Local Vegan Chef Pamela Wasabi Releasing Book and Cookie Line

For the past several years, Pamela Wasabi has worn many hats in the Miami community: fashion blogger, pop-up shop owner, art director, health coach, plant-based chef, cooking instructor, and more.

Now the ambitious entrepreneur is adding two new titles to the list: author and vegan baker.

Her book, Nourished: The Plant-Based Path to Health and Happiness will hit shelves February 14, but it can be pre-ordered on Amazon. Published by Mango Publishing, it highlights some of her recipes and talks about the different precepts that surround a vegan diet. She describes it as a "book-essay" that offers a guide to getting on the plant-based path.

Wasabi thinks a variety of people can benefit from the book, particularly those who are curious about expanding their cooking skills and anyone who wants to take control of their health. "In the book, I break it down, as before being on the plant-based path, I too was completely oblivious to what a 'vegan' was or that cooking was possible for me. If I did it, anyone can."

As far as the cookie concept, it came to be while she was working on menu ideas. She designed a lineup of ten items and fell in love with her first cookie: a vegan, gluten-free chocolate-chip variety dubbed "Celestial Chunk." From there, she decided to launch the cookie line and release one flavor at a time.

"I thought and designed the path of the business and decided it was better to launch one item at a time to be able to control and oversee all expenses, logistics, and challenges that one can encounter along the way with a startup," she explains. "As of now, I have one flavor, but every season I will be launching a new flavor cookie."

Thus far, the cookies are available at Honey Tree, Love Life Wellness Center, Guarapo Juice Bar, 305 Brews, Panther Coffee, Agni Yoga, Apple-a-Day, Enso Miami, the Lunch Box, Under the Mango Tree, Choices Café, Green G, the Last Carrot, Key to Health, and El Callejon Wynwood.

February's cookie flavor is an amaretto double chocolate with goji and smoked cherrywood salt. Savory items are coming in the future, she adds.

In addition to all of the above, Wasabi has been hosting plant-based dinners as collabs with local eateries. Her next will take place Wednesday, January 25, in partnership with the Upper Eastside's Café Roval. The dinner, set in the restaurant's backyard garden, will feature six courses, all made by Wasabi and executive chef Nuno Grullon. The menu includes lemon polenta, avocado bisque, ginger pancakes, and other creative fare. Tickets cost $60 apiece and can be purchased online.

As far as what else Wasabi has in the works for the future, she typically doesn't like to speculate. But she does see herself in a permanent spot. "The goal after launching the wholesale line and having it run on its own is to open a cozy, small, plant-based café where my old-time clients can pick up their meal prep, stop by for lunch of the day, and trust that all I prepare is sourced with integrity and to the highest standard. I'm meant to nourish, and the café will be the place where I'd be able to fulfill my function of service."