Ben & Jerry’s mustn’t have gotten the memo that Vegansaurus has almost 100,000 likes because we were somehow overlooked when the invitations were sent out for the recent blogger rendezvous in Vermont to taste test their new, non-dairy (vegan-certified) flavors. Our product samples must have also gotten lost in the mail, as did our coupons…but we’re not mad atcha. We’ve just stepped up to the challenge of having been left to our own devices to track the arrival of the 4 new, almond milk-based flavors. Vegans are psyched! [ed. note: I think Laura was invited to some LA event to try the flavors but I just love when Abby gets riled up!]

Considering I’ve been asking Ben & Jerry’s to develop a vegan line since the early aughts (do we hate this term? love it? I can’t decide [ed. note: team LOVE]), I was definitely the vegan for the job. I’ll admit that I wasted quite a bit of time scouring all of the upscale supermarkets in a 30 mile radius until, with a tip from a pal, I was able to secure three out of the four flavors in no time–from Target.

And remember when I said vegans were psyched? I was most definitely including myself in that generality. When the pints didn’t ring up the right price, I excitedly showed the cashier the photo I’d just taken as evidence–and then tried to explain to her why exactly I’d just taken a photo in the freezer section. But, I digress. People were asking me for a review before I’d even gotten the pints home. What do they take me for, some kind of heathen? Everyone knows you can only eat dry goods while driving.

As soon as I arrived home, my food-sniffing vegan dog knew something was up. She immediately had her sights set on the Chunky Monkey and, admittedly, so did I. But I dutifully plated all of the selections without so much as a taste before everything had been photographically documented. That made one of us.

To start, can I just get a hallelujah for Ben & Jerry’s? I haven’t had any for the better part of 2 decades, but it was instantly evident that they’ve still got it: each was a laudable mix of creamy ice cream, ribbons of flavor, and chunks of goodness. I took the factory tour as a vegetarian in the nineties and I always remembered that their quality control ensured that all of the elements were consistent throughout the pint; this non-dairy version all these years later is no exception.

While we were all considering the possible impending flavors, The Bearded Vegans made a valid point about not wanting them to be plain or boring. I couldn’t have agreed more and I’m happy to say that the rollout of the first 4 non-dairy flavors (before total vegan domination) is exceptional on that front. Incidentally, almond milk-based ice creams aren’t usually my go-to, but I think that
in this case it lends a lightness and airiness to these otherwise
phenomenally bold flavor combinations.

P.B. & Cookies: vanilla non dairy frozen dessert with chocolate sandwich cookies and crunchy peanut butter swirls. Depending on the bite, you get a cookie-packed mouthful of cookies and cream, or cookies and cream stuffed with a peanut butter bonus. Easily the best cookie-based ice cream I’ve ever had; my favorite.

Coffee Caramel Fudge: coffee non dairy frozen dessert with fudge chunks and caramel swirl. Extraordinarily creamy: the coffee is definitely prominent, but the caramel and fudge take the edge off. I liked this infinitely more than I expected to; also my favorite.

Chunky Monkey: banana non dairy frozen dessert with fudge chunks and walnuts. This flavor had my memory to live up to and I think it surpassed it with ease. The lightest of the three and definitely my favorite. More importantly, 89′s favorite (no nuts or chocolate, thankyouverymuch).

Chocolate fudge brownie: chocolate non dairy frozen dessert with fudge brownies. Still on the lookout, but no luck yet; sure to be a favorite. Feel free to weigh in if you’ve tried.

Every time a non-vegan company comes out with a vegan option, there is quite the debate about whether to support it. I’m almost always team local, but sometimes mainstream offerings help to bridge the gap between vegan items and non-vegans. I can’t help but to generally support as many vegan endeavors as I can find; it gives me an excuse to eat more ice cream.

Who has two thumbs and loves Vegan Shop-ups at Pine Box Rock Shop? This girl! Be there this Saturday for a super-special Valentine’s slash anniversary extravaganza!

Per usual, there promises to be no shortage of sweet and savory goodies from a bunch of awesome vendors:

“Heart-Shaped Cakes + Boxes of Chocolates + Pink Pastries + Hot Dogs +
Tempeh Burgers + Pretzel Cinnamon Buns + Grilled Cheese + Croissants +
Caramels + Samosas + Artisan Cheeses + Pâtés + Pot Pies + Cannolis + Raw
Foods + Brownies + Peanut Butter Cups + Macarons + Empanadas + Mac ‘n’
Cheese + Gluten-Free Sweets + Handbags + T-Shirts + Skin Care
+ somuchmore!”

And don’t forget libations: tons of beer on tap and specialty cocktails aplenty- including their famous bloody Mary menu (21+ ID required).

The only thing I love more than the Vegan Shop-ups is swag, and rumor has it there will be goodie bags for attendees that just may include Justin’s (though not this one), Surf Sweets, and Cocomels. Ya gotta love it.

And, as if all this isn’t enough, this Valentine nerd will be making an appearance as well.

You should definitely drop everything to attend this very special Vegan Shop-Up!
Can’t?
You’ll be missing out, but you can catch the next installment at the illustrious MooShoes.

Can someone just get Mike Stura a cape already?

You’ve surely heard of the brave but frightened cow that was running the streets of Queens yesterday, having escaped a slaughterhouse. Police corralled the streets, ultimately catching him unharmed and disappointingly returning him to the place from which he’d just broken free.

