20+ local small-batch producers. Try something new. Be inspired. Support our community. Overeat.

Neat Market is a monthly pop-up featuring 100% vegan goods. It will assemble next on Sunday, May 19th at HoodLAB (34th & Larimer, right by Nooch Vegan Market). There is a facebook event.

Come one, come all, for our World Wide Vegan Bake Sale!! We’ll have so many yummy goodies, including stuff from:

• Beet Box Bakery
• Sugar Bake Shop
• Root Down & Linger
• Local Organic Lunch
• Caterpillar Foods
• Bete Noire Chocolates
• Blackheart Creations
• Nom Pod
• and more!

So come on by NOOCH Vegan Market. It’s going to be a gorgeous day, and we’ll be out front. Vegan Van will also be there, and both NOOCH and Vegan Van will be donating 10% of their profits to Danzig’s as well!

AND a special deal! Bring your own tupperware/containers and get a special treat while supplies last!

It’s not too late if you want to donate baked goods or volunteer otherwise! Email me at kayla[at]plantsanimals.org
We’ll still take more goodies and could also use some help setting up, running the table, and tearing down!

A few months ago, I thought my car was breaking down and put myself on a severe budget to save money to buy a new one. I had to figure out which expenses to cut and how, but food was not one of the things I was willing to skimp on. I did some research, asked some friends, and picked up a few things on my own, and eventually I started to figure it out. People will tell you that it’s impossible, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money to still eat vegan and healthy, and you don’t have to spends hours a day slaving in your kitchen to stay on a tight budget. Here’s a few tips and tricks I learned that can help you out.

1. Stock your staples. Always have in your kitchen a few ingredients for quick, simple meals that you can eat the shit out of. These are different for everyone, but we all have a few things that we could probably eat every day for the rest of our lives. Keep a decent variety of healthy items in your pantry and freezer that cover all of your food groups (I try to pay special attention to iron and protein sources). There’s a few things that I always buy in bulk and keep in stock: one or two types of pasta, quinoa/rice/other grains, canned tomato sauce, nuts, nutritional yeast, septic packages of non-dairy milk, etc. There’s always those days where you’ll try to use the excuse “but there’s no food in my kitchen, so I have to eat out,” but keeping your pantry stocked makes it easy to whip up a quick, tasty spaghetti or sandwich. (Pro-tip: use resealable containers to keep ingredients fresh longer. I’ve gotten some large tupperware containers cheap from Ross and Ikea and always save jars.)

2. Always cook for two (or more). Every time you make yourself a good home-cooked meal, make a little extra! Save this for leftovers for lunch the next day at work or the next time you’re feeling too lazy to cook. Bringing your own lunch to work always saves you money, and you’ll probably eat a bit healthier too than having to rely on rushing to fast food on your short lunch break. Extras of things can make great gifts, too. Make an extra jar of pickles for a friend, send an out-of-state pal a little care package, or give your parents a batch of cookie dough to keep in their freezer for the next family meal so you’ll actually get dessert.

3. Your freezer is your friend. Make things that you can make lots of, and freeze it for later. Make a full pot of soup, and store the rest in resealable plastic bags flat in the freezer. Then thaw these overnight and re-heat for eating the next day. Got some fresh fruits and veggies that are about to go bad? Throw them in the freezer for later use, or make vegetable stock (or both). Making some homemade pizza? Make two and freeze one for to throw in the oven later. Don’t let anything go bad and go to waste – it’s exactly like throwing your money away.  You can also buy bulk items to store in your freezer to help them last longer, like nuts and chocolate chips. (Pro-tip: invest in a cheap blender and/or dehydrator to make more use out of soon-to-expire ingredients. Use a blender to make quick smoothies and sauces and a dehydrator to make dried snacks out of almost-too-ripe fruits and veggies.)

4. Eat with friends. Just because you eat out less doesn’t mean you can’t hang out with your friends! Invite friends over for potlucks. You can make a large amount of one or two dishes for cheap and everyone gets a delicious meal. And, if your friends are anything like my friends, there’s always plenty of delicious food and leftovers. If you’re looking for more like-minded veg-curious friends, come to Chomp or Neat Market, or email me! I have friends over for dinner and potlucks almost weekly!

4. Buy in bulk. Check prices and you’ll find that often it’s cheaper to buy in bulk. Sometimes this means going a bit out of your way to go to a grocery store that sells in bulk, but it can be worth it to make the trek every once in a while. Things like nutritional yeast, nuts, flours, and grains are always good to have around. Invest in some spice jars and buy all your spices in bulk. You can bring your jars to your bulk grocer and ask them for a “tare” weight before you put anything in it (this means the weight of the empty jar) and then load spices straight into your jar to cut down on the waste of plastic bags as well. (Pro-tip: bring a funnel too if you have one… it can get a bit messy.)

