EP 25 - GET YOUR DINNER SHIT TOGETHER WITH CASSY JOY GARCIA
Ahhh we are SO excited to share this episode!…Well, we are always excited to share new ‘tent with you, but this is a super special occasion:
This week on GYST we are welcoming our first ever guest of the show, the lovely Cassy Joy Garcia!
Cassy is the New York Times bestselling author (ow owww! *cues air horns*) of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed + Fit.
Her last book is a mainstay in the kitchen for anyone who meal preps! Now for those of us who love to spin a leftover remix, her latest “Cook Once Dinner Fix” will be in heavy rotation.
If you want to take the overwhelm out of weeknight dinners, don’t miss this episode!
This week on Get Your Shit Together…
🧡 Why Cassy created Cook Once Dinner Fix, and who will get the most out of this approach
🧡 Cassy’s kitchen hacks to take the overwhelm out of weeknights
🧡 How to make ingredient substitutions + accommodate hungry eaters and picky palates
🧡 Our favorite recipes from the book!
🧡 Fun rapid-fire questions: favorite gadgets, “oh crap” dinners, takeout orders, and more
Resources & Good Shit
Episodes
What We’re Consuming: Food
Cassy is loving gluten-free mini donuts – delivered!– from Sprouts
Adina whipped up the Mongolian Beef Bowls from Cook Once Dinner Fix for Shabbos!
Diane could drink the jalapeno lime chimichurri from the pork tenderloin dinner series in Cook Once Dinner Fix. It’s that good!
What We’re Consuming: Media
Adina is back on her Gilmore Girls audio hug again
Cassy is watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on repeat OR savoring Grace & Frankie and Schitt’s Creek
Diane is watching fall capsule wardrobe videos on YouTube even though we all know she’ll be wearing the same Costco fleeces all fall [and winter].
🎁 Giveaway: Enter to Win a Copy of Cook Once Dinner Fix
Follow us @getyourshittogetherpod and Cassy @fedandfit on Instagram
Share GYST Episode 25 to your IG Story and include a tag @getyourshittogetherpod so we can see you, thank you, and track your entry.
Submit your entry by 11:59PM EST on October 11, 2021. One winner will be selected on October 12.
📚 Order Cook Once Dinner Fix Now
Don’t want to wait for the giveaway? If you’re beyond ready to add Cook Once Dinner Fix to your collection and dinner rotation you can order a copy here.
Connect with Cassy
Instagram: @fedandfit
Website: www.fedandfit.com
Connect with Adina:
Instagram: @adinarubin_
Website: www.adinarubincoaching.com
Strength Training for Happy Hormones: enrollment is open!
Connect with Diane
Instagram: @dianeteall
Website: www.diteawellness.com
Root Cause Reset: www.rcrprogram.com
Transcript
Transcript was auto-generated! There may be some errors, but you get the…GYST 😜
Adina: 0:31
Hello. And welcome back to another episode of G Y S T. Today is a special day because not only is Diane here, but we have our very first guest of the show, friend of the show, Cassy joy Garcia, Cassy what's up.
Cassy: 0:56
Thank you for having me.
Adina: 0:57
Oh, we are so
Diane: 0:58
long time. No, see, I think we actually saw Cassy the last time was when I saw you last in person, Adina. It was two years ago!
Adina: 1:06
Many moons, many moons ago. Here's a thing you need to know about Cassy and Cassy I don't even know if you know this. So before I started my business on the internet, I was just a fan of Cassy's Instagram. She is so delightful. So adorable. We'll get into a little bit more about what you can learn from her. But I was just following along in the early days, you know, you were doing a lot more voicing of Gus back then,
Diane: 1:36
oh, Gus
Adina: 1:37
that don't know Cassy voices, her dog, and it's hilarious. And I DMD you like a little cutie trying to just like, learn more about running a business on the internet and you answered me, which was so sweet. And you actually presented the Beautycounter opportunity to me at the time. And here's the thing, that's the only reason that Diane and I even know each other.
Diane: 2:02
That's because we met. Yeah, we had a little meet, cute at the Beautycounter conference a few years ago, like three years ago now.
Adina: 2:08
So I guess we yell at all to you, Cassy.
Cassy: 2:11
Oh, I'll take that.
Diane: 2:14
Thanks for bringing us together. We like it. We love
Adina: 2:18
Yeah. Should we do the efficiency stuff you want to read? Cassy's bio so that the listeners just know what they're in.
Diane: 2:23
Yes. If you don't know Cassy while Cassy joy Garcia is an excuse me, a New York times best selling
Adina: 2:32
With
Diane: 2:33
That's kind of a big deal. That's amazing. New York times bestselling author of cook once dinner, fix cook once eat all week. These are two favorites with our clients, with our community. We're going to get into that and fed and fit her first book as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog fed and fit. Eager to share her healthy living secrets with the world. She started fed and fit in 2011, 10 years
Adina: 2:58
I know the Dawn of the blog.
Diane: 3:00
Yeah, blogging times. Yes. Since then she became a holistic nutrition consultant and transitioned her personal blog into a tremendously supportive and nimble online wellness, editorial backed by small but mighty team of writers, researchers, and editors. After realizing that her own struggles to get a healthy, homemade dinner on the table, overlapped with struggles that her readers experienced. She decided that there must be a better way. The cook once method was born and it has revolutionized how people cook. Cassy lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband, her two children and her two. Doggos
Adina: 3:36
Welcome Cassy
Diane: 3:38
welcome congrats again. That is so exciting on cook once dinner fix we're not surprised
Adina: 3:44
did you take the news? How did you celebrate? Tell us more.
Cassy: 3:48
You know, I, uh, I actually told my team, I think I'm going to celebrate by going home and taking a shower, just been a long couple of days. And I was like, I think that's what I want, but I want right now. Cause we're expecting, so it's not like I'm going to be popping a glass bottle of champagne. I told myself once that was the first time anyone's read that as my bio, by the way, you're the very first person to hear me say, or for me to hear, say that,
Adina: 4:16
How'd it feel.
Cassy: 4:18
it's very surreal. It's very surreal. It's been a goal of mine for a long time. And I said it had been tension that, uh, I was like, you know, if I ever got. When actually my wording is actually when, um, but when the New York times happens, there's I was like, I want to celebrate with a thing. I like visual things. And I thought I might get a pair of shoes, like bright, hot pink shoes, the ones with a little buckle, the Manolo Blahniks it. Didn't when I set this intention, I didn't own anything in the stratosphere, like similar to it. And now my team's like, are you going to go get your shoes? I was like, are you kidding me? Those things are not going to fit seven, seven months anyways, but it was good. Just got to go home and hang out with our girls in Austin.
