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New Raised Vegan Donuts at The Donuttery in Huntington Beach, CA

February 2, 2015, 8:00 am
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My box of vegan goodies!

Attention all Orange County vegan donut fans - The Donuttery in Huntington Beach JUST started offering classic, traditional raised donuts that are VEGAN! Their vegan cake donuts (review here) are freakin' phenomenal, but these new raised donuts take their vegan game to a whole new level!

New vegan raised donuts and vegan donut holes! The tray for 
vegan bars was empty, so I didn't get a pic of that.

I hit up The Donuttery this past weekend, and they were already low on a lot of their new vegan offerings (word spreads fast in the OC vegan community!), but I managed to snag two raised donuts to devour - a sugar one and a chocolate-glazed one - along with the last vegan bar they had and some vegan donut holes! 

It's so fluffy and thick!

The raised donuts were really delicious and reminded me of the old fashioned donuts I used to have in my pre-vegan days. They were big, had great flavor, and their insides were so light and fluffy! The sugar one was good, but I definitely loved the one with the chocolate glaze best! I also got a chocolate bar and it was delectable as well! 

The Donuttery's selection of their vegan cake donuts!

I wasn't too fond of the donut holes, as they tasted a bit stale to me and didn't have much flavor. However, everything else was delicious and I can't wait to go back and try their other flavors, like a maple bar! I'm sure that they will begin introducing more vegan flavors to their raised donut selection as well! 

Their vegan offerings are always growing, and if that wasn't enough their prices really can't be beat - I forget how much I paid for the new raised vegan donuts, but The Donuttery always offers a fair price for yummy, no-frills donuts that are available 24 hours a day! If you want fancy, elaborate donuts, I suggest Donut Bar (which is awesome, but always crowded and a bit on the pricey side), but I love The Donuttery for their simple (and simply delicious) donuts and their unbeatable prices! 

For more info, visit The Donuttery's Facebook page!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Vegan Street Fair Coming to SoCal this March!

February 3, 2015, 10:00 am
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The first ever Vegan Street Fair is coming to Southern California this March! The event will be held in North Hollywood on Sunday, March 1st and will feature tons of vegan vendors dishing up affordable "bites" of food! Want to know more? Check out the description of this awesome event from the VSF website:

Vegan Street Fair is an annual vegan food celebration where local vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants come together to serve you bite-size portions of vegan eats all in one place.  

The best part? All bite-size portions are $3 max and entrance is FREE. 

At VSF, you get to nosh on as many local eats as your heart desires (and your belly can hold) for street fair prices. So instead of buying a $10 plate of vegan nachos and sitting out the rest of the amazing food experiences, you get bites from one vendor, move on to the next, and enjoy all of your city's BEST vegan eats without getting full for a fraction of the price of a regular meal. 

VSF is the true vegan foodie dream -  EAT ALL THE VEGAN THINGS.

At all the vegan festivals I've attended in the past, I've wanted to eat all the vegan things, but after about two plates of food from various vendors my stomach (and oftentimes pants) would give up and I could eat no more. Vegan Street Fair to the rescue, where I can eat a ton of food from lots of different vendors without having to worry about getting full on just a few vendors' dishes! Plus, it is free to get in and the dishes are cheaper, so I'll end up getting a lot more bang for my buck.

Vendors haven't been announced yet, but I expect the best vegan restaurants, the yummiest vegan bakeries, the awesomest vegan snack companies, and many more to be in attendance! I am keeping my fingers crossed that some vendors from my personal wish list show up for VSF, including: Franken Stand, Seabirds Kitchen, Courtesan Cupcakes, Vromage Artisan Cheese, Bite Me Kitchen, Doomie's Home Cookin, Clara's Cakes, Life is Sweet Bakeshop, Sensitive Sweets, Shojin, and more (I have too many to list). If even a fraction of all the vegan foodie places in SoCal show up I will be a very happy spooky vegan!

The tagline for the event is "EAT ALL THE VEGAN THINGS!" and that is a sentiment I can definitely get behind!

I hope to see you there!

For more info, keep an eye on the VSF site, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Vegan Scones and Donuts at Cafecito Organico in Costa Mesa, CA

February 4, 2015, 7:30 am
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Vegan donuts, scones, and more available at Cafecito Organico!

It seems like vegan options are popping up everywhere these days (much to my delight!), so when a little birdie told me that the Cafecito Organico coffee shop at The Lab in Costa Mesa had vegan baked goods - including scones, donuts, and cookies - I checked it out as soon as possible! The baked goods are from a Long Beach bakery called Caffeinated Kitchen, and I am so happy that there is yet another awesome vegan bakery in SoCal!

Vegan donuts in lemon, churro and maple bacon varieties!

It was my first time visiting Cafecito Organico, and it's a shame I waited so long to visit! The shop itself is so cute and inviting, and the staff were extremely helpful and friendly! They have other locations in Los Angeles, but this is the only one that carries vegan baked goods from Caffeinated Kitchen (at least for now!).

Vegan raspberry and raspberry thyme scones!

On the day I visited, they had vegan scones in raspberry and raspberry thyme, as well as vegan donuts in lemon, maple bacon, and churro flavors! I was told that they sometimes carry vegan biscotti (drooooool!!!) and other flavors and varieties of vegan desserts that change on a daily basis (I wish I could go there every day!).

Vegan churro donut! It pretty much sparkles with yumminess!

It was hard to decide, but I finally settled on a churro donut and raspberry thyme scone. The donut was a smaller-sized cake donut, but it was packed with huge flavor! It was covered with sugar and cinnamon on the outside, and had a perfectly moist, cake-like texture on the inside. SO TASTY and pretty much gone in seconds!

Look at how gorgeous this raspberry thyme scone is!

The raspberry thyme scone sounded too intriguing to not try, and its interesting flavors did not disappoint! The raspberries in the scone were perfectly tart and tasted fresh, and the thyme gave it an herb-y flavor that reminded me Thanksgiving.

Look at that beautiful density in that scone!

The donuts and scones were roughly $3 each, and would pair perfectly with a cup of coffee from Cafecito Organico! All of their coffee varieties are fair trade, with a focus on sustainability and direct relationships with their coffee growers. Next time I can't wait to pair a Cafecito Organico coffee with a Caffeinated Kitchen pastry!

I am really excited when I find vegan options, and even more stoked when they taste fantastic, just like these yummy donuts and scones made my Caffeinated Kitchen! I can't wait to go back to Cafecito Organico and try more of these delectable vegan treats!

For more info, visit Caffeinated Kitchen and Cafecito Organico!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Let's Talk About Death, Baby!

February 4, 2015, 2:30 pm
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Goodbye Darling headstone at St. Helena Cemetery, St. Helena, CA

Ok, this is going to be completely different than what I usually write about, and a topic that might become more of a mainstay here on the blog. "Let's talk about Death, baby! Let's talk about you and me!" Yes, I want to talk to you about great big ol' Death and how I've been awakened to finally accept death and openly discuss the subject in a positive light. I have been wanting to write on the subject for a while, and was finally spurned to action after finishing Caitlin Doughty’s mortician memoir Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory.  In this fantastic book, Doughty recounts her start in the death industry working in a crematorium and how this job led to her eye-opening journey to death acceptance. I have followed Caitlin’s delightful straight-talk about death from her YouTube series Ask a Mortician to her site The Order of the Good Death and now to her memoir. It is always a delight to read about her accounts in the death industry, and how she encourages death acceptance and death positivity instead of the closed-off view of death modern society currently suffers from.

I have always been a little obsessed with death, but reading her book really got me thinking about my own views on death and what I want to happen to my body when I die (natural burial all the way, please!). She has lead me to ponder my views on Death itself and how we as a society treat dying and mourning (hint: it usually isn't in a positive light, or any light at all really - we like to keep death pretty distant).

All my life I have been intrigued by death and have read all I could get my hands on regarding the broad subject, from historical and modern funerary practices to cemeteries to the stages of decay to body farms to autopsies to cultural rituals and so on. All this has led me to reflect on how detached our Western culture is from death and dying, even though we see it all the time on the news or represented in movies, TV shows, and books. I thought about all the gory images I had seen, but also realized I had never seen a dead body IRL. The closest I probably got was my Nonno’s funeral, which was actually closed casket, so really doesn't even count.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how hidden death is from Western culture. But why? Is it that we are so frightened of death that we dare not face it? Do we think dead bodies will contaminate us with disease? Do we think seeing our loved ones’ dead bodies will be too disturbing? It is probably a combination of all these issues, plus many more.

In Western culture, most often death is experienced at a distance, from the relative safety of TV sets or computers, closed behind caskets, as if this distance will keep us safe when our own time comes. Funny thing is, everyone dies. Death is the natural order of things, and to deny it, is, well, to deny ourselves. No amount of denial will keep anyone from dying, though there are many who like to believe they are somehow immortal. I myself am guilty of this mindset, not really believing or taking into account that one day I will die. I mean, REALLY take the time to think about the simple, undeniable fact – one day you will die. It might be today, tomorrow, years in the future, but it is inevitable.

Hanging at the historic Yountville Cemetery 
in Yountville, CA

So why something so certain, so 100% true is hidden away is pretty baffling when you think about it. As a society we should be embracing death, since it is a constant that will never go away. Death shouldn't be shunned, shouldn't be hidden, but should be present, as it is everyone’ s fate. I am a huge proponent of being more open about death, planning better for death, and just having honest and open discussions on the subject.

And here is what is so great about Caitlin Doughty and her death work – she encourages death acceptance and promotes death education. She is all for alternative funerary arrangements – including her dream of opening her own funeral home that is a more open environment where families can care for their dead and take the time to truly say goodbye. She encourages home funerals, natural burial, and turning our current death-scape and the funeral industry topsy-turvy! And  to all this I say yes, yes, YES!

