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Melanie daPonte

Plant-Based Personal Chef

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Tag: plant-based diet

Original Ginger (O.G) Refresher

I am inspired once again by True Food Kitchen. This gingery, bubbly, slightly sweet and sour elixir  has become my … More

brunch, Cooking, Drinks, Food, meatless meals, Personal chef, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, Wellness

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

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

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 … More

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

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

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 … More

Cooking, Food, Health, healthy eating, meatless meals, Nutrition, plant-based diet, 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 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

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

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

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

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 … More

Comfort food, Food, holiday recipes, Personal chef, pie, 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

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 … More

Food, meatless meals, Personal chef, plant-based diet, plant-based personal chef, 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

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 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

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

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

Tempeh-Walnut Meatballs

Sure, you can go to your local Whole Foods and pick up frozen Gardein meatballs which are pretty tasty, but … More

Gluten-free, meatless, plant-based diet, soy, soybeans, tempeh, 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

Sloppy Joe Sliders

Here’s a new enlightened version of an old classic that is just perfect served in the traditional buns or over a … More

Comfort food, Cooking, plant-based diet, recipes, Vegan, 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

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

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

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

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 Gumbo with Homemade Andouille, A Passion Project

Every once in awhile I find myself overwhelmed by the urge to make something I know will be complicated. And … More

Cooking, Food, meatless meals, 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

Banana-Chocolate Bread Pudding

BANANA-CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING recipe courtesy Isa Chandra Moskowitz 6 CUPS CUBED STALE BREAD 1 CUP CHOCOLATE CHIPS 3 BANANAS, RIPE, … More

Baking, chocolate, Cooking, desserts, holiday, plant-based diet, sweets, Vegan, 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

Dan Dan Noodles

This spicy Asian noodle recipe is super-simple to make. After cooking and draining my thin, whole wheat spaghetti, I blitzed the … More

asian food, Comfort food, Cooking, Noodles, plant-based diet, recipes, spicy, Vegan, vegetarian

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

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