Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD: Nourishment On and Beyond The Plate

Today I speak with acclaimed Tuscan food writer and cooking teacher Giulia Scarpaleggia about how food sensitivities impact our identities, health, and well-being. Giulia is the author of six cookbooks, including her latest, Cucina Povera: The Italian Way of Transforming Humble Ingredients into Unforgettable Meals, and she also publishes the newsletter Letters from Tuscany. 

Giulia describes her recent journey of having to cut dairy out of her diet after a three-year health struggle, which has not been easy as an Italian who loves cheese. While Giulia grew up in Italy (where she still lives) and I grew up in the US, you’ll hear how we have remarkably similar backgrounds in terms of how we each found our calling in food and also how we each navigated health issues after having our first child (for me, that resulted in having to cut out gluten twelve years ago).

While it’s not easy to  cut out a beloved food (whether temporarily or permanently), Giulia and I share how there is also a silver lining, not only in feeling better in our bodies, but also in discovering new ingredients, new perspectives and a renewed connection to ourselves. Giulia offers tips for going dairy-free, and she also shares some dairy-free Italian recipes, which I’ve linked to below. I’ve also linked to my own favorite dairy-free desserts, all of which just happen be gluten-free.

Links:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/* Julia’s Newsletter: https://julskitchen.substack.com/

* Find Giulia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julskitchen/

* My full story with food: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/my-history-with-food-its-complicated

Recipes: 

* Giulia’s Potato & Asparagus Tortelli: https://julskitchen.substack.com/p/cook-along-potato-and-asparagus-tortelli

* Castagnaccio (Tuscan chestnut cake): https://en.julskitchen.com/dessert/castagnaccio-chestnut-cake

* Giulia’s Strawberry biancomangiare: https://julskitchen.substack.com/p/strawberry-biancomangiare

* Lemon Olive Oil Cake: https://fromscratchfast.com/lemon-olive-oil-polenta-cake-recipe-gluten-free/

* Orange Olive Oil Cake: https://fromscratchfast.com/orange-olive-oil-cake-recipe-gluten-free/

* Apple Honey Cake: https://fromscratchfast.com/healthy-paleo-gluten-free-apple-cake-recipe/

* Almond Coconut Cake: https://fromscratchfast.com/almond-coconut-cake/

* Carrot Cake (omit the frosting or use coconut whipped cream): https://fromscratchfast.com/healthy-gluten-free-carrot-cake-recipe/

* Vegan Coconut Lime Panna Cotta: https://fromscratchfast.com/coconut-lime-panna-cotta-with-roasted-berries/

I adore today’s guest, and I think you’re going to love this conversation, which explores a range of topics ranging from the evolution of Vietnamese cuisine, to vegetarian cooking, to the illusion of the Mediterranean diet. I speak with Andrea Nguyen, food writer, teacher and author of seven acclaimed books, including her latest, Ever-Green Vietnamese.

Andrea shares her background growing up in Vietnam and moving to the United States at the age of six, and how food became an important element of her cultural identity, even as the traditional Vietnamese foods they cooked evolved and changed to fit their American lifestyle. We talk about the evolution of food, how cuisines change, and how the point should never be perfectionism. 

Andrea also shares her journey to writing Ever-Green Vietnamese, which started with a health scare and ended up bringing her back to her cultural roots. We talk about what it means to live a healthy lifestyle, how this is unique for each person, and how it can be filled with joy and play instead of restriction or regimen. We also talk about the problems with the term,  “Mediterranean Diet,” which dismisses global flavors and ingredients that contribute to a balanced, healthy lifestyle. 

Andrea’s joy is infectious, and I think you’re going to walk away not only inspired to try Vietnamese flavors in your own kitchen, but also to explore what “healthy” means to you and to your own unique body. 

Episode Links:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Addrea’s Newsletter, Pass the Fish Sauce: https://andreanguyen.substack.com/

* Andrea’s website: https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/

*Find Andrea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreanguyen88/

* Ever-Green Vietnamese: https://amzn.to/44055hr

This is such a fun episode, all about the power of rituals in the kitchen (and beyond). I speak with Dr. Michael Norton, a leading behavior scientist, behavioral economics researcher, Harvard Business School Professor, and business speaker obsessed with unlocking the secrets of human behavior and well-being. He’s the author of the new book, The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions. 