And it's not only her - besides Doughty's The Order of the Good Death, Ask a Mortician series, and book, there are many others out there discussing death - Death Salon is an event held a few times a year in different locations (FYI - there are several upcoming events, one at The Getty Villa in Los Angeles on April 26, 2015 which I will likely be attending, and another in Philadelphia in October 2015 at none other than The Mütter Museum!) where intellectual discussions are held on death, mourning, funeral preparations, how different cultures view death, and many other death topics. There are tons of other people and places that are bringing Death out of the shadows and into the limelight - The Morbid Anatomy Museum (whose name is pretty self-explanatory), Nourishing Death (a cool site about funerary foods - I want to do a series on veganizing these recipes!), Bess Lovejoy's book Rest in Pieces: The Curious Fates of Famous Corpses and other books of its ilk, Grave Matters (a rad site featuring the writings of medical historian and author Lindsey Fitzharris), and so many more! Another wonderful thing I've noticed while reading up on death - many of those participating in the death positive/acceptance movement are women. Way to be forward-thinking, ladies!

In closing, I'm excited that death is being openly discussed and that so much positive interest is being generated about death, changing funerary customs, and just being more in touch with our mortality. Reading the articles and watching the video series mentioned above have really opened my eyes to how rich the subject of death really is, and how death should be embraced and discussed rather than shunned and kept hidden.

So let’s keep talking about death! Let's start thinking about our own deaths and our loved ones’ deaths, not in an obsessive, morbid manner but more in practical terms. Let’s plan for the future, foster discussions on death acceptance, and not be scared or uncomfortable to discuss what we want to happen when we die. Denial or ignorance won’t stop death, so let’s plan for it, educate ourselves, and keep talking about it. The more we think, talk, and do, the less scary big ol’ Death becomes.

I know I generally focus on other topics, but I am going to do some more posts on death culture and the like. I hope that my small contributions will at least make people think about death a bit more or even make them more comfortable with the subject of death. At the very least, I hope readers will check out The Order of the Good Death and the other excellent resources mentioned above to open their minds.

Stay Death Positive, fiends!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Hang with Other Future Corpses at Death Salon LA

February 5, 2015, 8:40 am
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Death Salon is returning to Los Angeles on April 26th, 2015 to the beautiful Getty Villa! The event will host many exciting guest speakers who will be discussing a variety of topics centered around death. You can join other future corpses like me and attend this event by buying tickets (they go on sale this morning, February 5th, 2015 at 9 AM Pacific time!).

Here is a description of the event from the Death Salon website:

Death Salons invite us to examine mortality and mourning through the lenses of art, history, and culture. Join an array of engaging thinkers, writers, and performers for an exploration of death rituals past and present at this special day-long event featuring talks, music, comedy, gallery visits, and other surprises. 

Hear from noted scholars who study death and funerary practices, professionals who care for the dead and their loved ones, and artists and writers who explore death and mourning in their work as they share perspectives on the ultimate rite of passage. 

Journey through the Getty Villa's galleries and discover monumental funerary vases, ancient grave markers, Roman sarcophagi, and a 2,000-year-old mummy. Enjoy a solo performance of voice and piano by The Mynabirds or sit in on a live recording of the What Happens When You Die? podcast. At the end of the day, join your new friends and continue the conversation over a glass of wine at a special outdoor reception. 

Check out this awesome "Future Corpse" shirt from 
Order of the Good Death/Death Salon!! WANT!! 
Available HERE!

Also from Death Salon/Order of the Good Death, 
this awesome "Death Positive" tee! 
Available via Death Salon HERE!

I seriously cannot wait! And with the recent announcement of the speakers, I am even more pumped for this event! Check out the impressive list of historians, authors, intellectuals, musicians, comedians, and more who will be presenting: 

  • Eric Bruehl - J. Paul Getty Museum educator with research interests in Roman burial customs and imagery 
  • Jonathan Gold - Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic, Los Angeles Times 
  • Lisa Pieraccini - classics professor at the University of California, Berkeley and an authority on funerary archaeology 
  • Megan Rosenbloom - director and co-founder of Death Salon, and medical librarian at the University of Southern California
  • David Saunders - antiquities curator and expert on death and mythology in the ancient world, J. Paul Getty Museum
  • Marie Svoboda - associate conservator of antiquities and researcher of red shroud mummies from Roman Egypt, J. Paul Getty Museum 
  • Sarah Elizabeth Troop - Lindsay Museum curator, writer, and Death Salon social media editor 
  • Live recording of the What Happens When You Die podcast hosted by Death Salon director Megan Rosenbloom and comedian Josh Androsky with surprise comedic guests. 

As if the event couldn't be any more amazing, it is also being held at The Getty Villa, which houses stunning artwork and artifacts! Attendees will be able to wander the halls and grounds and soak in the atmosphere of this gorgeous museum.

Will you be there? I will and cannot wait for this unique event!

FYI - if you are on the East Coast a Death Salon will be held at the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in early October 2015! I am very tempted to fly out to that one as I have always wanted to go to the Mütter!

More info on Death Salon is available on their website! 
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Food Review: Dissection of the Fatally Yours Chocolate Box

February 10, 2015, 9:00 am
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Fiends, I finally did it! After years of pining for Vegan Treats'"gore"-geous Fatally Yours Chocolate Box, I finally succumbed to its siren call and ordered a box for myself! Rarely do I do something so extravagant, but I just can't stand another Valentine's Day without it. Plus, this box couldn't be any more perfect for me! It's delightfully spooky, vegan, and I actually used to run a horror site called Fatally Yours (you can check out the archive here) and "Fatally Yours" was my writing moniker for many years! So I could actually say this chocolate box literally has my name written on it, nyuck, nyuck!

I wrote about the box last month, but I wanted to provide a review aka detailed dissection of it for you, dear readers. That way you can see its bones and what you get with this luxurious Valentine's Day chocolate box.


The chocolate treats are all opulent, high-quality, and vegan, made by hand by the lovely folks at Vegan Treats. Vegan Treats makes a mind-boggling assortment of other vegan goodies as well, and they also carry other Valentine's Day boxes that are a bit more tame (but no less delicious) than this one. If you are anywhere near Pennsylvania, they have a storefront where they sell all their goodies (and vegan soft serve and more!) in Bethlehem. It is definitely high on my list of vegan eateries to visit! I believe this box is the first product of theirs I have ever tried, and I can't wait to try more (their cannolis are calling my name!).


I ordered my box when they were first released back in January, and my Fatally Yours chocolate box finally arrived over the weekend! I had been stalking the USPS tracking system since the package shipped, as it has been really warm here in SoCal (ugh, what else is new), and was paranoid that my chocolates would arrive all melted. I pounced on the mailman as soon as he arrived, grabbed my Vegan Treats box, and scurried back into the shadowy confines of my home. I ripped open the box and practically squealed as I beheld the beauty of the Fatally Yours box! Luckily, no melting mishaps occurred, though one of the bones arrived broken, but no big deal. I'm just glad everything stayed solid and didn't liquefy in the California sun.


The box also came with a handy diagram of all the specimens included (see below), as well as a Fatally Yours sticker (shown above). Everything was absolutely beautiful and the smell of the chocolates was heavenly! I was going to wait until Valentine's Day to start eating the candy, but my self-control only lasted about one day and Sunday night I started enjoying these delectable chocolates.


I'll dissect the box below and tell you what terrifyingly tasty treats it contained:

  • Belgian Speculoos-filled Swiss Chocolate Skull (pictured above, it's also dusted with gold to make it even fancier!)
  • Cookies and Cream White Chocolate Torso (that white rib cage you see next to the box in the pictures at the beginning and end of this post)
  • White Chocolate Mummies in Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Sarcophagi (pictured above, also dusted with gold around the sarcophagus edges)
  • Coconut Candy-filled Abysmally Dark Heart
  • Peanut Butter Cup Skull
  • Hazelnut Praline Tiramisu Encased in Swiss Chocolate (pictured above, the one that looks like fireworks)
  • Blood-red Velvet Candy Filling Finished in White Chocolate (pictured above, the one with the hearts)
  • Solid White Chocolate Skeletal Hands
  • Malt-filled Constellations
  • Anatomically Correct Hearts-filled with Handmade Caramel (pictured above, dusted with gold)
  • Passion-less Fruit and Tahitian Vanilla Bean-filled Swiss Chocolate with a White Chocolate X
  • Solid White Chocolate Humerus Bone

All of the chocolates I have tried so far have been super-rich and indulgent! I seriously felt like royalty eating these chocolates, and I only needed one or two to feel completely satisfied! The chocolates are melt-in-your-mouth creamy, superbly flavored, and just gorgeous (almost too pretty too eat, but not quite!)! I haven't tried all of them yet, but I feel like my favorites will be the two skulls - one filled with peanut butter and the other speculoos!

The Fatally Yours Chocolate Box is definitely a splurge at around $90, but it makes quite the sumptuous Valentine's Day gift for yourself or your spooky sweetie! Vegan Treats starts filling orders of this limited edition box in January, and it ships early February so that it gets to you or your ghoul/boil by Valentine's Day! This item always sells out (it is all sold out for this year), so order early next year!

I'm positive that this is the only chocolate box to ever thrill my dark heart and is a perfect gift for those with similar black hearts. I can't wait to spend Valentine's Day with my Fatally Yours Chocolate Box (if it lasts that long!)! Thank you Vegan Treats for making such a gorgeously gothic Valentine's Day chocolate box! 
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Happy Friday the 13th!

February 13, 2015, 8:30 am
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Friday the 13th VDay card by JARHUMOR - image source

Happy Friday the 13th! 

