Show 524, May 6, 2023: Laura Theodore, PBS’s Celebrity Vegan Chef and TV Personality. Jazzy Vegetarian Cookbook – 10th Anniversary Edition

Cookbook Author Laura Theodore

PBS’s celebrity vegan chef, Laura Theodore, is back with us to celebrate the 10th Anniversary Edition of Jazzy Vegetarian – Lively Vegan Cuisine That’s Easy and Delicious.

“This 10th Anniversary Edition of the cookbook features over 120 dazzling vegan recipes, including 25 new recipes from Season Ten of Laura’s popular PBS television series. With more full-color photos, modernized cooling tips, and gluten-free options, this spectacular cookbook highlights vegan recipes that are easy, nutritious, and most of all, delicious.”

“Jazzy Vegetarian: Lively Vegan Cuisine That’s Easy and Delicious (10th Anniversary Edition!) delivers show-stopping guidance and recipes that make it easy to embrace healthful yet sumptuous vegan dining at home!”

Chef Laura graciously shares with our listeners her easy to prepare recipe for Lentil-Veggie Curry Soup that she demonstrated in her recent Webinar for the Melissa’s Produce food media group.

Show 512, February 11, 2023: The Vegetarian Reset – 75 Low Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World with Author Vasudha Viswanath Part One

Vasudha Viswanath of the Vegetarian Reset

“Is the global transition to “plant-based” headed in the right direction? How sustainable is a plant-based diet if it revolves around refined carbs like bread, rice and noodles, or fake meat, uninspiring salads, and sugary smoothies? The Vegetarian Reset – 75 Low Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World by Vasudha Viswanath celebrates a lifestyle where a foodie’s sensibility intersects with eating healthy. It solves the never-ending dilemma that vegetarians face – is life fun when you eat a salad every day or is your health taking a backseat when you eat a big bowl of rice or pasta without enough protein? The Vegetarian Reset has 75 low-carb and high-protein recipes that are rooted in whole foods like vegetables, legumes, spices, and healthy fats.”

Vasudha Viswanath joins us with as slice of her signature Zucchini Bread at the ready.

“In her debut cookbook, Vasudha takes her readers on a little trip around the world, to draw inspiration from an array of traditional cuisines from east to west. Her recipes put vegetables front and center – for example, using riced cauliflower or spiralized vegetables in lieu of white rice or noodles, and creating breads out of less-processed alternatives like chickpea and almond flour. Smoothies are refreshingly savory, and desserts are lightly sweetened with whole fruit. Due to their focus on vegetables, the recipes in this book tend to be moderately low-carb and are predominantly gluten-free. Nutritional facts are provided for each recipe. Moderate amounts of full-fat dairy and eggs are called for in some recipes, but vegan alternatives are often suggested as well.”

There is even an unexpectedly decadent chapter for “Desserts.” Think Hazelnut Brownies sweetened with Mejdool Dates.

Vasudha graciously shares the recipes for Zucchini Bread and Pav Bhaji (Mumbai street food) from The Vegetarian Reset with us.

Show 512, February 11, 2023: The Vegetarian Reset – 75 Low Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World with Author Vasudha Viswanath Part Two

Vasudha Viswanath of the Vegetarian Reset

“Is the global transition to “plant-based” headed in the right direction? How sustainable is a plant-based diet if it revolves around refined carbs like bread, rice and noodles, or fake meat, uninspiring salads, and sugary smoothies? The Vegetarian Reset – 75 Low Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World by Vasudha Viswanath celebrates a lifestyle where a foodie’s sensibility intersects with eating healthy. It solves the never-ending dilemma that vegetarians face – is life fun when you eat a salad every day or is your health taking a backseat when you eat a big bowl of rice or pasta without enough protein? The Vegetarian Reset has 75 low-carb and high-protein recipes that are rooted in whole foods like vegetables, legumes, spices, and healthy fats.”

Vasudha Viswanath continues with us with a slice of her signature Zucchini Bread at the ready.