Adina: 5:06
Oh, that sounds delightful. And how are you feeling?
Cassy: 5:08
I'm feeling good. I'm feeling really good. A second trimester, at least for these three pregnancies that I've had have been easier for me. Uh, more energy in the second trimester. And so just really putting that to maximum use right now. And when that runs out, then i'll rest
Adina: 5:25
okay. She'll rest when it runs out, don't worry.
Diane: 5:30
in the meantime, but those feet up and those hot pink shoes will be there. Ready when you are. I love it. That's a nice way to celebrate.
Adina: 5:37
So we're gonna take you through the journey of how we usually do this podcast. After we say, hello, see how everyone's doing. We get into a little segment. We like to call what are we consuming? So this is where we talk about the food that we're eating. We talk about the shows we're watching. So maybe those feed up around the couch and you want to share with our listeners what's in your queue. Um, but you can get us started and tell us, Cassy, what are you consuming on the food side of things?
Cassy: 6:06
Oh, gosh, what am I consuming on the food side of things? Well, I mean, I'll just be totally honest, but the things sitting out on the countertop right now, our sprouts, the sprouts near us has these gluten-free mini donuts, um, in their fresh bakery section. And I that's, that's what I'm consuming.
Adina: 6:26
We love it.
Diane: 6:27
what kind are they like a cinnamon sugar fall moment.
Cassy: 6:30
got all of them. I got all of them.
Adina: 6:32
All the donuts.
Cassy: 6:34
I did. We were scrolling through, we do Instacart delivery to the office here. Uh, cause we just order groceries every single day now. And um, I went in and added in some snacks and my snacks were four different kinds of donuts. That's where her at.
Adina: 6:51
Oh, that's good. That feels good. Well, we are actually both consuming something from your new book, which is really fun in preparation for this segment today, we both cooked something out of cook once dinner fix, and we thought we'd share with the listeners what those are. And so the fun thing about cook once dinner fixed. If you're not familiar with it, it's a kind of meal prep system, but it happens throughout the week as opposed to just like one big meal prep day
Diane: 7:17
yeah, marathons.
Adina: 7:19
Yes. And Cassy will share with us a little bit more kind of as we go through the episode, but I love this so much because this is how I cook in my kitchen. And so. It's kind of like, and Cassy will talk us through it again, but it's these dinners series is where you're utilizing one protein for two separate nights of the week. And because I cook like this all the time, I actually only prepped the dinner too, because I had the bulk protein already prepped. Cause that's kinda just how I do things. So for those who are not familiar, I'm an observant, Orthodox Jew. And I celebrate Shabbos once a week, which means that I just do a marathon cooking on Friday. And then we eat that Friday night and Saturday when we don't do our cooking. But the intention that I set and what I tell a lot of my clients who are Sabbath observant is Friday just like cook a giant brisket and then the rest of the week, just figure out what to do with it. And so I did that. I had a brisket and I cooked up Cassy's Mongolian beef bowls for this. They're so good. Sticky, just like hits all the right notes with that sweet salty, sticky, beefy over some white rice. And I loved it.
Cassy: 8:33
I'm so glad that makes me so happy.
Adina: 8:35
Yeah. It was
Diane: 8:36
sounds delicious.
Adina: 8:38
what are you consuming?
Diane: 8:40
So similarly over here, I don't really do a one or two time a week marathon meal prep. So I was really excited for cook once dinner fix for that reason. I like to do leftover remixes, but I can get tired of leftovers. So I liked that there was a meal one meal two. So I did the chili rubbed pork Tenderloin and the chimichurri, especially with the jalapeños and the lemon juice at it. I could eat it with.
Adina: 9:05
yerm.
Diane: 9:06
or a straw one of those vehicles would be great. Love tostones with that
Adina: 9:10
actually does that, by the way,
Diane: 9:12
eats chimichurri with a spoon.
Adina: 9:14
a straw. Okay. I make like this spicy Israeli salad. It's just like cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapenos, parsley. And I dress it with just lemon juice and olive oil. And Minnie always says, I want the juice. And she literally takes a straw and sticks it at the bottom of the salad bowl and drinks it.
Cassy: 9:33
oh my gosh. I love
Diane: 9:35
that adventurous palette. I love it. I love chimichurri and it's just one of my top sauces. So I love that you included that with this Cassy that there just wasn't a ton of hands-on time or a lot of different agreed ingredients. And that is a trend I noticed through the book that there weren't like these random ingredients that you might not use for your everyday life. And so the meal that we have queued up tonight is the Asian fusion bowl. So that's. Love mangoes, probably one of my favorite fruits. So super excited to make that happen this evening.
Adina: 10:05
Yeah, I think, I mean, the Mongolian beef bowls came together so quickly too. Like I had the brisket prepped already and then it's just make the sauce sear the meat, throw it together. I do the rice in the instant pot. So that's four minutes maybe. Um, so it's really nice that like, you can still make a really fun new dinner and it's not a lot of hands on time, which is awesome. So we love that and we can't wait to talk more about the book, but we do want to hear, what are you consuming on the media front, Cassy? What are you listening to reading? Watching.
Cassy: 10:38
Oh my gosh, what am I consuming on the media front? A lot of Mickey mouse clubhouse.
Diane: 10:46
Repeat. Yes.
Cassy: 10:49
Oh gosh. If I'm being really honest. Um, there's yeah, there's a lot of Mickey mouse, clubhouse and little mermaid, but it just says we're on a mermaid tick, apparently right now, you know, my husband and I watch very slow. Gosh. Oh, there's a show that I watch on the blue moon that he's out of town. I will watch grace and Frankie. And I just, I don't know if he'll know that
Adina: 11:10
cute. Yeah.
Cassy: 11:11
I just savor it. I just, I watched maybe two and a half episodes. Every time he travels and I save it. It's like, I'm one of those people. Like if I find a show, I love, I will never end it. I will never want it to end. Like I have still not watched the last season there Schitt's Creek because I'm like, no, I can't, it can't be over. It cannot be over
Diane: 11:34
we call those audio hugs or media hugs, I guess I should say when it's like our favorite feel-good show that we like to come back to. We definitely have some series that we've gone through. Several times the office 30 rock Idina has one. I think this
Adina: 11:49
I am actually consuming a media hug right now, but Cassy, can I tell you a little secret, you know, you can rewatch shows, right?
