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 429, June 12, 2021: Donato Poto, Partner, Providence, Hollywood Part One

Donato Poto of Providence plus Connie and Ted's

For 16 years, Providence in Hollywood has elevated the standard of modern American seafood restaurants with exemplary service. Newly reopened for dine-in guests can again experience Chef Michael Cimarusti’s award-winning cuisine in the heart of Los Angeles, welcomed by one of L.A.’s legendary hosts, co-owner Donato Poto.

“Chef Cimarusti is completely dedicated to procuring the finest sustainable seafood—from regional coasts and international waters—and treats those ingredients with uncompromising respect and sophisticated technique. “First and foremost, what guides us here is sustainability,” Cimarusti says. “We use only wild-caught, sustainable products, mostly from American waters, and look to highlight their finest qualities.””

Providence is newly reopened for Dinner only, serving Tuesday through Saturday. Providence offers a single, extravagant multi-course tasting menu nightly. (Vegetarian and Pescatarian options are available.)

Restaurateur Donato Poto is with us to reminisce, celebrate the 16th Anniversary and look to the future.

Show 429, June 12, 2021: Donato Poto, Partner, Providence, Hollywood Part Two

Donato Poto of Providence plus Connie and Ted's

For 16 years, Providence in Hollywood has elevated the standard of modern American seafood restaurants with exemplary service. Newly reopened for dine-in guests can again experience Chef Michael Cimarusti’s award-winning cuisine in the heart of Los Angeles, welcomed by one of L.A.’s legendary hosts, co-owner Donato Poto.

“Chef Cimarusti is completely dedicated to procuring the finest sustainable seafood—from regional coasts and international waters—and treats those ingredients with uncompromising respect and sophisticated technique. “First and foremost, what guides us here is sustainability,” Cimarusti says. “We use only wild-caught, sustainable products, mostly from American waters, and look to highlight their finest qualities.””

Providence is newly reopened for Dinner only, serving Tuesday through Saturday. Providence offers a single, extravagant multi-course tasting menu nightly. (Vegetarian and Pescatarian options are available.)

A Father’s Day reminder…On June 20th Providence’s sister restaurant, Connie & Ted’s, is open for Lunch and Dinner serving their ample all-day menu. Lunch is 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Dinner from 5 to 10:00 p.m. Connie & Ted’s is a casual seafood restaurant with buckets of atmosphere and providing full table service. Think fresh Maine Lobster Roll served hot or cold.

Restaurateur Donato Poto continues with us to reminisce, celebrate the 16th Anniversary and look to the future.

Show 405, December 26, 2020: Chef & Author Deborah Madison with her Memoir, An Onion In My Pocket Part One

Cookbook Author Deborah MadisonChef Deborah Madison’s new memoir, An Onion in My Pocket – My Life With Vegetables is from the celebrated author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and 13 other cookbooks. (Described as “The Queen of Greens” by The Washington Post.) It’s a warm, bracingly honest memoir that also gives us an insider’s look at the vegetarian movement.”

“Thanks to her beloved cookbooks and groundbreaking work as the opening chef at Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, Deborah Madison, though not a vegetarian herself, has long been revered as this country’s leading authority on vegetables.”

“She profoundly changed the way generations of Americans think about cooking with vegetables, helping to transform “vegetarian” from a dirty word into a mainstream way of eating. But before she became a household name, Madison spent almost twenty years as an ordained Buddhist priest, coming of age in the midst of counterculture San Francisco. In this charmingly intimate and refreshingly frank memoir, she tells her story—and with it the story of the vegetarian movement—for the very first time.”

We’re walking the local Farmers Market with Chef Deborah Madison.

Show 405, December 26, 2020: Chef & Author Deborah Madison with her Memoir, An Onion In My Pocket Part Two

Cookbook Author Deborah MadisonChef Deborah Madison’s new memoir, An Onion in My Pocket – My Life With Vegetables is from the celebrated author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and 13 other cookbooks. (Described as “The Queen of Greens” by The Washington Post.) It’s a warm, bracingly honest memoir that also gives us an insider’s look at the vegetarian movement.”

Madison’s “insightful memoir” (The Wall Street Journal) is “a true delight to read as she uncovers her love for all real foods, peeling off layer by layer like an onion, recounting her own personal, culinary, and gardening experiences” (Lidia Bastianich).

