This easy to prepare cake is full of carrots, pineapple, raisins and walnuts. It is super low-fat, yet…
Melanie’s Blog
Carrot-Coconut Soup with Fresh Ginger Root
Summer is coming down fast and I find myself seeking light, refreshing meals. Here’s a quick soup that is…
Client Stories: Warren
Warren– “When my doctor recommended a plant-based diet due to my high blood pressure and pre-diabetes I didn’t know where…
Tofu Scramble
Tofu scramble, when I reflect on my day to day cooking, is probably the recipe I cook most often at…
Chik’n Noodle Soup
There’s nothing quite like the distinctive experience of a steaming bowl of fragrant broth brimming with fresh simmered vegetables with…
Hearty Vegan Lasagna: Step by Step
If you break it down, lasagna is a really simple, yet really impressive dish. This recipe combines everything I love…
Never Bored: My Plant-Based Dinner Rotation
It’s no easier for me, as a chef, than for anybody else– to decide what to make for dinner at…
Homestyle Oat Bars
I really like those tasty, chewy individually packaged oat bars I find at Whole Foods Market. But I don’t like…
Cauliflower-Kale Soup
A tasty way to get your greens! This creamy, satisfying soup is a client AND family favorite and only takes about…
So You Want To Be a Personal Chef…
I love cooking plant-based and couldn’t imagine anything else I would rather do for a job. Becoming a personal chef…
Client Stories: Jessica
Jessica– “At first, I was a super-picky eater with only a small list of veggies I actually liked. But, I…
When Life Gives You Bananas…
Is it just me? Or does the sight of those last couple speckled bananas languishing on the countertop trigger an…
Client Stories: Michael
“I recently returned from a 30 day health retreat where I learned about proper nutrition and the best way to…
Spicy Thai Noodles
When it comes to noodles, it’s all about the sauce. This one is full of flavor, without any added oil.…
Client Stories: Leanne
Leanne– “As busy college professors we just didn’t have time to cook the healthy meals we wanted. Hiring a personal…
Friend or Faux: What You Need to Know About Fake Meats
If you want to improve your health, reclaim your naturally balanced weight, increase energy and focus…all of this is possible…
Falafel Burgers with Tahini Sauce
Here’s a light, yet filling–substantial, yet easy meal idea: Falafel Burgers (from Isa Chandra Moskowitz) (4 servings) ½ cup Chickpeas,…
Client Stories: Ryan
Ryan– “I travel alot with work and when I come home it’s great to have healthy, custom vegan meals waiting…
Easy Indian Curry Rice with Peas
Sometimes cooking is the most enjoyable when I really don’t have to cook, but I just want to. Certain dishes…
Vegan Brunch, From Start to Finish
I love to cook big breakfast on the weekend! Here’s a fairly easy menu I pulled off this morning in…
Mini Tofu Omelets
Here’s a tasty, portable breakfast option from the new cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, “Isa Does It”. These cute little…
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is one of those ‘I can’t believe it’s vegan’ recipes! Looking for ways to apply my new discovery, Maldon…
Vegan Chocolate Mousse Terrine
Here is a rich, elegant, special occasion dessert that is pretty easy to assemble, believe it or not. Fudgy brownie…
Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies
These are the best gingerbread cookies I have ever baked, vegan or not! The flavor and spices are perfectly balanced,…
Recipe Test: Quinoa Pancakes
Here’s the thing about pancakes…I love the way they taste, but not so much how I feel afterward. All that…
Client Stories: Michelle
Michelle– “I had to give up gluten, nuts, oil and coconut due to chronic health issues. It’s hard to figure…
Vegan Thanksgiving Gravy
I’m sharing here my favorite vegan holiday gravy recipe from my first plant-based Thanksgiving dinner in 2012. That’s a home-baked…
Alternative Plant-Based Holiday Menus
I have nothing against Tofurkey or Gardein or various seitan roasts. And of course there’s the “Festival of Sides” as…
Vegan Pecan Pie…Yes You Can!
Leave it to the folks at America’s Test Kitchen to dig into the science on this special recipe challenge! Traditional…
Client Stories: Peter
Peter– “I was having trouble gaining weight and with my strength training routine I was hungry all the time and…
Client Stories: Kate
Kate– “My husband wants home-cooked plant-based meals and I simply don’t have the time to spend menu planning, shopping, prepping…
Vegan Pecan Bars
Oh, my gosh! Scrolling through my reader the other day I came across this delicious recipe from Kaitlyn at myconsciouskitchen.com…
Sometimes Vegan Breakfast…
…looks like this. But more often, especially during the week, it looks like: Or… Now and then, weekend breakfast looks…
Client Stories: Mark and Rachel
Rachel– “Chef Melanie is a life saver! She made a week’s worth of delicious vegan meals for us when we…
Soup Magic: Hearty Lentil
Lentil is one of my favorite high-protein meal soups. It’s simple and low maintenance, and comes together in just a…
Best. Hummus. Ever.
What makes this hummus recipe so special? It’s simplicity. So, I’m not going to ramble on about the history of…
YakiZoodle with Veggies and Edamame
This is a spur of the moment post, just because I want to share an idea more so than a…
Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins (gluten-free, soy-free, vegan)
The best part about this recipe is it’s simplicity. Many gluten-free recipes read like a science project, but this one…
Client Stories: Alex
Alex– “My daughter is vegan and when she comes to visit over school breaks I never knew what to feed…
Kidney Bean-Quinoa Burgers with Easy Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Okay, so I didn’t think about posting this recipe until I was plating it up for service. This was our…
Arepas (gluten and soy free)
Arepa is a flatbread made of ground maize dough or cooked flour prominent in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela.…
Cajun Potato Cake with Horseradish Cream
Doesn’t this look delish? It’s really simple to make. CAJUN POTATO CAKES 1 CUP LEFTOVER MASHED POTATOES ¼ CUP FLOUR,…
Vegan Taco “Beef”
Hey, I can’t believe I haven’t shown up on the blog with this recipe until now. This one, from my…
Indian Lentil Salad with Curry Vinaigrette
Where I am getting my lean, mean protein lately? Why lentils, of course! These friendly little legumes pack 18 grams…
Tempeh Picatta
Tangy lemon and capers in a savory butter garlic sauce over pan-seared tempeh. A very easy, enlightened version of the…
Dutch Apple Pie
This is a re-post of a recipe that has received a lot of attention from readers over the past nine years…
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
It goes without saying that this time of the year begs for pumpkin spice, especially on weekend mornings. These pancakes…
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins
These tasty muffins are standard in my seasonal recipe rotation. They are moist and richly flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice…
Vegan Pumpkin (or Sweet Potato) Pie
This is hands-down the best pumpkin pie recipe out there! The sweet, creamy filling is firm without being dry, and…
Savory Tempeh Steaks
Another mainstay in my weekly recipes is tempeh. As with tofu, my relationship with tempeh has evolved over time. The…
Melanie daPonte 
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