Cassy: 11:58
this is sort of some wiring. I will rewatch friends, 30 rock and new girl I'll rewatch those. But for some reason, other shows I don't, I don't know.
Adina: 12:09
I hear it. So we do a lot of that in our stressful seasons. It's just like rewatch those types of shows. And because September is basically all Jewish holidays and I've been online for a total of four days in the month of September. I think it's been. A little stressy around here, just trying to get it all done and figure out how to keep up with clients, how to do the stuff. So we're in a season of rewatching, our number one media hug, which is Gilmore girls.
Diane: 12:37
that's your weight? That's your number one. It's not the office. It's not 30 rock. I am. This is new information
Adina: 12:42
know Diane, I hate Gilmore girls. Um, I can't explain it. There's something about the Gilmore girls hug that is just, you don't really need to be paying attention, but it's still kind of just consuming you. Um, so we're right now up to the Jess episodes, which are just so fast. so that's fun. Um, yeah. So Diane, tell us how you feel about Gilmore girls.
Diane: 13:10
I just couldn't get into it. I mean, I love the OC or some others from the era had the OC was my
Adina: 13:16
so different don't even breathe them in the same breath. Here's the thing. I love anything. Amy Sherman palladino does her.
Diane: 13:24
it's too wholesome. Maybe that was it. I needed more
Adina: 13:26
It's like these fast talking broads, just be in fast-talking broads you love that, Diane.
Diane: 13:33
yes. Okay. Maybe if I could watch it on one and a half to two weeks. Um,
Adina: 13:37
I don't even think you'd be able to understand them if you
Cassy: 13:39
I don't think I could.
Adina: 13:40
Yeah.
Diane: 13:41
uh, do they talk really fast? Like an always sunny in Philadelphia. I like that show, but if someone's watching it in the adjacent room, it's just, it's almost stressful how quickly they
Adina: 13:50
That's how I feel about Seinfeld. If Dani's watching Seinfeld in the other room, I'm like the sounds are so annoying that like, I can't bear this, but yeah, no, here's the thing, Amy Sherman Palladino she just thinks that when people talk fast, it's automatically funny, which I hear, but it's great. It's just enjoyable. I love it. It brings me back to my roots and I'm having a great time.
Diane: 14:16
it's a good audio hug. Well, over here, I don't really have anything good. I watched a couple of like a bad movies on Hulu originals. You know, those can go one way or the other. They were just not even worth mentioning, but I've been going into like fall capsule wardrobe, videos on YouTube
Adina: 14:33
I mean, why bother you get yours from Costco?
Diane: 14:36
Yeah, Costco sponsor us. We made it. How long into this episode, before we talked about
Adina: 14:42
Costco. If you're listening.
Diane: 14:45
we want Costco and Big butter to sponsor us because we talk about both of them. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I wear the same, like strip of fleas. If you see me wearing that four days in a row on story, just mind your business, but I'm like, maybe I'm going to audit finally audit what I've got going on here from like my office work days and stuff. But I love seeing how other people put it together. So I went down a YouTube hole this weekend.
Adina: 15:06
All right. We love to hear it. We love to see it. We can't wait to see what you do to your Costco capsule wardrobe. Diane,
Diane: 15:12
We might add another color in there. We'll see
Adina: 15:15
you won't match Doug. Then what are you going to do?
Diane: 15:18
beige. Yeah. Get a new dog.
Adina: 15:20
All right.
Diane: 15:22
Yeah.
Adina: 15:22
All right. Well, we are going to get right into it. The meat of this episode is all about Cassy is here to share her tips, her tricks for saving time in the kitchen, getting fun dinners on the table. Just really revamping the whole way we do this darn thing. So well, okay. First Cassy. We have
Diane: 15:45
Oh, she's going off script.
Adina: 15:47
off script. No, she's not. We've heard it before. I know you've heard it before. People always want to know, is she as sweet in person as she is on the internet? And I know that you are, but I also know you have a sassy side, which you don't let everyone see.
Cassy: 16:08
It's true.
Adina: 16:10
We hope you bring it for us today, Cassy. You know what that's what this show is all about. We need you full SAS ahead.
Diane: 16:15
Yeah, we did notice your bio says PG 13. Here we do use some. As you might know from our name here, but we're otherwise somewhat wholesome, I guess
Adina: 16:24
Well, ran it in.
Diane: 16:26
a hundred percent Seth. Okay. Well,
Cassy: 16:30
I'm here for it.
Diane: 16:32
this book is beautiful. It's a former like graphic design dabbler. I was just stunned by this, the design, the photography, the layout is so easy to follow, which I really appreciate it. I know my clients in our community will as well, because if they've approached dinner in the past with overwhelmed, they need something that's really straightforward. So I was curious, what was the process like for this book? What was different and maybe what part did you have in that creative process to
Cassy: 16:59
You know, cook ones dinner fix. When we were thinking y'all when I finished writing cook once eat all week, which was my second book, I thought, all right, I'm done. I'm gonna wash my hands of this.
Adina: 17:13
Take that shower.
Cassy: 17:14
Yeah, exactly. It's long overdue. Um, I, I write a book thinking it's or treating it as if it's going to be my last, you know, that I've really thoroughly solved the problem and it became abundantly clear a few months later, I was like, I guess I didn't quite nail it because I had, while there was, uh, just folks were loving it and they still do really love cook once eat all week. And it's a really helpful tool for a lot of people. It became a clear that there were some things that, some wishes that had been kind of left on the table. And some of those were for example, um, a mixture of protein. Some folks were saying like, cause coupons, you know, go structured. It's very meal prep. And you get, um, you know, three big meals out of some, uh, the same ingredients, right? And some folks were like, well, gosh, I'd love chicken and sweet potato and broccoli as much as the next person, but I'm really tired of eating it three times a week. And so, you know, I thought maybe we need to figure out a way we can rotate other proteins and add in seafood and vegetarian, which was a huge request. And other big requests that did come in was for complete meals, because with cook one seed a week, I essentially said, here's your main and the rest is up to you. And so for example, there are these like stuffed chicken, Buffalo avocados in that book. And that has generated a lot of questions of folks writing in saying, who, what do I serve it with? And my response in the early days was, I don't know, you figure it out, whatever, whatever.
