About Me

I’m Melissa Altman-Traub, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to share how to cook healthy plant-based meals. Whether you are vegetarian, flexitarian, or one of the many people trying to eat more plant foods and fewer animal foods, you are welcome here.

You will find lots of easy meals, appetizers, snacks, and desserts. There are also shopping tips and ideas for healthy eating when you travel. These are perfect for beginners or more experienced vegans and cooks, too.

All of the recipes I have created for this site are vegan. Some recipe collections with links to other sites include ovo-lactovegetarian recipes.

I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. Besides cooking, I love reading, biking, walking, crocheting, and crafts. I love to travel and am interested in sustainable living.

About Me and My Interest in Cooking

I enjoy cooking Italian, Mexican, and Asian dishes in particular. I learned to cook from my grandparents (my grandfather owned restaurants) and my parents. As a teen, I enjoyed trying recipes and helping with dinner and baking.

I learned more from some nutrition, food science, and hotel, restaurant, and institutional management classes in college and worked a summer job as a restaurant cook. I attended Penn State University for a B.S. in Nutrition and Arcadia for an M.S. in Health Education. I’m a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. After working as a clinical dietitian in health care and private practice, I now teach nutrition at the college level.

Although my life is busy with family and work, I make the time to cook most days. I enjoy sharing my culinary creations with you all. I will show you that it is easy to create healthy plant-based meals.

Please follow me on Instagram: melissatraubrd and my Facebook group for recipe inspiration and conversation. And you can sign up for my free monthly Substack newsletter here.

Thanks for visiting!

Melissa Altman-Traub MS, RDN, LDN

Recipe Inspiration

If you are wondering what to make for lunch and dinner, check out my main dishes.

People often ask about how to cook tofu. Try this flavorful marinade for easy grilling this summer: Orange Tahini Grilled Tofu:

Everybody loves pizza, right? But you may be wondering how to make a healthier version without dairy products. Learn How to Make Cheesy Vegan Pizza with 00 Flour. Not only is it plant-based, and lower in sodium and fat than typical pizza, but it’s a fun activity to make as a family:

Sometimes I hear people say that healthy food is boring and doesn’t taste good. I don’t believe that at all! All you need to learn are some tips to add flavor and seasonings, and how to swap out ingredients in baking and cooking.

Plant-Based Travel Tips

As I love to travel, I also share tips for healthy eating on vacation, like these Healthy Eating Tips for Indoor Water Parks:

Disclaimer: This blog is informational in nature and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems. Always consult your physician or healthcare practitioner about your specific needs before making any changes in your diet or exercise.

As nutrition is constantly evolving, it is possible that older posts on this site may no longer be consistent with current guidelines.