And how serendipitous that this Friday the 13th falls right before the most dreaded of all holidays...Valentine's Day! I was never a big fan of VDay, and love to inject some horror into the saccharine holiday anyway (see previous VDay posts on horror-themed and zombie-themed Valentine's Day cards), so I'm celebrating Friday the 13th/Valentine's Day tonight with some vegan pizza (I've got a killer pizza recipe I want to try out) and horror movies (Question: ummmm, how is that different from most nights? Answer: It's not!).

I'm making a garlic pizza that I want to name something appropriately anti-VDay, like man-killer pizza or heartbreaker pizza, since no one is gonna want to be around me after I inhale its garlicky deliciousness! Then I'll select a nice stack of horror flicks to watch. I may go the classic route and throw on some Friday the 13th movies (the originals, thank you very much!). I do love me some Part IV with Crispin Glover's wacky (sexy?) dancing! Towards the end of the night I'll probably throw on something Valentine's Day-themed, like My Bloody Valentine, or a film with a creepy love story, like Love Object. 

What are your plans for tonight? Will you incorporate some Valentine's Day junk with your Friday the 13th or keep the celebrations separate?
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Pizza is My Valentine

February 14, 2015, 2:31 pm
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Pizza is My Valentine by Bare Wolfe

Valentine's Day has always left me feeling meh, and I usually don't do much to celebrate (well, except maybe for splurging on the Fatally Yours chocolate box and watching Valentine's Day horror movies). However, since Friday the 13th coincided with Valentine's this year, I was inspired to do a little something special. Last night, I whipped up some killer Valentine's Day pizzas! Check out "The Heartbreaker" and "The Lover" below, plus some perfect pizza-themed Valentine's Day cards!

"The Heartbreaker" Vegan Garlic, Herb and Onion Pizza

The first one I made was a vegan garlic, herb and onion pizza that I've nicknamed "The Heartbreaker" (I adapted it from this recipe). For the crust, I used Trader Joe's Herb and Garlic pizza dough (FYI - all their pizza dough is vegan and is my go-to dough). The creamy white garlic sauce is made with cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice, plus a sprinkle of salt. The topping of fresh herbs includes parsley, basil and oregano, Lastly, I topped the pizza with caramelized onions.

A Pizza My Heart Belongs to You!

The dough is pre-baked on its own before toppings are added, so once it was done baking I let it cool for a few minutes, then cut it down the middle to make the broken heart! I used a regular knife and cut in a zig-zag pattern to "break" the heart. Once "broken", I topped each side of the heart with the creamy cashew cream-based garlic sauce, the freshly chopped herbs and the caramelized onions. I added some red tomato sauce down the heart's "crack" for some extra oomph! The original recipe called for red pepper flakes and vegan Parmesan, but I actually forgot to add them, oops!

"I love you more than pizza" (is this actually possible?!?) 
by ktcrawford [image source]

I think the pizza came out looking awesome, and it tasted frickin' incredible! The garlic sauce alone I could eat with a spoon! And the fresh herbs give it a really bright kick while the onions gave it a savory flavor, mmmmmm. Beware, though, like the name states, this pizza is a real heartbreaker - because after eating this no one will want to near you and your garlicky, onion breath, hahaha!

"The Lover" Vegan Pepperoni Pizza

The second one I made was a traditional vegan pepperoni and Daiya cheese pizza that I've named "The Lover". Again, I used Trader Joe's pizza dough, just the plain kind. I also used their pizza sauce, then topped with Daiya vegan mozzarella, and the finishing touch was Lightlife's Smart Deli vegan pepperoni slices, which I cut into cute little hearts. I just used some scissors to cut the pepperoni slices into heart shapes, it was amazingly easy!

Take Another Little Pizza My Heart by BettyTurbo

For both pizzas I hand-formed the dough into heart shapes. I was going to buy a heart-shaped pan, but I figured I would save some dough (haha) and just shape the dough myself. I think they came out pretty good, and it wasn't too difficult!

You've Stolen a Pizza My Heart by Choopl Handmade

After cooking up these delicious pies, I settled in and watched some good ol'Friday the 13th to celebrate the day! In case you are interested, I watched parts V and VI. Today, I'm enjoying pizza leftovers and will be watching My Bloody Valentine and other horror movies that take on the holiday or twisted love!

Will you be My Bloody Valentine?

Whatever you are doing to celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day, Single Awareness Day, or regular ol' Saturday the 14th! If you want to share, let me know what you are doing today and what your favorite horror movies are to watch on Valentine's Day!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Food Review: Beast Burger by Beyond Meat

February 19, 2015, 7:30 am
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The Beast Burger and some oven-baked potatoes for a monster of
a dinner!

Beyond Meat has unleashed its new creation, the Beast Burger, in stores nationwide! I've been excited about this burger since they announced it at the end of 2014, and I finally found the patties in the freezer section of my Whole Foods recently, so huzzah!

What's the big deal about the Beast Burger? Well, it aims to replicate the taste and texture of beef burgers to prove that there is a better, more sustainable, plant-based way to satisfy a burger craving! Beyond Meat shows us that there is no need to ruin the environment, our health, and kill animals for a juicy burger - all we need is a better vegan burger, and they think they have achieved this and even surpassed expectations by creating a more nutritious, more delicious plant-based burger!

Alright, let's get down to the details to see if this beast of a burger lives up to the hype!

Each pack of the Beast Burger contains two burger patties and will set you back about $7 at Whole Foods (please note your Whole Foods or other stores may vary on this price). A little on the pricey side for vegan burgers, but the patties themselves are pretty big - they are quarter pounder size. Plus, the nutritional value of the burger is pretty impressive - the Beast packs more protein and iron than beef (around 23 grams or 42% of the daily recommendation for protein!), more omegas than salmon, is packed with antioxidants, calcium and vitamins B-6 and B-12, plus a special nutrient blend. Not to mention the Beast is gluten-free, soy-free, cholesterol-free, and non-GMO!

Beyond Meat Beast Burger on a bed of spinach, topped with Daiya
Provolone and grilled onions, on an Ezekiel whole wheat bun

I prepared my Beast Burger on a cast iron skillet with some onions and a tiny bit of coconut oil. I've read some reviews online where people complained about the burger being too dry, so I made sure not to overcook it (which is also a warning about overcooking on the preparation instructions, so consider yourselves warned!). I cooked the patty about 3 minutes on each side, and it came out perfectly. Before putting it on the bun I took a little nibble and was amazed that the texture so eerily resembled ground beef burger patties. Kinda freaked me out to be honest! The taste on its own was good, a little smoky and surprisingly flavorful by itself.

As you can see, the Beast Burger is truly beastly, and didn't quite
fit in the bun!

I put the Beast on an Ezekiel whole wheat bun slathered with Chipotle Just Mayo, added some spinach and topped it off with Daiya's Provolone slices and grilled onions. Inside the bun with all the flavors melding together it was damn tasty! I kept taking bite after bite after bite it was so good, even when I got so full!

Truth be told, I had heard so many people say this burger was just ok, so I wasn't expecting too much. However, after tasting the Beast Burger all I can say is that those people were so wrong and I'm so glad I tried it myself! It was juicy, delectable, and really fills you up (it's a big burger and I had a hard time finishing it!)! The Beast definitely left a lasting impression on me, and I can't wait to grill it up on the barbecue this summer and serve it to omnivores! The Beast is truly a vegan powerhouse that packs a big punch, so it is sure to impress if cooked right!

Nom! Could barely stop long enough to take a quick pic after I 
started eating this delicious monstrosity!

Beyond Meat also has Beastly Sliders, which are smaller, snack-sized versions of the Beast Burger! Those would be perfect as appetizers at parties, horror movie nights, or just for a smaller snack sized burger for late-night cravings! YUM! Beyond Meat also has new Swedish Meatballs on shelves (I picked these up from Whole Foods, too, review to follow when I finally get to them), which I believe are the ones that will be served at Ikea this April (vegan meatballs at Ikea - it's a wonderful world we live in!).

Beyond Meat's Beast Burger (and other products) can be found at Whole Foods, your local health food store, and many more locations! Since Target is carrying their other products, I'm hoping they will start carrying the Beast Burger and Beastly Sliders soon, too!

Find out more at Beyond Meat!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Food Review: Gardein Pocket Meals

February 25, 2015, 9:05 am
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Gardein Pocket Meals in Italian Meatless Sausage
 with Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach

The Gardein Pocket Meals debuted recently, and I picked some up at Whole Foods in early February. They are shaped like little buns (or dinner rolls, as described on the package) and stuffed full of delicious vegan ingredients. The varieties I picked up were the Italian Meatless Sausage with Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach and the BBQ Pulled Porkless Shreds. These are convenience meals, so don't expect them to be too healthy, however they pack between 6 to 10 grams of protein, and do not contain genetically modified soy, wheat, or canola.

Gardein Pocket Meals in Italian Meatless Sausage
 with Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach

Despite the front of the package saying they can be "ready in 2 minutes", the recommended cooking time is in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Not exactly the most fast or convenient, but it wasn't the biggest deal to me. I popped mine in a toaster oven for about 25 minutes and they came out beautifully, and made the house smell pretty great as well!

I was happy to see that the insides contained a hearty serving of fillings. The Italian variety was really flavorful and the veggies tasted pretty fresh for it being a frozen food. My only complaint about the Italian one is that it didn't really contain much "sausage". Still, I enjoyed it and would purchase again.

Gardein Pocket Meals in BBQ Pulled Porkless Shreds

However, my favorite was the BBQ Porkless Shreds. I looooove BBQ sauce, so it's no wonder I preferred this one over the Italian flavor! The BBQ sauce was perfectly tangy, and the texture of the porkless shreds was spot-on. It was lip-smackin' good and I could have eaten five more.

