All posts by Hannah Sentenac

Plant-Based Food & Drink

Plant-based paradise: Hendersonville is nourishing a growing vegan community

It’s no secret that Asheville is a popular destination for plant-based eaters — the city has long made headlines with its vegan-friendly food scene. But Hendersonville, Asheville’s smaller neighbor to the south, is becoming a serious competitor when it comes to vegan eats.

The small, close-knit town — population 13,840 — has seen a slew of vegan and vegan-friendly spots and options come to the table in the last several years. This could arguably be a domino effect started by the all-vegan Sanctuary Brewing Co., which opened in 2015.

Click to read the rest on MountainX.com. 

Plant-Based Food & Drink

Why Healing Your Gut (and Keeping Your Gut Happy) Is Essential for Good Health Overall

Why is gut health so important? And what are the best foods for gut health? Get answers so you can heal your gut, stay regular, and achieve good health.

When someone suggests you should “go with your gut” — they’re more right than you probably realize.

Thanks to a whopping 40 trillion bacteria perpetually hard at work, your gut helps power your entire body.

Click to read the rest on FoodRevolution.org.

Plant-Based Food & Drink

Chloe Coscarelli’s Journey From Cupcakes to Vegan Comfort Food

In the past few years, the mellifluous moniker of chef Chloe Coscarelli has become synonymous with crowd-pleasing vegan eats. After winning Food Network’s Cupcake Wars in 2010, the pretty chef with an infectious smile went on to write three popular cookbooks before opening her groundbreaking NYC eatery, By Chloe, in 2015.

The cheerful spot sells vegan burgers, shakes, air-baked fries, mac ‘n’ cheese, cupcakes, and other nutritious twists on familiar foods. Coscarelli’s menu items even won over self-proclaimed vegan skeptic, Iron Chef Michael Symon.

Click to read the rest on MiamiNewTimes.com. 

Plant-Based Food & Drink

Miyoko’s Kitchen and the Rise of Vegan Cheese

In the space of just two years, Miyoko Schinner’s nut-based, cultured cheesemaking company, Miyoko’s Kitchen, has exploded in popularity, evolving from a small, online-only operation to a successful business with 40 employees and an international reputation. With a lease signed for a massive new space, expansion into food service, and increased focus on placement in mainstream retailers, Miyoko’s Kitchen is rapidly moving up — and changing the definition of cheese in the process.

Click to read the rest on SpecialtyFood.com.

Arts & Culture

Embroidery Meets Intersectionality for Miami Artist Nadia Wolff

Born to Haitian parents and raised in Miami’s melting pot, 18-year-old artist Nadia Wolff has come of age in a cultural milieu. Her unique experience and identity have informed her powerful, personal work, which concentrates on self-portraiture through embroidery, painting, and poetry.

“I try to make work that examines the intersections of class, race, sexuality, and religion in shaping my particular culture,” she explains. “Miami is a hub of different, almost disparate cultures, and I’m also a reflection of that.”

In the city’s multiculturalism, she sees many contradictions. “I think it’s a place where you can see yourself reflected and also not reflected. It’s both odd to be different and completely mundane because there are so many diverse perspectives here.”

Click to read the rest from the Miami New Times.

Arts & Culture

Best of Miami winner

Thanks to a million and one rom-coms, ice skating holds a special place in popular culture. From Blades of Glory to Serendipity, countless flicks have immortalized the ice cold charm of a skating rink and the charismatic appeal of a lumbering Zamboni. Sadly, Miami doesn’t have a Rockefeller Center, a frozen pond or a college ice hockey rink. We do, however have Kendall Ice Arena. The neighborhood rink, a local fixture since 2000, offers open skating every night (hours vary), so you can bring a Tindr match anytime for charming-yet-dirt-cheap date option. Admission usually runs $8, plus $3 for a skate rental, which is less than a drink at most Miami Beach bars. 

Click to read on.

Plant-Based Food & Drink

Local volunteers lead the fight against food insecurity

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Often invisible to those not directly affected, food insecurity nonetheless touches nearly 1 in 7 people in the U.S. In Western North Carolina alone, about 108,000 residents lack consistent access to three meals a day, according to the 2014 “Map the Meal Gap” report.

Thanks to dozens of nonprofit organizations, however, WNC residents needing nutritional support have places to turn — and thousands of dedicated volunteers play a crucial role in helping these groups carry out their various missions.

At the forefront of the local hunger relief movement stands MANNA FoodBank. The large-scale, collaborative network comprises 248 philanthropic groups in 16 counties across the region. In 2014, the nonprofit distributed 15 million pounds of food, enough for 34,000 meals per day.

Click here to read on. 

Plant-Based Food & Drink

Bunnie Cakes Offers Vegan Pan de Jamon for Christmas

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Come Christmas, Venezuelans the world over will be indulging in the undeniably delicious tradition known as pan de jamón. The ham and olive bread is a sweet and savory holiday staple.

But why should vegans or folks with food allergies be deprived of this meaty treat?

Thanks to Bunnie Cakes, the bread has been veganized (and your guests won’t know the difference).

Click to read the full story from the Miami New Times.

Animals

Doral Slaughterhouse Raid Largest Ever in the U.S.

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While the name sounds almost charming, Doral’s Coco Farm was anything but. The 70-acre property was a house of horrors for chickens, goats, pigs, cows, and dogs. Animals were bought and slaughtered in the presence of customers; stabbed with rusty blades and sometimes boiled or skinned while still alive.

Thankfully, the “farm” is no more. Last week, Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) and Miami-Dade law enforcement raided the location, arresting the owners and saving more than 9,500 badly abused animals. The operation was the largest rescue of its kind in the United States, ever, says Richard “Kudo” Couto, ARM founder.

Click to read the full story from the Miami New Times.

Animals

Instagram-Famous Mini Pigs Priscilla and Poppleton Visit Miami Beach

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Forget pigs in a blanket. Pigs in pink bows, bathing suits, and pearls are way better. That’s why the world has fallen in love with Priscilla and Poppleton, two very adorable, very photogenic miniature pigs.

Prissy and Pop, as they’re colloquially known, are Instagram celebrities, boasting a whopping 422,000 followers. The two make their home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, but spent spring break in South Beach, where they met some of their many admirers and, according to Instagram, drank piggie coladas.

Melissa Nicholson, mom extraordinaire to the two piggies, took them on a whirlwind tour of Miami Beach sights and sounds, including hosting a meet-and-greet at the Savoy Hotel last Wednesday. Despite getting only a couple of hours’ notice via Instagram, several dozen Prissy and Pop fans showed up.

Click to read the full story from the Miami New Times.