Typically, Vegan Food Swap reveals are posted on the last day of the month in which the swap occurred. I broke my own rule for this, the final swap of 2012, by slacking off and waiting to post the reveal two weeks late. Why? No special reason. Just life. We've all been there, right?

First off, I'd like to thank everyone who participated in the Vegan Food Swap in 2012. It was an amazing project, which I began in April, and I had no idea how popular it would become. I'm grateful to everyone who jumped in enthusiastically and stuck with the swap month after month. As the swap participants know, I've decided not to organize a swap for November and December because people will be pretty busy with end of year holidays and, frankly, organizing the swap is a lot of work and I could use a break as well. We'll start back up again in January, so feel free to register now.

My swap partner for October was Alan of The Classy Scavenger. I was excited to be paired with a member of the male minority of the Vegan Food Swap, but also because I already knew of Alan. I started following him on Instagram a while back because he's buds with Sam of The Nail That Sticks Up, who I met at Vida Vegan Con in 2011. It's a small world thing. (Also, they're also both total vegan eye candy... Did I say that out loud?)

So, I knew that Alan gets a portion of his "groceries" from places like dumpsters and salvage grocery stores. I realize that some people might think it's "gross" but I think it's true that one man's trash is another's treasure and, honestly, few things upset me more than wasted food. And many people don't realize how much food is thrown away in this country, especially by grocery stores, that is still perfectly good. This happens with produce just as much as with packaged food. Sometimes, a store just has too much stock. Other times, they dump product because it's been discontinued and the distributor isn't willing to pay to take it back. Obviously, some produce is thrown out because it's started to turn or rot, but I was amazed when I first learned that the rotten stuff makes for a pretty small percentage of the food "garbage" in the US.

I know you're all wondering, now, about what Alan sent to me in the Vegan Food Swap box! I did let him know at the beginning that I had no problem with dumpstered or salvaged foods, and gave him free license to send me whatever he wanted. Ultimately, Alan settled on a fantastic combination of packaged items from the salvage grocery, local vegan wings, and some scones that he made from dumpstered ingredients. Because Alan shopped thriftily for my package, he was able to include a LOT of different products without blowing the $20 spending limit. It's awesome to see how far a vegan dollar can stretch, if you know where to shop.

Here's the proof:

This doesn't even show everything. The vegan wings are still in the freezer! (Yes, those are vegan cupcakes in the background, waiting to be frosted.)

A selection of snacky items, including two kinds of kale chips and my favorite teriyaki sprouted sunflower seeds!

Yes, this bag is empty. I may have ripped it open as soon as I saw it.

Some Asian sweets. I can't wait to try these!

Rice stick snacks.

A selection of Hail Merry goodies... the lemon thyme pecans are my favorite! (Yes, the almonds were consumed first.)

From savory on to sweet... Some chocolatey goodies and some carob nut butter cups.

Fine ground black salt for vegan omelets!

Go Raw is one of my other favorite brands.

Alan sent several homemade scones (and posted the method here).

Vegan wings made locally in Indiana. These were frozen, so Alan carefully packaged them with a cold pack! I wouldn't normally suggest sending frozen goods, but since we are only 1 state away and he used USPS Priority Mail, we decided it might work. Luckily, the weather was pretty chilly also, so they arrived still frozen!

I'm really enjoying my explorations through the goodies Alan sent to me, but more importantly, I hope that this helps to illustrate how it can be possibly to eat some really amazing treats without breaking your bank. Maybe you're not adventurous enough to go dumpstering yourself, but many areas have salvage or discount grocery stores that carry all sorts of vegan foods. You can end up saving a ton of money just because a manufacturer decided to redesign their packaging, or discontinue an item that wasn't selling enough, or by buying discounted products that are close to their stamped expiration dates (which I think we can all agree are pretty much irrelevant).

Thanks again to Alan for this amazing swap package!

If you want to participate in the Vegan Food Swap in 2013, we'll start again in January. You can sign up now through January 5 by filling out the registration form here.

For those who swapped in October, please link up your reveal posts below:

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Thanks to everyone else who continues to make the Vegan Food Swap a big success! September was our SIXTH month and I can't believe how excited everyone is to participate month after month. Each month, our group steadily grows in numbers, and I have received a lot of feedback from participants who love trying new products that challenge them creatively in the kitchen.

My package for this month came from Heather at . Aside from having one of the longest blog names I've ever encountered, Heather also takes beautiful photos of her culinary creations. I've been reading her blog for some time, so I was thrilled to be randomly matched up with her this month!

Heather sent me a combination of sweet and savory treats.

Everybody's favorite, Biscoff cookies... Although, truth me told, I got more excited about the Chimes ginger chews than the cookies.


This toasted Israeli couscous with mushrooms and tomato should make for a great dinner sometime. I'm thinking about pairing it with fried broccoli and tempeh. Yum? I think so!


I love nut clusters like this for a quick pick-me-up at work, so these went right into my office drawer.


Heather also included some canned garlic scapes. I've only ever had scapes fresh (well, and then cooked) so I'm interested to try them like this!