Gardein Pocket Meals in BBQ Pulled Porkless Shreds

The bun that contained the fillings held up really nicely - it never got soggy, despite all the fillings and sauces, was crisp and flaky on the outside, soft on the inside, plus it tasted great! It also wasn't too thick or too thin, but was the perfect amount of bread that held everything together and added some extra flavor and texture to boot!

There is one more flavor of the Gardein pockets out there, Crispy Chick’n Stuffed with Kale, Barley, and Sun-Dried Tomato, but I didn't see it when I picked up the other two flavors. Hopefully I spot that one soon so I can try it!

Each box contains four pockets, and I had to restrain myself from eating the whole box in one sitting! They remind me a lot of the Tofurky Pockets that came out last year, only smaller. They are nice to have on hand for those days after work where I need a hearty snack or times when I just want to pop something in the oven for a quick meal. They would work wonderfully as a to-go meal as well for someone on the go!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Los Angeles' Vegan Street Fair 2015 Report

March 2, 2015, 11:24 am
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This past weekend saw the first ever Vegan Street Fair in Los Angeles! I, like most other SoCal vegans, was super stoked to witness the awesomeness of another vegan event! With over 40 restaurants and food vendors participating, plus some rad t-shirt companies and other vendors that were attending, how could I NOT be excited?! Plus, entrance was free and I loved the idea of eating small bites from a bunch of different food vendors instead of paying $10 for a large plate of food from just one restaurant that would fill me up. The lineup of restaurants/bakeries/clothing companies/etc. was pretty sweet - Mud Hen Tavern, Doomie's, Life is Sweet Bakeshop, Organix, Bramble Bakeshop, and Herbivore Clothing were just a few I was excited about!

The event was also unique in that it utilized tickets instead of cash for food. You buy a few books of tickets (it was $8 for 12 tickets, and food was priced from 1 to 6 tickets), and then exchange the tickets for food at the booth of your choice! This was set in place to expedite lines and avoid delays that cash/credit card purchases inadvertently cause. It was modeled after other successful food fairs that use the ticket system as well.

The start of Vegan Street Fair!

Though Sunday called for rain, I packed my umbrella, my trick or treat tote for stuffing leftover goodies in, and made the drive up to North Hollywood with Mister Spooky for the event, because not even rain could keep me away! I arrived early as I had been invited to mingle with other press before the general public was allowed access, so parking was pretty easy. I got to see many of the booths getting set up and chatted with old and new friends from the vegan community. Stumptown Coffee (mmmmm, yummy cold brew!) was on-hand to serve us coffee and ensure we were perky enough to zoom through all the booths!

Stumptown Cold Brew and the S'morrissey from Donut Friend

The excitement in the air was undeniable, and we all eagerly awaited the opening of the ticket booths! I will say that it was a tad unorganized - I had no idea where to pick up my press badge (finally found the unmanned badge pick-up), the scheduled photo was never taken (at least not that I was aware), and everything kinda ran late, so we didn't have as much time before the general public was allowed in. However, this was their first year so I gotta cut them some slack! And you could tell everyone was working really hard and stoked for the event! When the ticket booth finally opened, I bought 8 sheets of tickets (12 tickets per sheet) for Mister Spooky and me (total cost: $64).

A few selections from Donut Friend - S'morrissey, Jets to Basil, and Fudgegazi

We had about 15 minutes before everyone else was allowed to purchase tickets, so I made a beeline for the booths I had scoped out earlier. My first stop was Donut Friend, where 4 tickets got me a mini S'morrissey donut ("a chocolate cake donut filled with toasted marshmallows and topped with chocolate glaze and graham cracker crumbs"). I had never had Donut Friend before, so I was stoked on trying them, but the mini donut left me kinda underwhelmed. It tasted a little stale and seemed pricey at 4 tickets. I really wanted to try all their other flavors, but didn't feel like using my tickets on them. Oh well, I'll just have to visit their actual location to try some fresher, full-size donuts.

Mud Hen Tavern's Jackfruit Bahn Mi

Next stop was Mud Hen Tavern for their take on bahn mi sandwiches. Wowie, this may have been my favorite from the whole street fair! This jackfruit-based bahn mi was served on foccacia-like bread and the fillings and sauces were damn tasty! I wish I would have eaten 10 of these! One bahn mi set me back 6 tickets. As an added bonus, this was probably the best-run booth and they kept the lines moving super quickly!

Just the Food's Spicy Korean BBQ Jackfruit Taco and Flaky Fish-y Taco

I can't say no to tacos, so we tried Joni Marie Newman of Just The Food's booth, where she was slinging some delicious Spicy Korean BBQ Jackfruit and Flaky Fish-y tacos! The "fish" tacos were Mister Spooky's favorite of the whole street fair! He liked them so much we went back and ordered them twice! Each taco was only 3 tickets, and this booth definitely wins for giving us the most bang for our buck! Fairly priced and delicious!

We picked up a sandwich from One Veg World (when Mister Spooky asked what they had, they just said "a sandwich", so no idea what it was supposed to be...really horrible customer service there!). It was a really plain sandwich, and WAY overpriced at 6 tickets. I didn't even get a photo of it because it was so bad/sad. I felt like they put no thought into it and it was just thrown together with scraps. I had been wanting to try this place for a while, but now I have no desire to go because of their horrible customer service and crappy sandwich. Probably the worst thing I ate there.

Bramble Bakeshop's gorgeous flowery sign and treats

I have always loved Bramble Bakeshop's goodies, but I only get them at these types of events, so her booth was definitely a priority and I ran there next (especially to wash that awful taste of One Veg World out of my mouth!)! She was selling Brambleberry and Churro cheesecakes, an assortment of delectable macrons in many intriguing flavors, and a few other goodies like peanut butter cups! I got a slice each of the brambleberry and churro cheesecakes and macrons in Confetti Crunch (filled with Capt Crunch buttercream!) and Pistachio Peach flavors! ALL of the goodies I tried here were highlights of the street fair! Bramble Bakeshop's Brambleberry Cheesecake was my favorite of the event, right alongside Mud Hen's bahn mi! Each cheesecake was 6 tickets, and the macrons were 4 tickets each.

Bramble Bakeshop's Confetti Crunch macron filled with Capt Crunch buttercream

Bramble Bakeshop's Pistachio Peach Macron

After that, the street fair got really crowded and by 12:30 you could barely walk anywhere due to the crowds and long lines that kept blocking the walkways. It was packed! I had to skip a lot of the booths I wanted to try because the lines were too long, I couldn't even find the line for that particular booth, or I couldn't tell what they were even serving since I couldn't see any signage. Despite the suffocating crowds and long lines, I was able to squeeze in a few more food places.

Rabbit Hole Cafe's Vegan Shepard's Pie

I tried the Shepard's Pie at Rabbit Hole Cafe, which was made with grilled, herbed veggies, beans and grains topped with sweet potato cauliflower mash. It was really tasty, hearty and filling! I also loved the whimsical Alice in Wonderland look of this cafe's signage and logo! I hope to one day make it up to their actual cafe in Agoura Hills. The Shepard's Pie was 6 tickets.

SunCafe's mac 'n' cheese

I was also delighted to see SunCafe Organic there! They make THE BEST vegan mac 'n' cheese I've ever had, so of course I had to order some! As usual, it was incredible and I just wish I had ordered MORE from them! I did get a few of their cookies and brownie to try from their pastry chef extraordinaire Jenny Bradley, but I took those home and am looking forward to eating them soon (let's be real, they will probably be gone by tonight)! UPDATE: I ate them! And they were so freaking good! The brownie was absolutely decadent and had the perfect moist texture without being too cake-like, if you know what I mean. The Lemon Sugar Cookie (which was gluten-free!) was the perfect amount of sweet and I liked that it was soft but still had a nice chewy texture. My fave of the trio was the Almond Butter Snickerdoodle (also gluten-free), which had the most amazing flavor! The mac n cheese was 6 tickets, I believe the treats were 4 tickets, but they were on the house for me courtesy of the fabulous Jenny!

SunCafe's brownie, Lemon Sugar Cookie, and Almond Butter Snickerdoodle

At this point we were really thirsty, so we waited in line for 10 minutes for an overpriced lemonade from some lemonade truck. I think it was 6 tickets for a small, plain lemonade, which was a major rip-off since it was maybe 8 oz. (though probably not even that much since it was mostly ice). They also had fancy add-ins for 2 or more extra tickets. I wish there had been more drink options (and maybe a dedicated water station) with better prices.

Vromage cheese and crackers

Vromage, the new gourmet vegan cheese shop in LA, was there and I made it my next stop. I bought both varieties of cheese they were selling (6 tickets each) and some crackers (4 tickets). The tiny bag of crackers for 4 tickets was pretty insulting - I think those definitely should have been free with the cheese. I took these to-go, and haven't tried them yet, so no verdict on the cheese. Definitely should have skipped buying the overpriced baggie of crackers, though. UPDATE: I ate the cheese and it was ridiculously delicious! The crackers were really good as well, and to be fair, they did last through both of the cheeses. Still think they should have come with the cheese when you bought it though!

Buffalo Hot Wings and Fried Chick'n from Clean South

It was even more crowded at this point, and pretty impossible to get anything without waiting 20+ minutes in line, so we opted for one last stop at Clean South, a food vendor I hadn't even heard of. However, word of mouth was that their fried chick'n was worth standing in line for, so that's what we did! They had everything pre-prepared, so the line moved pretty quickly. We probably waied 15 - 20 minutes (the longest we ever waited the whole event). Their fried chick'n looked like the "real" thing, and I really liked it a lot! It was a big portion, too. I believe it was made out of seitan. My only gripe was that mine was cold when I got it. Still pretty good, but definitely would have been better warm. I also tried their Buffalo hot wings, which were finger-lickin' good! Both the fried chick'n and hot wings were 6 tickets each.

