Liz’s Healthy Table Podcast Episode #79: Sick of Cooking? We’ve Got You Covered with Wendy Lopez, MS, RDN & Jessica Jones, MS, RDN

If you are sick of cooking endless meals for your family, we’ve got you covered on today’s show. Since March, I’ve been cooking up a storm; eating out hasn’t really been an option. The silver linings to all the quarantine cooking in my house and households worldwide has been a resurgence of family meals, and it has certainly inspired a lot of creativity in the kitchen (not to mention, sourdough bread starters). But every now and then, we all need a break, and that’s where this week’s podcast with Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones from Food Heaven comes in. Together, we’re serving up delicious and healthy ways to get quick, effortless meals onto your family’s table night after night and day after day. If you’re feeling hungry right about now but you don’t want to make another meal, this is the podcast for you! 

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Joining me on today’s show are Jessica Jones and Wendy Lopez, fellow dietitians and founders of Food Heaven, an online resource for inclusive and accessible wellness. They also host the popular Food Heaven podcast, named by iTunes as a New & Noteworthy Podcast in 2016. Jess and Wendy are the co-authors of 28-Day Plant-Powered Health Reboot. They write a monthly food and nutrition column for Self magazine, and their Instagram page is a must-follow. Together, we’ve got mealtime hacks and speedy recipes designed to get you in and out of the kitchen quickly and without a single ounce of stress.

“There is a lot of guilt around taking shortcuts in the kitchen, but today’s frozen options are very nutritious.”

– Jessica Jones and Wendy Lopez, Food Heaven

Show Highlights:

• Get to know Jessica and Wendy ; hear how their brand was born; and learn about their Food Heaven podcast that focuses on healthy and sustainable strategies for living
• The reality of cooking in quarantine, then and now
• Best throw-together meals to use leftover vegetables, fresh vegetables, canned beans, and more
• Jessica’s favorite three-ingredient meals: pasta, marinara sauce, and cashews; frozen burrito (Trader Joe’s), avocado, and baby carrots; rice, black beans, and salsa
• Liz’s new four-ingredient favorite filling for tacos: chipotle salsa, ground beef, black beans, and shredded cheese
• The best prep-ahead meals are one-pot/pan meals like soups, stews, and casseroles; Jessica’s favorite go-to site is Pinch of Yum for balanced, flavorful, and simple meal ideas
• Foods that are easy to prep ahead and freeze for later use: hard cheeses, tofu, pizza dough, and sauces like pesto and sofrito
• Why the neighborhood food swap is perfect for quarantine and the best practices to follow to stay safe
• A great idea to prepare and share with neighbors: stir fry with tofu, peppers, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce
• Why pre-made meals can preserve your mental sanity, make life easier and less stressful, and still be nutritious and delicious
• Jessica’s meal kit experience takeaways, including why she loves the many options and how she found favorites like ramen noodle stir-fry and sloppy joe varieties
• Mental health hacks to keep from stressing out about preparing meals
• Final words of advice: “Take it one day–or one hour–at a time. Don’t pressure yourself to keep going when you need a break. Don’t try to be perfect.”

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My email: [email protected]