v.curiosity | spring2016 | issue 2

Throw A
Garden Party
Asian-Inspired Tapas +
DIY Seed Balls
Oh, Honey Honey!
The best of the beefree
alts
Spring Recipes +
Travel
Spring 2016

AVAILABLE ONLINE SOON
WWW.VIRGINCHEESE.COM

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Contents
Ginger and basil create a refreshing
and unique Asian spin on hard
lemonade.
PHOTO BY J.ANNE PHOTOGRAPHY
22
pg.
Cover Feature
The smell of new grass, freshly sprouted herbs in every store, and
the promise of warm summer nights. Spring has sprung, and what
better time to host a garden party. In this issue's feature, you'll find
refreshing and bright tapas recipes, a fun interactive way to get
guests into the planting season spirit, and speaking of spirits, a
vibrant cocktail to cool off on a warm afternoon.
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Contents
14
41
Seasonal Recipes
Make the most of the abundance of spring
with lively recipes featuring seasonal
produce.
Oh Honey, Honey
Bee's a-buzz, pollinating our trees with
juicy fruits all summer long. Our line-up of
honey alternatives will have your sweet
tooth satisfied all while leaving our little
flying workers alone to do their job.
PHOTO BY MCKENZI TAYLOR
10
Beauty + Style
Strut your stuff with this seasons beauty
must-haves straight from the runway
31
Travel
Break Away! Travel-writer Caitlin Galer-Unti
serves up tips for the plant-based spring
break.
PHOTO BY MCKENZI TAYLOR
4
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Masthead
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Amelia Cooper
Director of Operations
Feature Photographer
Feature Photographer
Recipe Developer
Beauty + Style Writer
Travel Writer
EDITORIAL
Rob Cooper
J. Anne Photography
McKenzi Taylor
Maximina Santi Burton
Kristina Balaam
Caitlin Galer-Unti
SPECIAL THANKS
Valerie + Ron Atiyeh
Hayley Moore
Nathan San Burton
Kathie Kurkjian
HOW TO REACH US
MAIN OFFICE
7260 W Azure #140-96
Las Vegas, NV 89130
PHONE NUMBER
702-610-8699
WEBSITE
www.vcuriosity.com
PHOTO BY J. ANNE PHOTOGRAPHY
© 2016 by v.curious. All Rights Reserved
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is
prohibited.
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Contributors
THANK YOU to our incredibly talented contributors! For more of their
work, check out their websites!
J. Anne
photographer. mom. gilded.
j-annephotography.com
McKenzi Taylor
photographer. climber. biker.
tayloredphotomemories.com
Maximina Santi Burton
raw. cuisiner. entrepreneur.
theheavenlyvegan.com
Kristina Balaam
cookbooks. beauty. fitness.
mustlovevegan.com
Caitlin Galer-Unti
traveler. writer. food finder.
theveganword.com
Monika Soria Caruso
student. micro farmer. mom.
windycityvegan.wordpress.com
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Editors Letter
Sprouts. Seeds. Spring. All
things that are the start of
something new.
It will never cease to amaze me how this incredibly
tiny little dot of something can, with the right
attention, turn into something that I can actually eat. I
used to plant carrots (poorly) in the side garden of our
first house. If you've ever wondered why a 10lb bag of
organic carrots costs a paltry $3.99 at the buyers
club, I'm here to tell you it's because if I can make
them grow, anyone can make them grow.
Carrots for
breakfast? Why not!
With warm summer
days ahead, a bright
and sweet
vegetable that's
been growing
during the cold
season is ready to
be a cheerful
addition to any
sweet smoothie or
juice.
They weren't the long, beautiful, thick carrots you
normally buy, they were short and stubby and
sometimes misshapen. The hard clay soil in Las
Vegas isn't very kind to things that have to grow
downwards, and I didn't know till it was too late that
I'd have to dig deeper. But, I'll never forget the day I
plucked my first little carrots out of the ground. I
waited till it was my husbands birthday. I harvested
these tiny baby carrots, cleaned and peeled them up,
then put them on a vegetable tray and made sure
everyone knew I was so fancy, because I grew my
own appetizers.
The way I grew those carrots isn't unlike the way we
are growing this magazine. v.curiosity is a vegan
food and lifestyle magazine for non-vegans. The
planting area doesn't get much harder than that. The
whole point though, is to plant the seeds that will then
grow into something wonderful. Just like my tiny,
homegrown carrots, the first sprouts don't have to be
perfect and they don't have to be pretty enough for
display. They just have to be enough to be enjoyable,
and I remember, those little young carrots were the
sweetest I've ever tasted. Cheers to spring! Let's plant
some seeds and see what happens.