The inside of the vegan fried chick'n from Clean South

I was unable to hit all the vendors I wanted to (I'm sorry I missed Broke Hungry Vegan, Doomie's, Organix, Luscious Organic Desserts, Life is Sweet Bakeshop and so many more!), but I feel like I got a good chunk of yummy food in AND we spent all our tickets! We definitely didn't want to stand in the line for more tickets (it was nuts!), so we ended up leaving around 2pm. This was actually lucky, since this meant we totally missed the crazy hail storm that happened at 2:30ish!

I know a lot of people were complaining about the long lines, how crowded it was, how some items were priced too expensively, etc. I experienced the same issues, but it's a street fair - people should probably assume there are going to be lines and crowds! Crowd control could have been a bit better, but it's tough to wrangle such big crowds. I think it would help if the vendors themselves were better prepared, have better signage, etc. I did think a few things were overpriced (ahem, lemonade!), but things were mostly priced fairly. Sure, I didn't get to try as much as I wanted to, but I'm happy so many people were stoked on vegan food! Not to mention the sheer number of awesome options we had to choose from!

Overall, I had a really great time at the first ever Vegan Street Fair! I ate a lot of phenomenal food, got to see some old (and new!) friends, and it was amazing to see so many people excited for vegan food!! A big thanks to the incredible organizers of this fun event, as well as to all the (mostly) friendly vendors that came out! I had a spooktacular time and I hope they continue this event in the future. I believe the organizers also have plans to bring this event to more cities across the US, so keep your eyes peeled for more info on this and your town might get their very own Vegan Street Fair!

For more info, you can visit Vegan Street Fair's website!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Restaurant Review: Millennium in San Francisco, CA

March 3, 2015, 8:30 am
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I finally made it to Millennium in San Francisco! Toasting with an 
Ingrid Bergamot signature cocktail!

Millennium in San Francisco has been at the top of my vegan bucket list for a loooong time, but for one reason or another I just never made it there. With the news that the restaurant would be closing their current location permanently by May 1st, 2015 (newsflash: they recently announced they are raising funds through a Kickstarter campaign for a new location where they may re-open as early as this summer!), I didn't hold out much hope that I would ever be able to visit this historic vegan restaurant (they have been open since 1994!). However, as luck would have it, I needed to travel to San Francisco to go wedding dress shopping for my sister, and one of the first things I did after finalizing my trip was to book a reservation at Millennium!

I visited the restaurant on Friday, February 20th, after a fun day of dress shopping (wow, did I just say "fun" and "dress shopping" in the same sentence?!)! I had made a reservation for later that evening, but we arrived at the restaurant at 5:30 PM (when they open) to see if it would be possible to squeeze in earlier. Luckily, they had room for the four of us at the bar! They were very accommodating and we only had to wait about 10 minutes to be seated. Sitting at the bar was pretty cool, and everyone seemed to prefer it over sitting at a table or booth!

We started off with some tasty drinks to toast my sister and a successful day, then moved on to food after ogling the menu for a while. We all decided to order a bunch of different dishes and share everything. We started with some small plates and ordered the Roasted Fingerling Potatoes ($7.50), Pistachio Stuffed Dates ($8.25), and Seared Brussels Sprouts ($8.75). All were ridiculously good, but I loved the warm flavors of the Pistachio Stuffed Dates best! The Seared Brussels Sprouts were a close second; I especially loved the smoked tofu they were prepared with! The Roasted Fingerling Potatoes were good, and I loved their bright color and the sauce they were served with.

The Roasted Fingerling Potatoes were prepared with burnt orange and 
chile Urfa aioli and black cardamom salt. 

The Pistachio Stuffed Dates were made with orange, cinnamon, 
Aleppo chile and a pomegranate reduction. 

The Seared Brussels Sprouts were prepared with pickled chiles, smoked tofu, 
and orange miso. 

For starters, we chose the Winter Brassicas Salad ($12.95) and the Spinach Salad ($12.50). The Winter Brassicas Salad was beautiful and tasted as such! The Spinach Salad had some delightful crunchy toasted chickpeas on it, and more of that smoked tofu that was also on the Brussels sprouts that I adored!

The Winter Brassicas Salad was marinated cauliflower, shaved Brussels sprouts 
and kohlrabi, frisee, collard greens and sweet pepper relish, friend green garlic, 
cashew-pink peppercorn, and topped with a "buttermilk ranch". 

The Spinach Salad was spinach, bitter greens, spring onions, smoked tofu 
(ooooh that smoked tofu!), pickled rhubarb, sumac-tahini dressing, za'star 
spiced crisp chickpeas. 

For the mains, we settled on the Pumpkin Gnocchi ($23.75), Creamy Buckwheat Polenta ($23.75), and the Grilled Portobello Mushroom and Poblano Chile Tamale ($23.50). The star of the three was the tamale...so many flavors and so spicy! I could have eaten so much more of that! The Pumpkin Gnocchi was also delicious with its delicate flavors but hearty texture. The only dish I didn't care much for was the polenta, which just had too much going on and whose flavors just seemed random and off.

The Pumpkin Gnocchi with seared trumpet and hedgehog mushrooms, lollipop kale, 
roasted fennel, scotch cashew cream, orange-almond breadcrumbs, and fried sage.

The Creamy Buckwheat Polenta with seared artichokes, gigante beans, kale, 
roasted celery root, pumpkin and carrot Bolognese, hazelnut picada, grilled 
Treviso and citrus salad. 

The Grilled Portobello Mushroom and Poblano Chile Tamale with toasted 
red corn masa, Pinquito bean mole, winter root vegetable hash, grilled onions, 
caramelized pineapple and habanero salsa, pumpkin seed crema. 

At this point we were stuffed, but could not pass up dessert! There were so many yummy-looking sweets, but we settled on three - the Mexican Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake ($9.50), Crème Brûlée ($11.50), and the Seasonal Sweet Ending ($8.00). I had heard dessert was one of the best things about Millennium, but unfortunately I was underwhelmed with the desserts we selected. The cheesecake had a weird flavor and I did not care for the texture at all. The horchata ice cream didn't taste like horchata - it just tasted like vanilla. The only good thing on the dish was the chocolate covered bananas on the plate (which seemed out of place, but at least they were tasty!). The Crème Brûlée was ok, but nothing to write home about. The best part about it was the almond "honey" ice cream, which was my favorite dessert item of the night! The Seasonal Sweet Ending was also so-so, and our plate didn't come with all the items that were listed in the description. Oh well...if I had to do it again I would just order their trio of ice creams, the flavors which change nightly.

The Mexican Chocolate Cashew Cheesecake with smoky Urfa chile dark chocolate, 
spelt graham cracker crust, horchata ice cream, Ancho chile-mezcal syrup, 
cinnamon candied pumpkin seeds, and frozen chocolate-covered banana on the side. 

The Crème Brûlée with lemongrass, saffron and rose cream, toasted almond
"honey" ice cream, pomegranate syrup, rosewater thumbprint cookies with 
mandarinquat marmalade, and a sesame seed tuile. 

The Seasonal Sweet Ending was a toasted coconut caramel bar, orange ginger
 cookie, Meyer lemon thumbprint cookie and tahini-lime cookies, rhubarb-apple
 coffee cake, date-macadamia and lavender truffles. 

Overall, I had a wonderful experience at Millennium and I am so happy I finally got to go AND that I got to share it with my family! Though some of the dishes were hit or miss, and most of the desserts were a miss, I still felt that it was a pretty neat experience. The ambiance was great, the staff was friendly, and for the most part the food was delicious. Thank you, Millennium, and I hope I get to dine at your new incarnation, should it come to fruition! 

For more info, visit the Millennium website or their Facebook page!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Haunting the Halls of Expo West this Weekend

March 4, 2015, 8:54 am
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I'll be returning to the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim this weekend (check out last year's coverage!) and haunting the halls for another year to bring you the newest vegan products I find!

Expo West is one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) natural food and products expo in the US, where new products are unveiled and you get sneak peeks of products in the works, as well as discovering brands you may not have otherwise heard about. They host a variety of vendors across the spectrum - from food to beauty to health and beyond! Not all are vegan, but a good chunk are, and many others have vegan options.

Last year was such a fun whirlwind, and I'm excited to attend again this year! I will be reporting LIVE on fab finds and delicious dishes via Twitter and Instagram, so be sure to follow me there if you want up-to-the-minute details on the Expo!

After the Expo and once I've had some time to recover, I'll post a re-cap of everything as well as my favorite vegan products from the Expo, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Are you attending this year? If so, I hope to scare you there!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Top 10 Vegan Products at Natural Products Expo West 2015

March 12, 2015, 8:23 am
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This past weekend I attended the Natural Products Expo West at the Anaheim Convention Center to scope out all the new vegan goodies coming out this year! I attended last year (check out my report!), but this year was even bigger and better, and I was ecstatic to see so many vegan or vegan-friendly companies rolling out exciting new vegan products!

Over the few days at Expo West, I got to try oodles of vegan food, beauty/health products, drinks, and got to visit with some of my favorite vegan companies as well as discovering new ones! It was a blast, and I already can't wait until next year!

There were SO MANY awesome products launching, so it was really tough to narrow it down to my top 10 favorites. I finally did, sorta, and below you will find my top 10 favorite products from the Expo, plus some honorable mentions. Not all of these are available in stores or available in the US, yet, but most should either be coming soon or already in some stores.

The Spooky Vegan's Top 10 Vegan Products from Expo West 2015:

Wow, just look at that Violife Parmesan aka Prosociano!