While I’ve written about rituals in the past, it was so fun to better understand the psychology of rituals, and how we can use them to enhance our lives. Dr. Norton describes what a ritual is, and how it differs from a habit or tradition. We explore how rituals have the power to connect us to ourselves, to each other, to our past, as well as to the foods we eat. Dr. Norton explains why rituals can imbue our lives with more meaning, and how they can also be a safe outlet for expressing emotions. 

A ritual doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming—in fact, a ritual can literally be anything (just wait until you hear about the candles in the meatloaf!). It isn’t about the action itself, but about the intention behind it. From cooking favorite recipes, to having family dinners (or snacks), to tying on an apron, to raising our glasses before eating, to clinking forks (more on that in the episode) there are a million ways to bring ritual into the kitchen. I hope this episode inspires you to look at the rituals you already have in your own life and possibly to even create some new ones. 

Episode Links:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Michael Norton’s website: https://michaelnorton.com/

* The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions: https://amzn.to/49MQtnF

* Rituals in the Kitchen: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/gochujang-maple-sheet-pan-dinner

* Intentional cooking: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/grilled-wedge-steak-salad

Today’s episode brought me so much joy, and I think you’re going to love it (but just taking warning: it will make you hungry). I speak with Ali Slagle, author of the James Beard award-nominated cookbook I Dream of Dinner (so You Don't Have To) and publisher of the Substack 40 Ingredients Forever. She’s also a frequent contributor to the New York Times.

Ali and I share our favorite ways to use spring ingredients, from asparagus, to greens, to peas, to new potatoes, rhubarb, lamb and more. We discuss ways to make spring cooking not only easier, but also more delicious, offering specific recipe ideas, cooking techniques, and prep tips. We also share our favorite spring entertaining menus, which would be perfect for Easter this weekend. 

As Ali and I talked, we both started to get so excited to get into the kitchen. I recorded the conversation in early March on a gray, cold day, and this conversation truly was “therapy,” as Ali stated. I think you’re going to walk away with real, actionable cooking tips, but also uplifted and hungry to start cooking. I’ve included links below to many of the recipes that we discussed. 

Recipes mentioned in the episode (in the order they were mentioned):

*Chicken Paillard with Fingerling Potato & Dandelion Greens Salad: https://fromscratchfast.com/chicken-paillard-with-fingerling-potato-dandelion-greens-salad/

*Snap Pea Salad with Walnuts & Parmesan: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024171-snap-pea-salad-with-walnuts-and-parmesan

*Ottolenghi Crispy Coconut Asparagus and Green Bean Salad: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024083-crispy-coconut-asparagus-and-green-bean-salad

*Ina Garten’s Baby Potatoes in a Pot: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herbed-new-potatoes-recipe-1916399

*Rhubarb Brown Butter Bars: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/rhubarb-brown-butter-bars

*Roasted Strawberries & Rhubarb: https://fromscratchfast.com/paleo-almond-shortcakes/

*Strawberry Crisp: https://fromscratchfast.com/strawberry-crisp/

*Crispy Lamb and Lemon Rice: https://alislagle.substack.com/p/crispy-lamb-and-lemon-rice

*Lamb Flatbread Pizzas: https://fromscratchfast.com/lamb-flatbread-pizza-recipe/

*Arugula Salad with Parmesan: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023337-arugula-salad-with-parmesan

*Whipped Ricotta Crostini: https://fromscratchfast.com/whipped-ricotta-crostini/

*Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken: https://fromscratchfast.com/baked-lemon-garlic-roasted-chicken-pieces/

Links:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

*Ali’s Newsletter: https://alislagle.substack.com/

*Find Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsalislagle/ 

*Ali’s cookbook: https://amzn.to/3x2yVFG

In today's episode we’re diving into the concept of dynamic nourishment with Vaness Henry, who’s a Shamanic Practitioner, Producer and Author who has devoted much of her work to the study and teaching of Human Design. 

In 2023, my most downloaded episode was Human Design and Digestion with Jasmine Nnenna (link below), and I knew I wanted to have Vaness on the show this season to go even deeper. In today’s show, we discuss the six colors of determination or digestion within human design, and Vaness describes how food is just one aspect of our nourishment. We are fed by so much more than simply food, from the content we ingest, to the rituals we practice, to the things we wear and put on our skin, to the energies we take in, to our environment. This is dynamic nourishment—it’s how we nourish ourselves on every level in our lives. 

