Together We’re Taking Back Our Health and the Health of the Planet.
Plantbased Life & Style with Elysabeth Alfano is the nation’s first plant-based radio show! Elysabeth hosts the foremost leaders in the plant-based arena who are making the world a better place for people, the planet and animals. CEOs, doctors, politicians, environmentalists, athletes, celebs, musicians, chefs, and influencers all take the stage and dish with Elysabeth on their most recent endeavors. Plus, Elysabeth breaks down the latest in plant-based food and news and serves us recipe and lifestyle tips you won’t want to miss!
Engaging, off-the-cuff, entertaining and informational — hold on to your bootstraps because no matter if you’re veg-curious, flexi-veg, vegetarian, vegan, or just thinking about reducing your meat intake, this show will inspire you to take back your health and the health of the planet!
If you would like “Plantbased Life & Style with Elysabeth Alfano” on your local station, reach out to The Smart Talk Radio Network.
“Plantbased Life & Style with Elysabeth Alfano” airs Sundays from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on STRN and WCGO Radio Chicago (1590 AM and 95.9 FM). Also catch the Facebook Live feed. Find episodes below. Also visit ElysabethAlfano.com.
COMING UP
(12/6/20)
With 2020 almost over, Elysabeth throws a tasting party with three of her friends: Vegan Knights Motorcycle founder Chris Green of Oklahoma, Chicago vegan events planner Sandi Swiss, and Los Angeles personal healthy-lifestyle coach Stephanie Bosco. They dish on 2020, make predictions for 2021, and dive into some seriously good It’s Jerky Y’All and Bacony Bits from All Y’Alls Food to ring out 2020 and welcome in 2021. Join us!
ABOUT THE HOST
Elysabeth Alfano is an award-winning media personality, content producer and host. A graduate of Northwestern University and the American Graduate School of International Business, Elysabeth has been bridging the gap between entertainers, influencers, celebrities and the public for over 20 years.
After years of working with Fortune 500 companies and running her own million-dollar small business, in 2009 Alfano started her production company, Fear No ART. Its first show, Fear No ART Chicago on PBS member station WTTW, was launched with Elysabeth as its creator, executive producer, producer and host. The success of the show was remarkable and it branched out into a very popular Web series in 2011.
Elysabeth launched a digital event series and talk show, The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano, in 2012. It aired on Chicago’s Channel 19 through 2016. In 2014, Elysabeth began a podcast version of “The Celebrity Dinner Party,” which was picked up by WGN Radio. Since that time she has been guest hosting on WGN and has recently been added to the roster of on-air hosts for the nightly WGN radio show, “Nightside.”
In 2017, Elysabeth decided to combine her media, food and business skill set with her personal beliefs, focusing her journalism and expertise on the growing plant-based movement. Now an established plant-based guest expert for radio and TV, Elysabeth reports on the latest plant-based news (business, health, politics), food and lifestyle tips. Elysabeth is a public speaker on the physical, mental, environmental and financial benefits of a plant-based diet at food festivals and national business summits.
In 2018, Elysabeth launched the Awesome Vegans Podcast and Video Series on WGN Radio. She also began reporting on the #JaneUnChained News Network while spicing things up on The Silver-Chic Chef online plant-based cooking series. She has done plant-based cooking demonstrations on WCIU-TV, WGN-TV and food festivals from coast to coast.
As the demand for Elysabeth’s recipes and TV cooking demonstrations grew, in 2019, Elysabeth began consulting to restaurants and food companies around the nation on how to enter the plant-based marketplace with product and recipe development and an ethical message. She also gives personal and group in-person and online cooking classes and does personal coaching on how to begin a plant-based lifestyle. For more information, click here.
While always a Chicagoan at heart, Elysabeth splits her time between Los Angeles and Chicago. She is an animal lover and advocate.
SUBSCRIBE
EPISODES
NOVEMBER 22, 2020
How to do a Vegan Thanksgiving? Elysabeth has got you covered! Tune in to this week’s “Plantbased Life & Style” to hear how you can order up the perfect, most delicious, cruelty-free, plant-based turkey and feast just in time for the holidays! Monica Klausner joins Elysabeth to dish on a plant-based, healthy Thanksgiving. Plus, Elysabeth breaks down the ‘big’ news!