5. Make simple items from scratch. There’s a lot of simple things that you can make from scratch for next to nothing compared to their store-bought counterparts. You’ll also have the added benefit of no preservatives, less processing, and knowing exactly what’s in your food. Some examples of things I almost always make from scratch: most sauces (pasta, BBQ, salad dressings), veggie burgers and seitan sausages, cookie dough and other doughs and batters, vegetable stock and soups, and more. Make extra of these freezable  savable items for storage in the freezer. For simple items that you’re not so good at, ask a friend with expertise to teach you or trade homemade goods.

6. Shop the sales. There’s some things you just don’t have the time, expertise, or equipment to make from scratch. Wait to buy these until they are on sale. Whenever I see my brand of tofu or tempeh on sale, I buy a few. I throw all but one of each in the freezer, and each time I use the one in my fridge I move another one out of the freezer. I used to forget to do this, but after a couple times of trying every means possible to thaw a block of tofu, you learn to remember pretty quick. Do the same for expensive or luxury items. I absolutely love Field Roast sausages and Almond Dream ice cream sandwiches, but they’re just too expensive to buy all the time. But if I go to the grocery store and see they are on sale, I scoop them right up, and savor every last bite of them. When my staples are on sell, I’ll also always buy extra to stock up. Use coupons – you don’t have to stockpile every coupon, but when I find ones for things I like (or things that I don’t like to spend that much money on otherwise), I hold on to them. I once got about fifteen bags of Whole Foods organic vegan chocolate chips for about $1 each by combining a sale price with coupons. I kept them in the freezer and they lasted me about a year (and I bake a lot).

7. Change is good. Sometimes you get sick of eating the same old things. It’s hard to get outside of the box when you feel constrained by your budget. But don’t be afraid to try new things! Creativity in the kitchen is almost always rewarding. I like to switch up my diet every once in a while just to force myself to look at meals in a new light. Take out the gluten or oil, eat raw, or create themes or other challenges for your cooking, and you’ll find that there’s more than just the traditional way of eating. Besides, that’s what being vegan is all about, right? If something doesn’t work, ask friends or do an Internet search to learn more and don’t be afraid to try it again or try something else. Pay attention to yourself too and you’ll also learn more about the way that your body responds to certain things and you’ll be able to know exactly what you need and when. When I went raw, I figured out that I got headaches when I needed more protein or caffeine. Now, I always keep some fresh nuts and chocolate bars in my drawer at work to snack on whenever I feel a headache coming on, and I have them a lot less.

8. Ask for recipes and tips. Even if you’re a great chef, it can still be hard to come up with ideas and make great food. Ask friends for their (or your) favourite recipes, spend some time in the “cookbooks” aisle at your local bookstore, and follow a few good recipe blogs. It’s great to have a trusted chef or blog you can always go to when you need a recipe for something specific or just something good. I love almost anything by Isa Moskowitz (theppk.com and several cookbooks), Vegan Dad, Oh She Glows, and the Vegan Stoner. Other blogs and sources can also give you good health information, more great recipes, and other current vegan news, like Dr. Michael Gregor’s NutritionFacts.org, VegNews (you can also join their recipe club), and vegansaurus.

9. Let yourself splurge every once in a while. Don’t make yourself the bad guy/girl. Reward yourself every now and then for doing a good job. Take a friend out to lunch (they might even return the favor later) or treat yourself to a cup of coffee and a pastry from your favourite shop. If you constrain yourself too much, you can quickly become bitter and even rebound hard… and undo any savings progress you’ve made. Remind yourself of all of the good things about your new budget and healthy resolution and don’t be too humble to feel good about yourself, and you’ll find the benefits far outweigh the little sacrifices.

10. Be the best person you can be. Okay, this has less to do with cooking and budgeting, but is another major point I’ve learned recently that is definitely worth sharing. Be there for your friends and love people unconditionally, and you will continue to attract goodness. This is the majority of my vegan cruelty-free philosophy. You’ll find that when you need help, those people are right there for you, too. I could have never kept up a good attitude without the awesome people around me that were and always are there unconditionally to help me out, whether it’s encouragement, a nice lunch to hold out until payday, or a ride. And if you’ve surrounded yourself with great, compassionate, like-minded folks (like I’ve been lucky enough to do), then the more you give, the more you get. The community and positivity that comes out of that is beautiful and inspiring.

Have more tips of your own to share? Post them here in the comments!

It’s hard to believe that it’s late April with these nutty winter storms, isn’t it?

Luckily, your CHOMP! chefs will be bringing you a lovely tropical menu:

-Savory sweet potatoes
-Mango pineapple lime quinoa
-Raw sweet and spicy kale slaw
-Pineapple upside down cake.

As usual, we’ll be supping at Green Spaces (1368 26th St, between Larimer and Walnut) on Wednesday, May 1, at 7 p.m. Get there early for a good spot in line – it’s buffet-style.

The food will be a suggested donation of $8-10. Your donation helps to cover food and event costs for Chomp as well as help fund other awesome events and projects we do. For more info about Plants & Animals, visit www.plantsanimals.org.

We’ll also have some great door prizes. Everyone gets one ticket, but you can double up simply by bringing your own plate! And you can always buy more tickets for just 2/$1.