As Vaness describes, once we start to understand what uniquely nourishes us, it’s almost like we gain a superpower. As we play and adjust, we start to develop a deeper trust in our own knowing, finding more balance and satisfaction in our lives as a whole. 

EPISODE LINKS:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Vaness’s website: https://www.vanesshenry.com/

* Find Vaness on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanesshenry/

* Human Design and Digestion with Jasmine Nnenna: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/human-design-food-and-digestion

* Find your Human Design Chart on MyBodyGraph: https://mybodygraph.com/

* International Human Design School: https://www.ihdschool.com/

* Jovian Archive: https://www.jovianarchive.com/

Welcome to season 3 of the podcast! I’m so excited to be back with a powerful new episode all about using the power of our inner voice and intuition to find freedom around food. I speak with Bella Lively, whose work is dedicated to helping people access their intuition and their inner voice in order to find more freedom in their lives. She’s a coach, acclaimed teacher, and the host of The Lively Show podcast.

Today Bella and I go deep into her history in order to better understand how she found liberation around food. She describes her nine-year struggle with disordered eating when she was a teen and young adult, vacillating from borderline anorexia to binge eating (as a trigger warning, she shares this in detail from 06:27-10:40, in case any of you are suffering). She then explains how she was able to move from her mental obsession over food to trusting her intuition, eventually finding deep trust and harmony within her body.

Bella also describes the power in embracing non-duality in order to gain sovereignty. Instead of trying to  put ourselves into boxes and limit ourselves with labels, she explains how releasing the mentality of good vs. bad/black vs. white/one vs. another, opens us up to a vast amount of freedom and ultimately our own authority. This extends far beyond just food and eating but can be applied to any aspect of our lives.

For those of you who’ve ever experienced any stress around food and eating, who want liberation from diet culture, and/or who want to heal your relationship to food and your body, this episode is for you. However, even if you’ve never had issues around food or your body, this conversation is an invitation to explore something deeper—to begin to let go of the dualities that have come to define our culture in order to find a path of inner autonomy and peace. 

EPISODE LINKS:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Bella’s Website: https://bellalively.com/

* Find Bella on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellalivelyworld/

* Bella’s Embodied Alignment Class: https://bellalively.com/embodiedalignment/

In this solo podcast episode, Nicki reflects on the importance of trusting in ourselves and our bodies, especially during the holiday season and the onslaught of diet culture messages. She emphasizes the need to develop deep connection with our bodies and the foods we eat in order to untangle ourselves from the web of conditioning around food. She describes how we must embrace the unknown and find stillness so that we can access our intuitive knowledge, and she shares her personal journey of strengthening trust in her path and navigating self-doubt. Finally, she discusses the balance between structure and flexibility in our lives. Nicki encourages listeners to welcome the void and cultivate trust in their own choices.

Takeaways

·      Trust in ourselves and our bodies is crucial, especially in the face of diet culture messages.

·      Developing deep connection with ourselves and the foods we eat can help cultivate trust.

·      Embracing the unknown and finding stillness within ourselves allows us to access intuitive knowledge.

·      Balancing structure and flexibility in our lives can support trust and intuitive decision-making.

·      Listening to the messages of our bodies and giving ourselves grace is essential for trust and well-being.

Timestamps

00:00 The Importance of Trust

03:26 Developing Deep Connection

04:20 Strengthening Trust in the Path

06:24 Trusting Our Bodies

07:22 Embracing the Unknown

08:25 Cultivating Stillness

09:45 Finding Balance in Structure

11:41 Listening to the Messages of the Body

12:24 Loosening Up Structures

13:27 Welcoming the Void

15:26 Trusting Ourselves and Our Choices

16:19 Gratitude and Support

17:46 Closing and Future Plans

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Show:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

*Intentional Eating/Cooking: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/intentional-eating

*Living & Eating in a Sacred Way with Natalie Deeb: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/living-and-eating-in-a-sacred-way

Today I speak with Hetty McKinnon all about how food connects us to ourselves and others, as well as how to bring excitement and flavor to winter vegetables. Hetty is a Chinese Australian cook and food writer. A James Beard Foundation finalist, she is the author of five bestselling cookbooks, including her latest Tenderheart, and is a regular recipe contributor to New York Times Cooking, The Washington Post, Bon Appetit, Epicurious, and more. 

