I’m Melissa Altman-Traub, a registered dietitian nutritionist who loves to cook and teach! Please explore this site to learn more about nutrition and find some healthy recipes. 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 can find easy meals, appetizers, snacks, and desserts. There are also cooking tips and ideas for healthy eating with a plant-based diet 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 round-ups with links to other sites contain ovo-lactovegetarian recipes also.
I am a big fan of cooking: I would love to be able to help you develop your cooking skills. It is wonderful to make your own tasty, healthy food. You can customize meals to your tastes and save a LOT of money on take-out or eating out too!
I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. Besides cooking, I love reading, biking, walking. I’m pretty creative and am often making something. I love to travel and am interested in sustainable living. You will find some articles about good nutrition for travel and sustainability on this site also.
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.
Then I learned more from some nutrition, food science, and hotel, restaurant, and institutional management classes in college and worked a brief summer stint 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.
Some recipes are quick, and some may take a little more time. But, I think it’s worth it to create homemade, delicious flavors. Sometimes there are culinary disasters, too. The most recent was vegan veggie cream cheese, which was like little pebbles of cashews. I’m going to have to work on that one!
Please follow me on Instagram: melissatraubrd and my Facebook group for the latest updates.
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, seasonings, and how to swap out ingredients in baking and cooking. This Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate Chunks uses ground flax seeds instead of eggs and some whole wheat flour for extra fiber.
A lot of people have been going through financial difficulties this year. Please see this post about free food resources in Central Bucks County and share it if you know of anyone who could benefit from it.
Learn more about making citrus juices with this kitchen tool review I wrote for the Food & Nutrition Magazine:
And I was quoted in this article about buckwheat groats in The Healthy, by Amy Gorin-Spector MS, RDN
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.
