A call for extending grace to the would-be vegans out there trying their best

"A queer business is simply a space ... that allows those who fall outside of the norm to actually come to work as their whole selves," says one staffer.

We talk to Chef Xavier Bonnafous of Southern Pressed Juicery, in Greenville, South Carolina, who is known for his innovative raw and vegan creations.

Emilia Terragni, cookbook publisher at Phaidon Press, shares the key to success for vegetarian cookbooks.

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Casey Easton pairs cauliflower and cardamom for a simple snack to eat plain or dipped in hummus.

The executive Chef of Gramercy Tavern and Untitled restaurant in New York City took a time out from the kitchen to chat with VT about making vegetable-centered meals.

Tell us the vegetarian ingredient you're most thankful for! And read below what others have to say.

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Emily von Euw, blogger at This Rawsome Vegan Life, author of 100 Best Juices, Smoothies, and Healthful Snacks, shares her favorite culinary pairing: cantaloupe and vanilla.

Got a super-tasty and creative way to top your meatless patty? We want to hear about it! Share your comment below, and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of the magazine.

Each month, we highlight a different reader's "vegiversary"—the anniversary of when they went veg. Read this one, then share yours for a chance to be featured in the magazine.

Anchor/correspondent for MundoFox National Network News, this three-time Emmy Award winner is also co-author of the true-crime book Dancing on Her Grave: The Murder of a Las Vegas Showgirl. An animal lover who’s adopted two cats and two dogs, Sarassa went vegetarian three years ago and is now vegan.

Each month, we highlight a different reader's "vegiversary"—the anniversary of when they went veg. Read this one, then share yours for a chance to be featured in the magazine.

Helming Spanish-language versions of such iconic game shows such as The Price Is Right, this Mexican broadcaster currently hosts 100 Latinos Dijeron on MundoFOX. Regil went vegan in September 2006, after watching the PETA documentary Glass Walls. Here's our chat with him.

Got a tried-and-true way to eat vegetarian or vegan for less? Share your comment here, and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of the magazine.

Best known for her roles in Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion and Disney’s The Parent Trap, this actress has a reputation as a matchmaker—a pet matchmaker, that is. So much so that she’s teamed up with Sideshow Network for The Pet Matchmaker Podcast. The vegan and animal activist here answers questions about pets and the people who love them.

Sisters Catherine and Bo Fortney's cover of “Hanging Tree,” from The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1, put their musical duo at the top of the Music Audio Chart. Here's our Q&A with Catherine, 14, and Bo, 17, who taught themselves how to play guitar (and are both vegetarian).

Each month, we highlight a different reader's "vegiversary"—the anniversary of when they went veg. Read this one, then share your own!

Justin Bua’s art spans not just galleries and museums, but also the street. Additionally, he serves as host, co-judge, and executive producer on Oxygen's Street Art Throwdown. A longtime vegan, he recently developed the Bua Bar. We chatted with him about making stone-ground chocolate, raising his daughter vegan, and more.

Got a go-to dish that you make ahead and freeze? (We love freezing homemade casseroles like Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie!) Share your comment below, and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

Joshua Katcher has a reputation as a rebel wunderkind in the fashion world, thanks to the elegant and animal-product-free clothing he designs for his brand, Brave GentleMan. We asked him about how he got started in fashion, and what he loves to cook at home.

Each month, we highlight a different reader's "vegiversary"—the anniversary of when they went veg. Read this one, then share your own.

What do you love most: Kale? Spinach? Collard greens? Swiss chard? Share your answer here, and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

Each month, we highlight a different reader’s “vegiversary”—the anniversary of when they went veg. Read this one, then share your own.

We chatted with this New Yorker contributor, children's book author, and musician in the band The Hostages about humor, vegetarianism, and "bacherloresque" cooking.

The cartoonist/illustrator/children’s book author, who's a New Yorker contributor, reveals why he gave up eating meat, what he loves to cook, and who makes him laugh.

Each month, we highlight a different reader's "vegiversary"—the anniversary of when they went veg. Read this one, then share your own.

Appearing in NBC’s Parenthood, Matt Luria also co-stars in the DirecTV series Kingdom, another family drama, but with a difference: it takes place in the hard-bitten world of mixed martial arts. Debuting this fall, Kingdom has already been picked up for additional episodes, airing in 2015 and 2016.