Amelia Cooper
Editor-in-Chief
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Fresh Start
Here Comes The Sun Smoothie
5 clementines, satsumas, or tangerines
2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
3 frozen bananas, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional)
2 cups ice water or nondairy milk
Recipe Developed by Monika Soria Caruso
Find more of her recipes at
windycityvegan.wordpress.com
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Beauty + Style
Put a spring in your step with this seasons must haves.
So
long
pastels!
Bold is
beautiful
for spring.
Kristina Balaam
Beauty + Style writer
Kristina publishes her
own blog on
mustlovevegan.com,
where she waxes
poetic about poutine,
fitness, animals and
beauty. Be sure to
follow her on
Facebook and
Instagram at
@mustlovevegan.
From Milan to New
York, trends at this
years Spring
Fashion Week
pointed toward
natural beauty, with
a few daring twists
away from the
typical pastels
weave seen in
previous seasons.
Weave come a long
way from the days
when vegan-friendly
make-up meant
muted beige
shadows and lip
balm. Recreate
fashion weeks
hottest looks with
these amazing,
completely vegan,
beauty products.
1. Kat Von D
Everlasting Liquid
Lipstick in
BAUHAU5 and
Lolita - $20.00,
katvondbeauty.com
Kat Von D Studded
Kiss Lipstick in
Adora - $21.00,
katvondbeauty.com
Gone are the
pastel-hued lips
that have typically
marked Spring
fashion week in
years past. This
year, designers
continued the
darker, neutral
tones from Autumn
with an emphasis
on gorgeous plums,
universally attering
terra cotta neutrals,
and cherry reds.
Great vegan
lipsticks can be
difficult to nd.
Unfortunately, many
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cruelty-free cosmetics
brands still ll their lipsticks
with carmine, beeswax and
other nasty animal-based
products. Kat Von D
Beauty, however, offers an
incredible selection of
completely vegan, longlasting
matte lipsticks.
Their Everlasting Liquid
Lipstick in Lolita and
BAUHAU5, offer the
perfect terra cotta and plum
tones for Spring 2016. Or,
opt for a fun cherry apple
red lip - as seen on the
runways at Dolce &
Gabbana and DKNY - with
the Studded Kiss lipstick in
Adora. As with all matte
lipsticks, these can be a
little drying. Apply a dab of
coconut oil, or your
favourite vegan lip balm,
under your matte lipstick.
2. Urban Decay Naked
Skin Weightless Ultra
Denition Liquid Makeup
- $40.00, urbandecay.com
Dewey, awless skin was a
universal trend on all
runways this season. Vera
Wang and Michael Kors
exemplied the “nomakeup”
look with evened
skin tones and natural
eyes. Urban Decay’s
Naked Skin foundation
offers buildable coverage
while still feeling light and
airy on your skin - perfect
for overcoming post-winter
dryness. Not only is the
formula 100% vegan, it’s
also oil-free, paraben-free,
fragrance-free and loaded
with happy skin goodies
like Vitamin E and green
tea.
3. Anastasia beverly Hills
The Original Contour
Palette - $40.00,
anastasiabeverlyhills.com
Evened skin was
accentuated with
highlighting and contouring,
giving models a freshfaced,
but structured look. ABH’s
Original Contour palette
offers six different shades
of contouring powder: three
darker shades to mix and
match for contouring the
face, and three lighter
shades for highlighting.
The palette is available in
three tones: light to
medium, medium to tan
and tan to deep. Use the
darker powders in the
areas where you’d like your
facial structure to recede —
typically the hollows of the
cheeks, jawline, temples
and sides of the nose.
Lighter shades are used to
highlight areas like the
cheekbones, cupid’s bow of
the lips and bridge of the
nose. Remember to blend
with a big, uffy (synthetic!)
brush to avoid any tell-tale
contouring lines!
4. Spa Ritual Nail Lacquer
in Gentle, Breathless and In
the Buff - $8-$12,
sparitual.com
Nearly every runway in
Milan, London, New York and
Paris showed a preference
for simple, neutral nails. Spa
Ritual’s entire line is vegan
and formulated without any
nasty DBP, toluene,
formaldehyde and
formaldehyde resin. In the
Buff (a nude creme), Gentle
(a neutral creme) and
Breathless (an off white
creme), match the barelythere
nail trend from this
season.