Stuffed grape leaves like this, also called dolmas, are actually one of my favorite Mediterranean snacks. Since these come in a tin, they're great for road trips, so I might have to save these for my next trip!


There are now Vegan Food Swaps in the US (this one), Canada (this one), and the UK (this one). There has been some talk of starting up vegan food swaps in other parts of the world as well, and I'll keep you all updated if that happens!

Word of the vegan food swap is continually spreading. Just a few days ago, Vegan Mainstream did a podcast on the joys of participating in food swaps, and Stephanie posted examples of the items she's sent and received over the past couple of months. If you're curious about what people receive, you should check out the podcast, as well as my previous reveal posts, where participants link up their reveals so you can see what everyone got.

If you want to participate in the Vegan Food Swap in 2012, October is your last chance! Due to the holidays in November and December, I've decided that October will be the last month this year, and then we'll start back up again in January 2013.

So, sign up before October 5 to partake in the Vegan Food Swap for October 2012!

For those who swapped in September, please link up your reveal posts below:

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Is it really the end of August already? Wow!

I didn't even manage to post any new recipes in August, which makes me feel like the lamest food blogger on the planet. But don't worry, dear readers, because you didn't actually miss anything exciting. I lived August without a working stove, so I really just ate a lot of salads and almond butter sandwiches, for the most part. It was good food, but not very exciting.

The good news is that I'm cooking again, and I'll have some new stuff up for you soon. In the meanwhile, it's  Vegan Food Swap  time again! I've been hosting the US Vegan Food Swap for 5 months now and it's been a blast. Membership has been growing a little each month, and a lot of folks seem to be having a great time with it, so I'm thrilled to make it all happen.

This month, my box of goodies came from Kim S. in Charlotte, NC, who doesn't currently have a blog. Maybe if she decides to keep swapping, she'll start one. (Let the peer pressure begin!)

Kim went with a "Southern Foods" theme for this box and sent me a unique collection of "accidentally vegan" items that represent Southern food culture.

She sent some *very* Southern things, like grits and canned greens, hoppin' john, and boiled peanuts.


As well as tea bags and lemonade, so I can make my own Arnold Palmers:


And then she went off-theme a bit and included a package of spinach channa (an Indian spinach and chickpea stew):


And a collection of tea, including a couple different varieties of green tea and chai, plus some instant black coffee:


Thanks, Kim! My Southern mom would be very happy - and perhaps a bit surprised - to see all these goodies in my house!

If you're itching to be a part of the food-swapping good times, sign up for the September Vegan Food Swap by September 4! Instructions will go out the following day for Month #6 of the Vegan Food Swap!

For those who swapped in August, please link up your reveal posts below:

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This month, as part of the Vegan Food Swap, I was matched up to send a box to Kyleigh of The Only Vegan I Know. I hope she won't be calling herself that for very long, because she lives just north of Seattle and I know a lot of my Pacific Northwest vegan peoples would be happy to make a new friend! Kyleigh was kind enough to do a little write up on the goodies I sent to her this month, and I'm sharing that here.

Photo courtesy Kyleigh

I was lucky enough to be receiving a gift from the gal that puts this whole amazing vegan shin dig together! And I sure got some yummy new pantry additions! I came home from an extended weekend vacation on the beach and saw this waiting for me on my porch. 


Of course, I dropped everything (okay, so I didn't have to drop anything because my boyfriend did all the hard unpacking work) and opened my package from Cat! And lucky enough, I had never tried any of the items she sent me! So this was a completely amazing box of unknown goodies! 


I have never really had Larabars, so I opened up the Coconut Cream Pie (coconut is my favorite thing ever!) and munched on that while looking over everything and reading my sweet card Cat sent! I'm in love with the Bragg's Organic Sprinkle seasoning and have used it at multiple times since I received it. The were delicious and are on my weekly grocery list. Cat also included some [harissa] chili paste that I had never ever tried before. I love that she sent this because this makes me venture out for recipes that this can be used. This package was amazing and had a little bit of everything, which is what I LOVE!

Thank you so much Cat, you really outdid yourself with putting together yummy treats that I had never gotten to try until now! I can't wait till August!


If you're interested in signing up for the August Vegan Food Swap, you can still do so until Sunday, August 5 11:59pm EST. Click here for details and to register. 

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I don't think Mariam knew it, but apple chips are one of my favor snacks!

Vegan jerky. Am I ashamed that I've never tried it? You decide.

I love sesame snacks and seaweed crackers, so I can't wait to try this!

The icing on the cake. Porcini & truffle oil. I might put this **** on everything.

Mariam did a bang up job putting her box together, and I hope everyone else who participated in July was half as stoked about their goodies as I am. If you haven't signed up yet for August, there's still time! Sign up by Sunday, August 5 at 11:59PM EST in order to participate in August. Be prepared to confirm your participation within 48 hours, and the match list will be sent out on August 8!

For those who participated in July, it's time to link up your reveal posts below...

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June is the third month I've hosted the monthly US Vegan Food Swap, and it's rolling right along!

