Everything You’ll Find in Ali Manno’s Kitchen

Manno relies on her pantry for most meals so she doesn’t have to worry about things spoiling or keeping a fridge stocked. Orgain is her go-to protein powder, and she uses it for much more than shakes. “I put it in cookies and brownies, I melt it into chocolate sauce, or I put it in my pancakes or waffles to make them more nutritious,” she says. The plant-based protein giant Orgain recently collaborated with Justin’s nut butter to make this almond butter-based powder flavored with a touch of vanilla that Manno loves.

“My kids eat black beans like some kids eat macaroni and cheese,” says Manno. They’re even content eating a bowl of black beans for dinner, and that’s fine with mom since they’re a good source of plant-based protein. She grabs the organic store brand from her local Kroger.

Tofu is one of Manno’s favorite foods, and she especially loves it hot and crispy from the air fryer. Before cooking, she tosses cubed tofu with a dusting of arrowroot flour. The powder absorbs moisture so the tofu comes out golden and crisp. 

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A self-described “pasta girl,” Manno ate pasta for breakfast for years (until she started intermittent fasting). Though she loves Barilla’s regular wheat-based pasta too, she’s “cutting down on gluten” to reduce inflammation from seasonal allergies where she lives in Nashville.

Manno recommends vegan nuggets to parents looking for kid-friendly meat substitutions. “Most kids won’t be able to tell the difference, especially if you start them young,” she says.

Manno loves tofu. A lot. “It’s not just tofu,” she says. “I have every kind of tofu: firm, extra-firm, miso-glazed, buffalo-glazed, tofu truffle, and more.” As a vegetarian, tofu is her primary protein source.

Manno uses her Our Place cookware for most meals. “I like that they’re non-toxic and non-stick, and they’re cute,” she says. Plus, these coated pans are easier to care for than another non-toxic option like stainless steel, which Manno says she would “ruin faster than she can imagine.”

Our Place isn’t just on her stove. Manno also keeps a Wonder Oven–the brand’s version of an air fryer–on her counter for all her tofu-cooking needs. She ditched her previous air fryer after reading about the potential “forever chemicals” it released. She considered a beautiful glass option, decided it would be too hard to clean, and settled on the Our Place model that she now loves.

Since turning 40, Manno says she’s left with a raging headache the morning after drinking more than a glass of wine. Instead of standard bottles, she prefers lower-sugar vino from Cameron Diaz’s line, Avaline.

To thwart a hangover, if she’s not sipping Avaline, Manno likes to fix herself a simple ranch water using 21Seeds Cucumber Jalapeno Tequila. She likes to amp up the citrus in her cocktail: “I don't like a squeeze of lime, I want two full shot glasses of lime juice. It tastes just like a margarita without any sugar,” she says. She likes that the infused tequila adds a punch of spice and freshness to her limey drink.