5. Power of Love Eye
Shadow Palette - $20.00,
pacicabeauty.com Artists
favored light blue shadows
this season, blending with
nudes and yellows to
achieve a sort of tropical 70’s
theme. While
11 3

lues may seem daring for
some, pairing these colors
with a neutral lip and dewy
skin makes the look a little
tamer. Pacica’s shadows
use coconut water to offer
a long-lasting cream nish
in blendable, diverse
shades.
6. Anastasia Beverly Hills
Brow Wiz - $21.00,
anastasiabeverlyhills.com
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Brow Powder Duo -
$23.00,
anastasiabeverlyhills.com
Anastasia Beverly Hills has
long been regarded as the
ultimate provider for brow
maintenance. Not only
does the company offer a
wide array of brow llers
and tools, their colour
selection ensures a perfect
match for every brow tone.
Fashion Week reminded us
that the strong brow trend
is continuing into the spring
season, with an emphasis
on natural and full brows.
Sparse brows can be lled
with ABH’s mechanical
brow pencil using short
strokes to imitate hairs.
Use the spooly mascara
wand at the opposite end
to soften lines and give
brows a natural, but full,
nish. The Brow Powder
Duo offers two shades of
brow powder: lighter for the
inner brow, darker for the
tail. Use this powder with a
stiff angled brush for a
polished nish.
7. 100% Pure Black tea
Long Last Liquid Eye
Liner - $29.00,
100percentpure.com
Dream Big Lash Extending
7 in 1 Mascara in Black
Magic - $16.00,
pacicabeauty.com Feline
eyes made a comeback
this season, varying from a
natural tiny cat eye with
Tory Burch, to dramatic,
jewelled winged liner at
Anthony Vaccarello.
Recreate the look with a
versatile liquid liner brush
and a great mascara. Made
from black tea leaves
instead of nasty dyes,
100% Pure’s eyeliner lasts
all day and contains no
articial fragrances or
chemical preservatives.
The thin brush allows for
versatility in your cat eye
look - everything from thin,
inconspicuous lines to 60’s
winged drama. Pacica’s
new Dream Big mascara
features a twisting brush
that swivels for length and
volume. The natural, totally
vegan formula builds long,
full lashes while remaining
chemical-free.
Organic
Fair Trade
Vegan
www.homemadebetty.com
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EAT
Recipes by
Amelia Cooper
Photos by
McKenzi Taylor
1
THE BEST FLAVORS and bang for your buck? Eat seasonally.
Thankfully, spring produce offers an abundance of bright and beautiful
produce that steals the show all by itself!
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2 3
4
5
1 Haricots Verts with Shallots + Horseradish
Thin and delicate haricots verts quickly panfried
with charred shallots and spicy horseradish
2 Tuscan Summer Vegetable Soup
The best vegetables of the season in a warm bowl
perfect for drizzly cold spring nights
3 Quinoa Zucchini Medley
Quick and light, perfect lunch for swimsuit season
4 Herbed Rice Pilaf
Versatile and flavorful rice pilaf that's as
appropriate for Sunday lunch as it is for Tuesday
dinner
6
5 Baked Leeks with White Wine Cream
Tender young leeks and a little white wine cream to
to impress guests, or just because
6 Pan Seared Lemon-Garlic Tofu
Quick and lean but packed with tangy lemon
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Haricots Verts with Shallots + Horseradish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1 lb fresh haricots verts, rinsed
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
Heat oil in a heavy cast iron skillet. Sear shallots in
oil over high heat for 5-7 minutes or until just
softened and slightly burnt around edges. Reduce
heat to medium and add haricots verts. Cook for an
additional 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in
horseradish, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve
immediately.
Tip: When buying jarred
horseradish, check
ingredients to be sure
no 168 cream or dairy was
added.

Simple Seared Lemon Garlic Tofu
1 block firm or extra firm tofu, pressed over night
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
Slice tofu down the middle, then place each section cut side down and slice again into half
thickness, then slice each of those sections on a diagonal to make one long, skinny triangle. In
a large, non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear tofu, flipping only once, till
brown and crispy on each side. While tofu is searing, combine remaining ingredients except
parsley in a small sauce pan. Warm gently over medium heat. Transfer tofu to a serving dish,
stir parsley into sauce and pour over tofu. Serve immediately.
