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111: Amanda Paa: How a Gluten Allergy Inspired Her

February 24, 2016 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen on The Dinner Special podcast talking about how to keep posted with her.
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Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen on The Dinner Special podcast talking about how a gluten allergy inspired her.

Heartbeet Kitchen

On her blog, Amanda shares food stories and recipes with the hope to inspire us to realize that the best meals are those made with fresh seasonal and simple ingredients. She believes that food doesn’t have to be fancy nor does it require expensive equipment. Amanda is also the author of Smitten with Squash, her cookbook with 80 original recipes on the squash family.

I am so excited to have Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen with me on the show today.

(*All photos below are Amanda’s.)

On Learning How to Cook:

Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen on The Dinner Special podcast talking about learning how to cook.

There were some things that I just watched Grandma do, like my Grandma made the best loaves of bread. I never rolled them out with her, or kneaded, or anything like that. But I always ate what came from it and it was always the same and it was always so good. I could smell the yeast coming from her oven and things like that. So I think it was definitely a little bit of both. Some watching, some helping. With my other Grandma, she makes lefse every year, which is a Norwegian specialty, and I did help her, from rolling the balls to then putting it on the hot iron to getting it real thin, all of those little things, I did do with her.

It wasn’t really until about six years ago, I was living in Wisconsin and I moved back to Minnesota because I did grow up here. But moving into the Twin Cities, there were so many more farmers markets, so much more of a farm to table movement and just interesting food. I had never really taken the time to learn about or experience and so, I had this thing where I’d go to the market and every time, I would pick a new fruit or a new vegetable or even a cut of meat that I had never cooked with before. And I said, “We’re going to experiment. There is no judgment here. Just let the creativity flow,” and that is really kind of how my blog started too. It really forged this passion for telling the real story behind real food and real food recipes and it never gets boring. Because there is always something new to learn.

On Her Food Heroes:

Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen on The Dinner Special podcast talking about her food heroes.

There is so much inspiration that we are so fortunate to have because of the Internet. Years ago, it was just cookbooks which I still am inspired by today. But there is so much content out there and beautiful work being done all across the world. It’s eye opening every single day, and so when I think of my own cooking and who has inspired it a lot, I think of some of my favorite blogs like Lindsey of Dolly and Oatmeal, and Sherrie from With Food and Love, and Sarah Kieffer from The Vanilla Bean Blog.The way she is with baking and her precision and her beauty, you can’t look at it and not be inspired.

And then I think, even just typical sites like The Kitchn and Food52 have, whether it’s new ways of doing things or new ingredients that they are coming up with ideas for, and just the way that they look at food really inspires me.

I also have to say too, like even traditional people, I mean, I think Martha Stewart is phenomenal and she has gone through how many decades and not only evolved with but kept her brand. I only wish that I could throw a dinner party like her. Every little touch she does is really something special. And she takes the time to do it. I think that that’s part of what I love too and the change in me is that, cooking is an experience and I wrote about this on my blog. It’s much more than just for your health or for just putting it on the table. It evokes emotion, it can change mood, it can bring conversation. It’s just a beautiful thing.

On How Her Gluten Allergy Impacted Her Cooking:

Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen on The Dinner Special podcast talking about how her gluten allergy impacted her cooking.

So I have had quite a few autoimmune issues since I was young and still kind of battle it. But we finally figured out that one of the main stressors and causes was an intolerance to gluten. It was causing severe headaches and rashes and different things like shingles that I got when I was in eighth grade. I mean just very odd things, and finally, one doctor suggested that I stop eating gluten and it was basically like a miracle. Within three weeks, I was much, much better.

And at first, it was daunting. It was like, “What? You’re telling me I have to give up all of these foods that I love and I have to kind of relearn how to cook? How am I going to eat out?” All that type of stuff. And I can say today, that I would not probably be here sitting and talking to you if that had not happened, because what it did was inspire me to say, “Okay, here is what I can have. Let’s embrace this,” and what happened was it opened my eyes to all these new foods that I had never tasted or nothing that I grew up with, whether it be gluten-free grains like millet and sorghum, or teaching myself how to make flat bread that’s made from chickpea flour known as socca.