R.S.V.P. on Facebook so we know how much food to make, and spread the word to your friends!

Do you like to bake? Do you like to do cool stuff? Do you want to help out some great folks and roosters?

Help us put on our World Wide Vegan Bake Sale by donating some goods! Your stuff will be sold alongside foodstuffs from other local home bakers as well as local businesses like WaterCourse Bakery, Beet Box, and more!

The Details:

• April 28th, 11 am – 3 pm, outside of NOOCH Vegan Market
• All proceeds will benefit Danzig’s Roost Rooster Sanctuary

We’re looking for:

• 1-3 dozen of one (or more) items
• They do not need to be baked nor sweet! Raw*, cooked, and savory items are gladly accepted (*provided they are safely prepared and stored)
• Items must be 100% vegan (if you are unsure about this, ask me and I’ll help you find recipes!)
• This is a fundraiser, and we ask that all food be donated (no portion of costs will be reimbursed)

If you’re interested, email me at kayla[at]plantsanimals[dot]org with the following:

1. Your name and business name, if applicable
2. What item(s) you’d like to make (or a few and I’ll help you narrow it down), how much, and ingredient lists (so that we know allergen information)
3. Contact information and if you need someone to pick up items (otherwise, drop-off at Nooch day of by 10:30am)

** UPDATE: Neat Market has been moved to GREEN SPACES (26th & Walnut) this month. Due to an event conflict at Hoodlab, we are popping up 8 blocks down the road, so come to the right place! **

Neat Market vegan shop-up is a monthly DIY market-club featuring local small-scale producers and 100% vegan goods. It is regulated only by its participants. Many items are homemade, providing the Denver community a way to support a hyper-local vegan micro-economy (anything can be a word if you hyphenate it).

Neat Market pops up once a month. The next one is 11am-3pm at Green Spaces, 1368 26th St., on Sunday April 21st. Stop by to see how you can be a part of the market.

Neat Market was recently picked as “Best Pop-Up Store” in Westword‘s Best of Denver. How nice!

The moment we’ve all been waiting for… Beet Box, Denver’s favourite vegan commissary bakery, is finally opening their very own storefront! You’ve seen their donuts at NOOCH, their cookies at Vegan Van, and all sorts of other items at various coffee shops around the city. But now you’ll be able to get all that Beet Box-y goodness straight from the source, not to mention some coffee and (coming soon) cafe items as well!

The guys gave us a sneak peak at what the place looks like, and we are very excited! With a large kitchen (read: limitless vegan food), coffee bar, dining room (complete with opening garage door for those gorgeous Colorado days), and a vintage historic look, this is definitely a place that you’ll want to kill the majority of your time. We know we’ll be frequenting it.

Why we love Beet Box (and you should too):

• They are 100% vegan and also specialize in gluten-free and nut-free goods.
• They are awesome folks and good friends!
• They love giving back to their local community.
• Their food is delicious!

Beet Box plans to do a soft opening this week at their new location, 1030 E 22nd Avenue, with a grand opening to be announced later. Stay tuned for more info on a Carrot Mob at BeetBox to support these awesome folks!

Follow the jump for some pictures of the new space.

Fancy Plants has come and gone and needless to say it was a success!

We had close to 300 people in attendance, raised $3,300 for Peaceful Prairie and we got word that someone is matching our donation! Which brings the total to $6,600!

Here are more recaps:

- We ate delicious vegan foods prepared by Black Heart Creations, Vegan Van and our friend Abbie.
- We danced to the music from Chadzilla and The Asteroids and Brian Polk.
- We took photos by Scott Russell Photography.
- We gave away products from a ton of local businesses and some national.
- 303 Magazine and Denver Westword were there taking photos.

And we enjoyed all of this thanks to our sponsors: NOOCH, Earth Balance and Bee Free Honee @ The Mercury Cafe!

Thanks to all that came and supported vegan prom, we’ll see you next year!

Also, here is a picture of a few of the people that made vegan prom happen:

Well it’s that time of year again! The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are blooming, people are riding their bikes and now it’s time for another World Wide Vegan Bake Sale!! Get over to NOOCH on April 28th from 11am-3pm, grab some homemade baked goods, also some donated by Beet Box Bakery, and support Danzig’s Rooster Sanctuary!

Vegan Van will be there serving food as well!

NOOCH + Vegan Van will be donation 10% of all sales to Danzig’s!

If you’re interested in donating vegan baked goods (NO honey, NO eggs, NO animal milk etc…) please email: kayla (at) plantsanimals.org

Fancy Plants: A Vegan Prom is less than a week away!

There will be live music, dancing, DJs, vegan finger foods, photo station, cash bar and more!

Tix in advance are $10 and can be purchased here

$15 @ the door.

All proceeds benefit Peaceful Prairie.

Sponsored by Bee Free Honee and Earth Balance.

Also, giveaways from.

NOOCH vegan market
Sweet Action Ice Cream
Runa Tea
Bee Free Honee
Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast
and more!

Hope to see you there!