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Baked Leeks with White Wine Cream
6 small to medium leeks
1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons non-dairy margarine,
such as Earth Balance
vegan Parmesan, optional
Heat oven to 350.
Trim off the tough green tops of leeks, leaving only pale green and white part. Half leeks
lengthwise, then trim bottom ends, cutting off roots but leaving bottom core in tact. Rinse
under cold water, gently separating leaves to remove all dirt. Drain and set aside.
In small saucepan, combine almond milk, white wine, nutritional yeast, and butter. Warm
gently over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, then add cornstarch, whisking continually until
dissolved. Continue to cook cream sauce over medium low heat, 15-20 minutes, stirring
frequently until thickened. Stir in garlic and salt, cook for five minutes more.
Spray large casserole dish with cooking spray. Place leeks cut-side up in glass dish, gently
pour cream sauce over. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. If using optional vegan parm, remove
leeks and sprinkle parm on top, then place back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes at
425. Serve immediately.
18 10

Tuscan Summer Vegetable Soup
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
divided
6 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium zucchini, diced
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced (in oil
or dry)
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoons black pepper
4 cups water or vegetable broth
In a large heavy pot over medium heat, warm three
tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic, onion, and 1 teaspoon of
salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant and
softened. Add bell pepper and continue to cook additional
2-3 minutes. Add zucchini, red pepper flakes, oregano, and
tomato paste and cook additional 2-3 minutes. Stir in
parsley, sun dried tomatoes, and water or broth. Bring to
boil and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar,
garlic powder, onion powder, remaining salt and black
pepper and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Serve pipping
hot garnished with optional vegan Parmesan and crusty,
warm ciabatta bread.
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Herbed Rice Pilaf
1/2 cup whole wheat spaghetti, broken into
small pieces about
2 tablespoons non-dairy margarine, such as
Earth Balance
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup long grain white rice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed with
palms
1/2 teaspoon dried ground sage
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
In a medium pot with tight fitting lid, melt margarine over
medium-low heat. Add broken spaghetti and cook until
fragrant and brown. Watch pasta carefully, stirring
consistently, as it can burn very quickly once it begins to
color. Immediately add vegetable broth to stop pasta from
burning once a medium brown toasted color has been
reached. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to
combine. Turn heat up and bring to a rapid boil, then
reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes and
then check, then cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or
until all liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and
let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and
serve immediately.
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Quinoa Zucchini Medley
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 tablespoons dried dill
4 tablespoons tahini
6 tablespoons lemon juice
3 large cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
In a medium pot with a tight fitting lid, combine quinoa with 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking,
prepare the dressing. In a mini food processor or blender, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic
and salt. Process or blend until combined, set aside. Once quinoa is finished, remove from
heat and toss in zucchini and dill. Fluff gentle with a fork to combine, allow to cool for 5
minutes, then pour over lemon-tahini dressing. Toss to combine, serve at room temperature or
cold.
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LIGHT AND BRIGHT AND EASY. Keep the spring vibe all
the way through your menu by focusing on festive and
fresh flavors with Asian-inspired tapas.
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EVERYTHING BECOMES SO INCREDIBLY
FRAGRANT IN THE SPRING GARDEN. Not
yet warm enough to shoo guests inside, not
cold enough still to require more than a light
sweater. Garden Party's are the easiest to
host, they practically throw themselves.
Rustic and at-odds elements like wooden
picnic tables and vintage silver trays, set
against a backdrop of an abundance of
colorful potted plants from the local
housewares store make this one spring fling
you won't be breaking a sweat over.
WRITTEN BY AMELIA COOPER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY J. ANNE PHOTOGRAPHY
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IS THERE ANY DRINK that's more perfect for warmer days than lemonade? We
didn't think so, either! Hard Thai Basil Ginger Lemonade is sophisticated enough
for a cocktail party but playful enough for sipping in the garden.
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GET A LITTLE DIRTY WITH
DIY SEED BALL FAVORS
4 parts shredded paper
1 part water + extra
1 part quality soil
1 part mixed wildflower seeds
In a blender, combine paper and water. Blend to combine, adding water as necessary to make the texture of thick children's
craft glue. In a large bowl, combine paper mixture, soil, and seeds. Use hands to combine. Squeeze mixture into balls the size of
large marbles. Have mini burlap gift bags on hand for guests to take home, with instructions to allow balls to dry on a flat surface
for one week.
