Vegans Top Ten Asks Jess Scone

If you don’t know who Jess Scone is you are clearly a Vegan without an internet connection. Her blog Get Sconed covers her kitchen adventures in Vegan heaven Portland, Oregon. When she’s not busy in her own kitchen, Jess is out sampling food from food carts and restaurants, and reviewing them on Stumptown Vegans. But her awesomeness doesn’t end there - Jess also organizes the Vegan Iron Chef Competition, a food battle to end all food battles. And this year she is one of the organizers of Vida Vegan Con, which I have been graciously asked to attend. Vida Vegan is shaping up to be THE Vegan event of the year. Now, after all these achievements, Jess answers the call of a lifetime...the Laziest Vegans Top Ten!

What is your favorite veggie burger?
Well, it’s been years and you can’t find them in the Northwest, but Soy Boy Okarara Courage Burgers seriously used to be one of my food groups during my young vegan college days. I loved their dense, salty texture. I also have a soft spot for the original Sunshine Burgers - mostly because they’re green inside.

What is you favorite frozen dinner?
I have to be honest, frozen food that isn’t vegan ice cream usually creeps me out and this is very new to me, but baked Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders + some sweet and spicy mustard are sure tasty and easy to make (although pricey)!

What is your favorite ice cream?
So Delicious Cherry Nirvana is high up there.

What is your favorite chip or cracker?
It’s been a while, but I think the Eco Planet nooch crackers are great. Plus, they’re cutesy and probably made for children, and that’s what I really look for in a cracker.

What is your favorite cereal?
I can’t even remember the last time I ate cereal, so I’ll say Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, or anything else you can make into a marshmallow krispie bar.

What is your favorite candy?
Totally Sour Straws.

What is your favorite cookie?
Favorite Homemade = The chocolate chip cookie recipe from Vegan Cookies Take Over the World.
Favorite Store-bought = Peppermint Candy Cane Joe Joe’s.
Favorite Local Cookie = the giant white chocolate chip cookies from Back to Eden Bakery.

What three pre-packaged food items would you take to a desert island?
Wayfare Hickory Cheese spread, Lily’s Smoked Tomato hummus and a never-ending bag of tortilla chips.

Name a product you would like Veganized?
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Wait? What? Then the bright green, mini chocolate chip filled Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream from Carvel.

What are your favorite local and/or online stores for Vegan products?
Food Fight! Vegan Grocery, New Seasons Market & Peoples Coop.

And that concludes The Laziest Vegans Top Ten. Thanks Jess!