And to really too start to look at different cultures because, a lot of other cultures don’t use as much wheat or they use it in different ways, and so there are a lot of cultural things too that really were like, “Wow, this is good. I’ve been missing this for all these years?” And what I also started to realize was that most real food, that’s grown from the ground, plants, lean proteins and meats that are grown in a humane way, fruits, nuts, seeds, all those things are naturally gluten-free anyways.

It’s most of the processed food where the problem comes in. It made me feel good to get that burst of energy in the kitchen. And I wanted to share that with other people. Because as I was going along, I was meeting all these farmers or these artisans that were doing this really cool stuff that it didn’t matter if you were gluten-free or not. It was just really good stuff.

On Some Good Sources for Learning How to Cook with a Gluten Allergy:

Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen on The Dinner Special podcast talking about some good resources for learning more about gluten free cooking.

It’s funny you ask that, because I had someone message me the other day. Their friend had just found that she was gluten-free. She was like, “Where do they start? How did that work?” And my first resource and still someone that I truly love and really think is such a benefit for the gluten-free community is Shauna from Gluten Free Girl, and her and her husband started a blog before gluten-free had really even been talked about. He was a chef and I read her book which was called, Gluten-Free Girl. It was more of almost a documentary but then also education on her whole transition, and it made me feel so much better. Like, “Okay, my world is not coming to an end. A, I feel so much better and now there is this whole new world of food that I get to explore,” and that was super, super helpful for me.

The other one, I don’t know if she blogs anymore. But her site is still very active. But Gluten-Free Goddess. There are so many beginner, basic recipes that will make you feel less intimidated, and that was really powerful for me too.

On Her Book, Smitten with Squash:

Smitten with Squash was published in July of last year. I was approached by the publisher who, they kind of do these, one book a year basically on a Midwestern fruit or vegetables that you love or that you’re very passionate about and the growing of it and history, because it is a historical publisher that publishes the cookbook. It’s the Minnesota Historical Society Press. They contacted me and were like, “You know, give us a few of your ideas, write a proposal around it. We’ve got a few others in mind.”

And I had always liked squash but what was interesting to me about squash, a couple of things is that, living here in Minnesota, our growing season is rather short. And squash, the family of squash between winter squash and summer squash, you can eat locally almost all year round here. Because summer squash is so abundant and then winter squash, you can store it for up to six months, and that will last you almost until summer squash is starting to arrive again. I thought that that was really neat because I do try to base my recipes off seasonal eating, because I feel like that’s when food tastes the best and you can become creative with what looks good at the market and things like that.

The other part that was really cool to me was that squash really is a part of every culture in one way or another and there aren’t very many foods that are like that. And so I just started formulating this idea about doing my whole book on squash and they accepted the idea.

There is 80 original recipes. There are about 40 summer squash recipes and then 40 winter squash recipes. And you’ll see everything from sweets to appetizers to pickles to main dishes, vegetarian to Paleo to kind of everything in there because it is so versatile.

The other real passion behind it is, you know how there are those foods that you had when you were young and you think like, “Oh my gosh, I do not like this because, this is probably the only way you can make it or this is the way I always see it served and I can’t stand this.” And when people talk about it, they are like, “Oh, yeah, well my mom made it, acorn squash. She baked it in a pan with some water and then when it came out she put butter and brown sugar on it. It’s just not good.” And I wanted to change that. I wanted to give people new ideas for what to do with summer squash in stuff like brownies or cake or things like that.

The Pressure Cooker:

Which food shows or cooking shows do you watch?

Chopped.

What are some food blogs or food websites we have to know about?

