Now Vibrant Veg weekly meals are available for pickup at Vitruvian Farms every Tuesday from 1-6pm. Whether you’re a weekly subscriber or you just order once in a while, you can enjoy the convenience of picking up other grocery items at the same time. Do you get your meals delivered? You can add anything from the Vitruvian store to be delivered with your Vibrant Veg order for free! We hope you enjoy this growing partnership as much as we do ❤️🌱 @vitruvianfarms @the_vibrantveg @bunkys_wholesale @madisonsourdough @heirloombakeryandkitchen @banzomadison @salsmonona Reel by @bethskogen

Travel changes you in a way that few other things can. It shifts our perspective, challenges our norms and exposes us to other ways of being that can dramatically enhance our lives. Taking in the music, architecture, natural beauty and food in different countries ignites something within me. I’ve come to realize that this is exactly what I need to recharge and get inspired in my work and in my life. When I’m enjoying a meal, I’m also taking notes. I’m dissecting things that I don’t recognize and jotting down flavor combinations that I like. I’m looking up ingredients I’ve never heard of and how else to use them. Europe is truly a dream for diners and I enjoyed every pastry, espresso, and creative vegetable plate I devoured. I am so happy to have wonderful friends who let me cook at their restaurants so I can relive all of the moments and flavors that captivated me. This is your PSA to get to Spain, Portugal, or France to fully experience all these special places have to offer. On the plate and beyond. Reel by @bethskogen @the_vibrantveg @thedeliciouser

Goodbye 2025, you were quite a year! Even though I made countless good memories and had many beautiful experiences, it was one of the toughest years in recent history for me. It was really important for me to look back through photos and remember all that this year entailed to balance out the hardships of the last few months. Professionally, I took on a new role with UW Madison Memorial Union as their Chef in Residence for a year. I did events and created menu items to be launched in their catering, restaurant and grab and go concepts. I increased my staff and we did our highest volume ever with the meal program, catering and events! Kyle and I cooked for Melissa Etheridge ❤️ I travelled to Panama, Costa Rica, Yellowstone National Park, Spain, Portugal, France and Puerto Rico. I made the most beautiful memories with friends, my partner and strangers who I can now call friends. I celebrated Milton’s 17 birthday and took him camping and on his first motorized boat ride. He also opened his food truck business 😆 On the flip side, we started the year with a scary ER visit and ambulance ride for Kyle. We thought he was having a heart attack, but it turned out to not be a cardiac event 🎉 I fractured a finger on my left hand and Kyle broke his left hand. We said goodbye to my mom, my aunt and a dear friend’s dad. Losing a parent has many layers to it that continue to unfold. I was robbed in Europe and developed motion sickness that has stuck with me. We’ll see if this is my new normal now. My body is undergoing many changes as I make my way through perimenopause and I’m navigating them with a mix of humor and frustration. Haven’t we women been through enough? 😵‍💫 As I bid farewell to 2025, I’m ready to see what the turn of the page brings. I’m ready to create more space in my life to appreciate each day. I’ve always been a “work hard, play hard” gal, but this year has truly shown me that tomorrow is not promised and the quality of each day creates the quality of our lives. This year I will do the things that excite me and remember to say yes to myself just as many times as I say yes to others.

🎃 What a night! Our plant-based Halloween dinner was totally sold out with 100 amazing ghosts and ghouls! 👻 We served up spooky-inspired dishes, delicious seasonal flavors, and plenty of Halloween fun. From eerie entrées with red pepper splatter, “brains”, and eyeballs to a dessert adorned with beet blood, every plate was a hit. 🌿🕯️ We proved yet again that you have fun, creative, locally-sourced and nutritionally dense meals without cruelty being on the plate. Thank you to everyone who came out and made this a wickedly wonderful celebration! Until next time… 🕸️✨ #PlantBasedHalloween #VeganDinnerParty #SoldOutEvent #HalloweenVibes #SustainableEats #SpookySeason #VeganFoodie #PumpkinMagic #EcoDining #GoodEatsGoodTimes

Ready to meet the incredible lineup of chefs joining us for Hi-Lo Gala? Up first is the incomparable Lauren Montelbano @the_vibrantveg , who will be preparing a tasty take on wontons. The theme of Hi-Lo Gala? Meshing Madison's finest street food flavors with the elegance of fine dining. Swipe for the menu, swipe again for more event details, and head to the link in our bio to reserve a seat at the table to eat Lauren's plate alongside the plates of 7 other esteemed Madison chefs that we'll announce soon! #eatlocal #madisonfoodscene

