Events

The Power of Food for Healthy Families: A Nutrition & Cooking Class Series (2 of 4)

Virtual

Presented in Partnership with the Queens Public Library

If you’re a new parent — or plan to be one soon — you may be wondering how to create healthy eating habits for yourself and your whole family. The great news is that eating whole plant foods can give parents and caregivers more energy, a brighter mood, and a healthier body overall!

This four-week Food for Life nutrition and cooking class series, presented virtually by Plant Powered Metro New York for the Queens Public Library, will introduce new and expecting mothers and their partners, caregivers, and grandparents to whole food, plant-based nutrition for maternal and whole-family health.

Each virtual session will include group learning and a cooking demo. Learn how to prepare delicious plant-based meals that can prevent and treat gestational and type 2 diabetes, naturally reduce blood pressure, help you maintain a healthy weight, and feed children for a healthy start. All recipes are provided!

Class 2: Introduction to Diabetes

This class focuses on how plant-based meals can help prevent diabetes and improve blood sugar levels, and prevent complications for those who already have it. Topics that will be discussed are:

-The real cause of diabetes
-A new approach to eating for those with diabetes
-Gestational diabetes and the importance of eating whole plant foods during pregnancy

Please register by contacting catherine.olivo@queenslibrary.org.

Shop for Health at Your Neighborhood Market

In partnership with EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care

Join us for a friendly, hands-on shopping experience that makes healthy eating easy and enjoyable. You’ll learn how to pick, store, and prepare seasonal fruits and vegetables, read food labels with confidence, and discover budget-friendly, plant-powered options for diverse cultures and family stages. We’ll also point out delicious ways to improve your blood sugar. Come with questions, leave with inspiration — and maybe even a few groceries!

We’ll start with a brief 15-minute lesson at Neighborhood Care before walking together to the local supermarket for 50 minutes of guided exploration. This month’s tour will take place at Fine Fare, 2526 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10458. Please bring your shopping bags if you plan to purchase groceries after the tour ends.

This event is free and open to the public.

Please plan to arrive 10 minutes prior to the beginning of class.

Vietnamese Dinner Social in Astoria

District Sàigòn is a participating restaurant in our Plant Powered Plates initiative!

As Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month comes to a close, gather with Plant Powered Metro New York for a delicious and elevated communal meal at District Sàigòn! In the heart of Astoria, we’ll enjoy the flavors of Vietnam and connect with our community of health-seekers.

District Sàigòn will prepare a three-course, gluten-free, whole food, plant-based meal, specially curated for our party.

Appetizer: Fresh Summer Mango Roll

Entree (choose one): Vegan Pho or Vegan Bún

Dessert: Mango Sorbet

$42 per person includes meal and gratuity. All reservations are requested by 6:00 PM on Sunday, June 1st. After this time, limited space may be available, and we will no longer honor refund requests.

Gather & Glow: A 6th Anniversary House Party on the North Shore

You are warmly invited to Gather & Glow
at Plant Powered Metro New York’s
6th Anniversary House Party on the North Shore.

delicious food | mocktails | great company

Graciously hosted by Irene & Ron Rizzo

with Lianna Levine Reisner, PPMNY Network Director & Co-Founder
and special guest Richard Rosenfeld, MD, MPH, MBA, SUNY Downstate Medical Center

The Power of Food for Healthy Families: A Nutrition & Cooking Class Series (3 of 4)

Virtual

Presented in Partnership with the Queens Public Library

If you’re a new parent — or plan to be one soon — you may be wondering how to create healthy eating habits for yourself and your whole family. The great news is that eating whole plant foods can give parents and caregivers more energy, a brighter mood, and a healthier body overall!

This four-week Food for Life nutrition and cooking class series, presented virtually by Plant Powered Metro New York for the Queens Public Library, will introduce new and expecting mothers and their partners, caregivers, and grandparents to whole food, plant-based nutrition for maternal and whole-family health.

Each virtual session will include group learning and a cooking demo. Learn how to prepare delicious plant-based meals that can prevent and treat gestational and type 2 diabetes, naturally reduce blood pressure, help you maintain a healthy weight, and feed children for a healthy start. All recipes are provided!

Class 3: Foods for a Healthy Heart

This class teaches how a low-fat, plant-based diet, combined with regular exercise and a healthful overall lifestyle, can prevent, delay, and even reverse heart disease and other cardiovascular events. Topics that will be discussed are:

-The “Nutrition Rainbow”
-The importance of fiber
-Diet and high blood pressure

Please register by contacting catherine.olivo@queenslibrary.org.

