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Melanie daPonte

Plant-Based Personal Chef

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Tag: animal rights

Client Stories: Peter

Peter– “I was having trouble gaining weight and with my strength training routine I was hungry all the time and … More

animal rights, chef, Food, meatless meals, Personal chef, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

Vegan Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Frosting

    This easy to prepare cake is full of carrots, pineapple, raisins and walnuts. It is super low-fat, yet … More

animal rights, Cooking, dairy free, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, Cooking, Food, healthy food, raw vegan, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Tofu Scramble

Tofu scramble, when I reflect on my day to day cooking, is probably the recipe I cook most often at … More

animal rights, Cooking, healthy eating, plant-based diet, recipes, Tofu, Vegan, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, Personal chef, peta, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Cauliflower-Kale Soup

A tasty way to get your greens! This  creamy, satisfying soup is a client AND family favorite and only takes about … More

animal activism, animal rights, Comfort food, Cooking, healthy, Vegan, vegetarian

Client Stories: Jessica

Jessica– “At first, I was a super-picky eater with only a small list of veggies I actually liked. But, I … More

animal rights, chef, Personal chef, plant-based diet, plant-based personal chef, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, Baking, Comfort food, Cooking, Forks Over Knives, healthy, Heart Healthy, recipes, t. colin campbell, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

Client Stories: Ryan

Ryan– “I travel alot with work and when I come home it’s great to have healthy, custom vegan meals waiting … More

animal rights, chef, Food, meatless meals, Personal chef, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, sunday brunch, Vegan, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, Baking, chef, chocolate, cookies, Cooking, Personal chef, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Vegan Chocolate Mousse Terrine

Here is a rich, elegant, special occasion dessert that is pretty easy to assemble, believe it or not. Fudgy brownie … More

animal activism, animal rights, Baking, cake, chef, chocolate, dairy free, dairy-free baking, desserts, Personal chef, Vegan, vegan chocolate, vegetarian

Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

These are the best gingerbread cookies I have ever baked, vegan or not! The flavor and spices are perfectly balanced, … More

animal rights, Baking, cookies, holiday, plant-based, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, dairy free, Food, Gluten-free, Oil-free, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan

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 … More

animal rights, Comfort food, Cooking, Food, holiday, Personal chef, plant-based diet, plant-based personal chef, recipes, Thanksgiving, Vegan, vegetarian

Vegan Pecan Bars

Oh, my gosh! Scrolling through my reader the other day I came across this delicious recipe from Kaitlyn at myconsciouskitchen.com … More

animal rights, Baking, chef, Cooking, dairy free, Food, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegetarian

Sometimes Vegan Breakfast…

…looks like this. But more often, especially during the week, it looks like: Or… Now and then, weekend breakfast looks … More

animal rights, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, meatless meals, Personal chef, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, Food, plant-based diet, plant-based personal chef, recipes, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

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 … More

animal activism, animal rights, dairy free, Gluten-free, recipes, soy-free, Vegan, vegan baking, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

It goes without saying that this time of the year begs for pumpkin spice, especially on weekend mornings. These pancakes … More

animal rights, Cooking, Pancakes, plant-based diet, pumpkin, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

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, … More

animal rights, chef, cookbooks, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegetarian

Vegan Baked Ziti

  This recipe is more about method than it is about the ingredients. You could simply layer sauce, pasta and … More

animal rights, Cooking, dairy free, meatless meals, pasta, Personal chef, plant-based, recipes, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

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 … More

animal rights, Beverages, Cooking, fruit, healthy, raw, recipes, smoothies, Vegan, vegetarian, Wellness

Raw Lasagna Rolls

Tasty, easy and healthy—these rolls are an exciting twist on a classic Italian dish. I admit I was skeptical at … More

animal activism, animal rights, gluten-free vegan, healthy eating, Heart Healthy, plant strong, plant-based, raw, raw food diet, raw vegan, recipes, soy free vegan, Vegan, vegan italian, vegetarian

Easy Mozzarella Cheeze Sauce

So, you reach a point when you stop trying to replace cheese with processed substitutes like Daiya or Follow Your … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, meatless meals, plant-based, recipes, Tofu, Vegan, vegetarian

Chana Masala

There will always be Indian food in my weekly meal rotation. Why? Because it’s delicious and nutritious, and need not … More

animal rights, chef, chickpeas, Comfort food, Cooking, Food, Heart Healthy, Indian recipes, meatless meals, plant-based, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian, weight loss

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 … More

animal activism, animal rights, chocolate, cruelty-free, desserts, Food photography, holiday, mousse, non-dairy, pie, plant strong, plant-based diet, special occasion, Tofu, tofu desserts, valentine's day, Vegan, vegan baking, vegan chef, Vegan Desserts, vegan food, vegan-friendly, vegetarian

Crispy Marinated Tofu with Braised Kale

I can’t emphasize enough how tasty, simple and quick this recipe is. So much flavor, from so few ingredients! Crispy … More

animal rights, chef, Food, meatless meals, plant-based diet, recipes, Tofu, Vegan, vegetarian