Also available: the Facebook Live video
NOVEMBER 15, 2020
Are eggs obsolete? Cholesterol. Fat. Environmental damage from concentrated waste of millions of animals. Egregious use of water. Hormones. Antibiotics. Allergens. Ugh. Let’s do better! Enter ZERO EGG! Co-founder Liron Nimrodi and GM for North America Isabelle Francois of Zero Egg join Elysabeth for an in-depth dive into the egg industry and what is to come!
Also available: the Facebook Live video
NOVEMBER 8, 2020
How can you mitigate or correct long-lasting effects from COVID? How can you stay healthy during the holidays? Sports doctor and founder of the Plantrician Project, Dr. Scott Stoll, joins Elysabeth on this week’s “Plantbased Life & Style” to keep you on track and healthy.
Plus, Elysabeth shares her tips and tricks for getting through binge cravings and the holidays. And as always, she breaks down the plant-based news!
Also available: the Facebook Live video
NOVEMBER 1, 2020
Can alcohol be good for you? Find out Sunday on “Plantbased Life & Style” when Bill Moses, CEO of Flying Embers Hard Kombucha, joins Elysabeth to talk about gut health, whether beverages can contribute to your overall health, and answers the question we all want to know: Can alcohol be good for you? Plus, Elysabeth breaks down the news and shares her own tips.
OCTOBER 25, 2020
This week on “Plantbased Life & Style,” vegan pro-wrestler Austin Aries talks about where he gets his protein but, more importantly, where he gets his fiber. Tune in for diet tips, health tips and tips for resiliency during COVID.
Plus, Elysabeth shares the news and dishes with Austin on her tips for a healthy lifestyle.
Also available: the Facebook Live video
OCTOBER 18, 2020
This week on “Plantbased Life & Style,” you are in for a ride! Tough guys Burak Sarac and Chris Green, founder of the Vegan Knights Motorcycle Club, join Elysabeth to talk about riding around the country in vegan leather on their Harleys and spreading the vegan word while raising money for animal charities. Now, that’s cool!
Also available: the Facebook Live video
OCTOBER 4, 2020
Plant-based seafood? What the heck is that, and how is it possible? It’s a “Plantbased Business Hour” takeover of Plantbased Life & Style with Elysabeth Alfano this week. Co-founder of the Plant Based Seafood Company, Monica Talbert, talks about the rising tide of plant-based seafood and how you can get your hands on some! Plus, Elysabeth breaks down the plant-based news.
Also available: the Facebook Live video
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
This week Elysabeth dishes with internationally touring rockers Derrick Green and Tanya O’Callaghan to talk about being vegan on the road, their path to finding rockin’ good health, and their soon-to-be TV show, “Highway to Health.” As always, Elysabeth breaks down the news and shares her health tips.
Also available: the Facebook Live video
SEPTEMBER 20, 2020
On this episode, Dr. James Loomis, director of the Barnard Medical Center and former Internist for the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Rams, talks about being featured in “The Game Changers” movie, the science behind eating plant-based, and how to eat like an athlete! And as always, Elysabeth breaks down the news and the health fallacies, and Dr. Loomis shares lots of health tips.
Also available: the Facebook Live video
SEPTEMBER 13, 2020
This week Elysabeth breaks down the week’s top headlines, and founder of the world’s only vegan museum, Kay Stepkin, joins the show to talk about Chicago vegetarian and vegan history and how you can get involved!
Plus, the two tick off their Top 10 Tips for Trying a Veggie Lifestyle Right Now, This Minute!
Also available: the Facebook Live video
SEPTEMBER 6, 2020
What do Bridgid Coulter and Don Cheadle eat at home? Mostly-plant-based interior designer Bridgid Coulter talks about her plant-based life, eco-friendly design work, and her favorite meals at home with partner Don Cheadle.
Also available: the Facebook Live video
AUGUST 16, 2020
This week on "The Elysabeth Alfano Show," activist and social media guru John Oberg joins in to talk about one of the most critical social justice movements of our time: the animal rights movement.
Plus, Elysabeth and John share their Top 10 Tips for Being an Activist.