“In her debut cookbook, Vasudha takes her readers on a little trip around the world, to draw inspiration from an array of traditional cuisines from east to west. Her recipes put vegetables front and center – for example, using riced cauliflower or spiralized vegetables in lieu of white rice or noodles, and creating breads out of less-processed alternatives like chickpea and almond flour. Smoothies are refreshingly savory, and desserts are lightly sweetened with whole fruit. Due to their focus on vegetables, the recipes in this book tend to be moderately low-carb and are predominantly gluten-free. Nutritional facts are provided for each recipe. Moderate amounts of full-fat dairy and eggs are called for in some recipes, but vegan alternatives are often suggested as well.”

There is even an unexpectedly decant chapter for “Desserts.” Think Hazelnut Brownies sweetened with Mejdool Dates.

“Vasudha Viswanath is the founder of We Ate Well, a community for foodies that focuses on eating mindfully and sustainably on a vegetarian diet. She has been a lifelong vegetarian and passionate home cook. Her journey into eating healthy started with a doctor’s note about her elevated blood sugar after a routine physical. She transformed the way she cooks to cut out excessive starch and sugar and has never felt better. After spending over a decade on Wall Street where she specialized in technology and business strategy, Vasudha left her career in finance to write a cookbook and create We Ate Well. She grew up in Bangalore, India and now lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.”

Vasudha graciously shares the recipes for Zucchini Bread and Pav Bhaji (Mumbai street food) from The Vegetarian Reset with us.

Show 507, January 14, 2023: Brianne Grajkowski, food & lifestyle blogger with Cooking with Kids

Momprenuer Brianne Grajkowski

Brianne Grajkowski’s Cooking with Kids – Fun, Easy, Approachable Recipes to help Teach Kids How to Cook is, perhaps, the ultimate kids’ cookbook for parents to get their children involved in the kitchen. This must-have book features 101 fun, approachable, carefully chosen and easy recipes that will teach kids how to cook simple dishes and drinks for every meal of the day. From smoothies and savory Hawaiian waffles to a salami grilled cheese, chicken quesadillas, pumpkin cheesecake bites, sweet potato fries, and so much more, each kid-friendly recipe includes easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, helpful visuals, and engaging photography that will help them grow in the kitchen as they learn to use different kitchen utensils and tools.”

“Have a blast as you supervise and bond with your child while they grow their basic cooking skills and make delicious meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beyond with Cooking with Kids!”

Bri graciously shares with us the two recipes from Cooking with Kids that she demonstrated in her virtual presentation for the Melissa’s World Variety Produce food writers. These are the easy-to-prepare Jicama Mango Salad and Bruschetta.

Brianne Grajkowski is our guest with kid-safe knife in hand.

Brianne Grajkowski is a food and lifestyle blogger behind the site BriGeeski.com. A mom of two who is known for creating fun and easy recipes she makes with her kids, Brianne is also an artist, creative entrepreneur, graphic designer, and adventure seeker who shares everyday recipes, travel ideas, things to do in San Diego, and life as a mompreneur.”

To learn more about Brianne, visit her website or follow her on social media.

Jicama Mango Salad

Jicama Mango Salad by Brianne Grajkowski

Recipe excerpt from:
Cooking with Kids – Fun, Easy, Approachable Recipes to help Teach Kids How to Cook
by Brianne Grajkowski

Serves 4 / 15 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Mangos
  • 1 Small Jicama
  • 1 Bunch of Mint
  • 1 Lime

Instructions

Cut mango into thin slices. Cut off skin of jicama and cut into thin slices Chop mint. Place mango and jicama slices onto a plate. Squeeze a lime onto the fruit Sprinkle with mint. SLICE THIN! Cut the fruit into long thin slices for optimal taste!

Show 500, November 19, 2022: Tara “Teaspoon” Bench with Delicious Gatherings – Recipes to Celebrate Together Part One

Tara Bench

Tara “Teaspoon” Bench’s newest cookbook (and just in time for the Holidays) is Delicious Gatherings – Recipes to Celebrate Together. “Here is your invitation to step into the kitchen and create a meal worth remembering! Tara Teaspoon helps you impress guests and gather friends around your table with recipes for elevated everyday meals and special holidays, plus helpful tips and how-tos. This cookbook aims to bring joy, flair, and amazing taste to all your get-togethers.”