Diane: 18:45
I figured out all of this, you go
Cassy: 18:47
whatever you have on hand, and that's just not helpful. I telling myself this, that's not helpful. You know, if I want, if I intend for this to be a helpful resource for folks, don't have to do the thinking, like take some of that burden off. Um, and so kind of all of those pieces were like they were there on the table, complete meals, more proteins, more flexibility in the week. Um, some people who didn't want to do like a real dedicated hour to two hour prep day, right. Folks who just wanted to make more of a fresh meal experience that had to be easier. And so as I was like playing with these pieces and trying to figure out how it could all fit together, it dawns on me. I was like, well, I. This way what's in cook one's dinner fixes also like Adina said, that's how I cook in my own house. And I have for a very long time cook linseed all week was my solution to the people who are exhausted by meal prepping on the weekends, you know, but I was like, but this is actually how I cook at home. It's all roast a chicken, a big chicken or two chickens, and then divvy that protein up between two different meals. And so that's when it started to come into focus. And I thought, I wonder if this would be helpful, isn't it some funny, the things that we do constantly or take, maybe I tend to take them for granted the things that I do automatically. I, those are the things. The last that's, the last thing I think might benefit somebody for whatever reason. Like the stuff that I find to be kind of my little. You know, the little thing that I do, I'm like, sure, I I'm probably the only one and I kept it in my back pocket. And then we shared it with the benefit community and people were really excited about it. So dove in to another book.
Adina: 20:26
So did you do the photography and this one as well? I know you did in your other books.
Cassy: 20:30
Good question. I did not. Uh, and that was a deal that my editor made with me is when I was signing with him. So I did, like you said, a photograph, the other two books and he was, I shopped publishers. I had a, I put on my big girl pants and I went and had some tough conversations with some people and wound up at a new publishing house. And it was a wonderful experience. And, um, part of his deal he made with me, he said, I want to do this with you. He says, but you have to promise me you're going to get help. And there's like this scrappy nature to my first two books that I'm really proud of. But at the end of the day, if I can make. Product. Um, and also when bought in an invite, somebody else onto the team, you know, who can share their gifts and talents, uh, what an honor to be able to do that. So Kristen Kilpatrick came on as our photographer. I still did the food styling. I was a bit of a stick in the mud about that because they were like, you know, we should also bring in a food stylist and a prop stylist. And I was like, but I have all these dishes and literally I'm going to there behind me. Um,
Adina: 21:35
For those listening at home, Cassy is recording in her prop closet.
Cassy: 21:39
I am,
Diane: 21:40
some beautiful props back there.
Cassy: 21:42
and I also like, you know, I think a lot of food, I have a lot of respect for food stylists in that industry in general. I think it's tremendous. I'm a consumer of their work. I buy the books, I love them. I adore them, but I don't think that the fed, if it reader matches up necessarily with that. It targeted client, if you will. And so I would rather meet a non-professional food stylist, make it look like you might actually make this in your own kitchen. Um, and there's not going to be, you know, wax or other ingredients on the food. It's going to be what you could actually make. And so that was important to me.
Adina: 22:19
Yeah, I think like Diane was saying the aesthetics of the book are just so beautiful. It's like really cleanly laid out. We love it so much. And it still does look like you, like, it
Diane: 22:30
it's still approachable. Yes. It's not stuffing
Adina: 22:34
like the photography is beautiful, but it still reads as your style and it's. It feels very approachable, very homey. And it's just, it's really beautiful. It's so gorgeous.
Cassy: 22:46
Thanks. Y'all that is so, so nice.
Diane: 22:49
Yes. We know. I always say this with my clients so that you can do it all, but not all at one time. And so it sounds like you found quite a good powerhouse team to compliment your talents and put together just such a beautiful tool. Beautiful resource. I know this is one that we're going to be referencing often over.
Cassy: 23:06
Oh, thank you. I hope so. I hope it really helps people the end of the day. That's the goal. Right. And I only sign on the dotted line because a book is a process. Um, and y'all know, like, it is just, it's a massive undertaking and I will do it if I know, and I believe that it can really help folks.
Adina: 23:25
Yeah. And it's funny, you were saying that, like, we don't always think about the thing that we just kind of like do intuitively as the thing that's going to answer every one. Problems. Um, which, you know, it, it always feels so much more aligned when it comes from there. It's like, this is how I solve this problem in my own house. And so let me just let me put it in a book and see if it solves other people's problems and boy does it. Um, but on that note too, we actually were talking about how we loved the intro portion of this book. You gave some really, really great tips on pantry staples, kitchen gadgets, freezer tips, which we know you're the freezer tip pro. Um, but again, like those are things that our clients ask us all the time. And I'm so glad you made this resource because I just like didn't take the time to, and it's such a great thing
Diane: 24:19
yeah, we can refer our clients there, those beginners to the kitchen, or even new grads, like college grads, my brother who will have freezer burn leftovers, or I don't know how he's storing somethings. I'm like, listen, start here, keep it simple. Here are the gadgets. And like the basics that you need for your kitchen, I'm a big collector of kitchen gadgets. But if you just needed to know, like the basics, I love that all of that is sorted out for them in the book.
Adina: 24:45
Yeah. Do you have any other, I mean, you can share things from that section, but if, is there something you wish you could tell your younger, new to the kitchen, self?
Cassy: 24:56
Oh, my gosh, my younger, new to the kitchen self, I think I would say keep it simple, but high quality, you know, there was, uh, there was a time where I thought that I didn't deserve a chef's knife and you know, I don't know. I it's like, I like, I, oh, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't really know how to cut this stuff. And so I would put everything with like a little paring knife, you know,
Adina: 25:20
Oh, I hate that for you,
Diane: 25:21
we talked about this on like the last episode. I was like, if I see another, what I eat in the day I was there too, Cassy I was sawn through in college with a doll paring knife, anything and everyone.
Cassy: 25:31
yes. yes. And I just, in if you're listening and you're thinking you don't feel that competent in the kitchen and then you don't, I don't know. There's so there was like this. When am I deserving of, you know, a seven inch knife and it doesn't even have, you can buy these things for $20. I'm not saying that you need to go and invest in an extraordinarily expensive one, but just a nice large one that you look forward to using. Like, if you don't look forward to using your knife and your cutting board and your bowls and your spoons and your spatulas, then it's time to maybe reconsider what you've got. And so that's what I would tell myself is just go get that $20 seven inch chef's knife. It's going to make chopping that sweet potato, much easier.
