Liz’s Healthy Table Podcast Episode #76: Kitchen Conversations During Quarantine with Amber Pankonin, RDN, David Orozco, RDN and Melissa Joy Dobbins, RDN

How have you been navigating grocery shopping, cooking, and meal planning during quarantine? My habits certainly have changed, and I’ve talked about it on the show over the past few months. So this week, I thought it would be fun to hear from three fellow dietitian friends and podcast hosts to see how they’re coping with quarantine. Tune in for tips on turning dinner into tasty lunch leftovers the next day; how to bust through dinnertime boredom by trying new “out of the box” recipes; and why you don’t have to feel guilty if you’re not baking your own sourdough bread from scratch.

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Many thanks to my three guests whose kitchen wisdom will ease your stress at mealtime and boost the versatility of your food choices as you’re cooking more at home during quarantine:

Amber Pankonin, RDN hails from the great state of Nebraska. She hosts the Healthy Under Pressure podcast where she interviews entrepreneurs about how they thrive and grow even when faced with daily stresses and challenges. Amber has important words of wisdom for each of us about giving ourselves a break during difficult times and not feeling like we have to be Wonder Woman or Superman right now. She reminds us that we don’t have to play the comparison game. Thank you Amber, because I have no plans to make sourdough bread at home, and I’m no longer feeling guilty about it. 

David Orozco, RDN is a “guy-a-titian” who hosts the One Small Bite podcast where he addresses nutrition topics for men. He joins us from Georgia with survival stories from his home kitchen. Every night he’s there with his wife and daughter as they prepare healthy dinner meals that do double duty as lunch the next day. No PB & J for this guy-a-titian!

Melissa Joy Dobbins, RDN is from Illinois. She hosts the Sound Bites podcast and has a magical way of taking the latest science on nutrition and translating it into essential news that we can all use. She’s home with her husband and two kids now, and she’s craving variety because she’s bored with the same old meals. You could say that the pandemic has brought out the chef in Melissa as she’s explored new mealtime creations. She’ll share her inspiration with us. 

Show Highlights:

From Amber:

• Get to know Amber and her podcast, Healthy Under Pressure
• How we stay healthy during stressful times:
  • Take care of yourself
  • Don’t play the comparison game
  • Give yourself grace
• How Amber’s shopping habits have changed as she is more intentional about food waste and more experimental in the kitchen
• Liz’s dinner plans for tonight: Asparagus Quiche (check out the recipe below under, Resources!)
• Why Amber is more intentional about meal planning
• How living in Nebraska gives Amber access to local meat and produce directly from the farmers

From David:

• Get to know David and his podcast, One Small Bite, that’s geared toward men
• How David is handling the pandemic with weekly grocery trips that include masks, gloves, and extra cleaning measures
• The biggest difference for David and his family is that they are home together for all three meals—and the dishwasher runs almost non-stop
• Repurposing family dinners for lunch the next day:
  • Cuban Pork Sandwiches made from leftover pork tenderloin
  • Buddha Bowls made with leftover tofu stir-fry
• Why handmade pizza is a favorite for dinner–and breakfast–and lunch
• David’s Colombian roots, his childhood in NJ, and the last 30 years in Atlanta

From Melissa:

• Get to know Melissa, her podcast, Sound Bites, and her family
• The changes in Melissa’s household: her husband has started making homemade bread again, and they have made homemade birthday cakes
• Why dinnertime for Melissa’s family has included more variety and more comfort food
• How Melissa finds one-pot inspiration from Shelley Rael’s, The One-Pot Weight Loss Plan cookbook
• Why ordering takeout has become a huge treat for the family
• Melissa’s advice for feeding a family during a pandemic: “Find what works for you.”

LINKS and RESOURCES:

My email: [email protected]