Vegan

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    What to Eat…Now

    A dear friend, Andrea Fein encouraged me to read Marion Nestle’s new book, an updated version (and massive volume) on her 2006, What to Eat. Called What to Eat Now,…

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    How Do I Make Change?

    I have been doing what I do for a long time; more than 30 years. I have worked passionately at the mission that drives my every waking moment tirelessly and…

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    Has PBS Been Defunded?

    It has not! The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been defunded by the federal government. In its quest to suppress any narrative except the one it prefers, it moved to…

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    Protein Harvesting?

    You might be wondering what ‘protein harvesting’ means. I know that I was. It’s the sanitized word now being used to describe the slaughter of animals for our dining pleasure….

  • Fave and Escarole Soup

    This soup is perfect at any time of the year, as it helps our overworked and underpaid livers do their jobs more efficiently which makes us all happier campers in a world where that’s not always so easy. With origins in Puglia, this is the epitome of “la cucina povera,”…

  • Protein-Rich Veg? Yes, Please

    Protein is a key component of a healthy diet, and some of the best protein sources are vegetables. In addition to being easier on your wallet, these veggies (many of…

  • The Belle of the Ball…Florence

    Imagine walking down cobblestone streets; the same streets walked by Michelangelo, Da Vinci and other luminaries of the Renaissance. Imagine cool early spring days spent enjoying nature in the hills…

  • Barcelona, Baby

    Barcelona is widely praised for its vibrant culture, stunning architecture, and art, design, and delicious Catalan cuisine. It’s crazy beautiful and in April, the huge summer crowds have not arrived…

  • Farinata (Cecina)

    This amazingly simple and naturally gluten-free recipe is from La Cucina Povera, the food of the poor. Made simply from chickpea flour and seasonings, it’s high in protein and deeply satisfying with a crisp exterior and a creamy, richly flavored inside. Makes 2-4 servings Combine chickpea flour and water in…

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    What I’m Eating this Summer

    With hot steamy days ahead, we have to plan so that eating well doesn’t fall by the wayside. And while I love to make most of my foods from scratch,…

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    The Hope of Spring

    As the breezes are growing warmer, wafting through our open windows with the perfume that tells us the chill of winter is finally behind us; it’s clear sailing into summer….

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    What I Eat in a Week

    I am having a passionate love affair with Stanley Tucci’s new book, “What I Ate in a Year.” He is a smart, articulate, passionate-about-food, clever writer who charms with every…

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    Cooking from the Heart

    As the holidays come on the horizon in all their twinkling glory, we think about cooking. I confess that I always think about cooking, but that’s me. My passion for…

  • Crostata Marmelatta

    There is nothing as simple or satisfying as a marmalade-filled tart. Seasonal and light, the preserves are nestled in a flaky crust that melts your heart. Makes 1, 8-inch tart Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Brush your tart pan (with a removable bottom) with oil, then dust it…

  • Tofu Breakfast Sandwich

    This savory, high protein, creamy, rich sandwich will kick start your day with a jolt of energy that will carry you right on through to lunch. Ready in minutes, this takes away any excuse you have for skipping breakfast. And delicious? You’ll look forward to breakfast every day. Makes 2…

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    FinaMill…Part Deux

    I have been cooking all my life, well, almost. I fell in love with the rhythm of the kitchen at the tender age of 4, watching my mother, grandmother and…

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    Why Can’t We Do Better?

    I was sitting in Charles De Gaulle airport, leaving Paris, heading to Rome for work. As usual, I ordered an espresso and my lovely Robert, a tea. Since we were…

  • Italian Rice Pudding

    I love rice pudding. Since I was a kid, my family knew that if they wanted to get me to eat something even remotely nutritious, go with rice pudding. This is my version and it’s truly yummy. Makes 2-3 servings Combine all ingredients (except orange juice and almonds) in a…

  • Pappa al Pomodoro

    Visions of a late Tuscan summer come with each spoonful of this simple, richly flavored Italian tradition. Using only the freshest tomatoes at the peak of their flavor, this simple soup is summer at its best. Makes 3-4 servings Place the oil and the garlic in a soup pot over…

  • Sweet Fruit Pizza

    This is a comfortable, rustic dessert that is just perfect for those casually lazy get-togethers. The flaky biscuit crust is a wonderful complement to the sweet, succulent summer fruit mounded on the surface. Topped with an apricot glaze, this homey tart strikes the perfect note for casual yumminess. Makes 8…

  • Blueberry Muffins

    And the winner is? Blueberry muffins are consistently rated as the favorite muffin in America. My plant-based version has all the goodness of the berries wrapped in a delicately sweet moist muffin. Yum! Makes 12 standard muffins or 24 mini muffins Preheat oven to 350F and line a standard muffin…

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    You and Your Blood Sugar

    My friend and brilliant macrobiotic teacher, Dani Mayor in Barcelona recently wrote a wonderful article on hypoglycemia and how many of us it affects; its impact on our daily wellness…