Gather & Glow: A 6th Anniversary House Party in Armonk, NY

You are warmly invited to Gather & Glow
at Plant Powered Metro New York’s
6th Anniversary House Party in Armonk, NY.

delicious food | mocktails | great company
catered by Plant Candy

Graciously hosted by Kelly Weichsel-Arya & Sudhanshu Arya

with Lianna Levine Reisner, PPMNY Network Director & Co-Founder
and special guests Craig Zalvan, MD, ENT & Allergy Associates, and Elizabeth Helzner, PhD, SUNY Downstate University’s School of Public Health

Plant Powered Potluck in Astoria

Share in great company and enjoy a wholesome potluck meal with Plant Powered Metro New York when we gather at The Lifestyle Building in Astoria, hosted by Enrica Sacca, PPMNY co-founder and lead organizer.

For the potluck, please choose a plant-based recipe with whole plant foods — whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Please, no animal-based foods, vegan processed foods, white flours, or added oils, and we ask you to minimize added sweeteners and salt.

(If this sounds intimidating, don’t worry! Contact Enrica at enrica.sacca@ppmny.org to discuss simple dish ideas or check out our community recipe app here.)

It’s a good rule of thumb to double a recipe you would make at home! Please bring a serving utensil for your dish and a printed copy of your recipe for others to photograph.

Entendiendo tu Analíticas: Una introducción a la salud metabólica y la nutrición (1 de 2)

Virtual

Los estudios más recientes indican que solo 1 de cada 10 adultos en Estados Unidos se consideran metabólicamente saludables. Esto significa que cumplen con niveles óptimos en indicadores clave de salud como la presión arterial, el azúcar en la sangre, el colesterol, la circunferencia de la cintura y la ausencia de resistencia a la insulina. En las comunidades latinas tanto en EEUU como en América latina las cifras son aún más preocupantes. ¿Cómo podemos mejorar esta estadística y retomar el control? La nutrición es un camino poderoso para avanzar.

Plant Powered Metro New York presenta una serie virtual de dos partes con destacados expertos en salud metabólica para brindarte orientación en tu salud metabólica y qué cambios en tu alimentación y estilo de vida pueden ayudarte en tu camino hacia el bienestar. Obtendrás herramientas y conocimientos para recuperar tus cifras dentro de rangos saludables y combatir condiciones crónicas comunes.

Adquiere una base clara sobre qué es el síndrome metabólico, cómo se mide, y cómo la presión arterial y el colesterol forman parte de este conjunto de indicadores. Descubre cómo una alimentación basada en plantas puede ayudarte a prevenir y mejorar estos factores de riesgo.

Bono especial: segmento de cocina en vivo (20 minutos).

En esta sesión, el Dr. Pablo Olavegogeascoechea, profesor del Departamento de Salud Comunitaria de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional del Comahue de Argentina, analizará qué es el síndrome metabólico, cómo se mide la salud metabólica, qué constituye un nivel saludable y el papel de los alimentos en la influencia de cada uno de estos aspectos.

Heart to Healthy Heart with Robert Ostfeld, MD

Virtual

Heart disease touches us all. It holds the long-standing title as the leading cause of death in the US despite the millions of statins, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, anticoagulants, and aspirin prescribed every year. Fortunately, there’s another promising path we can take to protect our hearts. In this series, you’ll hear the powerful and evidence-based facts about the relationship between cardiovascular health and the food on your plate. We’ll explore the science and the health benefits of consuming a low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet with our guest medical experts, including cardiologists and nutritionists.

In June, join Robert J. Ostfeld, MD, MSc, FACC, the Director of Preventive Cardiology at Montefiore Health System and a Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, for a discussion about lipoprotein(a) — an inherited cause of early heart disease. Dr. Ostfeld treats patients with adult cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and erectile dysfunction with a focus on prevention and treatment through lifestyle change. He works closely with his patients to help them adopt a low-fat, plant-based diet.

This program is created and hosted by PPMNY community members, Ben Martens, Judy Zerden, and Jim Spellos, who have each experienced heart conditions and found healing and hope through a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

Event access is by donation or free to anyone unable to contribute. Choose the option that fits you best and join us!

Registrants will receive a Facebook Live and YouTube link on the day of the event. Please note that Facebook Live and YouTube streams are available to viewers with or without Facebook or YouTube accounts.

The Power of Food for Healthy Families: A Nutrition & Cooking Class Series (4 of 4)

Virtual

Presented in Partnership with the Queens Public Library

If you’re a new parent — or plan to be one soon — you may be wondering how to create healthy eating habits for yourself and your whole family. The great news is that eating whole plant foods can give parents and caregivers more energy, a brighter mood, and a healthier body overall!

This four-week Food for Life nutrition and cooking class series, presented virtually by Plant Powered Metro New York for the Queens Public Library, will introduce new and expecting mothers and their partners, caregivers, and grandparents to whole food, plant-based nutrition for maternal and whole-family health.

Each virtual session will include group learning and a cooking demo. Learn how to prepare delicious plant-based meals that can prevent and treat gestational and type 2 diabetes, naturally reduce blood pressure, help you maintain a healthy weight, and feed children for a healthy start. All recipes are provided!

