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If you're in Seattle, visit this well-stocked vegan-only shop in the lively University District.

Kate Shaffer, co-owner of Maine-based Black Dinah Chocolatiers and author of Desserted: Recipes and Tales from an Island Chocolatier, shares some tips for cooking with chocolate.

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An oasis of wellness in the downtown Arts District of Los Angeles, The Springs welcomes stressed urbanites. The one-stop shop for healthful, sustainable living encompasses an organic juice bar, a 40-person yoga studio, a spa and wellness center, a vegan wine bar, 
and a raw vegan restaurant. Here's why you should go.

Nestled in a lush tropical valley in Costa Rica, this hotel and restaurant is so much more than a place to enjoy plant-based meals with flair. It’s also a sanctuary for nearly 350 rescued animals. Here's why we're in love.

Off the beaten path in Ojai, Calif., you’ll find this organic vegetarian market and restaurant, the realization of Steve Sprinkel and Olivia Chase’s farm-to-table dream. Since 2001, it has offered produce from Sprinkel’s 16-acre farm and 
a Mexican-inspired daily menu from Chase’s kitchen.

The name Karyn Calabrese 
is synonymous with the vegan and raw food movements in the Midwest, but along with her delicious fare, it’s Calabrese’s ability to defy aging that has people flocking to Karyn’s spa, health-food store, and raw-food restaurant in the Windy City.

With its tantalizing, yeasty aromas and daily output of nearly 10,000 loaves and rolls, Hot Bread Kitchen might seem like any busy New York bakery. But there’s a satisfying twist: every worker is an immigrant or low-income woman getting on-the-job training and basic English-language instruction as part of her employment.

From adopting a turkey to visiting a farm sanctuary to dining out at a veg restaurant, here's how to give the holiday a compassionate revamp that benefits humans 
as much as the (spared) animals.

Daniel Biron falls under that lucky category of “globetrotting chef.” The 37-year-old ethical vegan hails from Brazil, but has lived and cooked in Paris, New York, and—most recently—Copenhagen, where he exercised his culinary talents in one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, Noma.

With Thanksgiving a mere two weeks away, you’re probably prepping up a storm: planning pies and sides and gravies, stocking up on pumpkin purée, writing frighteningly long grocery lists. No need to panic—we’re here to help!

This summer, an all-vegetarian restaurant debuted at Mexico’s Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa, taking the destination’s eco-friendliness up a notch. We like that veg food will fuel such onsite volunteer activities as the SOS Marine Sea Turtles and Mangrove Swamps Cradle of Life environmental protection projects. Plus, the kitchen at Salvia contributes to the composting stations that, along with solar panels, help the beachfront getaway earn its eco-cred. Here, intel about Salvia’s menu—which includes raw options—from chef Milton Landa.

On Sunday, June 16, animal and veggie food lovers gathered at the SmogShoppe in Culver City, Calif. for a fabulous afternoon in the Southern California sun to raise money for the Humane Society of The United States. The event was the first of its kind for HSUS, showcasing delicious fare prepared by celebrity vegan chefs Tal Ronnen and Yves Fournier and hosted by actress and activist Emily Deschanel. The main objective: promoting just how outstanding vegan food can be.

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With such a strong focus on eating turkey, Thanksgiving can be a tough holiday for vegetarians and vegans. One farm animal rights group put a spin on tradition by throwing a festive Thanksgiving feast where “turkeys are the guests of honor, rather than part of the menu.”

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The Atlantic Ocean laps its waves over 228 miles of shoreline in Maine—"Vacation Land," as the license plate reads. Fog horns bellow, while below the surface countless lobster crawl around Frenchman Bay. While Bar Harbor is oft thought of as a pescatarian’s paradise, plant-based travelers fear not: it's got you covered too

Whether you’re a longtime vegetarian, an animal lover, foodie, or just curious about a plant-based diet, immersing yourself in a vegetarian festival this summer is a great way to get a taste of the cuisine, meet other veg-enthusiasts, and boost your veggie IQ. Check out summer 2012's line-up of veg festivals and get inspired to plan a fun-filled summer veg-cation.

Texas may be known for its livestock, oil, and cowboys, but the capital of the Lone Star state offers a bevy of vegetarian hot spots, innovative restaurateurs, and veg-inspired dishes that’ll leave you speechless. Vegan Faux Butterfinger shakes? Yeehaw!

The home of cheesesteaks and Kevin Bacon also happens to be a Mecca of phenomenal vegetarian restaurants and cafés. These tasty destinations will whet your appetite for a visit to the City of Brotherly Love.

A perennial favorite on “the most vegetarian-friendly city” lists, Seattle is a great place to be veg. The beautiful northwestern city has an annual VegFest that gives attendees the opportunity to watch cooking demonstrations, nibble food samples, and celebrate vegetarianism with like-minded folks. Whether you’'re a local or just visiting, here are five don'’t-miss picks for dining out in Seattle.

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Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.

Check out Vegetarian Times Editors's author page.