I’m sharing here my favorite vegan holiday gravy recipe from my first plant-based Thanksgiving dinner in 2012. That’s a home-baked…
Melanie’s Blog
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…
Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies
These are the best gingerbread cookies I have ever baked, vegan or not! The flavor and spices are perfectly balanced,…
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.…
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…
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…
Client Stories: Jessica
Jessica– “At first, I was a super-picky eater with only a small list of veggies I actually liked. But, I…
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 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…
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…
Basil-Spinach Pesto
Yes, of course vegans can enjoy pesto!! I think it tastes even better without the cheese usually present in most…
Client Stories: Michelle
Michelle– “I had to give up gluten, nuts, oil and coconut due to chronic health issues. It’s hard to figure…
Warm Apple Crisp (Oil-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)
Fall is my favorite time of the year. I look forward to the cooler temperatures, anticipating the fun of preparing…
Soup Magic: Homestyle Split Pea
Put something warm and nourishing in your belly with this super-easy soup recipe. When I think of split pea soup,…
The Best Plant-Based Cookbook is Waiting For You, And It’s Free!
“Do you cook a lot?” asks the librarian behind the counter. It’s after work, I’m in my chef jacket,…
Tofu Pad Thai
This is a quick and easy recipe for a Thai restaurant favorite. I like to make this dish at home,…
Ultimate Cheezy Sauce
As many will tell you, one of the most difficult animal-based foods to give up in the beginning is cheese.…
Two Bean and Bulgar Chili
I came across this recipe, while sifting through a kitchen junk drawer. It was a page torn from one of…
Vegan Baked Ziti
This recipe is more about method than it is about the ingredients. You could simply layer sauce, pasta and…
Client Stories: Ryan
Ryan– “I travel alot with work and when I come home it’s great to have healthy, custom vegan meals waiting…
Thai Red Lentil Chili
This is my new favorite stew! Imagine spicy smoky chili flavor mingled with sweet creamy coconut milk, hearty kidney beans,…
Soup and Bread
It occurs to me that there are two foods I can simply never do without–soup and bread. I will never…
Recommended Viewing for New Vegans
There are various reasons to go vegan. Whether for the environment, compassion for animals, global concerns, health, weight loss–they are…
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
Low-fat gravy?? How could that be? How about no-fat gravy? This gravy is so smooth and savory, but also light,…
What’s In YOUR Smoothie??
I start most mornings with a cool, creamy blend of fruit and spinach or kale, kicked up with pure green tea…
Raw Lasagna Rolls
Tasty, easy and healthy—these rolls are an exciting twist on a classic Italian dish. I admit I was skeptical at…
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…
Easy Mozzarella Cheeze Sauce
So, you reach a point when you stop trying to replace cheese with processed substitutes like Daiya or Follow Your…
Chana Masala
There will always be Indian food in my weekly meal rotation. Why? Because it’s delicious and nutritious, and need not…
Vegan Chocolate Silk Pie
Here’s a recipe that is sure to impress! A no-bake chocolate cookie crust filled with super easy, super rich and…
Coconut Curried Tofu and Spinach
Flipping through the pages of Fitness Magazine I was delighted to find a vegan recipe. I was also happy to…
Lentil-Walnut Loaf with Sweet Tomato Glaze
This is a client favorite and a recipe I swear by, having grown up eating traditional meatloaf. This version has…
Melanie daPonte 
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