The Tom’s of Maine Wicked Fresh! Live Chat series went a little different than expected. While we were hoping “Top Chef All Stars” Carla Hall would do some cooking, she actually spent the hour answering questions from Facebook on food.

Which is still great, because Carla answered a question from Vegetarian Star about her favorite vegetarian or vegan dish and gave our site some love in the process!

Carla said right now she is really into root vegetables, so she loves to take rutabagas, turnips, carrots and parsnips and roast them in garlic and olive oil, throwing in some onions and simmering it all in vegetable broth. Then, toss in some tofu cubes. She also loves butternut squash soup and gave some great advice for a non-dairy substitute for cream.

“Instead of the cream, you add silken tofu…So yummy!”

Carla also reminded us that any tofu going in the root vegetable soup needs to be pressed and dried thoroughly, otherwise, it won’t absorb any flavor. “It’s not going to take any seasoning,” she explained, referring to a water-soaked piece of tofu that hasn’t been drained.

Other cool things Carla shared were her charity interests, including the NFL’s Fuel Up To Play 60, which is about getting kids the right foods to give them the energy and motivation to exercise for 60 minutes on most days. She’s also involved with Chefs Move To Schools, a program that partners professional chefs with schools to create healthier meals that both fit budget restraints, meet dietary guidelines and taste good.

Watch Carla respond to Vegetarian Star’s question around minute 17.

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