To Use:
Seed balls are used for guerrilla gardening. Toss anywhere that needs a pick-me-up, in unused areas of your own garden or in
abandoned dirt lots. Just be sure to use seeds that are native to your region and environment!
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PICTURED: HERB SEED PAPER
INVITATIONS
SEED PAPER INVITATIONS FROM BOTANICAL PAPER WORKS Set the tone by
inviting guests with custom seed paper invitations. These unique and eco-friendly
invites only require a small space and a little water to sprout herbs or flowers that will
carry on the merriment long after the party is over. Order at
www.botanicalpaperworks.com
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THE EVER-VERSATILE Spring Rolls are a cold and welcoming
sight. Filled with tangy and spicy mango, fresh cilantro, and crisp
jicama, they are every bit as delicious as they are beautiful.
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Hard Thai Basil Ginger
Lemonade
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp sliced or grated fresh
ginger
1/4 cup loosely packed
Thai basil leaves, plus
more for garnish
1 cup fresh squeezed
lemon juice
2 cups mid-quality vodka
In a small saucepan,
combine sugar, water,
ginger, and basil. Bring to a
boil and then quickly lower
heat to a simmer, cooking
until sugar is completely
dissolved, about 10
minutes. Remove from
heat and allow to cool, then
strain syrup into a jar and
discard both ginger and
basil. Chill completely.
In a large pitcher, combine
lemon juice, syrup, and
vodka with lots of ice. Stir
and serve over more ice
with basil leave garnishes.
Sweet Sesame Tofu
Skewers
1 block firm tofu, pressed
for at least 6 hours
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chili paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons agave syrup
+1 teaspoon
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Black sesame seeds, for
sprinkling
6 wooden skewers, soaked
in water for at least one
hour
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut tofu in half widthwise,
then cut each smaller block
in half again twice, once
lengthwise then widthwise,
then diagonally, to form
sixteen triangles. Carefully
thread three triangles onto
each skewer (two skewers
will have just two triangles),
and place on a parchmentlined
baking sheet. In a
small bowl, whisk together
remaining ingredients
except sesame seeds.
Baste tofu on one side, flip,
and baste on other side.
Place in oven and bake for
45 minutes, basting at 15
minute intervals to build up
glaze as each layer bakes
in. Remove from oven,
pour any remaining glaze
over skewers and garnish
with sesame seeds. Can
be served warm or at room
temperature.
Asian Sunflower Pâté
Cabbage Cups
Marinated mushrooms:
2 cups sliced shitake
mushrooms
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
(oil free: 1 teaspoon
sesame seeds)
1 teaspoon lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
Pate
1 ½ cups sunflower seeds,
sprouted if preferred
¾ cup celery, roughly
chopped
1 large carrot, roughly
chopped
¼ cup broccoli stalk
1 heaping tablespoon
peanut butter
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 garlic clove
¼ cup coconut amino's
dash of ginger powder
Toppings
34 26

1 cup Napa cabbage,
shredded
1 cup carrot, julienned
1 cup sugar snap peas
½ cucumber sliced in
halves
bib lettuce or purple
cabbage cups
For the mushrooms: In a
medium bowl, combine
mushrooms and marinade
ingredients. Cover and
refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For the pate: In food
processor, combine all
ingredients. Pulse until well
combined and smooth.
To assemble: Place one
heaping tablespoon of pate
on a lettuce or cabbage
leaf. Top with mushrooms,
shredded cabbage, carrots,
snap peas, and cucumbers.
Raw Thai Curry Carrot
Soup
Flesh of 2 young Thai
coconuts
3 cups coconut water from
the Thai coconuts
2 tablespoons red curry
paste
1 carrot, cut in chunks
1/2 cup coconut amino's
1/2 cup raw, unsalted
cashews
1 cucumber
2 teaspoons fresh lime
juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon
juice
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons green onion,
roughly chopped
1 tablespoon jalapeño,
roughly chopped
Dash of ginger powder
1 teaspoon pink salt
Combine all ingredients
into high-speed blender,
such as Vitamix. Blend till
smooth. (This may take a
few minutes.) Chill for at
least one hour before
serving.
Mango-Jicama Spring
Rolls
1 large jicama
12 ounces frozen mango
chunks
4 tablespoons agave syrup
1 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bunch fresh cilantro,
rinsed
dash cayenne pepper
rice paper wrappers
In a medium bowl, add
mango, agave, chili
powder, ginger, and salt.