Also available: the Facebook Live video
AUGUST 9, 2020
How heart healthy are we? Not very! This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” past president of the American College of Cardiology and current chief, Division of Cardiology at Rush University Medical Center, Dr. Kim Williams discusses the connection between obesity and the coronavirus and a Chicago South Side study showing the effects of a plant-based diet on an African-American community.
Plus, he answers the questions, are plant-based burgers healthy and is being flexitarian enough, and offers his top heart health tips and why it is our patriotic duty to go vegan. LISTEN IN!
Also available: the Facebook Live video.
AUGUST 2, 2020
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” Dr. Glenn Livingston gives us the life hacks and tips to NEVER BINGE EAT AGAIN! This show is about getting back control for a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Plus, Elysabeth and Dr. Glenn give us their Top 10 Tips for Never Binge Eating Again!
Also available: the Facebook Live video.
JULY 26, 2020
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” Ken Spector, principal of the long-standing, long-trusted vegan restaurant guide and app Happy Cow, talks about international vegan restaurant trends and the latest stats on vegan restaurants during COVID. You will be AMAZED! Plus, Ken and Elysabeth help new vegans with their Top 10 Responses to Grumpy Meat-Eaters.
All news links for today’s show are at vegconomist.com, except for the Beyond Fried Chicken by Beyond Meat, which is in over 50 KFCs in Southern California. Not in your state? Tell your KFC to bring on the Beyond!
Also available: the Facebook Live video
JULY 19, 2020
On this episode of "The Elysabeth Alfano Show," authors Robby Barbaro and Cyrus Khombatta of Mastering Diabetes discuss their programs for reversing Type 2 diabetes and managing Type 1 and 1.5 diabetes. Plus, the three share their Top Ten Health Tips for Keeping Diabetes in Check.
News stories in this episode
The Results Are In: It’s Time For Retailers to Stock Vegan Meat Products in the Meat Case
Roger Federer designs a vegan tennis shoe
Also available: the Facebook Live video
JULY 12, 2020
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” founder of the International Vegan Film Festival, Shawn Stratton, talks about the upcoming submission deadlines and how the festival came to be. Plus, Elysabeth shares her Top 10 Tips for Summer Snacking!
News stories in this episode:
Miyoko’s Creamery lawsuit over the use of the word ‘butter’ goes to round 2
3rd World IPO is Modern Meat (ticker MEAT) in Canada
Also available: the Facebook Live video
JULY 5, 2020
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” Chef AJ talks about her extreme weight loss on a whole foods plant-based diet.
Plus, Elysabeth counts down her Top Ten Ways to Grill Vegan this summer.
Also available: the Facebook Live video
JUNE 28, 2020
This week sexy Latin Lover, game show host and mega-podcaster Marco Antonio Regil joins Elysabeth to talk about taking Hispanics along with him on his plant-based journey. Plus, Elysabeth counts down her Top Ten Tips for Staying Vegan While Eating Out.
News stories in this episode:
Peaceful Activist Hit by a Truck, Canada Passes Bill 156 into Law
VERY Good Butchers Go Public for the World’s 2nd Vegan IPO
Starbucks Picks up the Impossible Sandwich for Breakfast
Also available: the Facebook Live video
JUNE 21, 2020
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” actress, director, producer, and animal activist Fia Perera motivates us to stand up for what we believe in and find our passion for volunteering. Plus, Elysabeth counts down her Top Ten Tips for Trimming Your Waistline!
News stories in this episode:
New Impossible Foods Croissanwich at Burger King
Also available: the Facebook Live video
JUNE 14, 2020
This week, the woman, the myth, the legend: author and “Main Street Vegan” host Victoria Moran joins Elysabeth to get real. Plus, Elysabeth counts down her Top Ten Best Vegan Recipes for Summer.