“From Sunday suppers and weeknight family meals to elaborate buffets for bigger crowds and holiday celebrations, Tara’s recipes include delicious showstoppers and unique takes on comforting classics. You can gather together around savory recipes, including Spicy Maple Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pepitas or the Ultimate Chili con Queso. Then bring on dessert with Chocolate Peanut Butter Puddle Cookies or Maple Hazelnut Pie.”

“Tara brings her comforting-but-elevated approach to recipes that cover “Main Events,” “Serious Sides,” “Breakfast and Brunch,” and “Baking and Sweets.” The book opens with “Gather-Around Dinners,” which takes the stress out of meal planning with full-course menus for memorable gatherings.”

“I am so passionate about the power of food and cooking, and how it can bring people together, allow us to explore our creativity, and nourish our bodies and souls.”—Tara Bench (aka Tara Teaspoon).

“Tara Bench has been in the food publishing industry for more than twenty years and is also the author of Live Life Deliciously: Recipes for Busy Weekdays and Leisurely Weekends. As a recipe developer and professional food stylist, she creates food content for brands, books, television, and advertising, as well as shares her expertise on her blog.”

In the spirit of the Holidays, Tara has graciously shared with us two representative recipes from Delicious Gatherings. They are Loaded Guacamole Dip and Waldorf Salad with Radicchio and Buttermilk Dressing.

Tara “Teaspoon” Bench is our guest with whisk in hand.

Show 500, November 19, 2022: Tara “Teaspoon” Bench with Delicious Gatherings – Recipes to Celebrate Together Part Two

Tara Bench

Tara “Teaspoon” Bench’s newest cookbook (and just in time for the Holidays) is Delicious Gatherings – Recipes to Celebrate Together. “Here is your invitation to step into the kitchen and create a meal worth remembering! Tara Teaspoon helps you impress guests and gather friends around your table with recipes for elevated everyday meals and special holidays, plus helpful tips and how-tos. This cookbook aims to bring joy, flair, and amazing taste to all your get-togethers.”

“From Sunday suppers and weeknight family meals to elaborate buffets for bigger crowds and holiday celebrations, Tara’s recipes include delicious showstoppers and unique takes on comforting classics. You can gather together around savory recipes, including Spicy Maple Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pepitas or the Ultimate Chili con Queso. Then bring on dessert with Chocolate Peanut Butter Puddle Cookies or Maple Hazelnut Pie.”

“Tara brings her comforting-but-elevated approach to recipes that cover “Main Events,” “Serious Sides,” “Breakfast and Brunch,” and “Baking and Sweets.” The book opens with “Gather-Around Dinners,” which takes the stress out of meal planning with full-course menus for memorable gatherings.”

“I am so passionate about the power of food and cooking, and how it can bring people together, allow us to explore our creativity, and nourish our bodies and souls.”—Tara Bench (aka Tara Teaspoon).

In the spirit of the Holidays, Tara has graciously shared with us two representative recipes from Delicious Gatherings. They are Loaded Guacamole Dip and Waldorf Salad with Radicchio and Buttermilk Dressing.

Tara “Teaspoon” Bench continues with us with whisk securely in hand.

Show 499, November 12, 2022: Lauren Thomas, The Modern Hippie Table cookbook and blog – The Modern Hippie Way Part Two

Modern Hippie Lauren Thomas

Modern Hippie” celebrates a way of living and entertaining that creates an intentional series of moments at home, where good food, conversation, and design come together to create and establish lasting and inspired memories. Lauren Thomas’s The Modern Hippie Table: Recipes and Menus for Eating Simply and Living Beautifully combines more than 70 curated recipes and assorted themed menus with beautiful and doable tabletop ideas, creating a vibe of laid-back elegance that complements whatever is on the menu, from an intimate dinner for two to a large celebration.” 

“In this debut collection, Lauren shares favorite dishes that can be easily prepared for entertaining, which allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests and family. Some of the recipes are made from scratch, while others make creative use of store-bought convenience foods and pre-made products that help save time.”

“Lauren is also passionate about making sure the surroundings of the occasion are as beautiful as the meal is delicious. She provides suggestions for flowers, linens, and surfaces that won’t add stress or break the bank. And to complete your planning, suggested menus for occasions such as an intimate date night or a meet the neighbors gathering are sprinkled throughout the book to help plan out themed meals, along with tips on how to set the scene for the occasion.”