Class 4: Food and Mood

This class reveals that foods can help conquer moodiness and more serious mood problems such as anxiety and depression. You’ll also learn that the high-fiber content of a plant-based diet promotes healthy gut bacteria, which can support brain health. Topics that will be discussed are:

-Fiber and mental health
-Eating plants to fight the blues
-How to read food labels

Please register by contacting catherine.olivo@queenslibrary.org.

DIY Dumplings: A Juneteenth Cooking Experience at Ital Kitchen

Join Plant Powered Metro New York for a flavorful cooking experience where the spirit of Jamaica comes alive directly from the chef’s kitchen! In this hands-on event, you’ll learn how to make Jamaican-inspired recipes alongside Chef Michael Gordon, the creator and owner of Ital Kitchen in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Chef Michael will guide you step-by-step through the vibrant spices, bold flavors, and cultural traditions that define Jamaican cuisine.

Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or just getting started, this is your chance to cook, connect, and share a delicious journey with fellow plant food lovers. Learn how to make sorrel, a refreshing Caribbean beverage, an island-inspired dressing (served with a kale salad), and the chef’s beloved hand-crafted dumplings — filled with savory mushrooms and jerk seitan “chicken.” Come ready to chop, stir, and taste your way to the islands — no passport required!

Ital Kitchen is a proud participant in Plant Powered Plates, bringing more whole food, plant-based meals to restaurants around the region.

Gather & Glow: A 6th Anniversary House Party in Short Hills, NJ

You are warmly invited to Gather & Glow
at Plant Powered Metro New York’s
6th Anniversary House Party in Short Hills, NJ.

delicious food | mocktails | great company

Graciously hosted by Anil Narang

with Lianna Levine Reisner, PPMNY Network Director & Co-Founder, and Claudine Smith, MD, PPMNY Board Member
and special guest to be announced

Cooking with Chef Carole: Off-the-Cuff Creations

Virtual

Presented with the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan

Explore the delicious world of plant-based baking and cooking without added oils, salt, or sugar. This month, Chef Carole Levy, PPMNY Culinary Educator, will be using what’s available in her kitchen to create dishes without recipes! Tune in live to find out what she’s cooking up off-the-cuff.

Event access is by donation or free to anyone unable to contribute. Please choose the option that fits you best and join us!

Registrants will receive recipes and a Facebook Live and YouTube link on the day of the event. Please note that Facebook Live and YouTube streams are available to viewers with or without Facebook or YouTube accounts.

$5 minimum suggested donation.

Protecting Your Heart with Nutrition: What the Science Says, and Why It Matters

Presented in Partnership with Marble Collegiate Church

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., but there’s powerful evidence that our everyday food choices can make a life-changing difference. Join Marble Collegiate Church and Plant Powered Metro New York as we welcome cardiologist Hooman Yaghoobzadeh, MD, from Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, a leading expert on nutrition in clinical practice, for an eye-opening talk on how the foods we eat affect the cardiovascular system and whole-body health. With clarity and warmth, Dr. Yaghoobzadeh will break down the science and explain how we can reduce risk factors and even reverse heart disease using food as medicine.

Dr. Hooman Yaghoobzadeh is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He practices internal medicine and cardiology in Manhattan. Dr. Yaghoobzadeh’s dedication to excellence has been highlighted by his peers through numerous awards including the “Voluntary Attending of the Year,” a Teaching Excellence Award, Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors as well as New York Magazine’s Best Doctors several years running. He has been featured on the NBC Today Show, CBS Evening News, and multiple radio talk shows. Dr. Yaghoobzadeh also serves as an advisor of the public health organization Plant Powered Metro New York.

Plant Powered Potluck in Astoria

Share in great company and enjoy a wholesome potluck meal with Plant Powered Metro New York when we gather at The Lifestyle Building in Astoria, hosted by Enrica Sacca, PPMNY co-founder and lead organizer.

For the potluck, please choose a plant-based recipe with whole plant foods — whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Please, no animal-based foods, vegan processed foods, white flours, or added oils, and we ask you to minimize added sweeteners and salt.

(If this sounds intimidating, don’t worry! Contact Enrica at enrica.sacca@ppmny.org to discuss simple dish ideas or check out our community recipe app here.)

It’s a good rule of thumb to double a recipe you would make at home! Please bring a serving utensil for your dish and a printed copy of your recipe for others to photograph.

Cooking with Chef Carole

Virtual

Presented in partnership with the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan

Explore the delicious world of plant-based baking and cooking without added oils, salt, or sugar. Chef Carole Levy, PPMNY Culinary Educator, will walk us through some of her favorite recipes, made with easy-to-access ingredients.

Event access is by donation or free to anyone unable to contribute. Please choose the option that fits you best and join us!

Registrants will receive recipes and a Facebook Live and YouTube link on the day of the event. Please note that Facebook Live and YouTube streams are available to viewers with or without Facebook or YouTube accounts.

$5 minimum suggested donation.