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

1

2

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. 

.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 

3

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 

...................................................................................................................................................................................................

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. 

................................................................................................................................................................................................... 

5

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 


photographer. climber. biker. 

tayloredphotomemories.com 

Maximina Santi Burton 

raw. cuisiner. entrepreneur. 

theheavenlyvegan.com 


cookbooks. beauty. fitness. 

mustlovevegan.com 

Caitlin Galer-Unti 

traveler. writer. food finder. 

theveganword.com 

Monika Soria Caruso 

student. micro farmer. mom. 

windycityvegan.wordpress.com 

6

7

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 

................................................................................................................................................................................................... 

8

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 

91

Beauty + Style 

Put a spring in your step with this seasons must haves. 

So 

long 

pastels! 

Bold is 

beautiful 

for spring. 


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 

102 

....................................................................................................................................................................................................

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, 


Anastasia Beverly Hills 

Brow Powder Duo - 

$23.00, 


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 

124

13 5

EAT 

Recipes by 

Amelia Cooper 

Photos by 


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! 

146 

....................................................................................................................................................................................................

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 

.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 

15 7

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. 

17 9

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 


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 


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. 

11 19

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. 

20 12

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. 

.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 

13 21

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. 

22 14 

....................................................................................................................................................................................................

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 

.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 

15 23

24 16

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. 

17 25

26 18

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! 

19 27

28 20

21 29

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 

30 22

23 31

32 24

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. 

25 33

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 

29 37

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. 

38 30

31 39

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 

35 43

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. 

44 36

v.curiosity | spring2016 | issue 2

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?