A Plant-Based Book

The Date: Friday, July 29
The Delivery: The new issue of Entertainment Weekly and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition by Julieanna Hever
Staff Pick: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition

The DL: Some of us here at the VNHQ are big Hunger Games fans, but we're even bigger Julieanna Hever fans (she's a VN columnist, after all!). We've been hearing about this new book for months and can't wait to dive in. Will reading it play into our weekend plans? There's a high probability. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend as well. Keep cool and we'll see you Monday!

Nail Polish and Trader Joe's Goodies

The Date: Thursday, July 28

The Delivery: Nail polish from Scotch Naturals and coconut milk and Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits from Trader Joe's

Staff Pick: The nail polish in Seething Jealousy

The DL: You might be in seething jealousy at the sight of this gorgeous shade of non-toxic, water-based nail polish, and we wouldn't blame you. We want this color on our nails as badly as we want a Mai Tai Martini in our hands. We're too busy finishing up our insane-amazing September+October issue to stop for manicure, but luckily we'll be able to grab the martini at tonight's SF Vegan Drinks. In the Bay Area? We'd love to see you! 

New Books

The Date: Wednesday, July 27
The Delivery: Skinny Bitch: The Ultimate Guide to Home, Beauty, and Style by Kim Barnouin, Say No to Meat by Amanda Strombom and Stewart Rose, and another copy of the Forks Over Knives cookbook
Staff Pick: Skinny Bitch: The Ultimate Guide to Home, Beauty, and Style


The DL: We love the Skinny Bitch series' no-nosense way of pushing the vegan message. It makes us want to shout, "You go, girl," but then we remember it's not 2002. We are so excited to receive a galley of Kim Barnouin's new book, and hope reading it and heeding its message will make us just as fabulous as she is. You go,— See, we had to stop ourselves again.

Books and Vegan Nail Polish

The Date: Tuesday, July 26
The Delivery: Raw Power! by Thor Bazler, 52 Small Changes by Brett Blumenthal, and vegan nail polish from Sheswai Lacquer
Staff Pick: The nail polish in Perfecto!

The DL: We have a sneaking suspicion you might be seeing a few more bottles of nail polish grace this blog in the upcoming weeks. Let's just say this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. And by "friendship" we mean "piece in the November+December issue." While you're waiting, take a peek inside the fascinating, furry, and fun world of farm sanctuaries with tonight's VegNews Twitter Chat, where we will be joined by Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, SASHA Farm, PIGS Sanctuary, and Best Friends Animal Society. Don't know how to participate? Read our handy guide. See you tonight!

An Apron and Spices

The Date: Monday, July 25
The Delivery: Spices from The Delicious Dietitian and a cheeky apron from Pom Wonderful
Staff Pick: The Creole seasoning

The DL: Today was a day of spicy deliveries, both literally and figuratively. We hope the phrase "big things come in small packages" rings true with this Creole seasoning, giving a normal meal of rice and beans a Cajun kick. While some of us are simple/lazy/untalented chefs, VN Editorial Assistant Hilary's "rice and beans" is "homemade gnocchi and heirloom tomato salad." Read more about Hilary's delicious lunch on Café VegNews!

Beans and Bars

The Date: Thursday, July 22
The Delivery: Orchard Bars in three flavors, and The Good Bean in four flavors
Staff Pick: Sweet Cinnamon The Good Beans

The DL: The delivery guys must have known today that we are feeling snacky at the VNHQ. With most of the team in Los Angeles for Animal Rights 2011, those of us remaining are trying to hold down the fort, which can make you really hungry, it turns out. Hummus is typically our go-to means of garbanzo bean consumption, but we look forward to seeing if sweet suits these snacks as well as savory usually does.