Well, the ones that I mentioned before. So The Vanilla Bean Blog, Dolly and Oatmeal, With Food and Love, Sara from Cake Over Steak has such an interesting food blog that has beautiful recipes but she also illustrates her recipes, and I know she’s been on your show, and she is fantastic.

If you’re looking for a wonderful vegan site, Abby from The Frosted Vegan has just a great way with words and she is one of those people that makes things very easy to understand. I love too, if you’ve never glanced over the blog, Green Kitchen Stories, just beautiful photography and wonderful, nourishing, healthy food that never loses flavor and is exactly what I love to do, which is cooking seasonally.

Who do you follow on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook or Snapchat that make you happy?

Well, on Instagram, I love following The Fauxmartha. She has her little girl that she posts pictures of, but her food scenes are just so incredible and simple yet they just make me want to start cooking. That is something that is obviously what we all aspire to do. Another friend, her blog, it’s called Sunshine and Sea Salt. And she is just a real good friend and is an amazing recipe developer as well, but her words that she writes on Instagram are almost like sometimes blog posts. They are just beautiful. Oh, Ladycakes too is a really fun one to follow along with, and I love following her. Those are a few of my biggest inspirations.

What is the most unusual or treasured item in your kitchen?

My most treasured, the one that I use the most that like, if you could only keep three things from your kitchen, would be my Le Creuset dutch oven because they are just workhorses. They do everything that you could ever want, and then I used to think it was strange that my mom gave me my grandma’s silverware and now, I love it and I use it in so many of my photographs, and it really means a lot to me when I see it. And then, thirdly, are some of my thrift finds that I find while I’m out. One of those is this real old baker’s scale. You’ll see it in a couple of my posts and on my Instagram but they just don’t make things like that anymore.

Name one ingredient you used to dislike but now you love.

Ricotta cheese. I used to not like the texture. I only really had it in lasagna and I prefer cottage cheese over it in lasagna and that’s what formulated this dislike. Now, I think it is so great whether that’s baked with lemon and olive oil and herbs for an easy appetizer, or on salads. My favorite thing too is to put it into desserts where typically, you might use yogurt or something like that. It creates such a soft texture and moist, rich, just kind of like cake and it’s really a fabulous ingredient. But I thought I hated it. Now, I love it.

What are a few cookbooks that make your life better?

Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Literacy is, I mean, that should definitely be in your kitchen because it’s all about cooking with families of plants and how they all go together. It’s just really simple but interesting recipes and I use that as not only a reference guide but something every week in my kitchen.

Another one that I think you just should have it is Joy of Cooking, because every single technique or question you ever had about food is in there. There are also vintage recipes and modern new ways of doing things which I think is really cool.

One of my newest cookbooks that I use a lot and that I love is Sheet Pan Suppers and it’s all different recipes and it’s not just suppers but things that you can make on a sheet pan and have so little clean up. Very little clean up, like a sheet pan is just another workhorse too. And it creates delicious meals.

What song or album just makes you want to cook?

I wouldn’t say it’s any particular album or anything, but 50s and 60s music, some of those classic kind of blues but like, pop hits too. They’re all so upbeat and all have such a happy tone. They don’t make you think too hard and that’s kind of what I always have on in my kitchen.

On Keeping Posted with Amanda:

Amanda Paa of Heartbeet Kitchen on The Dinner Special podcast talking about how to keep posted with her.

I am on Facebook and Instagram as heartbeetkitchen and beet is spelled like the vegetable, just for my blog too. And I am also on Pinterest and I am also on Twitter.

Snapchat: heartbeetkitchn

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Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Amanda Paa, Cake Over Steak, Chopped, Deborah Madison, Dolly and Oatmeal, Food Blog, Food Blogger, Food52, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free Girl, Gluten-Free Goddess, Green Kitchen Stories, Heartbeet Kitchen, Joy of Cooking, Martha Stewart, Minnesota, Minnesota Historical Society Press, Oh Ladycakes, Sheet Pan Suppers, Smitten with Squash, Sunshine and Sea Salt, The Fauxmartha, The Frosted Vegan, The Kitchn, The Vanilla Bean Blog, Vegetable Literacy, With Food and Love

057: Grace Rusch: Finding a Diet That’s Right for You

July 8, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about keeping posted with her.
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Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about finding a diet that is right for you.

