The Dinner Plan

They call Naoko Takei Moore "Mrs. Donabe"—she’s taught classes on cooking with these Japanese clay pots, and wrote the first English-language book on the topic. Her new book, Simply Donabe, focuses on simple one-pot meals made in the donabe. In this week’s episode of The Dinner Plan podcast, host Maggie Hoffman asks Naoko about the advantages of donabe cooking, the best things to cook in the pot, and how she chooses between the many types of miso she always keeps on hand in the fridge. Over on The Dinner Plan's newsletter, you'll get Naoko's recipe for salmon steamed over quinoa. Find it at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

• Aunt Fannie’s cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon or AuntFannies.com
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
• Society Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com
• Catch The Side Dish from America’s Test Kitchen on Netflix or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Jerrelle Guy was in the midst of a serious case of burnout when she began to dream up her new book, We Fancy. It's not a cookbook highlighting high-end ingredients or elaborate meals—it’s about finding magic in everyday weeknight dinners. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Jerrelle talks to host Maggie Hoffman about how to calm your nervous system if your kitchen is stressing you out, what to make for dinner when time and energy is limited, and the ways that creativity in the kitchen relates to the kind of creative flow she feels as an artist. Get Jerrelle's jerk mushroom taco recipe and her cookbook recommendations for free on our newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

• Stone and Skillet English Muffins: Check stoneandskillet.com for a store locator.
• Made In Cookware: Head to https://madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.

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Chef Vivian Howard has written two cookbooks—and now she's the star of a public television series called Kitchen Curious. But she still struggles with the challenge of cooking on busy weeknights. In Episode 82 of The Dinner Plan, Vivian chats with host Maggie Hoffman about her real-life dinner routine, the way she's cut down her grocery spending, and some important fridge safety tips that she learned in professional kitchens. Get links to Vivian's recipe recommendations and favorite cookbooks at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

• Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com
• Find LaBelle Patrimoine chicken at Whole Foods or GrownAsPromised.com
• Find Brami’s made-in-Italy protein pasta at Costco or wherever you shop. Learn more at EnjoyBrami.com
• Society Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chef Natasha Pickowicz always wants to bring people together, and her new book, Everyone Hot Pot, shows you how to host a truly impressive night of hot pot with zero stress. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman chats with Natasha about why hot pot is such a perfect low-key way of entertaining, and gets all her advice for the hot pot equipment you need, what to buy and prep in advance, and how to make the whole hot pot party even more fun. Get Natasha's recipe for more-than-just-scallion pancakes for dipping into the broth for free at The Dinner Plan's newsletter: TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
• Brooklyn Delhi: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off your order at BrooklynDelhi.com
• Guittard Chocolate: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off at Guittard.com
• House Foods: Find House Foods tofu and tofu hot pot kits wherever you buy groceries, or get more info at house-foods.com.
• Society Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com

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The Kitchen Cupboard Chef by Theo A. Michaels focuses on pantry recipes: dishes that highlight your stash of beans, tinned fish, and canned tomatoes. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Theo shares favorite cupboard staples, and the cooking techniques he's learned to help them shine. He also shares advice for cooking with kids: While it's not going to be "rainbows and unicorns" he says, Theo strongly believes that cooking is an essential life skill that all kids need to learn. Get all the links from this show and Theo's recipe for Greek-style baked butter beans for free on The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

• Heyday Canning Co.: Get 20% off Saucy Beans variety packs with code DINNERPLAN20 at Heydaycanning.com
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
• Aunt Fannie’s cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You eat 21 meals a week, Jenn Lueke points out, which means you have a lot of choices to make when you're meal planning and shopping for food. Jenn's new book, Don’t Think About Dinner, aims to ease the decision fatigue and help you create a low-stress meal planning routine. On this episode of The Dinner Plan, Jenn talks to host Maggie Hoffman about how to fit meal-planning into your schedule, why your wallet will thank you, and how a kitchen reorg can really help your day-to-day cooking routine. She shares favorite creators to follow and cookbooks to add to your bookshelf, too. Head to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com to win a copy of Jenn's book or an annual subscription to her popular Substack, The Eat Goood Newsletter.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

• The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off at TheZeroProof.com
• Find Row 7 vegetables at Whole Foods or visit Row7Seeds.com to find the closest store near you.
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
• Early Bird Granola: Save 15% on your order with code DINNERPLAN15 at EarlyBirdFoods.com
• Rouxbe: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've ever rushed into the kitchen and frantically tried to throw dinner together—or if that's how you always cook—you know that feeling of fight-or-flight doesn't actually make for a tastier meal. Nicki Sizemore, the author of Mind, Body, Spirit, Food, chats with The Dinner Plan's host Maggie Hoffman about how she gets out of that state of stress at the end of the day—and gets more out of the cooking process as a result. Nicki shares advice for getting through the dark days of winter, tips on cooking when you just don't feel inspired, and a few recipes she loves to make when the weather's cold. Head to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com for a recipe from Nicki and a chance to win a copy of the book.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

• The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off at TheZeroProof.com
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
• Rouxbe: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com
• Early Bird Granola: Save 15% on your order with code DINNERPLAN15 at EarlyBirdFoods.com
• Aunt Fannie's cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon
• Find Franklin Farms’ new Organic Super Firm Tofu wherever you buy groceries.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even if you really want to getting more organized about your daily meals, creating a meal-planning and meal-prepping routine from scratch can feel like a lot. But Coco Morante's new book, The Instant Kitchen Meal Prep Cookbook, takes a lot of that work off your plate with 10 full weeks of meal plans and shopping lists, ready to go. On the 77th episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman talks to Coco about the way meal prepping has transformed her routine, how it can facilitate an easier division of household responsibilities, and her notes on which ingredients keep really well in the fridge (and which just don't.) Get a preview of the book over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

• The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off
• Aunt Fannie's cleaning supplies are available on Thrive Market and Amazon
• LaBelle Patrimoine: Find these heritage-breed chickens at Whole Foods and GrownasPromised.com
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman talks to Debra Borden, a licensed clinical social worker whose book, Cooking As Therapy, describes how she uses cooking as a tool to unlock whatever her clients are struggling with. Through the use of mindfulness, metaphor, and mastery, cooking can lead to breakthroughs. Learn the core tenets of Debra's practice, plus tips for dealing with the stress of holiday get-togethers with family. For a chance to win a copy of Debra's book, head to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

• The Zero Proof: Use code DINNERPLAN20 for 20% off at TheZeroProof.com
• Rouxbe: Save 30% on any cooking course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flora Shedden, who you might remember from The Great British Bake Off, opened the acclaimed ARAN Bakery in the heart of Scotland when she was just 21. She’s the author of Gatherings, Aran, Supper, and the new cookbook, Winter in the Highlands: Eating, Drinking and Celebrating in Scotland. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Flora shares favorite holiday food traditions, ways to get ahead when you're hosting, and the cookbooks she finds most inspiring. Get two recipes from Flora's book over at our newsletter: TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

• LaBelle Patrimoine: Find these heritage-breed chickens at Whole Foods and GrownasPromised.com
• Guittard Chocolate: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off at Guittard.com
• Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
• Rouxbe: Save 30% on any course over $50 with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com
• Zassenhaus Classic Bread Slicer: Get 10% off the Zassenhaus Classic Manual Bread Slicer on Amazon (https://amzn.to/48S3heh) through the end of 2025 by entering code BW5IRSLO at checkout.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.