1. Violife Prosociano aka Vegan Parmesan Block - I am Italian, so in my pre-vegan days I was a fiend for Parmesan and in my seven years as a vegan and never found anything to replicate the blocks of Parmesan I used to gnaw on. Well, the good news is I FINALLY found something that looks and tastes like the Parmesan I grew up with! Violife's Parmesan is brand new and has somehow recreated the look and texture of the Parmesan blocks I grew up on. Same salty sharpness, same crumble, and it can even be grated! It is truly mind-blowing! The bad news is that Violife doesn't have distribution in the US and is only available in Europe. PLEASE keep bugging your local stores to carry this European brand because it is the best vegan cheese I've ever tasted! Besides the new Parmesan, they make many other delicious cheeses and they are actually the makers of Field Roast's Chao and Follow Your Heart's cheeses (though each of their cheeses are formulated differently and have unique recipes).

Vixen Kitchen founder Sundara Clark and her wonderful vegan ice cream flavors!

2. Vixen Kitchen's Vegan Gelato - OMG, OMG, OMG! was pretty much all I could say when I tasted Vixen Kitchen's vegan gelato flavors! Before I found their booth, I had sampled lots of other vegan frozen desserts, and while the others were good, this is the only one that made my jaw drop (so I could shove more of their samples in my mouth). I tried nearly all of the flavors (I cried a little on the inside when I found out they didn't have any Pumpkin Pie flavor available), from their Naked Vanilla to Coffee Cream Dream to Chai and I, and each one was creamy, rich, and freakin' perfect! The gelato is cashew based, sweetened with maple syrup, and handmade in small batches in Humboldt County in Northern California by their lovely owner, Sundara, who created the dessert for her daughter who was allergic to dairy. Let me tell you, I ate a ton of ice cream at Expo, and while plenty were delicious, this brand was clearly the best! You can find this mind-blowing gelato from Humboldt County to Sonoma County in Northern California (find the full list of stores that carry them here). Now I need to plan a trip to the redwoods so I can get more of this goodness!

I was pretty ecstatic to cradle the baby jackfruit, as you can see in 
the photo with Upton's owner Nicole! 

3. Upton's Naturals Jackfruit Carnitas - This is Upton's brand-new product, which should be hitting stores in May/June! They are made with the ever-versatile jackfruit, whose fruit perfectly mimics shredded meat. Fun fact from Wikipedia: "The jackfruit tree is well suited to tropical lowlands, and its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit, reaching as much as 80 pounds (36 kg) in weight, 36 inches (90 cm) in length, and 20 inches (50 cm) in diameter." In fact, I got to hold a huuuuge 23 pound jackfruit that the Upton's team had at their booth! Besides oooooh'ing and awwwwww'ing over the jackfruit baby, I got to try both of their new flavors of vegan carnitas, Barbecue and Chile Lime and loved them both! Droool...May/June feels so far away to wait for these delicious treats to be in my mouth again!

Mmmmm these energy scents were amazing!

4. Balanced Guru Energy Sprays - Life at Expo can get hectic, but life outside of Expo is oftentimes even more stressful, so it was wonderful to find these incredible sprays in energizing scents like "Guilt-Free""Understanding", "Empowering", "Fearless", and more by Balanced Guru! They smelled so good, and cruelty-free, vegan, organic and full of mood-boosting scents that seemed to instantly calm me when I used them. I was spraying "Full of Love", an "organic blend of a peaceful and compassionate spell" all weekend long! Can't wait to seek out more of their products!

Owl's Brew at Expo, including their drink menu - so yummy!

5. Owl's Brew Tea Infused Mixers - Cocktail mixes made with tea?! I'm SO in! These delightful concoctions elevate regular ol' drinks into magical creations! Among the flavors are the Coco-lada, a blend of black tea, coconut, chai spices and pineapple, The Classic, a blend of English Breakfast, lemon, and lime, the Pink and Black with fresh-brewed Darjeeling hibiscus tea with lemon peel, strawberry and lemon juice, and their newest concoction, the White and Vine, which is fresh-brewed white tea, with pomegranate, lemon peel and watermelon juice! I was instantly obsessed when I tried their brews and think they are perfect for a light and lovely spring or summer cocktail party! You can find these at stores like Williams-Sonoma and select BevMos.

Sweet Earth Foods' BBQ Style Grounds

6. Sweet Earth Foods Barbecue Style Savory Grounds - I was really looking forward to trying their new Tuscan-style grounds, but they were out when I stopped by, so I got to try these Barbecue flavored ones instead! I definitely didn't leave disappointed, and I can't wait to find these in stores and make all sorts of delicious dishes with them! I can't wait to try them in burgers, in bowls, and the Tuscan-style one in pastas! They were so savory with a great texture! I love this company and their vegan-friendly products.

Cheezecake!

7. Daiya Key Lime Cheezecake - Daiya unveiled a slew of new items (cheesecake, yogurt, mac and cheese!) and improved products (their cheese has been reformulated), and the winner according to my taste buds was their new line of "cheezecakes" in four flavors - strawberry, chocolate, New York-style, and (my personal favorite of the bunch) key lime! I came back multiple times for the key lime, which was a perfect mix of tart and sweet with a wonderfully crumbly crust! The texture was spot-on, and didn't have a weird, chalky aftertaste that some vegan cheesecakes have. Bonus for those with allergies - besides being vegan and dairy-free it is also gluten-free and soy-free! These just hit stores shelves, so you should be able to grab yours at Whole Foods and other grocery stores.

Hold the phone - these Gardein Porkless Bites are almost too good to be true!

8. Gardein Sweet and Sour Porkless Bites - Holy cow (errrr, pig?), these were so tasty! They served them with a bit of pineapple and it tasted almost TOO close to pig flesh for comfort - cruelty-free never tasted so good! I also thought the sauce they used for them was great, with a nice balance of sweet and sour They also unveiled their new Crabless Cakes, but I preferred the Porkless Bites.

Jasmine Moon for the win!

9. Pacifica Jasmine Moon Dry Roll-On Rich Body Oil - I have recently been obsessed with body oils, and this new one by Pacifica smells soooooo dreamy and moisturizes effortlessly with tiare, marigold and coconut oil! It absorbs so fast, and its scent lingers after application. They have a few other scents (Coconut Sun and Tangerine Dream), but the Jasmine Moon was my absolute fave. I can't wait for this stuff to show up in stores so I can slather myself in it!

Hampton Creek Foods' mac and cheese strudel! They also had lots of 
other flavors of both strudels (like the Brazilian Black Bean
 pictured in the back) and calzones!

10. Harbor Creek Farms Mac and Cheese Strudel- I chanced upon this booth totally by accident and did a double-take/u-turn when I passed the booth and saw the word "vegan" on their packages. I'm so glad I stopped off at this booth, because this family-owned and -run company was one of the highlights of the Expo! They make all kinds of vegan strudels and calzones, like their scrumptious Mac and Cheese Strudel (which I swooned over)! This strudel has a creamy mac and cheese filling wrapped in a flaky pastry crust that is just to die for! They are currently available in Washington, Oregon, and Montana, but hope to expand down to SoCal soon (fingers crossed)!
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Honorable Mentions at Expo West 2015

Alright, so though I have a top 10, there were so many fantastic companies this year that I couldn't end the post without mentioning a bunch of other great vegan products I tried! Behold, here are the honorable mentions, AKA other awesome stuff I put in my mouth!

  • Neat Breakfast Mix - I didn't include this product above as it has been out for a while, but it was my first time trying and OMFG! It was so dang delicious! Can't wait to look for these guys in stores! 
  • Pastariso Mac Uncheddar - This year's Expo certainly was cheesy, and this was one of the many vegan mac and cheese product I tried! Not sure where this box mac and cheese is available yet (it isn't even on their website yet, and I can't find any other vegan products this company offers), but I hope to be able to find it in stores soon (UPDATE: The company reached out to let me know this will be in Sprouts and other health-food stores in April)! It also happens to be gluten-free and soy-free!
  • Arty Artichoke Water - Water made with artichokes?! I tried this because it was so weird, but I ended up liking it a lot! It was very refreshing and reminded me of a mint tea! Definitely gonna seek this stuff out in stores!
  • Nada Moo Cookies and Creme Ice Cream - Another delightfully dairy-free ice cream that was a big hit from this Austin, Texas-based, family-run company! They also had a secret Salted Caramel flavor that was crazy good, too! The Cookies and Creme flavor is what dreams are made of, though!  
  • Miyoko's Kitchen Mt. Vesuvius Black Ash Cheese - Ok, I didn't include this in my top 10 list above as it has been on the market for some time, but it was my first time trying Miyoko's artisan cheeses and it was love at first bite! My personal favorite was the Mt. Vesuvius Black Ash, which was mildly tangy with a delightful umami flavor. It was also great to see Miyoko herself at the booth, as I remember talking to her last year at Expo when she was just getting ready to launch Miyoko's Kitchen! 
  • Total Cluster Fudge - This small company wins for their cute logo design and product labels alone! It also helps that their vegan fudge, cookie dough and other dessert goodies are phenomenal! I can't find much info on them online, and their website isn't very helpful either as it doesn't list ingredients (concerning, especially since it looks like they have some non-vegan items for sale), but if you see them in stores be sure to pick some up because I tried some of their great vegan options! 
  • Field Roast Chao Cheese - Like a few other "honorable mentions", this product has been available for a while, however, it was my first time trying since SoCal is the only region STILL not carrying Chao (sob)! I was so excited to finally try it, and it definitely didn't disappoint! I loved the creamy original flavor and could eat the whole block straight out of the package. I spoke with Field Roast's President David Lee and he said SoCal can expect to see Chao on shelves by mid-April (hurrah!). The rest of the U.S. has been enjoying this delicious product for a few months now, so it is likely already on shelves in your area.
  • So Delicious Salted Caramel Cluster Cashew Milk Frozen Dessert - This new flavor was so popular they ran out at the Expo! Good news is that it is hitting shelves as we speak, so you can get your paws on this cashew-based ice cream ASAP and see for yourself just how so delicious it is (and it is really, really good)!
  • Daiya Deluxe Alfredo Cheezy Mac - Daiya has three new shelf-stable mac 'n' cheese products, their Deluxe Cheddar, Deluxe White Cheddar Veggie Medley, and my favorite, the Deluxe Alfredo! This mac 'n' cheese was creamy with a great taste! 
  • Beyond Meat Beyond Chicken Tenders - Loved Beyond Meat's mock McDonald's booth at Expo, where they were dishing out Beast Burgers and these insane Chicken Tenders! I love me some Beast Burgers (my review here), but the Chicken Tenders really blew me away. They were perfectly crispy, the texture was spot-on, and the breading was yummy! Look for them sneaking onto shelves soon! 
This year's Expo was bursting with new vegan products, and I can't wait until these are more widely available! I also hope some of the smaller companies find distribution so I can get my paws on their superb products! Lastly, it was a pleasure seeing/meeting so many fabulous vegan and vegan-friendly companies, not to mention all the wonderful friends and bloggers I got to hang with!

