Feast on Your Life (and let dinner be “good enough”)

In this episode, Nicki sits down with Tamar Adler, the James Beard and IACP Award–winning author of An Everlasting Meal, Something Old, Something New, and the bestselling The Everlasting Meal Cookbook. Her newest book, Feast on Your Life, explores how everyday cooking can become a practice of attention, care, and delight.Together they discuss why cooking still matters, how noticing with our senses can transform the kitchen experience, and why letting go of perfectionism can bring more freedom and joy to home cooking. Tamar also shares her thoughts on cooking for children, simple rituals around the table, and a powerful reframe: focusing less on making the perfect meal and more on the experience of gathering and being fed.This conversation is an invitation to slow down, cook with presence, and rediscover the meaning and pleasure in everyday meals.LINKS & RESOURCES* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Order Nicki's new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Tamar’s newsletter, The Kitchen Shrink: https://tamaradler.substack.com/* Find Tamar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamar.e.adler/* Tamar’s new book, Feast on Your Life: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781668078020 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s intention episode, Nicki reflects on the power of connection—both with ourselves and with others.After several weeks of book tour events and retreats, meeting listeners and readers in person reminded her how nourishing it can be to share our stories and experiences. But true connection doesn’t begin with other people—it begins within.Nicki explores how real connection doesn't come from people-pleasing, resentment, enmeshment, or obligation, but rather from a place of grounding. When we're rooted in ourselves our relationships become freer, more creative, and more nourishing. She also reflects on how we can bring this into the kitchen.This week’s intention:I will connect to others.LINKS AND RESOURCES:* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Order Nicki's new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Sunday’s newsletter, all about connection (with a cake recipe!): https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/almond-coconut-cake* Podcast episode mentioned with Meggan Watterson: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/meggan-watterson* The Girl Who Baptized Herself, by Meggan Watterson: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9780593595008* My Substack Live with Ellie Krieger: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/from-chore-to-choice-reclaiming-joy This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to season 7! In this episode, I'm joined by cookbook author, photographer, and gluten-free baking pioneer Aran Goyoaga to talk about her book The Art of Gluten-Free Bread.We dive into what it really takes to make beautiful, structured gluten-free bread — from sourdough starters (flour + water + time + wild yeast) to fermentation, ingredients, and why using a scale matters. Aran breaks down the science in an approachable way, making this episode empowering whether you’re gluten-free or not.But this conversation goes beyond technique.We talk about bread making as a meditative, grounding practice — a way to bring busy, anxious energy back into the body through the hands. In a digital, AI-driven world, there’s something profoundly human about creating bread from scratch.We also explore the intersection of creativity and commerce, and we dive into rest, inspiration, and the need to occasionally step away.Whether you’re new to bread making or ready to deepen your craft, this episode is a gentle invitation to begin.Links and resources:* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Order Nicki's new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Listen to my first episode with Aran: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/aran-goyoaga* Order Aran’s latest book, The Art of Gluten-Free Bread: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781648292026* Find Aran on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cannellevanille/* Aran’s website: https://www.arangoyoaga.com/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

In this final Weekly Intention episode of 2025, Nicki invites you into a simple but transformative practice for the holiday season and the months ahead: opening to delight.Nicki reflects on how awe can arise in the most ordinary places—a cut grapefruit, the smell of spiced coffee, a quiet childhood memory beneath the Christmas tree. Even on tired, imperfect days, these tiny moments of delight can shift our energy and reconnect us to what’s sacred in daily life.In this episode, Nicki explores:-What it means to “open to delight”-How small, ordinary moments can become sources of awe-Why naming delight helps us feel more of it-How this practice can support us through both joy and heaviness-The difference between “I will” and “I am” in setting intentions-A gentle invitation to carry this practice into your kitchen and your daysThis is the last episode of the year and a beautiful way to center yourself as we enter the holidays and prepare for a new season. The podcast will return in March 2026 with fresh Weekly Intentions and brand-new interviews.LINKS* Pre-Order Nicki’s new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Join Nicki for a weekend retreat at Kripalu! (Feb 27-Mar 1, 2026): https://kripalu.org/experiences/mind-body-spirit-food-cooking-spiritual-practice* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Book a 1-on-1 session with Nicki: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/coaching-and-cooking-sessions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s conversation felt like a deep exhale. Nicki sits down with breathwork teacher and writer Ashley Neese, author of How to Breathe and Permission to Rest, and publisher of The Deeper Call newsletter. Together they explore what it really means to rest—beyond sleep—and how to work with your nervous system, not against it.Ashley shares the neurobiological and emotional benefits of rest, why slowing down can feel uncomfortable at first, and how to cultivate micro-practices that soften urgency in daily life—at the stove, with our kids, and especially through the holidays. They also talk about boundaries, the power of the pause, and how lowering our standards (on purpose) can bring more ease and connection into the season.Listen in for:• Rest vs. sleep—and why “down-regulating” isn’t the same as crashing• The urgency trap and how to unwind it• Small, real-life practices for nervous system regulation• Parenting, food, and letting the kitchen be restful• How to bring more calm and intention to the holidaysLinks and resources mentioned in the show:* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Pre-Order Nicki's new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Ashley’s website: https://www.ashleyneese.com/* Ashley’s newsletter: https://thedeepercall.substack.com/* Ashley’s book, Permission to Rest: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781984860743* Nicki's podcast episode about the nervous system with Samantha Fulton: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/our-nervous-systems-and-food This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s intention episode, Nicki explores what it means to be simple—not to simplify our lives through action, but to embody a state of simplicity itself. She reflects on why slowing down can feel harder than staying busy, how our nervous systems get swept into the collective pace of the season, and why embracing simplicity—especially now—can feel both radical and deeply nourishing. She shares how this intention can show up in daily life, in the kitchen, in holiday baking, and in the way we inhabit our bodies.You’ll hear about:The difference between simplifying and being simpleHow nature models the kind of rest and shedding we’re being called intoSimple rituals and foods that help us feel clear, rooted, and presentHow this intention can transform cooking into a more joyful, embodied practiceAn invitation to drop your metaphorical “leaves” and return to yourself each dayWe’re approaching the winter solstice—the darkest day of the year—and there’s no better time to release what you don’t need, settle your energy, and feel the light that comes from being your simplest, truest self.Resources & Links:* Pre-Order Nicki’s new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Join Nicki for a weekend retreat at Kripalu! (Feb 27-Mar 1, 2026): https://kripalu.org/experiences/mind-body-spirit-food-cooking-spiritual-practice* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Book a 1-on-1 session with Nicki: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/coaching-and-cooking-sessions This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

