Monthly Archives: October 2013

Chicago Restaurant Review: Kitchen 17

kitchen 17

I recently visited Kitchen 17 with a friend last week. It’s located on the north side of Chicago, right off of Broadway on West Briar Place. Walked in and was immediately greeted warmly by the owner, Don, who so kindly suggested some of their most popular dishes. And I definitely needed help deciding, as there were so many delicious options to choose from. It’s also very rare to walk into a Chicago restaurant that is exclusively vegan and one where all the items on the menu sound just as tasty as the next. I ultimately ended up choosing the Rosemary Veggie burger and a slice of lemon cake for dessert. The burger was fantastic. Very hearty, grainy and the seasonings were spot on (the rosemary was an amazing touch). The burger was topped with a hummus spread, this wonderful sesame tahini sauce and the traditional: lettuce and tomato, all in between soft, crisp ciabatta bread. Cannot forget the dessert! The lemon cake was light, fluffy and just the right amount of citrus flavor. I could have easily had another piece or two…or three, it was just that good.

*Forgot to take pictures of the food! I was so mesmerized by the meal. Next time, I will definitely take pictures and post…and believe me, there will be a next time. 😉

Happy Halloween! The 2013 VegNews Guide to Vegan Candy

halloweenWith celebrations going on this weekend up until this Thursday, the official day, I thought I’d post a fun list of the halloween candy that vegans can enjoy along with the rest (thanks to vegnews.com). Check out their list for more info. Trick or Treat!

  • AirHeads Taffy
  • Allison’s Gourmet
  • Annie’s Organic Fruit Snacks
  • BoomChocoBoom
  • Brachs Fruit Slices
  • Charms Blow Pops
  • Atkinson’s Chick-o-Stick
  • Chuao Chocolatier
  • Clif Kid Organic Twisted Fruit
  • Crispy Cat Candy Bars
  • Cracker Jack Original Carmel Coated Popcorn & Peanuts
  • Divvies
  • Dum-Dums
  • Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews, Original Dark
  • Goody Good Stuff
  • Jolly Rancher Hard Candy
  • Mamba Fruit Chews
  • Mary Janes
  • Newman’s Own Licorice Twists
  • Now and Laters
  • Pez Candy
  • Saf-T-Pops
  • Skittles
  • Smarties
  • Sour Patch Kids
  • Swedish Fish
  • Sweet & Sara
  • VerMints

Meat Recalled in the US

recall
This is just one of many reasons a vegan diet is my preferred choice. It seems like every couple months certain meat and/or dairy products are recalled due to some sort of harmful, life-threatening bacteria. This large-scale recall effects more than 22,000 pounds of chicken, ham, and beef that had been distributed to nearly 30 states including Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Tennesse, as well as Canada. (vegnews.com)

Introducing: U.S. Senator Cory Booker

electionnightCory Booker, the very popular Newark, N.J. mayor, known for his commitment to public service, has just become U.S. Senator Cory Booker. Why is this such great news to the vegan/vegetarian community, you ask? He is also a vegetarian. A vegetarian who has energetically publicized his dietary choices which will, in turn, be a great model for the country. Congratulations to Senator Booker! Cheers to that!

Striking Promotion for PETA’s World Vegan Month

Striking Promotion of PETA's World Vegan Month

Vegan model lies across giant plate to promote animal-free diet

A very bold and provocative way to kick off PETA’s World Vegan Month. Every November, PETA celebrates veganism around the world. This year, the model above decided to take the promotion of the vegan diet one step further, displaying herself as an “animal” product with a banner that read “Try to Relate to Who’s on Your Plate – Go Vegan”. Check out PETA’s 30-day pledge in celebration of this special month.

Vegetarian & Vegan Diet Pyramid

Boston-based Oldways, a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, has just updated their vegetarian diet pyramid to include the vegan diet as well. They were the first to introduce a vegetarian diet pyramid in 1997. It’s about time that someone got the food pyramid right! In my opinion, this is the food pyramid that should be displayed in school classrooms across the country. 😉

Vegetarian & Vegan Diet Pyramid