The Sunday Table

Grace is a self-taught cook and a holistic nutrition consultant. She feels that our diets should be personalized, with a balance between food that makes us feel good and food that is healthy. On her blog, Grace features seasonal, organic, and whole-food ingredients, and she follows a mainly gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based diet.

I am so happy to have Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table here on the show today.

(*All images below are Grace’s.)

On Starting Her Blog:

Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about starting her food blog.

I’d say it was just a matter of wanting to continually be inspired by new recipes or new ingredients. It helps me keep things interesting and that way I’m looking at new cookbooks, new recipes online and trying different ingredients.

I’m always inspired by seasonal ingredients, as well. So, the blog is really just a vehicle for me to constantly come up with new things for dinner and for breakfast. That way food’s not boring.

On Her Interest in Food and Cooking:

Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about her interest in food and cooking.

I’ve had a long-time interest in food and cooking.

I started cooking at a young age, just helping my mom in the kitchen. So, it probably stems from that good foundation that she built and instilled in me. And then, I got a lot more into it in college and high school.  I really started to get into nutrition and thinking about how the food we eat affects how we feel and our bodies. So, that really is what, kind of, jump-started my interest in cooking. Through that, I’ve discovered how food actually made me feel. And through that, I found out I was gluten and dairy intolerant. So, it’s just been a journey.

When I moved to California, this “California fresh” fare was really inspiring to me. I come from the Midwest; I’m from Minnesota. And not that we didn’t eat healthy growing up, but it wasn’t quite the same cuisine. So, in college in California, I really started to use fresh produce and make that the foundation of my meal. Since that was something that was relatively new to me, it really inspired me to find new recipes.

Finding food blogs was also an inspiration to me, as a source for new recipes.

What else inspires me is just the food that makes me feel good. I try to eat food that’s healthy, but also tastes delicious. I definitely wouldn’t say I only eat for nutrition. Sure, that’s my basis, but it also has to taste good, because I also really enjoy eating.

What pushes me further is the fact that I have some dietary restrictions. And so, I have to constantly be creative and be adapting recipes to make it something that I can eat that’s not going to hurt my stomach.

On Experimenting in the Kitchen:

Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about experimenting in the kitchen.

I’d say I’m a creative or curious cook. I just throw things together. I don’t have too many total flops, but that’s because I love adapting recipes that I know work. Or, I just throw things together that are super simple, like oatmeal or an egg bake. There’s a lot of really simple foundations that you can build on to make something healthy and delicious. I’ve definitely had major flops, though. Especially in baking. There’s trial and error, for sure.

I think if you find recipes that you like, just try swapping out an ingredient. Like, having that curiosity. If you switch vegetables in a dish, that’s a pretty safe swap. Just start experimenting. If you add additional spices, that’s a pretty easy way to explore. Baking it’s a little harder. But for cooking, it should be fun and it should be kind of an experiment.

Just having the curiosity of “What happens if I add these spices?”, or you switch up the vegetable or you switch up the meat. Don’t feel like you have to have exactly what’s in the recipe, unless that’s exactly what you want to eat.

I think I look a lot to the online community. There’s so many people doing really amazing things. So, I’m continually inspired by other food bloggers. I have a lot of cookbooks and I cook from a lot of them here and there, but I don’t have one in particular that really inspires me.

On Some Good Resources for Learning to Cook:

Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about some resources for learning how to cook

I am a 100 percent self-taught cook in the sense that I never really looked up the science behind cooking or baking. I think you learn that over time. So, I don’t think that I went to one resource. 101 Cookbooks, Heidi Swanson was definitely a first food blog that I found. Sara Forte from Sprouted Kitchen was another one.