“From her childhood in Big Ag Northern California to working in the kitchen of the then-new Chez Panisse, and from the birth of food TV to the age of green markets everywhere, An Onion in My Pocket is as much the story of the evolution of American foodways as it is the memoir of the woman at the forefront. It is a deeply personal look at the rise of vegetable-forward cooking, and a manifesto for how to eat well.”

“Deborah Madison is the award-winning author of fourteen cookbooks, including The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and Vegetable Literacy. Her books have received four James Beard Foundation awards and five awards from the IACP; in 2016 she was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Cookbook Hall of Fame. She lives just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico.”

Deborah Madison continues the sprouting conversation with us.

Show 338, August 24, 2019: Chef Andrew Gruel of Slapfish Restaurant Group with “Ask the Chef”

Andy Harris and Andrew Gruel at the Fifth Anniversary of the SoCal Restaurant ShowOur always on the go Co-Host, Chef Andrew Gruel of The Slapfish Restaurant Group,” joins us with another installment of “Ask the Chef.” Chef Andrew responds to your questions.

Plant-based seafood substitutes are coming into the consumer marketplace. It’s a huge subject of spirited conversation and has been in the news recently. Chef Andrew shares his thoughts.

Show 322, May 4, 2019: Authors Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin – Husbands That Cook Part One

Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin are the Husbands That CookThe award-winning creators of the travel inspired cooking blog, Husbands That Cook, Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin, have written their first cookbook: Husbands That Cook: More Than 120 Irresistible Vegetarian Recipes And Tales From Our Tiny Kitchen.

“Cooking has always been a central part of Adam and Ryan’s relationship. From their tiny kitchen in Eagle Rock, CA, these inventive husbands are whipping up dishes inspired by their world travels and that represent significant moments in their love story.”

“With Husbands That Cook, home cooks can create fresh and savory dishes that Ryan and Adam have long been perfecting. Featuring brand new unreleased recipes, and a few of the most beloved favorites from the blog, the book is complete with stunning photos of each dish, travels around the world, and vignettes from their lives written with their trademark spunk and enthusiasm for life.”

We’ll meet the unusual duo.

Show 322, May 4, 2019: Authors Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin – Husbands That Cook Part Two

Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin are the Husbands That CookThe award-winning creators of the travel inspired cooking blog, Husbands That Cook, Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin, have written their first cookbook: Husbands That Cook: More Than 120 Irresistible Vegetarian Recipes And Tales From Our Tiny Kitchen.

“Food has always been a key ingredient in Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin’s relationship—and this cookbook offers a unique glimpse into their lives beyond their California kitchen. From their signature Coconut Curry with Chickpeas and Cauliflower, which was inspired by their first date at a shopping mall food court, to the Communication Breakdown Carrot Cake (which speaks for itself), these and other recipes reflect the husbands’ marriage in all its flavor and variety.”

“Written with the same endearing, can-do spirit of their blog, the husbands present more than 120 brand-new recipes—plus some greatest hits from the site—that yield delicious results every time. Each entry in Husbands That Cook is a reminder of how simple and satisfying vegetarian meal-making can be, from hearty main dishes and sides to healthy snacks and decadent desserts and drinks. Ryan and Adam also outline common pantry items and everyday tools you’ll need to fully stock your kitchen.”

“Whether you’re cooking for one or feeding the whole family, this book is chock-full of great creative recipes for every day of the week, all year long.”

Show 278, June 23, 2018: Chef Ricardo Zarate, Rosaline in West Hollywood

Ricardo Zarate of Mo-Chica and PiccaWe chatted with Chef Ricardo Zarate recently about his new restaurant in Las Vegas, Once, located at The Palazzo Resort. His new flagship in West Hollywood on Melrose Ave. (launched last June) is Rosaline. It’s dinner and Sunday Brunch.

Here Chef Ricardo takes his guests back to his roots with a menu of classic Peruvian dishes alongside “street-food” fare updated with a California sensibility. Also a ceviche bar.

The restaurant is named after Chef Ricardo’s mother, Rosaline. It’s what he calls the “next phase of Peruvian dining.”

All the menus include vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free-options.

Chef Ricardo Zarate joins us.