Roasted Pumpkin Mousse

  Here’s a little something special to spice up your next vegan feast! Roasted Pumpkin Mousse 15 ounces PUMPKIN PUREE … More

animal rights, Cooking, desserts, holiday, meatless, plant-based, pumpkin, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

“Meaty” Grilled Tofu

Through much trial and error over the years– I have come to a great appreciation and respect for the humble … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, meatless meals, plant-based, recipes, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan recipes, vegetarian

Golden Indian Dal Soup

Dal is my go-to comfort food. A warm, savory, nourishing meal, filled with creamy, protein-rich lentils and healing turmeric–tempered with cumin … More

animal rights, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, Indian food, plant-based diet, protein, Vegan, vegetarian

Plant-Based Mushroom Stroganoff (Vegan)

Another super simple recipe!  I’ve made this recipe for my family, not all of whom are vegan and I’ve made … More

animal activism, animal rights, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, dairy free, dinner, easy recipes, healthy food, meatless meals, mushrooms, Vegan, vegetarian

Blueberry Cardamom Muffins (Oil-Free, Whole Grain, Vegan)

By the time I finish my morning coffee, I’m thinking about what I want to cook for the day. This … More

animal activism, animal rights, Baking, chef, Cooking, dairy free, egg-free, fat free, Food, peta, plant-based diet, Vegan

Tempeh Sausage Crumbles

These tasty sausage crumbles are versatile, lending a satisfying umami flavor and a chewy  bite to gravy, sauces, rice or other … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, meatless meals, plant-based diet, recipes, tempeh, Vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

The Benefits of Eating Hot Food

I like salad as much as the next plant-based lifestyle devotee, but there is something to be said for that … More

animal activism, animal rights, Comfort food, Cooking, Food, plant-based diet, recipes, soup, Vegan, vegetarian

Vegan Gorgonzola: A Passion Project

In between all the professional cooking I do, there is also all the household cooking I do, which includes, of … More

animal rights, Cooking, dairy free, plant-based diet, recipes, Tofu, Vegan, vegetarian

Super-Simple Flatbreads

Sometimes I like to skip the rice and just serve a hearty whole grain flatbread with my Indian Curries. But, … More

animal activism, animal rights, Breads, chef, Cooking, Indian food, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Peanut Dragon Sauce

It’s been a super busy week! When I crave a quick comforting meal, soba noodles are often my go-to food. … More

animal activism, animal rights, brunch, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, dinner, easy recipes, healthy food, meatless meals, Personal chef, Vegan, vegan asian food, Vegan Lunch, vegetarian

Easy Enchilada Sauce

In my experience, you can stuff a burrito with just about anything. But the sauce…now, the sauce can make it … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, Food, mexican food, Personal chef, peta, plant-based diet, recipes, tomato sauce, Vegan, vegetarian

Restaurant-Style Marinara

The secret for marinara sauce that tastes like it’s been simmering all day? Tomato paste. The savory-sweet intensity adds depth … More

animal activism, animal rights, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

The Vegan Reuben Project

I enjoy a personal culinary challenge now and then. Especially one that results in good eats! I set out to create … More

animal rights, chef, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, plant-based diet, recipe, Vegan, vegetarian

Fast (and Easy) Whole Wheat Bread

Time was…young girls were taught to bake as an essential life skill. As with cooking in general, this knowledge and … More

animal activism, animal rights, Baking, bread, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, recipes, Vegan

Sourdough Baguette

Still in a baking mood, I embarked on a mission to create an old-fashioned, dense sourdough bread, like back in … More

animal rights, Baking, chef, Cooking, dairy free, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Easy Chocolate Ganache

A rich, creamy coating of chocolate ganache makes a grand impression on a special dessert! Here is a simple recipe … More

animal activism, animal rights, Baking, cake, chef, chocolate, dairy free, easy recipes, Personal chef, Vegan, vegan chocolate, vegetarian

Fancy Potatoes

Okay, we’ve established potatoes are cheap plant-based eats. They are also whole and perfect in their natural state. Although I … More

animal activism, animal rights, meatless meals, plant-based diet, Potatoes, Vegan, vegetarian

Vegan French Toast

As a lifelong  pancake girl, I never thought I’d get around to writing this post. But my husband’s a French … More

animal activism, animal rights, brunch, Cooking, dairy free, Food, plant-based, Vegan, vegetarian

Coconut Chana Saag

Here I am turning out a lovely pot full of Indian goodness called Coconut Chana Saag. Super simple when you … More

animal rights, Gluten-free, Indian food, meatless meals, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegetarian

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

This quick and simple but intensely flavorful bowl is my current lunch favorite. And the recipe welcomes substitution for whatever … More

animal activism, animal rights, chef, Cooking, Food, Indian, main dishes, Personal chef, peta, plant-based, recipes, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

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Recent Posts

  • Client Stories: Peter
  • Vegan Carrot Cake with Cashew Cream Frosting
  • Carrot-Coconut Soup with Fresh Ginger Root
  • Client Stories: Warren
  • Tofu Scramble

Recipe Box

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Top Posts & Pages

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