On Being a Holistic Nutrition Consultant:

Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about being a holistic consultant.

I had considered, in college, going to school for nutrition but decided to go to school for business, but I found this holistic nutrition school in Berkeley, California which is where I live now. And so, I kind of made it my plan: “Alright, I’m already in California. After I graduate I’m going to move to Berkeley and do this program.” It took me a few years, but eventually, I signed up to do the holistic nutrition program. It really just stemmed from curiosity of how food affects our bodies and how you heal yourself from the inside out, through food.

I think it’s pretty baffling to me that people don’t have the connection between what you eat and how your body feels. So, for me, it was really just to get that information. I’m a total food science nerd, so I love learning about how what we eat affects our body and then how that affects how you feel. It really is a holistic approach how that affects the rest of your life.

There’s definitely a balance between healthy and food that makes you happy. It’s easy to go too far one way or the other, and finding a balance is really a personal preference. It’s different for everyone. For me, I definitely feel better when I eat a lot of vegetables, but I also love sweets. So, oats with maple syrup is one thing; that, even to me, is enough.

Sometimes I really want dark chocolate and I’m not going to deny myself that. So, it’s definitely different for everyone. That’s my overall philosophy: every single person has a different diet that’s right for them, and food should make you happy. It should be something that you look forward to eating, but it also should be nutrient-rich. It should be something that’s not going to eventually, down the road, make you sick.

I think that is the first question you get asked and it’s the hardest question to answer; is “What should I eat?”. Because it is so individualized. It is fun to navigate that path with people; to help them understand foods they like and foods they don’t like.

If you really hate peas, then there’s no reason to eat them. If you really hate beets…I personally hate beets. It’s really hard for me to want to cook them and eat them. Just because it’s healthy, doesn’t mean you have to eat it. You should definitely find things that you want to be eating that are also healthy.

The Pressure Cooker:

Which food shows or cooking shows do you watch?

I don’t watch any. I have a television, I rarely use it.

What are some food blogs or food websites we have to know about?

Ones that I frequently visit and actually cook from are: Sprouted Kitchen, it’s one of my favorites.

Cookie and Kate, that’s a really good one, I’ve cooked a lot of delicious things from her site.

A Couple Cooks, they have a lot of really good recipes.

Dolly and Oatmeal, she’s also gluten and dairy free, so I always love her recipes.

Who do you follow on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook that make you happy?

I’d say Instagram’s probably my favorite platform, just because I love to look at photography. I actually follow a lot of photographers and travel or portrait photographers on Instagram. I follow the food blog world, too, but those are the pictures that make me happiest. It’s just seeing other parts of the world and little snippits. If you’ve had a rough day and you’re feeling uninspired, it’s so nice to see these beautiful nature landscapes.

One that comes to the top of my head is Jeff Marsh. He’s a Seattle photographer, both portrait and outdoor nature photos. Beautiful, beautiful photos. Aubrie Pick, she is a local San Francisco food photographer; just amazing stuff. Oh, I recently met a photographer from Vancouver Island, Kelly Brown; she’s a wedding photographer and lifestyle. Really beautiful stuff.

What is the most unusual or treasured item in your kitchen?

I don’t think I have anything too unusual, but I have to admit, my most treasured thing right now is my Vitamix. I use it every day.

Name one ingredient you used to dislike but now you love.

Probably, snap peas. I really like them and can eat them raw now. And bell peppers. I kind of have a love hate relationship with them. I’m learning to like green beans; still not my favorite.

What are a few cookbooks that make your life better?

Recently, I’ve been returning to Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison; I love that one. The new Sprouted Kitchen cookbook just came out, that’s a really great one and her previous cookbook is excellent. I’ve also been cooking a lot lately from Vibrant Food, which is Kimberly Hasselbrink’s cookbook.