Lauren takes a 2nd break from finishing her Pear, Pomegranate, Turkey and Gorgonzola Board (inspired by her recipe for Pear Gorgonzola Salad from The Modern Hippie Table) to continue with us.

For Lauren’s virtual presentation for the Melissa’s food media group she prepared a Pear, Pomegranate, Turkey and Gorgonzola Salad Board inspired by her recipe for Pear Gorgonzola Salad in The Modern Hippie Table. Lauren graciously shares that recipe with us. Perfect use for that leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Show 490, September 10, 2022: Chef Amy Riolo with Italian Recipes for Dummies

Cookbook Author Amy Riolo

Chef Amy Riolo’s latest, Italian Recipes For Dummies, is your roadmap to cooking like an Italian at your own home. For those of us not lucky enough to have our very own Italian grandmother or have attended culinary school in Italy, Italian Recipes For Dummies is stepping in to fill the gap. Award-winning chef and author Amy Riolo delivers a step-by-step guide to creating authentic Italian dishes, starting from the basics and progressing to more advanced techniques and recipes. You’ll discover how to shop for, plan, and cook authentic Italian meals properly. You’ll also find guidance on how to incorporate the cultural, nutritional, and historical influences that shape classic Italian cuisine. This book includes more than 150 authentic Italian recipes with step-by-step instructions.”

“The perfect book for amateur chefs, Italy aficionados, homemakers, and anyone else looking for culinary inspiration, Italian Recipes For Dummies is also an indispensable guide for people seeking healthier ways of shopping, cooking, and eating without giving up amazing flavors and rich foods.”

“Amy Riolo is an award-winning, best-selling author, chef, television personality, and educator. She is one of the world’s foremost authorities on culinary culture. In 2019 she launched her private label collection of premium Italian imported culinary ingredients called Amy Riolo Selections which includes an extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pesto sauce from award-winning artisan companies in Italy. Amy also leads private, small group tours to Italy, Greece, and Morocco.”

Amy has graciously shared her recipe for Insalata di mare / Seafood Salad from the “Sharing Meals the Italian Way : Antipasti / Appetizers and Aperitivi” Chapter of Italian Cooking for Dummies.

Amy Riolo is our guest with Italian extra virgin olive oil in hand.

Amy will be back with us before year’s end to discuss Mediterranean Lifestyle for Dummies and her imported Italian food products line.

Show 487, August 13, 2022: Maria Provenzano, Lifestyle Expert, with Everyday Celebrations From Scratch Part One

Maria Provenzano of From Scratch with Maria

“TV host and do-it-yourself / lifestyle expert Maria Provenzano shows readers how to turn even life’s small moments into big celebrations, with food and crafts from scratch.”

“Life’s everyday moments are worthy of connecting people together with food and crafts. Everyday Celebrations from Scratch by Maria Provenzano is filled with impressive (yet easy) recipes, step-by-step craft tutorials, and inspiration to set the scene–all to help you create the life you want, from scratch.”

“First, Maria shares the essentials of everyday celebrations, including must-haves for a well-stocked pantry and the basic supplies for craft activities anyone can do.”

“Each section of the book provides inspiration for both food and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects, so you can invest minimum time for maximum impact! Discover how fun it can be to celebrate . . .

  • Weeknight meals, so even a takeout night is memorable
  • Family, including an inspiring and nourishing breakfast before a loved one’s major presentation or important test
  • Friendship, with crafts like custom bookmarks for your reading club or wine glass tags for a girl’s night in
  • Sports, which can involve the best-ever tailgating party or a neighborhood backyard Olympics
  • Seasons, to make it even easier to feel festive all year round”

“Everyday celebrations are the foundations of memories that last a lifetime, and Maria will show you just how easy it can be!”

”Maria Provenzano is a lifestyle expert who loves inspiring others through crafting and unique recipes. She believes in all things homemade and hopes to encourage others to add a bit of creativity (and fun!) to every day. Maria is the creator of the site From Scratch with Maria.”

Maria’s recipes for Lemony Basil Pesto and Spa Citrus and Burrata Salad “Italiano” (from Everyday Celebrations from Scratch) are posted in the Recipes section of the “SoCal Restaurant Show” website.

Maria Provenzano is our guest with tasting spoon in hand.