News stories in this episode:
Dr Jane Goodall, legendary anthropologist and U.N. Messenger of Peace, spoke out during the online conference “Pandemics, Wildlife and Intensive Animal Farming“, where she warned EU leaders that “if we don’t start doing things differently, we’re finished.” [story]
Danone North America, the world’s largest B Corp and a leader in plant-based food and beverage, has partnered with Brightseed, a biosciences and AI company, to “unlock health benefits from plants at an unprecedented speed”, using artificial intelligence which they say is set to usher in a new era of discovery and precision nutrition. [story]
The recently launched 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia — a list of ingredients approved for use in traditional Chinese medicine — no longer includes pangolin scales. Their exclusion from the list comes after the country’s State Forestry and Grassland Administration issued a notice elevating the status of pangolins, the most trafficked endangered animal in the world, from second-level to first-level protected wildlife. [story]
Also available: the Facebook Live video
JUNE 7, 2020
This week, activist Gwenna Hunter, founder of VegansofLA, and filmmaker Jasmine Leyva, creator of the independent documentary The Invisible Vegan, join Elysabeth to discuss social injustice in its many forms. We get into it, from the plate to the streets. Plus, Elysabeth's top ten ways you can make your life an example of social justice, with Gwenna and Jasmine adding their own tips!
Also available: the Facebook Live video
MAY 31, 2020
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” internationally renowned Chef Matthew Kenney, who has over 40 plant-based restaurants around the globe, including Chicago’s Althea restaurant, hops on to talk about his new culinary school, the Food Future Institute. Plus, Elysabeth counts down her Top Ten Reasons to Rethink and Stop Eating Meat.
News stories in this episode:
Nestlé invests $100+M in Plant-based Production Facility in China
We have to wake up: Factory Farms are Breeding Grounds for Pandemics
The End of Meat Is Here by Jonathan Safran Foer
Workers Infected with COVID-19 Still Working in Meat Plants
Also available:
the Facebook Live video
MAY 24, 2020
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” actress and plant-based animal lover Elaine Hendrix gives us some glam. Best known for her role in the movie “The Parent Trap” and her recent movie with Ethan Hawke, “Adopt a Highway,” Elaine shares her true passion for helping animals.
Plus, Elysabeth counts down her Top Ten Vegan Snacks!
News stories in this episode
Petition Against More Animal Ag Bailouts
CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on the Public Health Dangers of Factory Farms
Also available:
the Facebook Live video
MAY 17, 2020
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams explains the incredible work he is doing in schools and hospitals to bring in plant-based meals and implement Meatless Mondays for public health and safety. Plus, Elysabeth counts down her top ten items that every vegan should have in their kitchen.
News stories in this episode
Edie Falco Takes Issue with Governor Cuomo’s $25M Bailout of Dairy Industry
Hälsa, the maker of the first and only 100 percent clean, organic oat milk yogurts, today celebrates the first seeds planted in U.S. soil at its pilot farm with dairy farmers, using Scandinavian organic oat seeds for a dairy-to-oat conversion program: Read Story
NBA All-Star and plant-based athlete Chris Paul does more than spread the plant-based knowledge. Each week this month he is partnering with Beyond Meat and KFC to donate 200 Beyond Meat Fried Chicken meals to the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in support of health care workers who continue the fight against COVID-19
Also available:
the Facebook Live video
Elysabeth's Top Ten Items Every Vegan Should Have In Their Kitchen
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show”: Plant-based athlete, former firefighter, author of The Engine 2 Diet, and “Game Changers” star Rip Esselstyn joins Elysabeth to talk about getting your healthy game on. Plus, Elysabeth shares her tips for jump-starting your plant-based life. Listen in and get to feeling YOUR best.
News stories in this episode:
A bill has been proposed in NY to ban wet markets
US sales of plant-based meat substitutes jumped 200%, while Beyond Meat Stock Soars 23% in one day
Swimmer Michael Phelps and Gymnast Aly Raisman are the new Face of Silk
Also available:
the 5-10-20 episode page
the Facebook Live video
This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” vegan athlete and Volleyball Team USA Champion Dustin Watten joins in to talk about how a plant-based diet gave him the edge on the court. Plus, vegan, veteran and Registered Nurse Bill Muir shares the realities of working through COVID times.
News stories on this episode
New Crop Capital with its Chinese investment partner Dao Foods launch a new incubator project for plant-based startups and entrepreneurs: Read Story
Also available:
the 5-3-20 episode page
the Facebook Live video
It’s BBQ Season – even if you do it by yourself! This week on “The Elysabeth Alfano Show,” plant-based BBQ expert Brian Rodgers joins in to share his story about losing 120 pounds on a plant-based diet, which led him to launch Fool’s Gold BBQ Sauce. In addition, plant-based dieticians James and Dahlia Marin (Married To Health) share the health benefits of a plant-based diet. And at the top of the show, Jodie Wiederkehr of the Chicago Alliance for Animals gives an update on Chicago’s horse-drawn carriage ban.