But thankfully the story didn’t end there (we’d be the biggest Debbie Downers of all time if that was the case). Mike Stura to the rescue! As I watched the surreal footage of a cow wandering an urban neighborhood, I half expected to see Mike, dressed like a superhero, bounding down the street after him. While that didn’t happen, I was not surprised to wake up this morning to the news that Mike had, in fact, managed to convince the slaughterhouse to relinquish the cow to his care at Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue as an act of goodwill. Dear Freddie, you have no idea how good you are about to have it!

Escaped “food animals” always make the news and inevitably elicit sympathy from even the most ardent omnivores. These are great opportunities to start a conversation about why people feel empathetic toward one animal looking for well-deserved TLC, while simultaneously turning a blind eye to the millions of animals killed for food yearly in this country alone–each yearning for freedom just as Freddie did. 

While I don’t possess the wherewithal to do what Mike, Wendy, and all of the amazing volunteer staff at Skylands do on a daily basis, my support of their endeavors helps me to feel that I am some small part of the amazing work that they do. If you love these happy endings as much as I do, you can help too!

Remember when Chef Adam Sobel broke all of our hearts by taking The Cinnamon Snail trucks off the street last year, only bestowing upon us a pea-size mound of hope by promising that there were a lot of different opportunities he wanted to explore? Relive the horror and sadness here, but rejoice because THEY’RE FINALLY BACK!*

Behold The Pennsy, a “new innovative culinary destination” located in NYC at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue, showcasing the work of 5 chefs: including the incomparable Adam Sobel! It’s a sprawling first floor space right at Penn Station and Madison
Square Garden (read: lines will be long) offering innovative, fast casual
fare to eat in (swanky couches and rustic tables with stools abound) or
take out. An exaggerated staircase has also been installed outside,
which will surely hold lots of nomming folks in the warmer weather.

Blah, blah, blah…THE FOOD!! If you’re crafty (i.e. vegan), you’ve already magnified the first photo to see if your Snail fave made it to the menu. I, on the other hand, had the explicit pleasure of checking for myself firsthand (Thai BBQ Tempeh- score!), having been invited to the pre-party earlier this week. Let me tell you, this place is humming! It’s large, welcoming, and has Snail food! What more could you ask for?

I want to go on record as saying that ABBY BEAN HAD THE FIRST CINNAMON SNAIL MEAL SERVED (to guests) AT THE PENNSY! Yep, my innate anxiety loyalty had me on line way early and in the door with a beeline towards the glorious donut that marks the resto before anyone else. If there were awards for culinary dedication, I would surely win.

Oh, wait: there kind of is! In this case it was in the form of the perennial fave of most Snailians: korean barbeque seitan: served open faced on a grilled tortilla slathered with chili butter, kimchi, and greens. My buddy ordered the same as a bowl, which means it’s prepared over greens and red quinoa pilaf instead of bread: new option! Yep, there are some new additions to the menu as well. Spoiler alert: pretzel bunz.

Speaking of donuts (I’m pretty much always speaking of donuts), fear not! There. Will. Be. Donuts. You can expect these giant cases to be filled with a vast array of the Snail’s sweet, illustrious, circular, dough confections from now until forever (pretty please?).

In case you were wondering, The Pennsy also has a bar. They were serving non-alcoholic cocktails at the pre-party, but there promises to be an assortment of alcoholic libations upon opening.

I’ve been loving on The Cinnamon Snail a good long time, which makes me especially proud and excited that they are part of this groundbreaking new addition to the midtown landscape. Furthermore, I’m proud (but not surprised) to report that their handcrafted menu items were the most appetizing items circulating The Pennsy! Flawless execution by a fun-loving team.

I was there the day the truck opened in NJ and the day they expanded to NY, so I’m particularly grateful to have had the opportunity to bear witness as they embark upon yet another installment of their well-deserved success: this time sans wheels. The Cinnamon Snail reached a TON of non-vegans in their tri-state travels, but now that they’re staying put in the heart and hub of NYC I believe their reach is farther than ever.

Get thee to The Pennsy!

*opening January 11th

We know there are Vegansaurs far and wide, so if you can’t make it to NYC, be sure to get yourself Street Vegan for more Snaily food you can even dream about. As for me? I’ll just bring a sleeping bag to The Pennsy.

Hi folks, 89 here. I’m taking over for my human, Abby Bean, because she’s busy baking me more biscuits.

Her pal Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals (FOA for those in the know), sent us their newest cookbook, For the Love of Dog Biscuits and I could kiss her right on the mouth for it. Even though I kept glancing at it meaningfully and tapping my paw, AB kept it on the coffee table for weeks before she finally got the hint and began baking.

I could tell when she started that she just wasn’t into it. Kneading? Rolling pin? She’s very lazy. So I just sat patiently smelling all the things I love, such as pumpkin, peanut butter, sweet potato, and willing her with my giant eyes to hurry up.

It really took her no time at all. It was so simple that she made me two flavors in one night, but then wrapped a bunch up for our pals. Whatevs; I still had plenty.

I heard her kvetching that most dogs get mass-produced dog biscuits, but I AM NOT MOST DOGS. Also, shut up Abby. Once she saw how much I loved them she promised to make them for me again and again for always (now that this in print it has to be true), so peep her Insta (really mine) for more biscuits in future.

If you love your dog to bits like my human does, this cookbook should definitely be on your holiday wishlist. It’s separated by month with a timely seasonal recipe for each. So far she’s made April (because she doesn’t follow rules): Lola’s All Paws Up Sweet Potato Biscuits, and November: Cinnamon Clove Pumpkin Biscuits; I can’t pick a favorite.

Do yourself and your human a favor by picking up this book and supporting FOA, it’s win-win!