Advertise on podcast: It’s All About Food

Caryn Hartglass and Gary De Mattei cover the impact on our culture and how it can be used to help us lead healthier, more compassionate lives – or the opposite, creating habits that are addicting and damaging to all life on earth. They stress the importance of community (shared meals, potlucks, eating in restaurants), especially in these highly politicized times that are trying to divide us.

Lianna Levine Reisner, MSOD, is building a multicultural movement for health as President and Network Director of Plant Powered Metro New York, an organization she co-founded in 2019 to empower local communities to prevent and reverse chronic disease through evidence-based, plant-based nutrition. To address her family’s health challenges, Lianna had been searching for clear, evidence-based nutritional guidelines that made sense for her family. The writings of T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and his colleagues made a compelling case for whole food, plant-based nutrition, helping her to lose 20% of her body weight, reverse endometriosis and hormonal imbalances, and heavily reduce her allergies and skin issues, among many other benefits. Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center honored Lianna as a 40 Under 40 Rising Star in Food Policy in 2022. Lianna holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell, and she is a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator through Main Street Vegan Academy. She is also a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. With a Master’s from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, Lianna previously worked as an independent coach and consultant serving UJA-Federation of New York, providing organizational change support to Jewish nonprofit organizations in the New York metropolitan area. She lives in the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband and three children.

In this episode, Caryn explores why weight dominates our resolutions, the truth behind weight-loss drugs, today’s loudest diet trends, the harm of fat-shaming, and the real goal hiding beneath it all: health, freedom, and peace with food. Featuring Nutritarian and Whole-Food Plant-Based inspiration, mouthwatering SOS-free recipe highlights, and a spotlight on NYC restaurants proving that oil-free, salt-free, refined-sugar-free dining isn’t extreme — it’s deliciously sane. Let’s drop the chaos. Not the carbs.  

In this episode of It’s All About Food, Caryn Hartglass reframes Thanksgiving leftovers as opportunities — to reduce food waste, save money, and create delicious plant-based meals. The episode covers U.S. food-waste context, a light history of the “doggie bag,” practical  food-safety and storage tips, and dozens of creative leftover transformations (roasted veg, stuffing, potatoes, beans, sauces, and sweet sides). Listeners get mindset strategies for planning and preventing waste, simple sauce tricks to revive meals.    

Hartglass & De Mattei, Celebrating Abundance: Vegan Recipes to Love, Share, and Savor In Part II of this series on Thanksgiving, Caryn and Gary share the delicious, joyful part of the celebration: their favorite vegan recipes. For the entire  Cozy Plant-Powered Feast, go to https://responsibleeatingandliving.com/hartglass-de-mattei-celebrating-abundance-vegan-recipes-to-love-share-and-savor/.

Hartglass & De Mattei: Speaking Of Birds In this episode Caryn and Gary tell the stories of the birds in the media today – the plight of Turkeys and Ostriches that are raised for food, and how they deserve so much more from us. Plus, they share their respect for their city neighbors, the Pigeons. Links mentioned in the podcast: United Poultry Concerns Karen Davis, PhD, For The Birds Why Is the US Not Vaccinating Poultry Against Bird Flu? The View From: Washington, Investors Head for the Hills With a New Commodity Canada Culls Hundreds of Ostriches as a Court and a Kennedy Fail to Save Them

Mark Reinfeld, Islands of Peace Mark Reinfeld is an award-winning author, chef, and parent advocate with over 25 years in wellness and education. Founder of Vegan Fusion and co-creator of the Islands of Peace framework, Mark blends compassion, creativity, and lived experience in his work He and his wide Ashley are parents to a child with Angelman Syndrome and are dedicated to supporting families navigating the complex, beautiful, and often overwhelming world of special needs parenting. More at https://www.ohanavitality.org/islands-of-peace.

In this episode Caryn reviews food insecurity and the history of SNAP, the Supplemental Food Assistance Program and the changes that are taking place today due to the shutdown and current politics; COP30 and climate-related events; animal rescues, meat analogs; animal foods and UTIs.

Caryn talks about the upcoming No Kings protests and protests in history like the Haymarket Affair, while preparing to perform the role of anarchist, activist Emma Goldman in a contemporary opera. She shares recipes for some favorite comfort foods for cool autumn weather. Halloween, UNICEF, the Farm Bill, and Bird Flu are other topics she discusses.

Caryn Hartglass, Seasoned Wisdom – Herbs, Spices and Seeds Caryn goes into detail about all the herbs, spices and seeds used in her daily food preparation.

Teresa Mares is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Vermont and Affiliated Faculty in Food Systems. Her research and teaching examines food labor, food movements, and immigration from Latin America to the US. Dr. Mares has years of experience collaborating with activists in food and labor justice movements. Her first book Life on the Other Border: Farmworkers and Food Justice in Vermont was published by University of California Press (2019). She has also published widely in journals like Agriculture and Human Values, Food and Foodways, and the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. She earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology with a Graduate Certificate in Women Studies from the University of Washington. She lives in Charlotte, Vermont with her partner, daughter, and two pups.