Chill in refrigerator for at
least two hours or overnight,
then use a blender to puree
into a smooth filling. Set
aside. Using a large, sharp
knife, cut jicama into a large
square, then slice into
matchsticks. Working one at
a time, wet rice paper and
place flat on work surface.
Add 5-7 cilantro leaves,
layer on 2 tablespoons
mango puree, top with
jicama. Roll tightly and
proceed the same process
until all ingredients have
been used. Can be served
immediately or chilled up to
two hours.
Coconut Nests with
Pineapple Cream
Note: This recipe is quite
simple and quick, but
requires some downtime.
The easiest way to prepare
is to rinse the rice and make
the pineapple cream the
night before.
For the pineapple cream:
1 cup pineapple juice (no
sugar added, 100% juice)
27 35

cont..
1 cup coconut cream (firm,
white solid from canned
coconut milk)
1/8 cup corn starch
1/4 tsp vanilla
For coconut nests:
3 cups shredded
unsweetened coconut
1 cup rice, rinsed and dried
overnight
3/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
In blender, combine all the
ingredients for the
pineapple cream and blend
until smooth. Pour cream
into small saucepan over
low heat and bring to a
simmer. Allow to simmer
for 12-15 minutes or until
thickened and coating the
back of a spoon. Pour into
bowl and chill for at least
one hour.
Preheat oven to 350. On a
clean, dry baking sheet
spread rice out into an
even layer. Toast rice for
30-45 minutes, keeping a
close eye on it after the 30
minute mark, until rice is
golden brown and smells
both nutty and sweet. Allow
to cool for 15 minutes, then
transfer to a high speed
for the pineapple cream
later. Bake for 10-12
minutes or until golden
brown. Allow to cool
completely. If the nests
loose their shape a little
during cooking, simply
reshape them while still
warm and they will firm up
in that shape.
blender. Blend rice until it
becomes a fine powder.
This may take some time.
In a large bowl, combine
coconut, rice powder,
coconut oil and agave
syrup. Stir to combine.
Measure out about 1
tablespoon of coconut
mixture and roll into a tight
ball. Place balls on
parchment lined baking
sheet and press thumb in
the middle to form a dent
Once both nests and
pineapple cream are cool
begin to fill nests. Spoon
pineapple cream into a zip
tight bag, snip off one small
corner, and pipe pineapple
cream into each nest. Keep
chilled until ready to serve.
36 28

SPRING BREAK
WRITTEN BY CATLIN GALER-UNTI
UNDER THE LIME TREE SPA B&B, FRANCE
Break Away
SPRING BREAK- EVEN
the words conjure up
images of pure
bacchanalian hedonism.
But we’re here to show you
how to have a happy,
healthy (or at least
healthier) vegan travels this
year!
Pack your bags
If you’re flying off to Florida
or Cabo, make sure you
order your meal for the
flight beforehand (ask for
VGML – it’s airline code for
vegan vegetarian meal,
and comes without meat,
fish, egg or dairy). If your
flight doesn’t include a
meal, pack some snacks
for the plane – for example
nuts and dried fruit, carrot
sticks, or grapes (make
sure you don’t pack any
fruit that might easily get
squashed, like a banana).
Think about your drinks
It’s spring break – you’ll
probably be imbibing a
cocktail or two. But why
not make your cocktail with
fresh fruit, or alternate with
fresh-squeezed juice or a
smoothie? It’s spring and
fresh, local fruit is starting
to grace store shelves
(especially true the further
south you get) so take
advantage! For harder
drinks, check the listings on
Barnivore.com to check
whether your tipple of
choice is vegan-friendly
(beer, wine and even some
spirits may be filtered using
animal products).
Do your homework
Look up vegan-friendly
restaurants before you go.
Happycow is a fantastic
resource for finding vegan
and vegan-friendly
restaurants anywhere in
the world. Don’t forget to
add a review and update
the listing if the hours or
address has changed! If
you don’t find listings on
Happycow, look for
bloggers who live in or
have visited the area, and
don’t hesitate to get in
touch with them if you have
questions or want more
advice – most bloggers
love hearing from their
readers!
Road Trippin’
Hitting the road this spring
break? Check out
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Happycow before you head
off and see what
vegetarian and vegan
restaurants you might run
into on your way, but also
look up vegan options at
chain restaurants before
you head off! That way,
you won’t get caught out
even at rest stops. Useful
apps to download on your
smartphone are the
Happycow app (which can
use your phone’s GPS to
show you the nearest
listings) and Vegan Xpress
(which has listings of vegan
options at fast food and
casual restaurant chains
across the US).