Adina: 26:15
I love it. And I agree a million percent. We literally just talked about this on a recent episode. It's so crazy how much better that kitchen experiences when you like your tools and when your tools show up for you. Like, I know people who are scared of that chopping and that kitchen experience may think that a sharper knife is more dangerous, but friends, it is far safer when your knife actually cuts through the thing you're trying to cut through and you will get a lot done and it will be way more enjoyable.
Diane: 26:47
and you don't need that big block with lots of different knives in it that comes with a ton of different options. A chef knife, a bread knife, a paring knife. That'll really do it for ya. Cassy, do you have a favorite kitchen gadget
Cassy: 27:01
Ooh, favorite kitchen gadget. You know, I'm not a big fan of single use tools. However, I will single use tool. This one sing its praises all the time. All the time is a citrus squeezer, but a good
Adina: 27:18
yeah.
Cassy: 27:19
You know, I mean, that's done, you're just using it to squeeze citrus. And I'm talking about the handheld one, not the kind that you press down in. That's my personal preferences, but at the handheld time, and, and I'm, I'm picky about them though, because I've wasted a lot of money on the ones that are metal and dipped in paint. And with the citrus, it winds up really eating away and corroding, and then you flake off that paint. And so it's one of those, it's one of those tools that I say, I think it's good to get the hard plastic one. I think it's actually going to last you much, much longer.
Adina: 27:52
It's like who messed up on that conveyor belt that decided that that paint was something we should be using with citrus.
Diane: 27:58
We need to eat that. Yeah. I think I've actually bought one of those and had to replace it for that same reason, but that was one of those tools too, that I was like, ah, I don't need this. I could just squeeze this citrus with my hands until your hands are burning and you get seeds in your dish. But I think my most underrated and recently added in the last few years tools is a microplane because you can use that for so many things for cheeses, for all kinds of stuff. And just love it. Garlic. Yeah. Garlic and cheese. We got a lot of play with the garlic
Adina: 28:28
Yeah.
Diane: 28:29
cloves. You mean like eight cloves and beyond
Adina: 28:31
I know Diane always says you measure garlic with your heart, and I love that.
Cassy: 28:38
I also great. My garlic on my microplane. And that will tell you, uh, food editors don't love that, that doesn't make it, that like breaks their brain. Cause I would, I would write the ingredients, one description that says three cloves of garlic graded and they're like minced. It was like, no impressed, no graded, like get the microplane out in grade, melts into your dish. And
Diane: 28:59
Yes, definitely graded over the press. We have used those in the past, but once I got that microplane, I was like, why was I doing it the other way? That's so long or chopping all of it too. So even in the pork Tenderloin, I was like, okay, we got like four garlic cloves in here. I liked that. And you didn't play around with any like two garlic, cloves, and I may or may not have just added like the rest of a head that I had
Adina: 29:19
if it says two, if it says two garlic, cloves and a recipe, I'm like, where's the conversion chart though. Like,
Cassy: 29:24
Yes.
Diane: 29:26
Yes. Oh my gosh. So as NTPs we often must find food substitutions for our clients, and we really like your attention to detail with the ingredients swaps both at the beginning of the book, but also, uh, before each dinner series, if you would note some of those there. So thank you for that.
Adina: 29:43
Yeah, I know you're very conscious of substitutions as far as, you know, giving people the options for whatever their dietary needs are. Dairy-free gluten-free grain-free whatever that might be. I think about this in the context of kosher all the time with my clients, because a lot of my kosher clients don't mix meat and milk. And while we love our cheese and we love our dairy here on gyst. for a lot of my clients and for a lot of our kosher listeners, that's not an option to mix those. And so seeing some of those swaps in there is so exciting, you know, that really the attention to detail. I know you've mentioned before that, like you don't just write it as a swap, you actually test it with the swap, which I love. And some of those meats, my clients might not use like pork or shellfish. So I'm curious, what are your favorite dairy substitutes for meat dishes? And also, would you have a good recommendation for swapping out pork or shellfish in a dish?
Cassy: 30:40
those are great questions. So we, the good news is we live in 2021 and the substitution options
Adina: 30:46
Is that good news?
Cassy: 30:49
I'm trying to the bright side, um, you know, there's a lot more available to us now than there was, let's say 10 years ago, right? Our dairy-free options 10 years ago, coconut was it, that was all we had. And coconut still reigns Supreme in certain regards, you know, as a dairy free sub in my opinion, but we have lots of options. So as a dairy sub, I still, I'm still a fan of full-fat coconut milk in the can give it a really good shake. And that will sub really well for any kind of a full fat dairy that you're working with. Um, sour cream, for example, uh, like in a Chile, um, something like that would be really great. And then.
Adina: 31:32
you, do you pour that in straight up or you sour it at all with any citrus or anything? Like, do you try to edit it or just as is sub one for one.
Cassy: 31:42
Good question. Um, I would, so when I'm thinking in particular context about this chili, for example, um, it has a lot of lime juice already in the dish that will counterbalance out. Um, but if I were making. Free sour cream as a standalone dish, then I would definitely, I would scoop out the coconut cream and then would add a little bit of lemon juice and some salt to that and mix it up with it until it has a nice smooth texture. And then you're going to have a pretty good one for one. So, um, for, for sour cream, but in the case of a soup or a stew or chili or something like that, I think you can just pour the whole can and then the rest of the ingredients will help balance it out. So that would always be a good go-to for a spreadable cheese or like a ricotta kite hill makes some really great soft cheeses, uh, dairy alternatives. And then there's also some really lovely, wonderful, uh, dairy-free hard cheeses out there now, the Cheddars and all of those. And I would just say kind of explore and see what you have available to you. And then for protein swaps for pork, that's the easiest one. I'll answer that one first. I'm a big believer in I'm looking when I think about a swap for a protein, I think about the end texture. That's what we're looking to swap for. Right? So not necessarily paying attention to the beginning product. So it's like a pork shoulder, for example, that's hard to replicate in any other type of animal protein, but the end product is shredded meat. And so what other shredded meat are? Can we replace that with shredded chicken would be great. Shredded beef would be great. Um, any others that you can kind of get to that consistency or texture would be the same ground would be the same thing. Ground Turkey, ground chicken ground beef would be the same as a one for one swap. So look at the end product of how that prepared protein is supposed to be. And then use a one for one of the other. You're not going to get the exact same dish. The flavors are going to be slightly different, but it's still going to be dinner and it's still going to be delicious.