News stories on this episode
Bill Maher on Factory Farms Are As Bad In Not Worse than Wet Markets
Factory Farms are a Breeding Ground for Disease
Meat Giant Smithfield Sued For Endangering Workers Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
New Report Predicts COVID-19 Pandemic Will Increase Sales of Plant-based Meat
Also available:
the 4-26-20 episode page
This week explorer, endurance athlete and ten-time world-record-holder Colin O’Brady, the first to walk unaided and unassisted across the land mass of Antarctica, joins Elysabeth to talk about his expertise with isolation (coronavirus pep talk!) and the diet that fueled his accomplishment. Plus Dr. Angie Sedeghi dials us in to the benefits of a plant-based diet for avoiding cancer.
News stories on this episode:
Virginia Governor Vetoes Bill to Censor Use of the Word “Milk” on Plant-Based Products
PCRM Files Petition With the Surgeon General Demanding the Closing of US Wet Markets
Tell the USDA Nutrition Guidelines Committee that Dairy Is Not A Health Food
Also available:
the 4-19-20 episode page
the Facebook Live video
On a day that is a holiday for so many, Elysabeth brings together friends and family, namely Ken Kornbluh and James Robinson, to hear their vegan stories: Why did they go vegan? Did it last? Was it hard? Where are they now? Plus, Vegan Knights Motorcycle Club co-founder Burak Sarac joins Elysabeth to dish on riding bikes and being tough as agents of change to help people and animals.
News stories on this episode:
Bipartisan call on China to close wet markets
South Carolina Bird Flu Emerges, 310k Birds are Killed
Before coronavirus, China bungled swine epidemic with secrecy
Plant-based proteins are on the rise (44% of U.S. consumers now identify as flexitarian)
Also available:
the 4-12-20 show page
the Facebook Live video
Charming Texan and founder of It’s Jerky Y’All, Brett Christoffel, shares his business and animal-loving philosophy and the joy of soy, oh boy! Jenny Plasterer of Kitchen 17 shares how her vegan pizza joint is surviving with nationwide, deep-dish delivery, and Dr. Ashwani Garg shares some immune-boosting and mask-wearing tips.
Also available:
the 4-5-20 episode page
This week Dr. Michael Greger, my favorite nutrition nerd, talks candidly about Coronavirus protection and nutrition to keep you your strongest. We also discuss his book How Not To Diet, and his 21 tweaks for perfect health. Plus, Claire Smith of Beyond Investing talks about the impact of ethical investing.
After the interview, Elysabeth and Dr. Greger were spoiled silly at Althea, a Matthew Kenney restaurant in Chicago, the location of the interview. Take a look at these beauties and how happy Dr. G is to indulge! Elysabeth says that this was truly one of the best meals of her life! Beet Ravioli, Kimchi Dumplings, Italian Cobb Salad Bowl, Plant Bowl, Crab Cakes, Kelp Noodles Cacio e Pepe, Coconut-Banana Cream Pie, and Apple Pie a la mode — and all of it in line with Dr. Greger's nutrition guidelines. Needless to say, both Dr. Greger and Elysabeth had smaller dinners after such a huge lunch. Thank you, Althea Chicago!
Also available:
the 3-29-20 episode page
This week actor, writer, and comedian Ian Edwards joins Elysabeth to bring a little levity to these hard times. Plus, Dr. Ashwani Garg dials in to talk about fortifying your immune system with a plant-based diet. You’ll laugh and you’ll learn, as long as you’re tuned in.
Please note: You’ll hear a bit of feedback from our guests’ remote devices, which we were able to rectify.