In this episode Caryn and Gary discuss RFK Jr.’s recent article in the Wall Street Journal and continue the topic of what the current White House has been doing that affects health and nutrition. Links mentioned in the podcast:   An Apple a Day Is a Good Prescription https://www.wsj.com/opinion/an-apple-a-day-is-a-good-prescription-kennedy-hhs-diet-health-73227a67   The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/2025-advisory-committee-report   While Everyone Was Arguing Over Food Dyes, Kennedy Sidelined Beans https://vegnews.com/rfk-dietary-guidelines-beans   Is Beef Tallow Healthy? Nutrition Experts Explain https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a62939998/is-beef-tallow-healthy/   What Are Seed Oils? https://foodrevolution.org/blog/what-are-seed-oils/   Tai Zhan Bakery https://www.taizhanbake.com/   Happy Zoe Vegan Bakery https://www.happyzoeveganbakery.com/   FIND PLANT-BASED MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS Plant-based doctors and other providers – https://plantrician.org/ Plant-based registered dietitians – https://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert Naturopathic physicians – https://www.naturopathic.org/AF_MemberDirectory.asp Lifestyle medicine practitioners – https://www.lifestylemedpros.org/home/

Hartglass & De Mattei, Meat Madness Caryn Hartglass teams up again with Gary De Mattei to talk about Eleven Madison Park added meat back on their menu; Beyond Meat rumors; Alpha-Gal, mammalian meat allergy; and oxalates in Spinach. Plus they discuss new recipes they’ve been working on. Links mentioned in the podcast: Healthy World Burger Eleven Madison, Meat Is Back at Eleven Madison Park, After 4 Vegan Years Why Is Martha’s Vineyard Going Vegan? It’s All About Tick Bites. Beyond Meat

Sarah Speare, Tootie’s Tempeh Sarah Speare is the CEO and CoFounder of Tootie’s Tempeh, a worker-owned consumer foods cooperative based in Biddeford, Maine. Prior to Tootie’s she cofounded a pet treat company that had distribution in 10,000 stores and was sold to a large competitor. She has also been the executive director of several social impact non-profits and served on the boards of arts and civic organizations in Maine and MA. She has a background in graphic design and is a graduate of Tufts University and the Museum School. Watch a short TV segment about Tootie’s Tempeh from WMTW’s Made in Maine. REAL Recipes with Tempeh Choucroute Garnie Snowy Joes Tasty Tempeh Taco Tuesday “Meat” Soybeans are a healthy food. If you have any concerns about soy, watch this: https://vimeo.com/118732085?fl=pl&fe=vl

Part I: Caryn Hartglass, Long Term Vegan with High Cholesterol. Caryn gives a 1-year update on her journey to lower her cholesterol. As a long time vegan, this is challenging. She has been doing an SOS-free (salt, oil, sugar free) diet for one year. Part II: Ciara Sidell, Randall’s Island Park Alliance Urban Farm Ciara Sidell is the Urban Farm Manager at Randall’s Island Park Alliance in NYC. The Randall’s Island Park Alliance (RIPA) is the proud steward of the beautiful Randall’s Island Park, which is uniquely situation between three boroughs – Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens. For over 30 years, RIPA has worked in partnership with the City and the Parks Department to restore, maintain, sustain, develop, manage and program Randall’s Island Park as a place for all New Yorkers to enjoy. Since its inception in 2006 the Urban Farm has grown in size and scope, featuring over 100 raised beds, two greenhouses, four rice paddies and a small fruit orchard. With education at the forefront of its design, the Urban Farm embodies the core belief that plants and children can grow side by side. With over 200 varieties of fruits and vegetables from around the world, the Urban Farm allows visitors to deepen their understanding of where food comes from. Strolling through the farm, you’ll discover fruits and vegetables you’ve never seen in grocery stores and crops that are culturally relevant to our nearby communities. Through free hands-on classes and public events focused on sustainability, cooking, planting, and composting, farm visitors of all ages can explore locally-grown food in an urban environment. School groups can visit through our Edible Education Program, and we invite the public to explore during weekend open hours and many program offerings. The Urban Farm is located at the island’s southern end, adjacent to the park’s playground, a picnic area, playing fields, and a public restroom. The Randall’s Island Park Alliance is proud to program and maintain the Urban Farm and greatly appreciates donations to help continue to make these events possible     Links mentioned in the podcast: Keene Garlic Lipid-lowering activity of artichoke extracts: A systematic review and meta-analysis Ron Weiss, MD, Ethos Primary Care and Ethos Farm Joel K. Kahn, MD, Lipoprotein(a), The Heart’s Quiet Killer: A Diet & Lifestyle Guide