Adina: 33:39
Yes, love it. That's what I generally do though. The thing I could never like crack the case on was shellfish because it's not a flavor or a texture I've ever had before.
Cassy: 33:49
Um,
Diane: 33:50
can only, yeah. Assume or try to make us somewhat of a
Adina: 33:54
yeah. And those like fake shellfish are just like, don't tell, don't touch those with a 10 foot pole.
Diane: 33:59
soy, oysters. Like what, yeah. What would the, I can't even imagine what that swap would be, but shrimp and chicken, maybe something you can have. Option there, um, that chili rubbed pork Tenderloin, that could be really yummy with some chicken. I love that rub that you had in there. a good one.
Cassy: 34:16
Yeah, definitely. And that's a good one. Like a pork tender. When's another good example of a chicken breast would behave very similarly. Um, and so you would just treat it exactly the same, but the temperature that we're looking for is 1 65 of an internal cook temperature in the
Diane: 34:31
yeah, not one to 45 on that chicken, please. No. So some of our clients ask for a set menus now between cook once eat all week and your new book sign out. I have to tell you, Cassy. I told Lauren one of my clients
Adina: 34:48
Oh, I was actually gonna tell this story. I'm glad you're saying it.
Diane: 34:52
about my booboo. So I don't know how long this has been in my program. Root cause. Reset Cassy. So I like have some of my favorite recipe resources. One of my clients was like, I think that you meant, you didn't mean to put, eat once cook all week. I don't know if anyone wants to do.
Adina: 35:10
opposite. is
Diane: 35:11
like, oh my gosh, no, it's cook once. Eat all week. So that was hanging out there for awhile.
Cassy: 35:16
be a great April fools. I'm going to make a note of that next April and be like, I have a new book it's called eat. One's cook all week.
Adina: 35:27
Diane got the jump on that.
Diane: 35:29
Yes. So we had to go in there and make an edit, but either way, some people ask for menus. And so I know that some of our listeners and our clients will fall into that. I'd rather meal prep. So they might go for cook for cook once eat all week or no cook once dinner fixed. Now I noticed that in the servings, they can vary sometimes between four or five. Now I need to ask you if those are like four average adults or two active, hungry adults, and what can we do to adjust.
Cassy: 36:03
These are hungry adults. Do y'all know how many questions I get? I know this is the safe space, cause y'all are both nutritionists. Do you know how many questions I get from folks who are baffled by? So I included, um, nutrition breakdown on every recipe for folks who use it and need it in life. They like to have that, then our questions that people who ask me if that, and those numbers are by the whole dish or by serving, like those are by those are serving amounts, you know? And it's like 30, 40 grams of protein in a serving. Like that's, that's, that's a good amount you should like, I encourage you to maybe try it, see how you feel.
Diane: 36:39
love to see you.
Adina: 36:41
eat up ladies.
Cassy: 36:42
Yes exactly. Like the people who write, do you really eat this much? I do. I really do. I do eat this much. And I think that everyone, you know, do what works for you. Um, but the servings are intended to be very hearty. I do not want anyone hungry at the table. I'm constantly thinking about if I were to make a casserole and it says serves four and it came out and one of those little mini dishes, I would be so disappointed. And so I would rather, I would rather you have more than you might expect than less.
Diane: 37:17
Yes, absolutely. I noticed that when I was making this recipe and I said, Ooh, like we're at almost 30 grams of protein here. Love to see that. No, one's going hungry. 30 minutes later definitely have bought either takeout or things that say the serving is for two people. I'm like, this is for me.
Adina: 37:35
this is for my toddler.
Diane: 37:37
Yes. So we love it. And I love the information you provided to, for people who do want to know kind of that macro breakdown to
Adina: 37:45
Yeah. And, um, on that note, those hungry adults, we noticed that, um, there is a vegetarian section of the book and here on gyst we were wondering, did you mean to call that chapter side dishes?
Cassy: 38:03
I tell y'all I dreaded writing that chapter. Um,
Diane: 38:09
We had to ask, we had to ask Cassy
Cassy: 38:12
I'm so glad you did. I dreaded writing it was the, I put it off to the very end. So I became abundantly clear. This is what the people wanted. Right. They wanted a chapter. At least I was like, all right, I will give you a chapter with. Series 12 dinners in here. So 24 meals out of the entire book, and I put it off. I lived as a vegan for a year in my early twenties, and it wasn't a great experience. I was unhealthy for other reasons, but also pursuing a plant-based diet at the time. Just wasn't helpful. It wasn't health promoting for me. And so I kind of put it off. And then when I dove into creating these recipes, though, I think that I kind of tried to overcompensate for how little blurred I went, like how unexcited I was about writing this chapter that I actually really enjoyed a lot of these dishes. Now there's some people who, for example, I have these, um, general Tso's cauliflower and cauliflower, Tinga tacos is one of the dinner series in there. And I published that. I did the demo of those. It's all starts with four heads of cauliflower that we roast. They're not all low carb like that plant-based low carb options, but that's just one of them. And I had some folks write in like, that looks great. Could I make it a chicken? Like, yes, you can.
Diane: 39:23
That was going to be
Cassy: 39:24
Yes, you can. And that's, that's what I would do.
Diane: 39:28
As I saw that, I thought, oh, I love Buffalo chicken. Or can I substitute this with some meat? So, or maybe add it on the side also, and have both, if that's your flavor too.
Cassy: 39:38
Yes.
Adina: 39:39
you need to add that to the substitution section, like cauliflower can be subbed for chicken.
Cassy: 39:48
great.
Diane: 39:50
we also often hear from clients that some of them, especially if they're cooking for a household, maybe a few other people that they feel they can feel like a line cook. So I love that this pairs down that process a little further, but curious if you find that you are accommodating different tastes in your own household or what tips you might have for people who have picky kids partners.