New Books

The Date: Thursday, July 21
The Delivery: Spork-Fed by Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg and Maggie's Second Chance by Nancy Furstinger and Joe Hyatt
Staff Pick: Spork-Fed

The DL: Squeals of delight could be heard down the halls of the VNHQ when we received the galley for Spork-Fed. Adorable, sweet-as-can-be Spork Foods founders and sisters Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg's first cookbook is filled with recipes for delicious things like South Carolina Barbecue Tofu Sandwiches and Crunchy Peanut Butter Bonbons. Basically, it is girl crush (and food crush) city over here right now.

Magazine Issues

The Date: Wednesday, July 20
The Delivery: New issues of Elle and Bust
Staff Pick: Elle


The DL: We here at VegNews don’t just love our magazine, but others too! We are always excited to see both Bust and Elle come to the office, but Elle won out this time due to one of its cover stars. Did one of the lady VN staffers quickly search for the article on Justin Timberlake right after This Just In photos were taken? Why yes, yes she did (and she will remain nameless, until this blog writer deems it necessary to share such information). Plus, we love a good subscriber cover. Happy reading!

New Book

The Date: Tuesday, June 19
The Delivery: Naturally Amazing by Dusan Dudas
Staff Pick: Naturally Amazing
a
The DL: We bet vegan bodybuilder Dusan Dudas gets the question "where do you get your protein?" all the time. Luckily for him (and for the rest of us), he can just give his questioners his new book, filled with information on protein, nutrition, and exercise that will definitely get you looking like Hans and Franz in no time. Sure, we might read this book while enjoying a veggie burrito, but at least we'll be getting our protein, right? (Thank you, black beans!)

Cookbooks and Lotion

The Date: Monday, July 18
The Delivery: Peas and Thank You by Sarah Matheny, Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman, and organic, non-vegan lotion from John Masters Organics
Staff Pick: Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites
a
The DL: We don't know about all of you out there in Internetville, but we are proud to say that we always have a monster appetite. From birthday cakes to deep-dish pizza, there's no plate we can't tackle. And this new cookbook is no different: We can't wait to try out Chorizo Flautas, Hawaiian Benedict, and Peanut Butter Rocky Road Pound Cakes. For breakfast.

Sticky Fingers Cupcakes

The Date: Friday, July 15
The Delivery: Cupcake kits from Sticky Fingers Bakery
Staff Pick: The cupcakes. All eight of them.

The DL: Earlier this week, Sticky Fingers Bakery competed on an all-star episode of Cupcake Wars. While this time around they did not take home first place, Sticky Fingers will always, always be winners in our hearts. We are dying to try these cupcakes, some of which are flavors from Sticky Fingers' first appearance (ginger cake with blueberry frosting, anyone?), and others from this week's episode. Whiskey cake with vermouth frosting? Don't mind if we do. Have a great weekend everybody!

Gardening Book

The Date: Thursday, July 14
The Delivery: The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds by Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough
Staff Pick: The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds

The DL: We here at the VNHQ are aspiring gardeners (well, at least Associate Editor Jennifer is), and we're betting our next bunch of basil that this book is filled with tips to create a top-notch garden. Now, please excuse us for a moment while we plant a little seed of our own: Want to ensure you receive our September+October food issue? Today is the last day to subscribe in time, so head on over to vegnews.com and grab a subscription today!

Vegan Skincare

The Date: Wednesday, July 13
The Delivery: Clay masque, rosewater toner, and moisturizing serum from Foreue
Staff Pick: The Le Mudd Clay Masque

The DL: Who doesn't love a little cruelty-free pampering every now and then? This mud mask smells great and we hope it makes our skin look stunning, too. Treat your skin with lots of TLC this summer by picking a sunscreen that's both good for you and kind to animals with our vegan sunscreen guide.

Eggplant Fries

The Date: Tuesday, July 12
The Delivery: Veggie fries from Dominex
Staff Pick: The fries!

The DL: We are very interested in trying these eggplant fries. Will they taste like French fries? Onion rings? Both? We'll just have to taste test and see. In the meantime, we're so excited to bring you our 2012 VegVacations to Bali, Mexico, India, and Thailand! You pick the trip, we'll bring the eggplant fries and our 10 travel essentials.