  • Gladiator Stew

    I made this delicious grain dish with one of my favorite chefs, and dear friend, Chef Gioacchino Nocera from Bosco de Medici vineyard in Pompeii. He and I made it on my show and while I worked with him on it, I may not have it exactly as he did…

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    As the New Year Begins

    As 2025 begins to fade from our memory and 2026 begins, shiny with promise and hope, let’s try something new or at least something we may have forgotten about. For…

  • Cuccidati

    These tender, spiced fig-filled cookies are just the greatest. Each region of Italy seems to make them a bit differently. My Nonna did them 2 ways: this way and as thumbprint style cookies, depending on her mood. Makes 12-14 cookies Fig Filling ½ cup loosely packed dried figs, hard stems…

  • Corn and Tomato Soup

    Summer in a bowl. This sunny Mediterranean soup has the sweetness of summer tomatoes as its foundation with sunny yellow corn to make you dream of leisurely summer feasts in the garden. Makes 3-4 servings 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ red onion or 1 shallot, peeled, diced Sea…

  • What’s Going on with Being Vegan?

    I have practiced a balanced vegan lifestyle for over 35 years. Lately, several young vegan influencers (whatever that means to you), are bailing on the lifestyle because they lost their…

  • What Does It Really Mean to Be Vegan?

    It’s National Vegan Month, which got me to thinking, as these various month-long commemorations often do. Sometimes they evoke a rant from me and sometimes, I want to just ruminate….

  • The Pomp of Pomegranates

    When I was a kid, the only thing that helped me get over the passing of Christmas was the appearance of what my grandfather called “Chinese apples.”  I couldn’t wait…

  • Let Go…and Do Good

    I am not a big fan of clutter or accumulating what we don’t need so the rule in our house goes like this: “Have you use this in six months?”…

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    Happy Healthy Holidays

    I spent a few weeks working in Italy this past summer and fall and was struck by how healthy Italian living feels with its slower pace and relaxed lifestyle. Italians…

  • Fabulous Fennel

    Growing up in an Italian household, fennel, or finocchio, was a staple on our autumn table.  It wasn’t until I grew up that I discovered that it was rarely used…

  • Changing How We Think

    When I was younger and newly vegetarian, I think I had it easier than today. In order to change how I ate, I had to change how I thought about…

  • Listening In the Kitchen

    I spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  It’s my job. I love every second of it.  Having worked as an artist in my earlier years, I love the…

  • The Aristocrat of Oranges, The Mandarin

    I live on the East Coast. Winter sets in with dull, grey, bone-chilling cold days.  Since I can’t always jet off to a tropical paradise for a break from winter…

  • Discovering the Christmas Spirit

    I grew up in a wild and crazy Italian and Irish family who seemed to compete for who could yell the loudest or be the most dramatic. We were all…

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    Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

    “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” -Dalai Lama Sitting with my godson in an ancient Franciscan monastery in Italy,…

  • Facing Down Illness

    I became a vegetarian when I was 14 years old, as a way to torture my butcher father. I had no idea what it took to be a healthy plant-based…

  • Eating with the Seasons: Winter

    We live in a great country where we can get any fruit or vegetable at any time of the year. That’s good news and bad news for us. It’s good…

  • It’s Diabetes Awareness Month

    If you watch television for more than 30 seconds, you’ll see an ad for a diabetes drug, with discouraging language for people trying to manage this lifestyle disease on their…

  • The Salt of the Earth

    I decided to write about salt for a couple of reasons. I adore salt and all it does for my cooking and health, but more important, I am asked about…

  • Tis the Season for Squash

    With colder weather just about here (and the holiday season already looming), people naturally begin to think more and more about cooking.  We see article after article, advertisement after advertisement,…

  • An Apple A Day

    As the cold weather continues to march toward us and autumn is in full blush, is there anything that lifts your spirits quite like crisp, juicy apples spilling out of…

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    A Week of Lunches

    I know what you’re thinking. How boring. Brown bagging lunch every day to the office and sitting at your desk while you eat it. No way, baby. Homemade is far…

  • Hallowe-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-n!!!!!!

    I love (she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm) reading all the “healthy Halloween” tips that flood our inboxes and magazine covers this time of year. Not only impractical and…

  • Cooking for One…You’re Worth It

    In the kitchen, one can be a lonely number. There’s leftover fatigue or the sad bowl of cereal for dinner – again-rather than cooking. On top of that, spending time…

  • Glorious Garlic

    Glorious Garlic I didn’t cook with garlic until I was about 10 years old. My mother, you see, didn’t like it. I know, right? An Italian cook who didn’t like…

  • The Perfect Muffin

    This basic muffin recipe will work for any muffin you could want to create . . . apple, banana nut, blueberry, cranberry, pumpkin, and with a couple of adjustments you can make corn muffins, bran muffins, or any other kind of whole-grain muffins you can imagine. Makes 12 servings ½…

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