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Let's live deliciously! Here you'll find the very best recipes, travel guides, podcasts, videos, and wellness tips to create a healthy, beautiful joyful life.

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Melissa’s Kitchen Masterlist

Obsessed

Here’s my must-have list of kitchen essentials. Gizmos + gadgets, appliances, pots and pans, cookware, knives, and tabletop faves. For decades I’ve collected all your questions! The ones I get on social media, in DMs, emails and texts, from the blog, when I meet you or in our Secret Facebook Group. So I’ve decided to […]

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Sunday Strategies For Success

Wellness

Most people think of Monday as the first day of the week. But if we look at the story of creation … day 1, aka ground zero for Him was Sunday. Just like a tree needs strong roots to rise up and grow, I need a rock solid game plan to ensure the week ahead […]

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Must-Pack Travel Essentials

Travel

I’ve spent a lot of time in the air and living out of suitcases. Nothing brings me more joy than visiting a foreign country and exploring new and exciting places and trying delicious food. But no matter where I go in the world…There are a few items you will always find in my luggage. Here’s […]

Effortless-entertaining-melissa-mayo
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Effortless Entertaining

Lifestyle

Over the years I have hosted small dinners and events that feed hundreds. I’ve cooked for Oscar winners, billionaires, Hollywood studios, friends and family. But no matter the size of the guest list, a successful party comes down to planning. I’m sharing the exact strategy I use every time I host. And I’m confident that […]

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Top Italy Travel Tips

Travel

“You may have the Universe if I can have Italy” – Giuseppe Verdi Italy is the most gorgeous country in the world to travel to. I guess that is why I decided I wanted to retire there. And over the past decade, I have crisscrossed this country eating my weight in pizza. And I still […]

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A Healthy Body Image

Wellness

I have often seen parents who have a poor relationship with food and body image, pass this onto their kids. This is not the relationship with food we want to create for our children.

Meet my newest chocolate obsession, this dairy free Chocolate Mousse. It is perfect for Passover Chocolate desserts are always a huge hit. But it can be challenging to find recipes that don’t contain flour or dairy. So most Kosher families are stuck with boring old desserts during Pesach. But that is a thing of the past. […]

Lamb chops are just one of those meals that always put a smile on my face and leave my tummy feeling satisfied. For this recipe, I am using thicker loin or porterhouse chops. They are a lot meatier but they take longer to cook than the lollipop chops. But they are well worth the extra […]

Seasoned potatoes turn out crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. This Swedish dish takes its name from Hasselbacken, the Stockholm restaurant where it was first served. Hasselback potatoes are sliced into thin wedges but left joined at the bottom, then baked until the layers fan out into crispy rounds. They are perfect served […]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE coleslaw. It’s one of my favorite go-to salads to make because the combinations are endless. Superfoods are items that are naturally full of nutrients, antioxidants, and things that are shown to improve well-being and longevity. And this slaw is delicious and packed with Vitamin C, beta-carotene, essential minerals, antioxidants, and healthy […]

A Power Green Salad with Mangos, Blueberries, Walnuts and Chia, and figs! I have been feeling a little sluggish lately. I think it might be all the late nights trying to get the site ready. And my energy has been at an all-time low. Maybe the endless cups of coffee are catching up to me. […]

The easiest foolproof turkey you will ever make. Take it from someone that has had their share of turkey disasters. You might not know is that for the past 15 years I have been deathly afraid of making the turkey. It all goes back to the very first Thanksgiving I celebrated in the USA. I […]

A modern spin on the old classic Split Pea Soup with tons of bold spices to create big flavor. I’m enjoying my first Italian fall. Autumn leaves changing color. But I really am a summertime girl that likes beach and pool days. So this warm hearty soup just hits the spot. But I have never […]

I am so addicted to granola. The problem with it is I just don’t know when to stop. So when I make this yummy, crunchy and delicious combo there is just no stopping me. I will devour the entire batch. This one is loaded with all my favorite stuff. Nuts, coconut, apricots, and rolled oats. […]

I grew up in Johannesburg, so South African food is my absolute favorite. It’s actually influenced by the Portuguese settlers that sailed around the coast. They brought this little red bird’s eye chili back from India and turned it into what we now know as Peri-Peri sauce. Peri-Peri can be mild, hot, or extra hot. […]

Spicy South African peri-peri chicken livers are quick, easy and super nutritious, and delicious! I absolutely love Chicken Livers. Growing up in South Africa I would beg my mom to make them. For this version, I sautéed the livers and onions in a little oil, but I didn’t add any fresh or canned tomatoes so […]

A delicious nourishing green smoothie with Greek Yogurt, apple, banana, and cinnamon to make it taste like pie. I am not really a juicer. I would much rather eat my food and really enjoy the whole chewing process. In fact, biltong (South African-style beef jerky) is probably my favorite snack. I live in Los Angeles […]

Loading up on greens with this Green Detox Salad full of rainbow colors. It’s nutrient and vitamin-dense. I turn to it whenever I am feeling sluggish or need a boost. We just got back from the most amazing 10-day vacation in Costa Rica. The food was incredible. I am totally inspired by the flavors of […]

I'm Melissa, your host & tour guide.

A Food Network chef, author, mamma, eternal optimist, wannabe-mermaid, spice mixologist, and “dough therapist” (yep, it’s a thing)—

I'm also the founder of Susina Cucina, the gorgeous, Italian cooking school I manifested into my reality. I’m obsessed with Aperol spritzes, travel, and mouthwatering food… especially pizza and pasta.

more about me

Ciao Bella,

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The Magic of Italy
without the planning

Explore

Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.

find out more →

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Healthy living is beautiful … That’s why it’s calledLa Dolce Vita”.

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I’m sharing my best recipes, travel guides, and Italian secrets for longevity & aging gracefully. Discover my tips and tricks to become a Rockstar chef, my current obsessions, and tools to embrace joy, find your purpose, and live deliciously!!

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