Veg Books

The Date: Monday, July 11
The Delivery: Veg Haven: Southeast Asia, Five to Thrive by Lise Alschuler and Karolyn Gazella, and Forks Over Knives: The How-To Companion, edited by Gene Stone
Staff Pick: Forks Over Knives: The How-To Companion
a
The DL: We here at the VNHQ are big fans of Forks Over Knives (it's one of our 10 must-watch veg movies, after all), and we're pretty stoked to see a companion book filled with facts, findings, and plant-based recipes that are good for animals, the earth, and human health. The only thing better than strawberry pie is strawberry pie that helps keep diabetes and cardiovascular disease at bay!

Movies, Wallets, and Greek Delights

The Date: Friday, July 8
The Delivery: An advance copy of Vegucated, vegan wallets from The Vegan Collection, Turkish delight and ouzo from Greece (thanks to Editor-at-Large Laura Hooper Beck for the goods!), and The Latest in Clinical Nutrition, Volume 5
Staff Pick: Veducated

The DL: We first learned about the new documentary Vegucated when talking to Marisa Miller Wolfson for May+June 2011's "Water Cooler," and we can't wait to watch the film. It's always interesting to watch people's transformations as they go vegan. Spend your next rainy weekend watching some more great  veg films (did someone say Babe?) in our 10 Must-See Veggie Movies. Happy Friday!

Books and Fruit Bars

The Date: Thursday, July 7
The Delivery: Sinfully Vegan by Lois Dieterly, I'm Mad as Hell and I'm Not Gonna Eat it Anymore by Christina Pirello, and fruit bars by That's It
Staff Pick: Sinfully Vegan

The DL: Sinfully Vegan's cover promises that its dessert recipes will "satisfy every sweet tooth." Considering every one of our teeth here at the VNHQ is sweet, we're pretty jazzed about Dieterly's cookbook, which now features 20 new recipes. We're looking forward to trying the recipe for S'mores Cupcakes. If you love s'mores as much as we do (unlikely), be sure to look for our upcoming September+October issue!

Cookbooks and Raw Snacks

The Date: Wednesday, July 6
The Delivery: All American Vegan by Jennifer and Nathan Winograd, Vegan for Life by Jack Norris and Virginia Messina, and raw banana chip cereal and raw tortillas from Zaza Raw
Staff Pick: All American Vegan

The DL: We know not to judge a book by its cover, but in the case of All American Vegan we couldn't help ourselves. It's just so darn cute! We hoped we wouldn't find recipes for boiled sprouts and salad topped with salad when opening its pages, and we were much relieved to find Americana-inspired dishes such as corndogs and banana cream pie instead. Now if only we had a spatula like the guy on the cover, we could make some serious batches of All American Vegan's French toast.

Vegan Brownie Mix

The Date: Tuesday, July 5
The Delivery: Chocolate Dream Baking Chips, a bag of Bliss Brownie Mix from The Inspired Cookie, and some herbal dietary supplements from Mountain Rose Herbs
Staff Pick: The brownie mix

The DL: The maker of The Inspired Cookie line is fellow San Franciscan Sarah Gill, who personally dropped off this bag of brownie mix, which is a brand new product of hers. If it's anything like her pre-made Brownie Bliss desserts, then we're happy campers. Today we announced the 2012 VegNews Vacations, about which we're very excited! Check them out—you might just have the time of your life.

Sweetly Raw

The Date: Friday, July 1
The Delivery: Raw macaroons from Wonderfully Raw Gourmet
Staff Pick: The Lemon Pie CocoRoons

The DL: We were tipped off about this company from Associate Publisher Colleen Holland, so we knew we had to get some of their treats to try in the office. These macaroons look to die for, and we can't wait to rip open the bag and see just how tasty they are. We wish everyone a happy Fourth of July weekend—be sure to eat a bunch of vegan goodies!