News stories on this episode:
US Plant-Based Retail Market Worth $5Billion, Outperforming Counterparts in all Categories
New Crop Capital and Dao Foods Invest in Chinese Alt Meat Startup Starfield
China’s Interest in Vegan JUST Egg and Other Plant-Based Proteins Increases in Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak
Germany Confirms Case of H5N8 Bird Flu in Poultry Farm
Also available:
the 3-22-20 episode page
Author, speaker and plant-based lifestyle advocate (and animal advocate) Colleen Patrick Goudreau joins Elysabeth. They dish on Colleen’s new book, The Joyful Vegan, and the rapidly changing Zeitgeist around plant-based living.
Plus, as always, we have “The Doctor Is Dialed In” segment, featuring Plantrician Project founder Dr. Scott Stoll. We talk Coronavirus and lack of nutritional education for doctors.
News stories on this episode:
Chicago is Close to Banning Horse Carriages
60 Minutes Australia Links Coronavirus and others to Meat Markets
Vietnam Outlaws Meat Markets (but not really: See “60 Minutes Australia” link)
Vegan Leather Market: Infinium Global Research has recently published a global report on the Vegan Leather Market which estimates that the market for vegan leather will reach up to $89.6 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 49.9 percent, in the forecast period (2019-2025).
Also available:
the 3-15-20 episode page
the Jane Unchained Facebook video
Coronavirus? Asian Bird Flu? African Swing Flu? China has them all. Right now. And they all come from eating animals.
This week Chinese social entrepreneur David Yeung (Green Monday, Green Common, Omnipork) joins Elysabeth in studio to talk about historical Chinese eating patterns, the shift in consumption, the rise in disease over the last three decades, and the emergence of plant-based lifestyle trends and foods in the wake of Covid-19.
Plus, Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, talks about how diet can affect your hormonal balance.
David Yeung is the co-founder and CEO of Green Monday, a social venture founded in Hong Kong that tackles climate change and global food insecurity through public advocacy, impact investing, corporate consulting, and specialized retail.
Under Green Monday, David launched Green Common, the world's first plant-based green-living destination. Green Monday was named by Fast Company as "Top 50 Most Innovative Companies in China," while David was named by Fast Company as "100 Most Creative People in China", "PE 100 Asia" by Purpose Economy, "17 Rising Social Entrepreneurs" by Conscious Company Magazine, and received Hong Kong's Ten Outstanding Young Persons 2015 award. David is the director of Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, and Hong Kong Buddhist Association. He also authored a number of bestsellers on applied Buddhism and Zen philosophy.
Neal Barnard, M.D. (pictured with Elysabeth) is president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, founder of the Barnard Medical Center, an adjunct professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine, and a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. His federally funded diabetes research revolutionized the nutritional approaches to Type 2 diabetes, and he now aims to empower readers with life-changing information on hormones and health. He has written more than 19 books on nutrition and health; the latest is Your Body in Balance. Follow Dr. Barnard on Twitter @DrNealBarnard and Facebook @NealBarnardMD.
Also available: the 3-8 episode page
Can you be vegan and be a tough guy? Sgt. Vegan (AKA Bill Muir) and Navy Pilot Charles Hallum talk about being in the military, defending our country, and being vegan. Now THAT’s a tough guy. Plus Dr. Ashok Nagella joins us to talk about mental health and diet on our famed “Dr. Is Dialed In” segment.
News stories on this episode:
Cargill Gets Into the Plant-based Game
Elysabeth Becomes a Licensed Food For Life Instructor with The Physician’s Committee For Responsible Medicine. Find more on Corporate Employee Wellness and Individuals Coaching/Group Wellness Classes
Taco Bell Changes Its Mind about Animal Alternatives
Starbucks in Canada Gets Beyond Meat
Elysabeth is a Featured Chef and one of the EPs of the new Amazon Prime Cooking Show: New Day, New Chef. Watch it here.
Also available:
Want to work more veggies into your life but not sure how to start? Executive producer and host of the new Amazon Prime Video plant-based cooking show “New Day New Chef,” Jane Velez Mitchell (pictured), joins Elysabeth, who is also one of the executive producers and a featured chef on "New Day New Chef"! And a "Rock Doctor" is in the house! We wrap with punk rock legend and frontman of the Cro-Mags and Cro-Mags "JM," John Joseph McGowan, dialing in from NYC. The still-punker-turned-plant-based-athlete schools us on the ways to get fit and fired up, as only a rocker can!
