(From Today’s Substack Live Cooking Session!)

Today’s Substack Live was one of those wonderfully chaotic, unexpectedly educational sessions where you learn something… and also watch a cucumber get assaulted with a rolling pin.

Martin and I dove into one of the biggest challenges this time of year:How do you enjoy the holidays without feeling heavier, puffier, and more sluggish by January?

The answer isn’t deprivation.It’s strategy.

During the live, we walked through four simple, fast, and surprisingly flavorful tools you can use immediately, starting tonight, to stay grounded, nourished, and metabolically stable during the season of sugar, salt, and second helpings.

Let’s break down the highlights from the video so you can try them for yourself.

The Secret European Herb–Salt Trick for Sodium Control

Martin revealed a classic European flavor trick almost no one uses in the U.S.:

Make your own 2:1 herb–salt mix.

Grind dried herbs (thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, marjoram) super fine, then mix two parts herbs to one part salt.

Why it works:

* Massive flavor

* Automatically cuts your sodium intake in half

* Helps avoid the fluid retention and next-day “I gained 3 pounds?!” panic

* Supports blood pressure and keeps arteries from stiffening

From the medical side:When sodium goes up, water follows.That extra water volume pushes your blood pressure higher, distorts the scale, and stresses your cardiovascular system.

This herb–salt mix gives you flavor without the metabolic hangover.

The 10-Minute Freezer Veggie Soup That Saves Your Evenings

The star of the live may have been the simplest thing of all:

Frozen veggies + vegetable stock + blender = a big bowl of creamy soup for 60–100 calories.

It works because it’s:

* High fiber

* High water

* Low calorie

* Nutrient dense

* Fast

Eat a bowl before holiday meals or parties and you’ll naturally eat less of the calorie-dense foods later—without relying on willpower.

The veggies also bring in multiple phytonutrients, beautiful colors, and a huge micronutrient boost that your metabolism will thank you for.

Batch tip:Make one pot, portion it into jars, refrigerate or freeze, and you have an easy “metabolic safety net” ready all week.

The Smashed Cucumber Salad I’m Still Thinking About

Yes, he smashed a cucumber.Yes, it was hilarious.Yes, it works.

By cracking the cucumber open with a rolling pin, pot, or even your fist, you get:

* Chunkier texture

* More surface area for dressing

* A refreshing, crunchy, 15 calories-per-100-grams masterpiece

* And a salad you can eat huge bowls of for almost no calories

The dressing was simple:

* Grated ginger

* Shallots

* Garlic

* Rice vinegar

* A drizzle of date syrup

* A whisper of roasted sesame oil (or peanut flavor if sesame is off-limits)

* Fresh herbs to brighten everything

This salad does triple duty:

* Low-calorie volume → fills the stomach

* Slow glucose absorption → blunts blood sugar rises

* High fiber → supports cravings, digestion, and metabolism

If you want one “holiday hack,” this is it:Eat volume first. Eat heavy foods second.

And Then… Dessert That Lowers Cholesterol

We finished with a creamy, bright, lemon–silken tofu dessert topped with passionfruit.

The magic came from:

* Silken tofu → protein + creaminess

* Lemon zest with pith → high pectin = helps bind cholesterol

* Dates → whole-food sweetness

* Passionfruit → tangy, crunchy, fiber-rich topping

Blend tofu, lemon peel, lemon juice, and dates until silky.Chill it, top it, and you have a high-protein, low-calorie, artery-friendly dessert that tastes decadent without all the holiday heaviness.

Want to Learn to Cook Like This With Us Every Week?

Even though today was a Substack Live, this style of cooking, simple, flavorful, metabolism-friendly, is exactly what we teach inside Culinary Healing, our weekly live cooking + metabolic health program.

Inside Culinary Healing, you get:

* Chef Martin’s Kitchen where you learn to cook stress free and break the bonds to recipes

* Metabolic, medical, and habit coaching from me

* A library of stress-free, low-calorie, nutrient-dense recipes

* Real-time help turning food into a tool for weight loss and metabolic health

* Community, accountability, and a system that actually sticks

If you enjoyed today’s energy, the teaching, and the practical tips…

You’ll love Culinary Healing.

Join Culinary Healing here: Culinary Healing

Come cook with us, ask questions live, and turn your kitchen into the most powerful health tool you own, especially during the holidays.

Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe