Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD Podcast

This is the season seven finale—and it's a personal one. In this solo episode, I explore what freedom actually feels like in the body: not the rush, not the grand gesture, but the quieter, more powerful kind that's available to us in any moment of everyday life.From harvesting arugula on an unexpected free morning to catching myself measuring tamari in my own fried rice recipe, I get honest about how easy it is to forget the freedom we already have—and how tiny acts of remembering are what bring us back.I also introduce Cook Free, a new summer series that invites you to step away from the recipe and trust yourself in the kitchen.In this episode:* What freedom actually feels like in the body (and why it's quieter than you'd expect)* The micro-moments that crack the door open* A kitchen story about tamari, fried rice, and agency* A sneak peek at the Cook Free series* A love letter to you before the summer breakLINKS AND RESOURCES* Subscribe to the Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/*Listen to the full season of the podcast here: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/podcast* Mind, Body, Spirit, Food Cookbook: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore 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 week's intention is a carry-over from Sunday's post on inner power — and it's one I needed deeply this week: I will get grounded.Getting grounded isn't a wellness buzzword. It's a felt sense in the body. A root system for real, lasting inner power. And in this short episode, I explore what that actually looks like — in the chakra system, in the kitchen, in the way we move through an ordinary evening.In this episode:*The difference between ego-driven power and true inner power — and why it matters right now*Why the root chakra is the foundation of real confidence (and what happens when we skip it)*The foods and drinks that help me feel steady and grounded — including beets, nettle tea, and why protein matters more than we think*How the body is a portal: movement, cooking, barefoot mornings, and yes — an 80s dance party*Something new and a little vulnerable that I'm exploring, and how getting grounded is helping me navigate itLINKS AND RESOURCES* Subscribe to the Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Mind, Body, Spirit, Food Cookbook: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore* Sunday’s newsletter about inner power: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/power-in-a-dressing-so-good-you-can* Newsletter about how niceness blocks our power: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/green-socca-flatbreads* Roasted Beet & Halloumi Salad Recipe: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/bonus-recipe-roasted-beet-and-halloumi* The power of play intention episode: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/intention-13-i-will-play* Get rooted intention episode: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/weekly-intention-5Mind Body Spirit Food is ad-free and community-supported. If this episode resonates, share it with someone who needs it, leave a review, or become a paid subscriber on Substack. 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 a recent retreat in Ireland and the reminder that joy, creativity, and play are not frivolous—they’re essential. In a world that can feel heavy and overwhelming, play becomes a way to reconnect to ourselves, access deeper wisdom, and return to a sense of lightness.This episode is an invitation to loosen the grip, step out of survival mode, and bring more curiosity and creativity into everyday life—especially in the kitchen.In this episode, we explore:* Why play is a powerful tool for shifting out of overwhelm* The connection between joy, creativity, and intuition* How lightness can help us reconnect to our purpose* Bringing more playfulness into cooking and daily rituals* Letting go of perfection and embracing experimentation* A simple cookie ritual from Mind, Body, Spirit, FoodLINKS AND RESOURCES* Subscribe to the Mind, Body, Spirit, FOOD newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/* Order Nicki's book, Mind, Body, Spirit, Food: https://fromscratchfast.com/nicki-sizemore/* Find Nicki on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore 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