I love Hetty’s work so much because it’s imbued with story and authenticity. Hetty describes how for her, cooking is a channel for connection. It connects her to her family, to her Cantonese and Australian heritage, to the people she cooks and writes for, and also to those she’s lost. She desribes how food is a channel for remembering her father, who passed away when she was fifteen, and how she brings aspects of him onto the plate. 

We also talk about winter vegetables, which can seem tough or unruly to cook, or drab and boring. Hetty proves otherwise. She shares recipe ideas and cooking tips for making winter vegetables utterly delicious. We’re talking turnips, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and more. If you think you know these vegetables, think again. I think you’re going to walk away hungry and inspired to get in the kitchen. 

Links and Resources:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Hetty’s newsletter: https://tovegetableswithlove.substack.com/

* Find Hetty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hettymckinnon/

* Hetty’s new book, Tenderheart: https://amzn.to/3GoHkVf

In today's powerful episode I speak with Elise Loehnen, author of the bestselling book, On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good. Elise is also the host of the Pulling the Thread Podcast, and prior to her podcast she was chief content officer of Goop. 

Today we’re talking about the Gluttony chapter of Elise's book, and how it relates to the patriarchal system we live in. Elise starts by describing the origins of that system, which has come to define our worldview, whether we realize it or not. While it’s started as a hierarchical dominance-based external system, it’s become an internal system that we all perpetuate, often unconsciously. 

We explore how the system specifically plays into our relationship with food and our bodies. Elise describes how the “sin” of gluttony isn’t about extreme over-indulgence but rather about our moralizing of food. It’s a policing of what we eat and how our bodies look in order to conform and express our goodness. While we’re deeply influenced by powers outside of us (think diet culture) we also perpetuate the system internally. We police OURSELVES in an effort to be “good,” and to feel like we have control. However, this need for control disconnects us from real pleasure and from our true selves. We talk about how to get out of this giant web of patriarchal conditioning to gain sovereignty for ourselves.

I think you’re going to learn SO MUCH from this episode and begin to see how you can reclaim your own power and your own pleasure this holiday season.

Resources, books and links mentioned in this episode:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Elise’s newsletter: https://eliseloehnen.substack.com/

* Find Elise on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eliseloehnen/

* On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to be Good, by Elise Loehnen, by Elise Loehnen: https://amzn.to/46iL5WL

* The Patriarchs: The Origins of Inequality, by Angela Saini: https://amzn.to/3sEDhRC

* The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity, by David Graeber and David Wengrow: https://amzn.to/3QIwezb

* Marion Woodman: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14630.Marion_Woodman

* The Wisdom of Your Body, by Hillarly L. McBride, PhD: https://amzn.to/40KDPBT

* Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction, by Maia Szalavitz: https://amzn.to/3G0p18T

Today I’m talking all about holiday cooking with one of my favorite food writers and educators, Molly Stevens. Molly is a James Beard award-winning author, cooking instructor, and recipe developer. Her cookbooks include All About Dinner: Simple Meals, Expert Advice (Norton, 2019), All About Roasting (Norton, 2011), and All About Braising (Norton, 2004). She has been named Cooking Teacher of the Year by both the International Association of Culinary Professionals and Bon Appétit.

Molly and I explore how we can bring more ease into planning and prepping for holiday gatherings. She offers such great advice, not just for cooking, but also for preparing for the holidays mentally and emotionally. Oftentimes this is just as important as the physical planning. It allows us to check our expectations and tune into what we really want, as opposed to being swept up in obligations and to-do lists. 

We also get into the practical side of hosting and planning, from menu planning tips, to prep tricks, cooking techniques, easy appetizers, timing dinner, and more. (Take warning: you’re going to leave hungry!). 

While the holidays are one of my favorite times of the year, they can also be incredibly stressful. I think this conversation is going to help you clarify what you want this holiday season to feel like, why you cook for others, and how you can better align those two things to bring more ease and flow into the season. 

Links and resources (and recipes!) mentioned in this episode:

* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/

* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/

* Molly’s website: https://www.mollystevenscooks.com/

* Find Molly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mstevenscooks/

* Make-Ahead Pie Crust: https://fromscratchfast.com/easy-gluten-free-pie-crust/

* Gingerbread Trifle: https://fromscratchfast.com/gingerbread-trifle-recipe-gluten-free/