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Mary Margaret Chappell

Mary Margaret Chappell

When Mary Margaret Chappell first started out in the plant-based food world as a writer, editor, and recipe developer, she was a bacon-loving former pastry chef who didn’t think she could ever cook without butter. Fourteen years, four cookbooks, dozens of cooking classes, and hundreds of recipes later, her favorite thing in the world is sharing the tips, techniques, and recipes that show just how easy and delicious whole-food, plant-based cooking can be. The former food editor of Vegetarian Times magazine has done away with her dependency on butter and is honing her skills at baking with natural sweeteners. Chappell lives in France, where plant-based eating can often be a challenge, but the fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes available are simply amazing. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.

All Contributions from Mary Margaret Chappell (227)

  • a lot of couscous with a wooden spoon on top containing some couscous

    Couscous, Explained: Everything You Need to Know About the Grain-like Staple, Plus Recipes

    What looks like a grain, cooks like rice, and is actually a type of pasta? Couscous! Tender and creamy with a pleasing chewiness, couscous has been a staple starch in North Africa for centuries. And now that whole wheat couscous is readily available to home cooks, couscous is an excellent ingredient to have on hand […]
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  • A baked potato cut in half and steaming fresh from the oven

    How to Cook the Perfect Baked Potato

    Baked potatoes are one-ingredient wonders that require no recipe, no work, and no doctoring up to be absolutely delicious. Here are all the selection, prep, and baking tips that make cooking them even easier—and absolutely foolproof. Baked Potato Science Three things make a baked potato different from a boiled, steamed, or roasted spud: skin, starch, […]
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  • An earthy tile background and a ceramic bowl of Oil-Free Chili Crisp with a long-handled teaspoon in the bowl

    Oil-Free Chili Crisp

    Looking for some instant zing? You may have already heard of chili crisp, the Chinese-style chili oil that combines a crunchy mixture of crushed peanuts, ground chiles, and spices. For anyone seeking that bright punch of heat without the oil, this toasted nut and spice blend is the whole-food, plant-based answer. Peanuts (or sunflower seeds, […]
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  • Friends preparing shaken mocktail recipes at home

    Healthy Summer Mocktails—No Sugar Crash Required

    Mocktails are having a major moment, and Forks Over Knives is raising a glass to the trend. The booze-free beverages are refreshing, celebratory, and easy to enjoy any time of day. But many mocktail recipes lean heavily on sugary juices or syrups, which can make them more like liquid desserts than healthy sips. That’s why […]
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  • Four stalks of lemongrass shown close up, with a few rounds of sliced lemongrass lying beside them

    Lemongrass 101: How to Prep, Store, and Use This Fragrant Herb

    Lemongrass is a foundation flavor in Southeast Asian cuisines, lending a fragrant, citrusy component to everything from light, brothy soup to hearty Thai red curry. Though its tough, woody stems can make it seem intimidating, lemongrass is surprisingly simple to work with once you know how. In fact, prepping the fresh herb is as easy […]
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  • herb-and-produce pairings

    The Ultimate Guide to Herbs and How to Pair Them with Produce

    Love the flavor explosion that happens when you pair fresh basil with peak-season tomatoes? Then you’re sure to enjoy all the other herb-and-produce pairings out there. The following guide tells you everything you need to know about adding fresh herb flavor to all your plant-based dishes—and includes easy recipes from Forks Over Knives to help […]
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  • A jar of creamy cashew butter surrounded by raw cashews

    The Plant-Based Cook’s Guide to Cashews

    Is there anything cashews can’t do? Ever since some clever soul figured out how to soak the crescent-shaped nuts in water then blend them to creamy smoothness, cashews have become an essential ingredient in vegan cooking and baking, right up there with tofu, flaxseeds, and egg substitutes. ​Here’s everything a plant-based cook needs to know […]
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  • two halves of a red onion lying on a cutting board, with one half facing cut side down and the other half facing cut side up, on a solid pink abstract background

    How to Cut Onions Without Crying (Really!)

    Anyone who’s ever cooked with onions can tell you that cutting them makes you cry. But it has taken decades of research for scientists to pinpoint why. In 2002, Japanese researchers identified a unique enzyme that produces lachrymatory factor (LF), a volatile sulfuric compound that is part of an onion’s natural defense mechanism. Once airborne, […]
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  • father-and-son-carrying-coolre-2

    How to Pack a Cooler So It Stays Cold

    Whether you’re packing for a picnic in the park, a cross-country road trip, or a multiday camping adventure, knowing how to properly pack a cooler can make all the difference. The following tips ensure optimal chill for day trips, long car rides, and even weekends in the wild. With a bit of prep and the […]
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  • A bottle of Chinese black vinegar isolated on a tan background

    Instant Umami: Why You Should Be Cooking with Black Vinegar

    Love Asian flavors? Then a bottle of Chinese black vinegar is a must-have in your pantry. The rice-based vinegar has the power to transform dishes, infusing them with umami-rich flavor—and it’s lower in sodium than soy sauce and tamari, making it a clutch ingredient for health-conscious cooks. Here’s everything you need to know about the […]
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  • vegan easter basket treats - on the left, a dairy-free vegan chocolate bunny, on the right, a fair-trade handwoven basket

    The Ultimate Vegan Easter Basket: Delicious Treats and Sustainable Gifts

    One of the most fun things about filling a vegan Easter basket is choosing items that are a meaningful, beautiful celebration of spring. Bunnies, chicks, and chocolate treats are a must, but beyond that, the field is wide open to interpretation. To help you get inspired, we have put together the following selection of goodies […]
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  • Empty egg carton

    Wondering What to Substitute for Eggs in Baking? Try These 8 Easy Swaps

    Eggs play several roles in baking, from binding and adding moisture to creating lift and texture. Fortunately, a variety of plant-based ingredients can replicate these functions, often with a healthier nutritional profile. Plus, many egg substitutes are budget-friendly and made from pantry staples you may already have on hand. In this quick guide, we break […]
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Master The Art Of Plant-based Cooking.

The Forks Over Knives online cooking course helps you learn new techniques, flavors, and styles for cooking delicious plant-based, oil-free meals at home.