What song or album just makes you want to cook?

I love music. I went to school for music business, so music is a big part of my life. I couldn’t just pick one, but I always go to Motown or old soul or funk music in the kitchen. It’s just fun, upbeat, and inspires you. Right now, I’ve been listening a lot to Brandi Carlile’s new album, The Firewatcher’s Daughter; that’s a great one. So, a big mix.

On Keeping Posted with Grace:

Grace Rusch of The Sunday Table on The Dinner Special podcast talking about keeping posted with her.

Instagram is my preferred platform. But I have a Facebook page, I’m on Twitter, I’m on Pinterest, and of course the blog.

 

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Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: 101 Cookbooks, A Couple Cooks, Aubrie Pick, Brandi Carlile, Cookie and Kate, Dairy-Free, Deborah Madison, Dolly and Oatmeal, Food Blog, Food Blogger, Gluten-Free, Grace Rusch, Heidi Swanson, Holistic Consultant, holistic nutrition, Jeff Marsh, Kelly Brown, Kimberly Hasselbrink, Plant-based Diet, Sara Forte, Sprouted Kitchen, The Firewatcher's Daughter, The Sunday Table, Vegetable Literacy, Vibrant Food, Vitamix, Whole foods

026: Becky Rosenthal: Inspiration from Her Grandmother’s Era

April 15, 2015 by Gabriel Leave a Comment

Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast talking about how to make cooking more fun.
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Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast on Inspiration from Her Grandmother

Vintage Mixer

On Vintage Mixer, Becky transports us back to her grandmother’s era. When folks cooked with fresh, local and seasonal ingredients and meaningful meals were shared around the table with good company. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah and is deeply involved with the local food community there via her SLC Foodie website.

I am so happy to have Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer here on the show.

On Starting Her Blog:

Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast talking about starting her food blog.

I’ve been blogging since around 2008. Kind of a mixture of things. That’s the way I started it, too. I wanted to share some recipes. Some things around the house. Maybe some vintage clothing. It all boiled down to food in the end. It started as a conglomerate of lots of things. Inspired by my grandmother’s era of simple living.

A simpler time of life.

We’re bogged down by all of the technology. Connecting with social media, which I love. I think it also distracts us from relationships. I try to combine the two. Obviously I’m blogging. I’m online, but to put meaning back in that. To make it more relational. Like it was in that era.

What comes the most naturally is probably coming up with ideas for the food. I always have a long list of different things I want to make.

Writing can be natural for the most part. Writing the recipes can be difficult. Sometimes photographing. Depending on the time of day. That can be harder.

On Her Interest in Cooking:

Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast talking about her interest in cooking.

Even as a child, I enjoyed playing around in the kitchen with my mom. Making cookies. Helping her flip the pancakes. Simple things like that. When I was in college, I was mentored by a lady who had her own fresh herb garden. I asked her to help me to learn a few more things.

After college, I worked for a ski resort that focused on food, and all those things kind of come in together to enhance my love for food and cooking.

Ruthie, my mentor in college. She cooked things really simply. Used fresh ingredients. I would say she was a big inspiration. More recently, online. People like Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks or even Gwyneth Paltrow of Goop. People like that who are sticking to simple eating with fresh healthy things.

On Food Culture in Salt Lake City, Utah:

Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast talking about the food culture in Salt Lake City, Utah.

It’s actually really community driven. People are always helping each other. Wanting to see other people succeed. Although we’re seeing more and more great products come out of the city. It’s not competitive in the negative sense.

A lot of local products and a lot of things that are back to the way things were done in grandmother’s era, like canning and old-fashioned cooking clubs, things like that, are popping up. Those are the things that have happened for a long time here in Utah. Now they’re becoming a little more popular again.

Honey is one thing. We have a lot of high altitude locations where there’s beekeeping and honey farms.