What does it really mean to nourish yourself?In this episode, I sit down with chef, food stylist, and author Melina Hammer (A Year at Catbird Cottage) for a thoughtful conversation on food, self-care, and living with more intention.Together, we explore how to create simple, nourishing meals using seasonal ingredients, find inspiration in spring cooking and foraging (including garlic mustard and field garlic), and elevate everyday dishes with ease.We also reflect on the deeper side of nourishment—how food connects to mindfulness, gentleness, and self-care—and what it looks like to move away from extremes and toward a more balanced, intuitive way of eating and living. A grounding and inspiring conversation on cooking, creativity, and what it means to truly nourish yourself.Links:* Episode Newsletter: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/melina-hammer* 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* Melina’s book, A Year at Catbird Cottage: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781984859709* Melina’s newsletter: https://catbirdcottage.substack.com/* Melina’s website: https://www.melinahammer.com/* Find Melina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melinahammer/* My Substack Live with Melina: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/edible-holiday-gifts* Nicki’s podcast episode with Ashley Neese, Permission to Rest: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/ashley-neese* Nicki’s podcast episode about moving one step at a time: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/intention-11-one-step-at-a-time 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 episode, I’m joined by Marije Vogelzang, a pioneering Dutch food designer who uses food as a medium to explore human connection, emotion, and experience.While we often think of food as flavor or nutrition, Marije invites us to see it as something much deeper—a way to access memory, create meaning, and reconnect with ourselves and each other. This conversation explores food as ritual, as play, and as a powerful tool for presence.We also dive into the parts of food we often avoid—the connection to death, transformation, and the unseen processes that make nourishment possible—and how embracing these realities can deepen our gratitude and sense of aliveness.Toward the end, Marije shares a simple, playful way to make your meals more meaningful—something you can try at your own table tonight.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* Marije’s website: www.marijevogelzang.nl* Food Design Playground: www.fooddesignplayground.nl* Find Marije on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marije_vogelzang/ 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

What if cooking felt less like following rules—and more like freedom?In this episode, I’m joined by intuitive cooking coach Katerina Pavlakis to explore how we can move beyond rigid recipes and reconnect with our senses in the kitchen. We talk about building confidence, cooking with creativity, and finding joy in everyday meals.Katerina shares how to think in patterns instead of recipes, layer flavor with ease, and trust your instincts so cooking becomes simple, nourishing, and even fun.In this episode:* What intuitive cooking really means* How to trust your senses in the kitchen* Why recipes can feel limiting—and how to use them as inspiration* Simple ways to build flavor and add contrast* A more flexible, non-restrictive approach to healthy eatingLINKS & 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* Katerina's website: https://www.theintuitivecook.co.uk/* Find Katerina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intuitive.cook/ 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 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

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

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 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

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

Writer and curanderismo practitioner Robyn Moreno joins me to talk about healing, the kitchen, and what it means to get rooted when life feels “slippery slick.” Robyn shares her journey from being a high-level executive to embracing curanderismo—a traditional Mexican practice of caring for oneself and others.We explore how perfectionism and ambition can sneak into healing, the meaning of susto (those old shocks that live in the body) and ser (the inner knowing that guides us home). Robyn also opens up about her relationship with the kitchen, grief, and reconnection to lineage—and she shares practical ways to find steadiness and rootedness in our daily lives.I left this conversation feeling deeply nourished. I hope it feeds you too. 🌿LINKS* 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* Robyn’s book, Get Rooted: Reclaim Your Soul, Serenity & Sisterhood Through the Healing Medicine of the Grandmothers: https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9780306926273* Robyn’s website: https://www.robynmoreno.com/* Find Robyn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robynnmoreno/* Woman Who Glows in the Dark, by Elena Avila (mentioned by Robyn): https://bookshop.org/a/114665/9781585420223* My podcast conversation with Meggan Watterson: https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/p/meggan-watterson 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 uninspired in the kitchen? You’re not alone.In this episode, I talk with Maggie Hoffman—host of The Dinner Plan podcast and newsletter—about cooking burnout and how to rekindle joy in the kitchen. We explore simple structures that support creativity, ways to tune into what you actually want to eat, and how to plan meals that feel nourishing rather than stressful. Maggie shares practical tips and mindset shifts to help you bring more ease, flexibility, and pleasure back to your cooking routine. I loved this conversation and hope you will too!LINKS:* 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* Maggie’s Newsletter & Podcast: https://thedinnerplan.substack.com/* Find Maggie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiejhoffman/ 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