Cassy: 40:11
Yes. You know what I say? My heart breaks for the folks who are cooking two and three different meals every night for their family. I think that just sounds, sounds, exhausting. And when they're talking to me, they're usually coming from an exhausted place. And so I, my advice and I do, I have to have a three and a half year old, one and a half year old, a husband with his own thoughts and feelings, and then my own thoughts and feelings. And, um, at this point I'm the only, I'm the one in the house that has probably the most stringent dietary requirements because I have to be gluten-free. Um, but that doesn't mean that that's always going to be the case. I might have a kiddo that has to be dairy free in the future. You know, you just never know what we're going to encounter. And so what I say for those people who are cooking for multiple tastes and multiple dietary needs, Boil it down to the lowest common denominator that you can find. You know, if, if everybody in the house can get behind chicken and sweet potato, then let's lean into that. Let's make that. I don't think that we need to make, and they were over-complicating dinner. Right. And I think that it's great. It's great to want to try new and cool stuff. I think that's wonderful, but maybe do that once a week. Once a week. And then the rest of the week, I want you to make dishes that have ingredients that you just know are going to be a win for your family. And that allow you to make one meal for everybody. At the back of the book, we did a dietary chart restriction chart, for example, that have an X, if something is, let's say already dairy free or an X with an asterisk asterisk, if there is a dairy free modification test with modification, and I say, I want you to scroll through there and be like, okay. And highlight them and get out the pen and paper and highlight in the book and say, these are the, these are the 10 dinner series that I know are going to work for everybody in my home. And I would want, I would wish that for you is just make one meal.
Adina: 42:05
Yeah, I can tell from your answers to that question and from this book that you like, think in Venn diagrams,
Cassy: 42:13
Yes.
Diane: 42:14
are you a freak in the spreadsheets? And you're thinking of all the ways to visually show this. I always love when there are guides like that, because it makes it easy for someone to navigate. If they already are feeling decision fatigue, overwhelm, stress, whatever that may be, they can navigate that pretty easily and find something that works for their family. I also love that you said about identify like 10 dinners series, uh, something that we share with our clients, especially if they're maybe doing testing with us one-on-one and they have to be cognizant of dietary restrictions for a time is what are some of those oh shit meals are those that you can go to that, you know, will work, that you can rotate through instead of trying to reinvent dinner, like you said every night. So that makes it so simple. We love that.
Adina: 42:55
Yeah. And tell us, Cassy, what is your oh shit meal, like, uh, oh, it's dinner now.
Cassy: 43:06
Um, well, it alternates between, uh, it depends on what we've got in the freezer. The ones that I know the girls will love is like a spaghetti with a red sauce. I always have, I always have ground beef in the freezer. And did you know, you could put frozen ground beef in a pot and just go ahead and like cook it and like cook off the cooked part. And then you wind the ice cube of ground beef just gets smaller inside. I've done that more than a couple of times. And then once the ground beef is totally food safe, it's just, you know, you just make sure it's really cooked by the time it's over. And then add, I add a red sauce. Boil some spaghetti noodles. Everyone's really happy with that ma that meal. And then the other one that we do is this is the one that Austin, my husband feels pretty confident in taking on. Although I will be honest, he's got some room to grow and his technique is these, um, hot, these gluten-free pot stickers that are now available to us. Thank goodness. Uh, by the
Diane: 44:06
From where
Cassy: 44:07
what's the brand. I find them, I find found mine at sprouts feel-good foods. I think that's it. Um, I clearly not endorsed it or really know the name, but, uh, if you look up free pot stickers, they make one with chicken and they also make a vegetarian one. And I accidentally ordered the vegetarian ones. once upon a time when I was like, we're all going to bed hungry. Um,
Diane: 44:31
I had some meat to
Cassy: 44:32
They're so good. It just like crisp them up in the pan really quickly and then serve that with, I usually just shred whatever veggies I've got in the drawer and do a quick veggie stir fry and serve it with some white rice. And the family really loves that.
Adina: 44:46
Sounds
Diane: 44:46
The meat sauce and pasta. That is a go-to over here. I have not tried the beef ice cube trick. I'm just putting it in the pan. But the instant pot also solved a lot of those for us too is like, oh, we didn't defrost the beef. Just put it in the pot,
Cassy: 45:00
Yes.
Diane: 45:00
work.
Adina: 45:01
What is with the instant pot sorcery. Like I do it, but I'm still like, is this safe to eat?
Diane: 45:08
what goes on in there with magic. What about takeout? Do you have a go-to takeout? Let's say you just don't even want to do your five minute, your 30 minute oh shit meals. Is there something that you love to order out or an order in? I should say
Cassy: 45:23
We do. We like burgers, French fries are usually a win. Um, and then it depends on how, uh, what kind of a day it's been sometimes I'll order myself a milkshake and Austin one, and we stick it in the freezer for if the girls go to bed before which isn't happening these days to Grayson's like hanging in there with us and
Adina: 45:45
we are going through that too right now.
Cassy: 45:47
are you, that makes me feel, but I'm like, I mean, Austin and I are beating grace into bed every night and we're just like, just curl up. I don't know what I'm doing. I have another newborn and there's now another person in this bed, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there.
Adina: 46:03
Minnie is four and she was still napping. I mean, she kind of is still napping and she's so tired in the day. Like I can't not put her down for that nap, but then come bed time. It's this new, she was such a consistent sleeper her whole life. And then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, it's like so much coming out of the room, playing games, telling me things about her brother. Like I have to pee. This hurts, that hurts, but it's like so annoying.
Cassy: 46:32
Oh, my gosh, there was a night I rolled over in gray head. I mean, there's some nights that I just like, forget it. Just come. You're going to wind up in my bed anyways, just come in now. And I, but I rolled over and I almost jumped out of my skin cause she was standing next to the bed and she was leaning over to. Cause my goodness. How long have you been there anyways? So milkshakes for those kinds of nights.
Diane: 47:06
are you a classic vanilla chocolate or what's, what's your flavor there? Well, vanilla over
Cassy: 47:11
Are you, I'm a bit of a, I'm a bit of a odd ball. I really like strawberry, you know, when you see strawberry milkshakes on the menu and they're like, who orders? The strawberry milkshakes? I do. I'm the one person keeping them in business.
Adina: 47:25
I can't really understand the milkshake thing because to me it's kind of just like melted ice cream. And I like the texture of ice cream so much that I'm like, why am I not just eating ice cream?
Cassy: 47:35
That's I D I don't like ice cream.
Adina: 47:38
What.
Diane: 47:40
Oh,
Adina: 47:42
over, get off the show.
Diane: 47:44
technical difficulties.