I can't wait until next year's Expo West!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Food Review: San Clemente Cookie Dough Company's Cookie Dough Squeeze

March 17, 2015, 8:08 am
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I recently had the opportunity to try San Clemente Cookie Dough Company's squeezable, to-go cookie dough that is vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free! This brilliant cookie dough is sold in individual pouches that are perfect for those that are busy, on-the-go, or are just looking for an easy snack. Each squeezable pouch has a single-serving of cookie dough that can either be eaten raw (another perk of being vegan - we don't have to worry about salmonella and can eat all the raw vegan cookie dough we want!) or baked up into cookies!

Squeezable vegan cookie dough! We live in a wondrous time! 

This awesome new product makes a great snack, day or night! I love throwing one in my purse for those times when I need a quick pick me up or when my stomach starts rumbling and demands food. The cookie dough is also pretty healthy and isn't loaded with preservatives or other weirdo ingredients.

Chewy Chocolate Brownie No-Frownie Cookie Dough Squeeze

San Clemente Cookie Dough Company offers three flavors - Chewy Chocolate Brownie No-Frownie, P.B. Bodaciousness, and Take a Trip to San Clemente Chocolate Chip. All flavors use minimal ingredients, like organic chocolate, sunflower seed oil, and whole oats, For being comprised of such simple ingredients, the consistency of the dough is surprisingly spot on - it's just moist enough to hold together but isn't overly oily or wet like some other cookie dough. It squeezes out really easily and is easy to eat on the go. I enjoyed mine for breakfast one day sitting at my desk at work, and not only was it easy to eat, but it also brightened up my day!

The cookie dough all baked up! Look how perfectly crinkly the
cookies came out!!

I resisted eating ALL the raw cookie dough so I could bake it into cookies. Each packet yields two medium-sized cookies that are perfect for a healthy treat! I made mine in the toaster oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and they came out scrumptious! Both the Chewy Chocolate Brownie No-Frownie and the P.B. Bodaciousness achieved that crinkly-cookie texture, and when I took my first bite they were soft but with the ideal amount of bite and chewiness! They were rich and packed with flavor, so just two cookies (one of each flavor) satisfied me.

Chewy Chocolate Brownie No-Frownie cookies

I'm so excited that this local company is making vegan, gluten-free, and good-for-you on-the-go cookie pouches! New vegan products are always appealing, but they are even more so when they come from a local independent company! I can't wait to find these Cookie Dough Squeeze packets in local stores!

P.B. Bodaciousness cookies

For now, you can order your cookies directly from San Clemente Cookie Dough Company's website, and they regularly have contests and deals on their Instagram, so check that out as well!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Food Review: Setton Farms' Pistachio Chewy Bites

March 19, 2015, 9:05 am
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There were so many products and companies at the Natural Products Expo I attended a few weekends ago (you can read about my coverage of the event here), it was just impossible to see them all! Which is why I am eternally grateful to companies that go out of their way to send me products to review if I missed them at Expo.

Setton Farms is one such booth I missed at Expo, so I was thrilled to receive their Pistachio Chewy Bites to try! With everything going on I didn't have a chance to write about these delectable little snacks until now, though they have been the perfect healthy, to-go snack for these insane last couple of weeks!

Pistachio Chewy Bites are made with all-natural ingredients, including nutrient-dense, California-grown pistachios, cranberries packed with antioxidants, a touch of agave and brown rice syrups for sweetness and to hold the bites together, and a sprinkle of sea salt. They contain no cholesterol, no trans-fat, no additives or preservatives and are GMO-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher and vegan.


The Pistachio Chewy Bites come individually wrapped, which makes them great for grabbing them to-go for a quick snack! I love throwing a few in my purse on busy days so I can have something healthy to munch on, whether I am on-the-go or at the office. They are also great to have on-hand at home so I can ensure I am grabbing a healthy snack instead of loading up on junk food. I love how they are wrapped individually so I don't over-indulge on them, too.

I also appreciate just how many pistachios are packed into a bite - I'm pretty sure at least 50% of every bite is comprised of pistachios, which is definitely impressive considering that pistachios tend to be on the pricey side. Setton Farms definitely doesn't skimp on the pistachios, though, which again, are packed with tons of good-for-you nutrients. Pistachios contain fewer calories and more potassium and vitamin K per serving than other nuts, 25 percent of the daily value for vitamin B-6, 15 percent of the daily value for thiamine and phosphorus and 10 percent of the daily value for magnesium (source).


Not only are these really healthy and packed with essential nutrients, but they are so tasty! I mean, I already love pistachios, but with the addition of the tart cranberries and sweetness from the agave and brown rice syrup, the bites are delectable! Plus, they are also filling and satisfying. Just eating one bite can tide me over for at least a couple of hours, so they make an ideal mid-morning or afternoon snack.

I highly recommend these nutritious and delicious snacks for those that are on-the-go, since you can bring them with you practically anywhere. You can throw them in your purse, into lunches for you or the kids, in your bag or backpack, in your car, or just enjoy them at home. You can enjoy these tasty treats anywhere!

You can find the Pistachio Chewy Bites on Amazon!

For more information, please visit the Setton Farms website!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Product Review: Good Clean Love's Vanilla Chai Body Candy

March 29, 2015, 2:09 pm
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I've been familiar with Good Clean Love's intimacy products for quite some time now, as their products are vegan, cruelty-free, safe, and effective. In fact, their personal lubricant was named one of the safest on the market! Not only that, but the company is woman-owned and socially responsible, committed to promoting sexual education and awareness while supporting green, sustainable love. How can you not get behind something like that?!

I had the pleasure of meeting the team of Good Clean Love at the Natural Products Expo I attended (see my report on the event here), and they were nice enough to send me their Vanilla Chai Body Candy to try. This scented natural pleasure balm is recommended for massage, moisturizing, and applying externally on your body.

I love how it contains simple and natural ingredients like avocado and shea butters, jojoba and coconut oils, and added aromatherapy benefits of essential oils. It's free from harmful petrochemicals, parabens, and glycerin. It is also cruelty-free, never tested on animals, and (of course) vegan! The balm comes in three enticing flavors - Cocoa Mint, Spicy Orange, and Vanilla Chai.

The Vanilla Chai Body Candy I received smells and tastes heavenly! I've used it on my lips as well as slathering it all over my body, and the Body Candy leaves every surface enticingly soft and completely kissable. The Vanilla Chai scent is spicy but not overpowering, and its flavor is even more subtle. You can use this stuff to get intimate, but you can also use it as a great moisturizer that will leave you smelling good enough to eat, too!

I wholeheartedly recommend Good Clean Love, as they have exceptional vegan and cruelty-free products that are also sustainable and incredibly healthy. You can find more of their products as well as more on their mission on their website (mildly NSFW).
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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A Vegan Horror Movie, Vegan Convenience Store, Vegan Ice Cream Parlor, and the Urban Death Project - Four Crowdsourced Campaigns Worth Supporting

March 30, 2015, 1:01 pm
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Crowdsourcing is the way to get things done these days, and there are so many worthy causes out there trying to raise money to start their business or take their business to the next level. Sometimes the amount of fundraising campaigns can be overwhelming, making it hard to decide where your hard-earned money should go. I too usually struggle with the over-abundance of crowdsourcing campaigns, but recently I discovered four very different businesses that really caught my attention and that could use your support!


First up is a vegan horror-comedy tentatively titled Revenge of the Hamburgers. This film is to be directed by Tom Zarzecki and will address animal-rights issues through its story of Maddy, "a ghost cow who leads zombie-like animals in revolt from the factory farm and meat corporation that is responsible for their sufferings and deaths. The film also follows Tanya and Alec who are opposite personality animal lovers who are caught in the chaos. Other characters include the Farmer and the owner of the meat company. Through various perspectives one thing is for sure. 'No one wants to be served up for dinner.'"

Through the film, Zarzecki wants to convey "...a message about how we treat each other and other living beings. It puts into perspective what so many people choose to ignore about factory farming and the meat industry."

He is seeking $5,000 to get production on the film up and running, and offers perks such as having your very own scream edited into the movie, your name in the credits, a VIP invite to the premiere and more!

Find out more about this campaign and donate HERE!


The second fundraiser is for Convegance, an all vegan, 24/7 convenience store that would be located in Los Angeles. Vegan convenience food 24/7?! Sounds like heaven! Who doesn't want an all-vegan store to go to at all hours of the day and night, whether it be to stock up on groceries or to grab a quick snack? Convegance aims to show everyone how easy, convenient and fun it is to be vegan!

They are aiming to raise around $50,000 for their leasing costs of the location (they are hoping to land somewhere in the Silverlake/Hollywood area), all start-up costs and licensing fees, plus all the necessary shelving, equipment, and inventory they will need to set up shop. Anything they raise above and beyond the $50k will go towards a nacho cheese pump (droooooool!), a soft-serve machine (yummmmm!), beer/liquor license, and more goodies!