Thanks to everyone who joined us at Cooking with the Cap Times last month, held at Furniture & ApplianceMart and featuring @chef_laurenmontelbano of @the_vibrantveg 🙏 Montelbano demonstrated how to make udon noodles with oyster mushroom bulgogi, Thai red curry sauce and seasonal vegetables — grilled Napa cabbage, carrots, broccoli and purple cauliflower. Along with the finished dish, attendees at the Aug. 28 event enjoyed a glass of Pavette Pinor Noir from California, supplied by wine pairing sponsor Leopold's Books Bar Caffè 🍷 Attending Cooking with the Cap Times in person is one perk of Cap Times membership. We're taking a brief hiatus from the monthly schedule, but will bring it back in an even bigger and better format later this year. 👀 Watch for news about that, and become a Cap Times member at the link in our bio to attend future events. 💚 Thanks to our event sponsors, @furnitureappliancemart , @leopolds_madison and @hinckleyproductions . Photos by @beckinasec . #madisonwi #madisonwisconsin #captimes #captimesmadison #cookingwiththecaptimes

It was my absolute pleasure to prepare a dish for “Cooking with the Cap Times”. I was their second chef ever on the series 4.5 years ago when we were all in lockdown. I prepared a dish in a kitchen by myself for an online audience and I must say, I definitely prefer a live format. I used @vitruvianfarms oyster mushrooms to make a vegan bulgogi. Next, I prepared a red Thai curry sauce that featured silken tofu blended into the base to add additional protein to the dish and a very creamy dreamy consistency. I also added additional aromatics, coconut milk, lime juice and salt. Next, I sautéed up some Napa cabbage, carrots, broccoli and purple cauliflower. A quick blanch of the fresh udon noodles and they were ready to hit the pan and be coated in sauce. Because I’m a sucker for garnishes, I finished the dish with Thai basil, scallion, cilantro micro greens, fried shallot and sesame seeds. Thanks for having me @captimesmadison and shout out to @bethskogen and @beckinasec for documenting the evening ❤️

Join us at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28, at Furniture & ApplianceMart for the next edition of Cooking with the Cap Times! 🍽️ The live demonstration, hosted by @lindsayc608 , will feature @chef_laurenmontelbano . Montelbano is the owner and executive chef at @the_vibrantveg , which offers private chef services, event catering and cooking classes. With an international resume that includes cooking on a cattle ranch in Australia and studying ayurvedic and vegetarian cuisine in India and Thailand, Montelbano now works closely with local farmers to produce her plant-based cuisine. For this event, she'll demonstrate how to make udon noodles with oyster mushroom bulgogi, Thai red curry sauce and seasonal vegetables. 🍽️ To attend Cooking with the Cap Times, become a Cap Times member at the link in our bio and put "Cooking" as your reason for giving. Already a member? Watch your email for the invitation! In-person attendees will get to enjoy the finished dish and a glass of wine 🍷 💚 Thanks to our sponsors, @furnitureappliancemart , @leopolds_madison and @hinckleyproductions . Photo by @bethskogen . #captimes #captimesmadison #CookingwiththeCapTimes #madisonwisconsin #madisonwi #wisconsin #cookingdemo

Take a sneak peek at the first farm stop of this year’s Bike the Barns ride! Farm stop: @vitruvianfarms Snacks from: @the_vibrantveg Beverages by: @ediblemadison Save your spot on the ride and register today at csacoalition.org/bike-the-barns

Thank you Brava Magazine for featuring us in the July/August issue! We've always thought that we make a great pair, but now it's confirmed and validated in print 😉 Working alongside your partner has the capacity to either stress or strengthen the relationship. We're so lucky that it helps to strengthen ours every day. We've worked so hard to have effective and compassionate communication as well as delineations of responsibilities so no one's toes get stepped on. We may have different cooking styles and ethics, but we've realised how important it is to hold space for the other person's beliefs and support each other's talents and wins. Because of these differences, we're able to cater to large audiences who care about food systems and the ethics of where their food comes from. There's no one I would rather be on this wild ride with and I'm so proud to do it by your side Kyle. Whether we're sharing adventures around the world, cooking for 20 or 900, you're my ride or die forever and always ❤️