What’s your go-to dish for impressing non-vegetarian dinner guests? (We've had lots of luck with the Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas, pictured above!) Share your comment below, and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

Co-starring in the new NBC series Constantine, Charles Halford appeared recently in HBO’s Emmy-winning drama True Detective opposite fellow vegan Woody Harrelson. Also a detective show—though with an otherworldly bent—Constantine is inspired by the DC Comics series John Constantine: Hellblazer. The show debuts this Friday, just in time for Halloween.

Married couple Theodore Melfi and Kimberly Quinn both have producer credits in the much-buzzed-about film St. Vincent, opening in theaters October 17. Both also follow a plant-based diet. Here, the two answer questions about eating vegan, as well as about the film, which Melfi wrote and directed, and in which Quinn has a co-starring role.

Alexandra Paul may spend plenty of time behind the camera, producing eco-themed documentaries such as Jam Packed and The Cost of Cool, but the former Baywatch co-star’s acting career continues to purr along. In the fall, she stars in FireQuake for the SyFy channel: “I play a scientist who has invented a clean energy source, but the big bad company that owns the patent misuses it, and all hell breaks loose,” she says. Here, we talk to Paul about her advocacy of healthful, ecologically mindful living.

Make or Break: The Linda Perry Project puts other talent reality shows to shame in that it truly is unscripted. Authenticity was one of the requirements for songwriter-producer Perry to sign onto the VH1 show. Debuting this summer, Make or Break follows the co-writer of such hits as “Get the Party Started” and “Beautiful” as she mentors aspiring music-makers vying for a deal on her label, Custard Records.

Patricia de Leon’s career in front of the camera began with her work as an anchor and reporter in her native country, Panama. Then Hollywood beckoned. De Leon has appeared in films as well as on TV, including the Starz series Magic City. A vegetarian, she’s taken a real-life role in PETA’s campaign against bullfighting.

I like to buy products with homegrown raw materials when I can, and it’s nice when U.S. authorities help not hinder that from happening. I’m thinking hemp oil, hemp milk, hemp apparel, and (if I ever build my dream house) Hempcrete.

Actress Dylan Gelula can be seen in two series: TV Land’s Jennifer Falls, and ABC Family’sChasing Life. Gelula’s been meat-free for most of her 20 years.

As the president and co-founder of the nation's largest farm animal rescue and protection organization, Gene Baur seizes every opportunity to raise awareness about the effects of factory farming. Marathon running has given him a new outlet for his energy and a unique way to advocate for animals.

You probably recognize the Melissa’s logo from stickers and labels on fruits and veggies you’ve bought. But unless you’re in the food world, chances are you don’t know Robert Schueller, public relations director at the largest supplier of variety produce in the U.S.

As if her plate isn't already full with an acting career and her nonprofit foundation, Izabella Miko is also seriously into cooking. On the last day of shooting Starving in Suburbia, the new Lifetime movie she co-stars in, she treated cast and crew to homemade vegan treats.

Share your comments, and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

Laura went veg in June 1995 after staying with a family member who was not eating meat at the time. Click to learn more about Laura, including her best advice for new vegetarians.

A little bit electro-pop and a little bit folk, singer-songwriter Dan Croll is showing up on lists like iTunes New Artists 2014 and VEVO’s Ones to Watch 2014.

Marking its fifth anniversary in style, the Red Carpet Green Dress contest is adding menswear to the mix on Oscar night. Founded by eco-activist Suzy Amis Cameron, Red Carpet Green Dress not only spotlights ethical and sustainable fashion but also helps raise funds for nonprofits.

Having both Comedy Central and The New Yorker on your resume says something about range, or maybe it’s versatility. And that’s not even all there is to Pete Holmes’s work history: he’s written for sitcoms and hosts a podcast, while the second season of late-night TV’s “The Pete Holmes Show” starts February 24.

Share your answer and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

Add at least one more vegetarian to the population of Park City, Utah, during this year’s Sundance Film Festival. A New York transplant from her native Australia, Stephanie Ellis co-stars in the independent feature The Sleepwalker, which premieres at the festival on January 20.

Electro-pop artist and radio show cohost Terri Nunn has a glorious voice, opinions that feel lived-in, a no-holds-barred curiosity, and a livewire sense of humor.

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Michael Stebner is executive chef at True Foods Kitchen, a chain of restaurants developed by Dr. Andrew Weil and Phoenix restaurateur Sam Fox with the goal of serving great-tasting food that also happens to be nutritious.

Congratulations to VT reader Susan Hayse, vegetarian since 2004 and winner of a prize pack from Frontier Natural Products.