News stories on this episode:
According to a Yale Study, Diet Change is Needed to Address Climate Change
Quorn Company, which Produces 1.33M Units a Week, Can’t Keep Up with Plant-based Demand
Global Brands Group (GBG: JuicyJuicy Couture, Kenneth Cole, Ellen Tracy, etc) Vow to Ban Fur
Also available:
FEBRUARY 16, 2020
We aren’t living longer. We are dying longer! This week Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner sheds light on how YOU can live longer AND healthier!
Dan is a National Geographic Fellow and multiple New York Times bestselling author (The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest, Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way, The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World's Healthiest People).
He has discovered five places in the world – dubbed blue zones – where people live the longest and are healthiest: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California.
Over the new vegan menu from Chef Leslie Durso at the Four Seasons Santa Barbara, Dan sits down with Elysabeth to discuss what lifestyle choices the people from these places have made to allow them to live long, healthy lives. Hear Dan’s recommendations for how to get on track for healthy living and how he researched all the recipes for his newest New York Times bestselling book, Blue Zones Kitchen.
A vegan chef and wellness expert, Leslie is the glowing face of a fresher plant-based movement that refuses to compromise style for sustainability. Leslie works as a consulting chef for hotels, resorts, and restaurants around the world and is currently the vegan chef at the Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, Mexico and the Four Seasons Resort, The Biltmore, Santa Barbara.
Also available:
Plant-based Lasagna* and Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado & Tomato sandwich are just two of the dishes by vegan chef Leslie Durso that Dan and Elysabeth dive into at the glorious Four Seasons-Santa Barbara.
*According to Elysabeth, this signature dish from Leslie’s Vegan Menu at the Four Seasons-Santa Barbara is the best Lasagna she has ever had.
FEBRUARY 9, 2020
Seeing plant-based burgers everywhere? Widening your scope beyond beyond meat? Check out who sits down with Elysabeth to talk plant-based grub goodness. Danny O’Malley is the creator and visionary of Before the Butcher’s UNCUT product line, the first family of plant-based burgers that look, cook and taste like their animal-based counterparts. Before the Butcher’s UNCUT products are growing in retail and food service outlets around the country. Danny is also a plant-based eating advocate. Find out more at www.btbfoods.com
As always, Elysabeth starts the show with the Top Three weekly headlines and ends with a show segment fav: The Dr. Is Dialed In. This time the Love Doctor shares the good vibes! Karine Charbonneau, aka Vegan Cupid, is the CEO of Find Veg Love. She is a relationship builder and people connector and is super passionate about bringing veg singles together. She is the one and only Vegan Cupid – helping veg singles across the USA and Canada find their animal-loving soulmate.
News stories on this episode:
1 Million Non-Chicken Burgers sold at KFC since January 1 launch in the U.K.
FEBRUARY 2, 2020
In honor of the Super Bowl, Elysabeth talks with premium vegan athletes. We’ve all heard of the movie “The Game Changers”; it’s turned the world of professional and amateur athletes on its head. From Sundance, Elysabeth interviews the lead in “The Game Changers” documentary, mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighter James Wilks, along with others featured in the film, like former NFL player Lou Smith, former sniper and International Anti-Poaching Foundation founder Damien Mander, and infamous strongman Patrik Baboumian. Then, Dr. Terry Mason, COO of Cook County Department of Public Health, who is also featured in the film, answers some burning health questions. Please join us!
News stories links from this episode:
Just Egg Intends to Be Most sustainable and Lowest Priced Protein on the Planet
France Bans Grinding Male Chicks by 2021
JANUARY 26, 2020
What does it take for an opera singer to belt out an aria without a mic? It just might be a vegan diet! Grammy Award-winning baritone Lucas Meachem (bio below) took a break from Chicago Lyric Opera to join me in this episode. We also talked to Dr. Joel Kahn to find out if there is connection between the coronavirus and animal ag.
Grammy® Award winner Lucas Meachem is one of the most sought-after singers of today, captivating audiences with his "earnest appealing baritone" (New York Times). Meachem performs regularly at major opera houses around the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opéra National de Paris and Los Angeles Opera, where he gave his Grammy® Award-winning performance. In concert he has appeared as a soloist in works such as Mahler's “Kindertotenlieder” with Emmanuel Villaume and Fauré's “Requiem” with Seiji Ozawa, and in 2018 he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival with Penderecki's “St Luke's Passion.”