If you donate, you can expect perks like pins, shirts, swag bags, discount cards, free groceries, invites to their pre-opening party, and more!

Find out more about this campaign and donate HERE!


Third, we find our favorite cashew milk-based ice cream company, Mr. Dewie's (read all about their delectable ice cream HERE!) raising money to open their very own ice cream parlor in the Bay Area! This ice cream shop will include their amazing frozen dessert in cones, cups, pints, shakes, sundaes, bon bons, ice cream sandwiches and more!

They want to focus on taking their business back to its roots and creating their ice cream in small batches, which will give them greater freedom to explore new flavors and create innovative dessert options, all while using seasonal and local ingredients.

Their goal is to raise $60,000, which would go towards purchasing kitchen equipment, including a new batch freezer, walk-in freezer and cooler, plus display cases, furniture, and covering other start-up costs.

Mr. Dewie's makes THE BEST ice cream I have ever tasted, and it is all dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free and organic! Plus, it is family-owned by two of the sweetest brothers ever, and would make such a wonderful asset to the Bay Area!

Perks of donating include getting the chance to name your own flavor of Mr. Dewie's, an invite to their ice cream social, pints of Mr. Dewie's ice cream delivered to your door, becoming a taste-tester for new Mr. Dewie's flavors, a VIP invite to their grand opening, getting to name a seasonal flavor (or having a seasonal flavor named after you), and more!

Find out more about this campaign and donate HERE!


Last, but definitely not least, we have the Urban Death Project, which just launched! Unlike the other two, this isn't vegan-specific, however, I love the idea and think that it is very eco-conscious. From the Kickstarter page, "The Urban Death Project is a new system that utilizes the natural process of decomposition to safely and gently turn our deceased into soil. The project is creating a meaningful, equitable, and ecological alternative to existing options for the care of the dead."

The current funerary practices (including traditional funerary arrangements like embalming, cremation, etc.) are not sustainable and harms the environment rather than returning our nutrients back to the earth. Wouldn't it be better if our bodies were used to nourish the landscape around us rather than harming it? The Urban Death Project explains it best:
"The problem is that our current funeral model is toxic and polluting. In the US alone, two and a half million people die each year, and 50% choose conventional burial. This means that most often, their bodies are embalmed and then buried in a casket in a concrete-lined grave in a cemetery. 
Because of this, each year, we bury enough metal to build the Golden Gate Bridge, enough wood to build 1800 single-family homes, and enough carcinogenic embalming fluid to fill eight Olympic sized swimming pools. 
Cremation, the other most popular choice, burns fossil fuels and emits about 600 million pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually – that’s the equivalent of more than 70,000 cars driving the road for a year.
In other words, the very last thing that most of us will do on this earth is poison it.
We can do so much better! Over the past three years, the Urban Death Project team has taken an inspired design idea and developed it into a system that uses the natural process of decomposition to turn our physical bodies into soil. This soil can then be used to grow new life – imagine if you could become a pine tree, a honeysuckle bush, or a field of lavender after you've died."
Gorgeous pen and ink prints from the "Eventually" series by artist Iris Gottlieb, offered
as perks for the Urban Death Project's fundraiser.

Not only is this a healthy, eco-conscious way to ensure a lasting legacy of our loved ones, but the Urban Death space will also create new, more meaningful rituals for saying goodbye. I love the idea of letting the bodies decompose naturally rather than preserving them unnaturally with embalming fluid, and giving mourners the chance to shroud their own deceased in linens and laying them in the core of the facility.

This fundraiser is seeking $75,000 to complete the second phase of design and engineering for the Urban Death Project. Donating to this project will yield perks such as limited-edition artwork to experiential rewards to VIP party tickets and even to a future spot in an Urban Death Project core, plus many more!

Find out more about this campaign and donate HERE!

I hope you are as excited for these fundraising campaigns as I am and are able to donate! If you aren't able to donate, remember that you can still help out by sharing the campaigns on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on to help get the word out!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Summer Beach Goth Essentials

April 2, 2015, 8:00 am
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Who knew Vampira was a beach goth?

With warmer temps heating up SoCal and spring breakers descending on our beaches, it already feels like summer is here! As you probably know since I've complained about it so much, I'm not the biggest fan of the sun, summer, or the heat. This year, however, I'm kinda looking forward to the summer season (though probably only because it will put me closer to Halloween).

In fact, I've been so stoked that I kinda started planning beach trips and browsing for the perfect gothic beach accessories. I've found some ghoulishly great goth items for this summer, so now I guess I don't have an excuse for not hitting up the beach!

Here are my picks for Summer Beach Goth Essentials:


Bats In The Belfry Beach Towel - It really doesn't get much better than this batty beach towel by Sourpuss! As soon as I saw it I knew I needed to have it! Now I can languish, errrrr, I mean lounge, at the beach in style.


Esther Williams Bathing Beauty One-Piece Swimsuit - You'll need a swimsuit to wear to the beach, and I'm quite fond of this retro beauty I found on ModCloth! From the reviews, it sounds really flattering for nearly all body shapes and I simply adore the 1940s/50s cut of this suit!


Lace Detail Kimono Dress Cover Up - This gorgeous lacy cover-up from Target comes in a variety of colors, but let's be honest, black is best! Plus, it is a steal at less than $20! Layer it over your swimsuit or wear it over a black tank and shorts.


Dahlia Deranged Tentacle Pearl Sunglasses - Stay spooky with these stunning sunglasses, which are UV400 protected, keeping your peepers safe from the sun as well as keeping you looking fabulous! I love the purple shades, and the tentacle detailing is exquisite!


Skull Speaker Set - Cuz what's a beach day without some terrifying tunes to scare away the tourists? These macabre music speakers will help you pump out the jams through your phone, iPod, etc. Time to blast some beach goth tunes!


Sourpuss Spooksville Bats Travel Bag - This gothic tote is perfect for all your beach necessities - towel, swimsuit, snacks, Gothic Beauty magazine, SPF 100+, parasol, and more! It would also be great for weekend getaways. Who can resist anything with bats on it? I know I can't!


Alba Botanica Very Emollient SPF 45 Lavender Sunscreen - Of course I can't forget the sunscreen to preserve my pale skin, and Alba Botanica's SPF 45 Lavender Sunscreen is my favorite vegan and cruelty-free sunblock! It absorbs quickly, gives me maximum protection, and leaves me smelling delightful.


Big Black Sun Hat - Get inspired by goth fashion icon Lydia Deetz and rock a big black hat. Not only are big black hats chic, they also help protect from sunburn, preserve your hair's (unnatural) color, and keep your coif from becoming a messy rat's nest on windy days. Added bonus is that a hat this big can help block out other pesky beach-goers.


Bat Parasol - If you don't feel like wearing a hat, you can always use an eerily adorable parasol like this one! This is perfect for creating your own little shady spot on your beach towel, or using it as a sunshade when strolling down the boardwalk. Again, I'm a sucker for anything with bats!


blk. Spring Water - You have to stay hydrated in the icky heat, so why not do it goth style with this black water? Yes, the water is actually black due to the fulvic minerals in it, but it actually tastes quite refreshing and is packed with electrolytes and good-for-you minerals. You can find it on Amazon via the link above, but it is also sold at Whole Foods and BevMo stores.

Those are my summer beach goth essentials, what are yours?

Look out! Here comes summer!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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Food Review: NII Bars

April 3, 2015, 7:58 am
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Last month at the Natural Foods Expo West (check out my coverage here!), I was fortunate enough to stop by the NII Bars booth, where I got to sample their vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO verified nutrient-dense organic food bars!

While I sat there stuffing my face with all the flavors they had to offer, their founder Shanais Pelka told me all about her vision and her company. As a mom and nutritionist, Pelka was always looking for a quick and healthy to-go meal for herself and her kids. She didn't want to sacrifice nutrition for convenience, so she spent lots of time experimenting to create the perfect food bar. The end result is the NII Bar, which comes in five scrumptious flavors!

Pelka was nice enough to send me off with all five flavors of her bars to review, and I've been enjoying them since the Expo! Each bar is packed with nutrition and comprised of good-for-you ingredients like fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, and more. The ingredients are all-natural and easily recognizable. There are no weird chemical-sounding names you can't pronounce here!

The five flavors the bars come in are Peanut Butter, Cherry Coconut, Cacao Coconut, Berry Cashew, and Almond Chocolate Chip. I loved the taste of all the flavors, but if I was pressed to pick a favorite it would be the Almond Chocolate Chip or the Cherry Coconut! Seriously, though, you can't go wrong with any of the flavors, each of which are bursting with deliciousness! These definitely aren't your ordinary nutrition bars, but are full of flavor and the taste of fruit, nuts, and other all-natural ingredients.

Besides the amazing flavor, I really felt like these bars filled me up and kept me satiated for several hours! I usually eat one in the morning for breakfast or in the afternoon as a snack, and each time the NII bar keeps me full until the next meal. The bars pack around 200 - 250 calories, and are made with good fats from nuts and seeds, along with a healthy dose of protein, fiber, and other nutrients to fuel your body.

Another cool thing about NII Bars is that the company is committed to sustainability. The cartons and cases that they use are all made from recycled materials, they use vegetable-based inks on their packaging, and within the next six months their bar wrappers will be 100% recyclable! I love a company that commits to environmental responsibility!

NII not only makes some terrific tasting and wholesome nutrition bars, but they are also independently- and women-owned, plus committed to sustainability - what's not to love?! I highly recommend these awesome bars for a quick on-the-go meal or snack, plus you'll be supporting a wonderful company!

For more information and to purchase NII Bars, visit their website!

NII Bars are also available in a variety of stores - to see where they are available near you, use their store-locator!
SOURCE: www.thespookyvegan.com
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