Cheese. We have several cheese makers that are highly valued around here. We have a salami maker called Creminelli who’s outstanding. He’s nationally known. We have a local hummus and Mediterranean spreads company called Laziz that we enjoy. Jams and things like that, as well. We have a lot of local products that are fun.

On Places for Food Lovers in Salt Lake City:

Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast talking about some places for food lovers in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I would definitely say, sticking as close to downtown, the better. The suburbs around Salt Lake, you’re going to find all the regular chain restaurants. The closer you are to downtown, you’re going to find more diversity.

If I’m answering just based on what I like, I would tell you you need to go to Finca. It’s a little Spanish tapas restaurant in downtown Salt Lake. Afterwards, you can go get churros next door.

My husband and I own a little coffee shop called La Barba. We serve churros and chocolate. It’s right next to Finca. Biased, yes, but I would recommend that. Some other places. Pago. They serve seasonal fresh dishes. Copper Onion downtown has a famous burger. Then we have a lot of ethnic food that is really, really enjoyed around the city. Whether it’s Thai or Indian, we have our favorite places so…

On Making Cooking More Fun:

Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast talking about how to make cooking more fun.

Turn on some music. Cook with people you enjoy.

If you like cooking alone, just turn on some music. Keep it relaxed. Don’t try anything too difficult at first. Cook things you know that you’ll enjoy. If you’re trying something new, maybe have a back-up in the fridge. Just in case it doesn’t turn out.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Stick to the things you know you’ll enjoy.

The Pressure Cooker:

Which food shows or cooking shows do you watch?

I only watch one and it’s MasterChef.

What are some food blogs or websites that we have to know about?

I have some friends here whose blogs I love. Completely Delicious and Two Peas & Their Pod. Also Foodie Crush and Mountain Mama Cooks. Nationally, I love 101 Cookbooks and I love Sprouted Kitchen, Goop. Blogs like that. That kind of have a similar feel to mine.

Who do you follow on Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter that make you happy?

Probably some of those same bloggers.

Ones who give me inspiration. Who I feel like I can easily go home and make the same dishes that they’re making.

What is something all home cooks should have in their pantry?

A good supply of nuts, I would say. Nuts and dried fruit. Peanut butter or almond butter and honey.

Name one ingredient you cannot live without.

Maple syrup.

Sometimes I will roast potatoes or squash with honey.

I would say that and almond butter.

What are a few cookbooks that make your life better?

I like Heidi Swanson’s, Super Natural Every Day. The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook. That was given to me by a friend. Vegetable Literacy. It was a good one. Bountiful, by a couple of popular bloggers. I like that one, too.

Those are some of my favorites.

What song or album just makes you want to cook?

I always listen to Pandora. It kind of mixes up the genres but I might start with something like John Mayer. Something just easier to listen to. I know the words and songs.

Loud Harp is a friend of ours. We enjoy his music.

Keep Posted on Becky:

Becky Rosenthal of Vintage Mixer on The Dinner Special podcast talking about how to keep posted with her.

Definitely following just the two blogs. Specifically, Vintage Mixer, the one I keep updated the most. Others, I don’t keep them both updated as much as I would hope. Vintage Mixer and then on Instagram, also Vintage Mixer.

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    Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: 101 Cookbooks, Becky Rosenthal, Bountiful, Completely Delicious, Copper Onion, Creminelli, Finca, Food Blog, Food Blogger, Foodie Crush, Goop, Grandmother, Gwyneth Paltrow, Heidi Swanson, John Mayer, La Barba, Laziz, Loud Harp, MasterChef, Mountain Mama Cooks, Pago, Salt Lake City, SLC Foodie, Sprouted Kitchen, Super Natural Every Day, Two Peas & Their Pod, Utah, Vegetable Literacy, Vintage Mixer

    Hello! I'm Gabriel Soh, home cook, food enthusiast and your host of The Dinner Special podcast.
    Everything here on The Dinner Special is an experiment, just like with cooking. Thank you for listening and being part of the adventure.

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