We want to celebrate your awesome commitment to vegetarianism or veganism and inspire others by sharing your story of when and why you went veg. Plus, enter for a chance to win cool prizes from Frontier Natural Products!

Share your answer and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

We get lots of questions from our readers. Here, VT editors respond.

It's hard not to marvel at Josh Garrett. The 30-year-old track coach from Southern California just backpacked the Pacific Crest Trail—all 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada—in a record-setting 59 days. In the name of raising money for animal rights group Mercy for Animals, he hiked as quickly as he could, averaging 45 miles a day and sleeping just a few hours every night. How to fuel such an epic adventure? Below, Garrett gives props to his vegan lifestyle (he made the switch about two years ago) and the awe-inspiring critters he met along the way.

I’ve survived another Shark Week. Every August, I steer clear of the Discovery Channel’s glut of sharks-ploitative shows with titles like Voodoo Sharks and Great White Serial Killer. Still, I've got to credit Shark Week with every now and then presenting an edifying program like Shark Fight, about Shark Attack Survivors for Shark Conservation (yes, you read that right). Here, a Q & A with the organizer of the group, Debbie Salamone, whose Achilles tendon was severed in a shark attack—she recovered successfully to resume her hobby of competitive dancing.

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We want to know: What’s your best throw-together dinner idea after a long day at the office? We love the Roasted Red Pepper Pita Pizzas, pictured above. Share your answer below and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

We want to know: What’s your favorite breakfast that keeps you going until lunchtime? We love the Quinoa-Rice Granola pictured above! Share your answer below and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the next issue of Vegetarian Times.

What motivated you to go veg? I was working in a kitchen that served meat. It grossed me out.

You might not know her name yet, but you probably recognize Canadian actor Jud Tylor from roles on Mad Men, Beautiful People, and That 70’s Show.

Hot Knives is the beer-, cheese-, and vegetable-loving duo Evan George and Alex Brown. What began as a newspaper column written by the two former line cooks has grown into an entertaining blog and two cookbooks: The Hot Knives Vegetarian Cookbook: Salad Daze, and Lust for Leaf, which will be released later this spring. When they’re not cooking up something fun, Evan George is an investigative journalist and food writer, and Alex Brown is a cheese expert and general manager for Gourmet Imports in Los Angeles. Vegetarian Times caught up with the Hot Knives for a chat about their latest projects, vegetarian culture, cheese choices, and of course, beer.

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February is the month of love. Who better to spread this sentiment than five-time Grammmy winning reggae star Ziggy Marley, son of the legendary Bob Marley? From his rousing rendition of his father's anthem "Could You Be Loved?" at the 2013 Grammy Awards to his just-published chidlrens' e-book I Love You Too!, Ziggy's been busy bringing a message of love to the people. And, that's not all he's been up to. He recently released the acclaimed documentary Marley, a film he executive produced on the life and music of his legendary father, a companion soundtrack, a new live album—and even launched his very own line of flavored coconut oils and hemp seed snacks, Ziggy Marley Organics. Below, Ziggy takes a time-out to share his affinity for nutrient-dense coconuts and hemp seeds, his stance on GMO-foods and agricultural hemp, his signature breakfast, and three wise words: "Love one another."

We want to know: How do you fight food waste in your home? Share your answer below and see what others have to say.

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t’s that time of the year when Holistic Holiday at Sea gears up for yet another nautical adventure! I took part in last year's voyage, blogging daily from the high seas. Aboard the MSC Poesia, I could choose from over 130 classes and lectures with some of my favorite plant-based nutrition experts and chefs including T. Colin Campbell, PhD; Neal D. Barnard, MD; Warren Kramer, and Christina Pirello.

We want to know: What's your favorite veggie to roast? Share your answer below and see what others have to say. Our favorite responses will be published in the December issue of Vegetarian Times.

Tell VT: What’s your signature Thanksgiving dish, and why is it special? Share your answer below and see what others have to say.

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Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Read the tricks and tips that VT readers learned from cooking alongside their mothers.

I can't believe my week-long Holistic Holiday at Sea is already over. Not only have I had the opportunity to learn from the leading plant-based chefs and nutrition experts, but I've also been fortunate enough to learn from my fellow cruisers.

It was a beautiful (albeit bumpy) day at sea today. But, did rough waters keep me from enjoying some cooking classes, seminars, sun, and amazing vegan food? Not a chance.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.