The Vegan Food Swap is a program where bloggers and readers alike sign-up to be matched with two people: one person to send a box to, and one person to receive a box from. We all collect items specific to our recipient's tastes and dietary restrictions, and ship the goods around the middle of the month. At the end of each month, the bloggers in the group post a reveal to show you what they scored that month. This is mine.

This month, I was matched up to receive a box of goodies from Cobi Kim of Veggietorials, who is all the way out in Hawaii. Cobi's blog is always entertaining - chok full of bright and amazing photos of her island adventures, her cute pug, and of course, tons of food. She also makes cute video recipe blogs (like this one for Not Yo Mama's Meatloaf).

Cobi sent me a Vegan Food Swap box packed with tasty treats.

Cobi says the vegetable chips above are her favorite. I loved the sweet potato chips!

A full selection of sample-sized sweeteners from Wholesome Sweeteners.

Cobi uses this Kona Coffee rub in her veggie burgers. I'm excited to try it!

If you want to get in on the Vegan Food Swap madness, sign up by July 5 to be included in the July swap.

For a look back on past Vegan Food Swap reveal posts, check here and here.

June participants: Please link up your reveal posts below.

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I can't believe that my little side project, Vegan Food Swap, is rolling along into its third month already. I love all the positive feedback I'm hearing from people who are enjoying shopping for new local vegan treats as much as they love receiving their swap boxes. Vegan food love all around!

May was the second month of the swap, and as the organizer, I'm still very much cutting my teeth. When I launched the Vegan Food Swap at the end of March, I thought it was such a simple concept: just collect a bunch of names and pair them up. As time went on, however, I learned what a silly assumption that was. I'm learning on the job, though, and thankfully, most of my participants have been incredibly understanding of the "behind the scenes" work I have to do to get this thing to run.

Because of one of my organizational flubs in May, I ended up taking on two swap partners for the month. I sent out two boxes and received two back, so it all worked out to be fair.

My first swap box arrived from Adriana Pope of Vegan Corner. Adriana sent me a diverse box including both sweet and savory treats. She even included a copy of her vegan zine Hungry Monkey, which I really enjoyed reading.

My favorite item in her collection were these raw vegan macaroons. As a diehard lover of coconut-meets-chocolate treats (evidenced here and here), these babies didn't stand a chance in my house. Although one package only contains 4 servings (2 macaroons each), I did manage to stretch these treats out over 5-6 days. I'm dying to have them again, but also nervous about having such a deliciously decadent treat on hand!


My second swap box came from Kiley at Coconut Bliss. It may surprise you to learn that there wasn't a shred of coconut to be found! Kiley and I originally met at Vida Vegan Con and subsequently bonded over beer, dogs at the beach, and all things salted. Kiley gifted me a set of seasoned salts from one of my favorite companies, Mountain Rose Herbs. She also sent a masala chai tea mix that has officially made all other chais in my life completely useless. Thanks, Kiley. :)


If you're interested in joining the Vegan Food Swap for June, there's still time. I'm accepting new registrations until Monday, June 4, so sign up now!

May participants: please link up your reveal posts below.

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Although I've been busy and away from the blog a bit this month, I've still been active on . That's where I usually share interesting links, random food photos, and burning questions generally related to what's for dinner.

Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, when I wasn't connected umbilically to my computer, a great thing happened on the page. The Verdant Life reached 500 Facebook fans!

I'm lucky that The Verdant Life has so many subscribers to the blog (far more than 500) but I'm pleased and honored that 500 people have chosen to follow me on Facebook as well. I thought this made for a great opportunity to thank all my readers, regardless of how my posts come to you. Whether you subscribe via or e-mail, like the blog on , or simply visit via a bookmark, I'm so glad to have you here. After all, I really am writing every post for each of you.

Thank you for your continued support. If you're not yet following the blog on Facebook and you'd like to see updates from The Verdant Life in your feed, please today.

Stay tuned tomorrow to the blog for the big reveal of my May Vegan Food Swap goodies and a run-down of posts you can expect to see coming up in June!

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A month ago, I had a wild idea to start a Vegan Food Swap. I called for folks across the US to sign-up and commit to gathering vegan goodies to pack up and ship to another TVL reader. I was blown away when over 25 participants signed up in just a few days. I was also thrilled to partner with MeShell and offer the Vegan Food Swap to residents of Canada as well!

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Recently, my friend Sarah at Gazing In started participating in a Foodie Penpal program and I thought it'd be awesome to have a similar program especially for vegan food bloggers.

So, I'm starting one. April will be the first month of our Vegan Food Swap. Right now, I'm calling for interested bloggers to sign up so they can be matched next week with their Vegan Food Swap recipient. Then we'll all forage our local stores and kitchen cupboards for tasty treats and recipes to box up and ship. At the end of the month, we'll all blog about what we received.

I'm especially interested in this program as a way to share food and ideas across the country. I would love to see each participating blogger include some locally-produced treats if they can, or at least something not available in an everyday grocery store. I happen to know quite a few adventurous and picky vegan bloggers, so I'm excited to see what kinds of things turn up in the Vegan Food Swap gift boxes!

So, are you interested? Check the Vegan Food Swap page for details and to sign up!

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