Chef It Up with Haile Thomas

When Haile’s father was diagnosed with type two diabetes, she and her family began a journey that would change their dietary habits, improve her dad’s health, and radically transform her life. Ten years later, she is a social entrepreneur, speaker, activist and advocate for conscious living—and her dad is diabetes-free.

Haile believes that to productively work toward our best selves, we must first fuel the vessel that supports us: our bodies. By incorporating healthy, plant-based dishes into our daily routine, we can boost qualities such as confidence, happiness, energy and positivity. In Living Lively (William Morrow, 2020), Haile combines her uplifting message with tasty, wholesome food, providing dozens of nutrition-packed vegan recipes—all gluten-, dairy- and egg-free—that pack a punch with bold and bright flavors, many inspired by her culinary adventures around the world.

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Haile Thomas’ Straight Fire Vegan Mac and Cheese

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Chef Tips:

1. Here are some tools I recommend you have available to make your time in the kitchen a breeze: a basic (and sharp) knife set; cutting board(s); measuring cups and spoons; whisk, spatula, flat metal spatula, wooden spoon; baking sheets and pans; mixing bowls (small, medium, large); blender; food processor; and stand or hand mixer.

2. A favorite seasoning is nutritional yeast. These golden flakes of goodness are made of fortified deactivated yeast and bring a nutty, cheesy flavor—plus B vitamins—to savory dishes. I use nutritional yeast often in tofu scrambles and mac ’n’ cheese! It’s affordable if purchased in bulk and can offset the need for vegan cheese flavor wise.

3. Many plant-powered foods keep longer than their meat and dairy containing counterparts, so don’t be afraid to make more than you need when cooking and save for meals in the future!