Travel with non-vegans
What if your travel
companions aren’t
interested in plant-based
eating? Introduce them to
vegan eateries before you
hit the road – make sure
you choose the best, most
delicious place in your train
to knock their socks off and
show them meat-free
dining is delicious! That
way, when you’re on your
trip, they’ll be more likely to
want to join you in
sampling vegetarian and
vegan restaurants.
If they’re adamantly
opposed to setting foot in a
meat-free establishment,
then make sure to choose
restaurants that cater to
both of you and have
plenty of vegan or
veganizable options – for
example Indian (ask them
to leave out the ghee/
dairy), Chinese (ask them
to leave out oyster sauce)
or pizza sans cheese are
great options that can be
found in most destinations!
Treat yourself
For a real treat, consider
spending your spring break
at a plant-based spa or
retreat like El Ameyal, a
holistic spa and retreat
centre in Cabo San Lucas,
Mexico, with a vegetarian
and mainly vegan
restaurant on-site or Under
the Lime Tree, a vegetarian
and vegan retreat in the
southwest of France.
About the Author
Caitlin Galer-
Unti is a vegan food and
travel writer originally from
the U.S. and currently
living in Barcelona, Spain
(after a 7-year stint in
London). She's traveled to
30 countries (and counting)
and blogs about the vegan
food she finds around the
world at
theveganword.com, which
has been featured on The
New York Times and
Yahoo!. The Essential
Vegan Travel Guide, a DIY
guide showing you the best
resources and methods to
find vegan food anywhere
in the world, is her first
book.
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Under The Lime Tree
Spa B&B
France
40 32
www.underthelimetree.com

OH,
HONEY
HONEY
SATISFYING
YOUR SWEET
TOOTH HAS NEVER BEEN
SO EASY. There's just too
much dreamy, silky, oh-soyummy
liquid sweeteners
available right now. And the
best part? You can let the
bees do their thing while you
do yours.
WRITTEN BY AMELIA COOPER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MCKENZI TAYLOR
33 41

MEET MY SWEETIE
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
BROWN RICE SYRUP
AGAVE SYRUP
MAPLE SYRUP
COCONUT NECTAR
BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES
42 34

THICK AND NUTTY
Perfect for October popcorn
balls and December candy
making. $4.99
SWEETEST EVER
Easy to find, easy to use, just
remember to reduce another
liquid by 1/4 cup. $8.99
LIQUID GOLD
The androgynous sweetener,
use in savory or sweet dishes.
Opt for Grade B Pure, $7.99
NEW FANGLED FAVORITE
Sub in place of simple syrup
in cocktails to trick your palate
and your mind into a healthier
happy hour. $3.99
BAKERS BOOST
Loaded with trace minerals
and rich, deep flavors. Opt for
black strap when you can.
$2.99
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IT'S TIME TO HAVE THE
TALK ABOUT THE
BIRDS AND THE BEES
(ok, maybe just the bees)
BITING INTO A PEACH STILL
warm from the summer sun is one of
the greatest pleasures I've had in my
life. When we first bought our new
home, a fixer-upper on the west side
but in a great neighborhood, I was
happily surprised when the sadlooking
and hard-leaning tree outside
our kitchen window burst into pink
buds our first spring. Our sink is
directly in front of this window, and
scrubbing pots and pans became an
hour-long affair because I would find
myself stopping and staring at our
blossoming peach tree. Then, it
seemed like overnight, the peaches
were clearly ready to be plucked, and
there I was on a warm summer day
having my first peach straight off the
tree. That summer, we planted six
more fruit trees, and several times a
week I go outside to marvel at the
new buds turning into fruit on their
spindly new branches.
Although we had given up honey
long ago and although the outcry of
Colony Collapse Disorder had been
heard multiple times by my husband
and I, it wasn't as real to me until I
saw all the bees buzzing around my
fruit trees, working hard on these
fledging plants of mine that would, in
a few months time, turn into that
moment when I could go no further
than my own yard for a seasonal
snack.
Research is still being done on CCD,
and the information and reasonings
behind the crisis (yes, it is a crisis)
change daily. But, there is something
we can do about it. We can remove
ourselves from the equation. There
are just too many wonderful options
to have honey on the table.
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