Photos by Simon Pauly.
News stories links from this episode:
Chicago Lightlife and Field Roast Partner with the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team
Largest Food Company Adds Vegan Sausages to the Line-Up
Joaquin Phoenix and Host Elysabeth Alfano Comforting Pigs Destined for Slaughter
Audio of Joaquin Phoenix courtesy of @JaneUnChained News Network. Interview by Renee Marinkovich with help from Kenziah Rubens and Paige Parsons Roache.
Huge shout out and thank you to White Oak Gourmet for delivering incredible vegan food to the station today! We dined on Mediterranean Bowls, Southwest Chorizo Tofu Bowls, Moroccan Sweet Potato Bowls, Thai Quinoa Salad, Chickpea Salad and Pad Thai Tofu Bowls!! YUM! Don’t have time to cook, order from White Oak Gourmet (WhiteOakGourmet.com) for home delivery, or look for it at your natural and local grocers. You will be so happy you did!
JANUARY 19, 2020
Shark got your tongue? Not for this hot momma! Jenny Goldfarb, AKA Mrs. Goldfarb (full bio below), wowed Marc Cuban on “Shark Tank” with her plant-based corned beef. Now Elysabeth joins Jenny live at her house to dish on her wild ride, the booming business of plant-based deli meats, and how this mother and home-cook came to realize that she wanted to do more than cook for her family of four. After Elysabeth breaks down the week’s news, these two get into it, ending the show with recipe, food and health tips worth their weight in (Marc Cuban) gold.
Jenny Goldfarb is quickly becoming a central player in the plant-based-food explosion. Where Beyond Meat and Impossible have largely monopolized the burger landscape, Jenny is the primary player in the plant-based deli sector. Born out of compassion for animals and concern for the environment, Jenny took on a vegan lifestyle several years ago, inspiring her food blog, Count Your Colors, where she cooked up different plant-based recipes every week. In 2019, she launched UNREAL DELI, and her debut product, Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Corned Beef, has exploded in the major delis and restaurants in L.A. (Canter’s, Factor’s, Art’s, move studio lots, and now Whole Foods). She famously won the hearts of America on “Shark Tank” in November, scoring a deal with newly vegetarian Mark Cuban. Keep a look out for Unreal Corned Beef, coming to grocery stores and national chains across the country in 2020, or order a box online today at www.unrealdeli.com.
News stories links from this episode:
General Mills Invests in Plant-based Tuna
JBS Creates a Plant-based Innovation Lab
Animal Agriculture is the Leading Cause of Climate Change (51%)
JANUARY 12, 2020
Join Elysabeth Alfano on this kick-off show which talks about all things plant-based. After breaking down the plant-based headlines (fires, bankruptcies and the debut of meatless pork), Elysabeth sits down with renowned voiceover actress Lori Alan (“SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Toy Story; bio below) to dish on her inspiring tale of finding her way to plants . . . and Pixar! Then, these two “meatless-hams” serve up recipe, snack and on-the-fly cooking tips.
Lori Alan is perhaps best known for her award-winning voiceover work. She stars on the Emmy Award-winning “SpongeBob: Squarepants” as Pearl Krabs, is the voice of Diane Simmons on “Family Guy,” and can be heard in “The Boss in the Metal Gear Solid” video game trilogy. She’s proud to be a part of the Academy Award-winning Pixar family, voicing characters in “Wall-e,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “Monster’s University,” “Inside Out,” “Bonnie’s Mom,” “Toy Story 3” and “Toy Story 4.” On camera, you can catch her in Showtime’s “Shameless” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Lori’s animal activism started when she become aware of the horrific dog and cat meat trade. Happily not eating animals or animal products, she supports the Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM), a national nonprofit organization working to end the use of animals for food through public education and grassroots activism.
Find more about Lori Alan at www.lorialan.com!
News stories links from this episode:
Ethical Veganism A Protected Philosophical Belief
Impossible Food Can’t Keep Up with Demand, Beyond Meat Works on McDonald’s PLT
Bits of Metal in your Meat and Meat Recalls
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