In this cozy, holiday-ready episode, Nicki sits down with cookbook author and entertaining pro Dan Pelosi to talk about what it really takes to host with joy—without burning out. Dan shares how his Italian American upbringing shaped his love of feeding people, how he protects the joy in his work as a food creator, and the simple mindset shifts and rituals that make gatherings feel more spacious, present, and fun.Links:* Get Dan's Pignoli Cookie Recipe (and win a copy of his book!): https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/dan-pelosi* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Pre-Order Nicki's new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Dan’s website: https://danpelosi.com/* Find Dan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grossypelosi/* Order Dan’s new book, Let’s Party: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781454956785* Nicki's Date Caramel Turtle Cookies: https://fromscratchfast.com/the-best-vegan-chocolate-turtles/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

This is the episode that almost didn’t happen. After a day of endless tech glitches and an overflowing to-do list, Nicki found herself gripping tightly to her plans—until she finally decided to let go.In this short “Weekly Intention” transmission, Nicki explores what it really means to release control, soften perfectionism, and surrender to what is. Through stories from her kitchen and life, she reminds us that letting go doesn’t have to mean giving up—it can simply be setting something down so we can breathe again.Take a deep breath, press play, and join her in this week’s intention: I will let go.Links:* Pre-Order Nicki’s new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Join Nicki for a weekend retreat at Kripalu! (Feb 27-Mar 1, 2026): https://kripalu.org/experiences/mind-body-spirit-food-cooking-spiritual-practice* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Book a 1-on-1 session with Nicki: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/coaching-and-cooking-sessions* Gochujang Salmon Bowls: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/gochujang-salmon-bowls This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode weaves together two different threads: how we can eat meat more sustainably (and joyfully) and how we can live in a way that feels more sustainable to our nervous systems.Nicki is joined by butcher-turned-writer Steve Sabicer, creator of the newsletter Enlightened Omnivore. Steve shares his winding path from PBS-obsessed latchkey kid to running an artisanal whole-animal butcher shop, and what he’s learned about sourcing and cooking meat in ways that support both flavor and the planet.They explore what “better meat” actually means in practice, the truth about grass-finished and pasture-raised systems, how regenerative agriculture can help rebuild soil, and simple, budget-friendly ways to reduce food waste at home.The conversation then shifts to sustainability in life as well as in food. Steve explains how he uses the Indigenous Medicine Wheel as a compass for balance—mind, body, spirit, and heart—and shares the small, seasonal rituals his family practices throughout the year.LINKS AND RESOURCES * Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Pre-Order Nicki's new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Steve’s newsletter, Enlightened Omnivore: https://enlightenedomnivore.substack.com/* One Bowl French Green Salad: https://fromscratchfast.com/quick-green-salad/* My podcast conversation with Liz Carlisle: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/regenerative-farming-climate-change* Marbled Meat Shop: https://marbledmeatshop.com/* Georgia regenerative farmer Will Harris: https://whiteoakpastures.com/pages/our-team* Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry, by Austin Frerick: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781642834444* Steve’s Medicine Wheel Newsletter* The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Don Miguel Ruiz: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781878424310* The Medicine Bag: Shamanic Rituals & Ceremonies for Personal Transformation, by Don Miguel Ruiz: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781938289873 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe

Feeling scattered or overwhelmed lately? You’re not alone. In this short grounding episode, Nicki Sizemore shares how to reconnect to calm and balance through mindful cooking, breath, and presence. Inspired by her talk with author Robyn Moreno, she explores how simple rituals—and earthy, seasonal foods—can help us feel steady and supported, even in busy seasons of life.✨ This week’s intention: I will feel rooted.LINKS:* Pre-Order Nicki’s new book: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/weekly-intention-5* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Book a 1-on-1 session with Nicki: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/coaching-and-cooking-sessions* Join Nicki for a weekend retreat at Kripalu! (Feb 27-Mar 1, 2026): https://kripalu.org/experiences/mind-body-spirit-food-cooking-spiritual-practice* Podcast conversation with Robyn Moreno: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/robyn-moreno This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/subscribe