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Melanie daPonte

Plant-Based Personal Chef

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Tag: chef

Buffalo Chickpea Tenders

Okay, I’ve really done it this time! I know there are vegan variations on chicken wings and I’ve tried them … More

chef, Comfort food, Cooking, Party Food, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, 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

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

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

Homestyle Oat Bars

I really like those tasty, chewy individually packaged oat bars I find at Whole Foods Market. But I don’t like … More

chef, Comfort food, Cooking, granola, oatmeal, recipes, snacks, Vegan, vegan snacks, vegetarian

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 … More

chef, Cooking, culinary arts, Food, food business, Personal chef, personal narrative, recipes, 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

Client Stories: Michael

“I recently returned from a 30 day health retreat where I learned about proper nutrition and the best way to … More

chef, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, Nutrition, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

Client Stories: Leanne

Leanne– “As busy college professors we just didn’t have time to cook the healthy meals we wanted. Hiring a personal … More

chef, Comfort food, meatless meals, Personal chef, plant-based diet, Vegan, vegan personal chef, vegetarian

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, … More

chef, Comfort food, meatless meals, plant-based, Vegan, vegetarian

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 … More

chef, Cooking, diet, Food, healthy eating, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian, weight loss

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

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

Client Stories: Michelle

Michelle– “I had to give up gluten, nuts, oil and coconut due to chronic health issues. It’s hard to figure … More

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

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 … More

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

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 … More

chef, plant-based diet, 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

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 … More

Asian, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, Gluten-free, japanese food, raw vegan, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

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 … More

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

Client Stories: Alex

Alex– “My daughter is vegan and when she comes to visit over school breaks I never knew what to feed … More

chef, plant-based diet, plant-based personal chef, Vegan, vegan personal chef, 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 (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 … More

chef, Cooking, dairy free, desserts, Food, holiday, plant-based diet, 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

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

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 … More

chef, Comfort food, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, plant-based, recipes, Vegan, 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

Black Bean Fajita Bowl with Cilantro-Lime Chimichurri

I had an opportunity recently to work with a local vegan restaurant, helping them come up with new dishes to … More

beans, chef, Cooking, Gluten-free, meatless meals, Personal chef, plant-based diet, 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

Simple Italian Sausage

Going vegan doesn’t mean giving up comfort foods, oh no! No way. Although I have tried various vegan sausage brands … More

chef, Cooking, meatless meals, plant-based, recipes, 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

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

Vegan Andouille Sausage

Here’s just the companion to my gumbo recipe, a tasty, spicy sausage to enhance the dish or slice up and … More

chef, Cooking, Food, meatless meals, 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

Calm Before the Storm Corn Muffins

Unless I am preparing food for a client, baking is usually an emotionally led decision for me. I’ll simply be … More

Baking, chef, Comfort food, Cooking, dairy free, Food, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Mushroom-Sesame Soba With Edamame

I love noodles, especially soba. Here’s a quick and easy dish that works for a weeknight meal, but translates just … More

Asian, chef, Cooking, Noodles, recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

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  • Original Ginger (O.G) Refresher
  • Buffalo Chickpea Tenders
  • Client Stories: Ryan
  • Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
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