Cassy: 47:46
kicked out. I don't, I don't, I would rather have a milkshake. I don't know
Adina: 47:50
What's not to like about ice cream though,
Cassy: 47:53
stresses me out, melts so fast. And it's like,
Adina: 47:58
but then you have a milkshake.
Cassy: 48:00
But is not supposed to be my hands are sweating thinking about it right now. I don't know why says I'm not going to turn it down, but it stresses me out a little bit.
Adina: 48:12
I will say ice cream and soup like the only two foods that I eat quickly because like you miss out on so much, if you don't.
Cassy: 48:20
Yes,
Adina: 48:21
I get that, but I do love ice cream and can't really understand
Diane: 48:26
yeah, once I could tolerate dairy ice cream again, I was like, it's on we're turning. I'm going to start an ice cream stand ice cream truck in the summer. I think like a classic vanilla bean. We'd also measure vanilla extract with our heart over here. Just kind of good old glug, garlic vanilla. Yes. Um, I like to know about people's kitchen habits, transition here. Um, what do you like to do while cooking? So you've talked. How we can make that experience in the kitchen and planning a little bit easier, but I like to do what I like to know what you do while you're cooking. Do you listen to something? Are you having a kitchen dance party?
Adina: 49:03
Let me preface by saying that Diane has told us on the show that she dances to her audio books while she cooks.
Cassy: 49:14
That's
Diane: 49:15
Yes, That's happened.
Cassy: 49:19
That's really impressive. I do. I like, you know, on my best days, I will remember to turn, uh, Hey, Alexa, play some music and uh, we'll put on some music and pour myself a special drink. And I'm not saying it has to be alcoholic, just like even sparkling water. I saved sparkling water until I'm making dinner because it's just that special something to break up the day. Um, and then, and then we do that. I set up the girls usually next to me with their watercolors on the little table and paint and Ooh, and Oz. They bring something, some art to life and that's kind of our routine.
Adina: 49:57
That sounds so peaceful.
Cassy: 50:00
Oh, it sounds more peaceful than it is. I mean, in all reality, it's, it's not like usually, uh, 90 seconds in Bishop wants to be held and I'm like, how do I chop this?
Diane: 50:14
Next book idea. How to make it all happen.
Adina: 50:19
How to chop while holding a baby? Well, tell us what are your kitchen pet peeves
Cassy: 50:26
Ooh, a kitchen pet peeve of mine. Uh, gosh, I, I don't know. I haven't had this in a while and I kind of let it go since being a mom of young children, but like butter, for example, or set or cream cheese or anything that is like, you would take a scoop out of it at a time. It kind of drives me a little crazy when people like a buck slab of butter, like the Kerrygold. And people cut off a both ends or diagonal corners off of it. And I'm like, what kind of a monster cuts a diagonal corner off of this? Because now I'm going to have to let figure if I need four tablespoons, you know, it's not that it has to be exact because we're talking about butter. You're still like, it's just that kind of
Diane: 51:11
uh, bite off the top. It's like serial killer behavior. should be arrested.
Cassy: 51:17
stuff like that. Or, oh gosh. Um, I think another one of mine would be, I have a hard time sitting down for a meal when my kitchen is a disaster still.
Adina: 51:31
you would not like my house,
Cassy: 51:34
it usually is still a disaster by the time I sit down for a meal, but I have thought like physically have to turn my back to it so that I can focus on the joyful experience we're about to have as a family. Um, and again, that sounds better than it actually is in practice, but if that's the intention is it's a
Adina: 51:50
intention is there.
Cassy: 51:53
Um, I think that, and so it's, you know, if somebody in bread sit down and get out dinner, and if someone pulls out someone, you know, the only other adult I live with pulls out a, uh, like something out of the refrigerator and get some other disturbing I'm like, darn it. I'm I'm going to have to put that up before we sit down or I'll get up and go do it, which is a me thing.
Diane: 52:18
Adina, do you have any kitchen pet peeves?
Adina: 52:21
I mean too many to name right now, but Dani is, is very, very kind. And his job, his dishes in our house, we're very into just like divvying the roles because I do all the cooking. So I need to like have the expectation that I am not doing the dishes. Also. It was kind of born out of my, when I was really struggling with hand eczema because that water was not an option anyways. He's wonderful. Does all the dishes, but our timelines are a little bit different. And so I can't say anything because like he's doing the dishes, but never is our sink not overflow in.
Diane: 53:03
it's like the sink Tetris or we play fridge Tetris over here, which is kind of one of my PMs. We have a tiny kitchen, so we have a really. Small galley, kitchen, and even narrow fridge. We have a big basement fridge and a chest freezer down there, but we really want to maximize our space and time in the kitchen. So I feel like that me, some pause is a necessary thing that we have to do. So I always try to work smarter in there when we can, but I don't like when things are exploding out of the kitchen. So sometimes when Neil makes things like tornado, Neil came in here who closed last night, but we
Cassy: 53:37
Close last night. I love that.
Diane: 53:40
I would like to go to bed with the kitchen clean, but sometimes, you know, it's like a Saturday night. You just want to go to bed. But then the next morning you're like what, who came through here?
Adina: 53:49
Yeah, no, Dani's like would sooner get out of bed at 5:00 AM to clean the kitchen, then do it before bed. I'm like our timelines different
Cassy: 53:59
Adina I think I'm on your timeline. When I wake up in the morning, if I happen to get to the kitchen before Austin does, and the dishes are Austin also tries to help with the dishes, the divvy up a responsibility as our base. Or clean up the kitchen cause it was happening at the same time. And right now bending over the bathtub is just hard on me. Um, and so I opted to happily stay in the kitchen and clean up and I love being able to go pour a cup of coffee in the morning. And if everything's like clean or Austin will think, and I don't mean to turn this into a dish on good ol' Austin, but like, he'll think that he's loved the dishwasher. He'll even start it. I'm like, do you see that cup like right there? It's not like there wasn't room for it. It kinda blows my mind a little bit.
Adina: 54:52
me too. like, did you also check behind the couch where you leave all your cups?
Diane: 54:56
I'm like the signs girl. I don't know if anyone has seen, I'm not shabelle on signs, but there's a girl in the movie and she has she's notorious for glasses all over. Like right now I have a water glass. I have a tea mug, a coffee mug. So I had to make the rounds around my house and
Adina: 55:10
Same it's collections that happens. All right. Well, Cassy, tell us, what is your favorite recipe from cook once dinner fix. And what is your least favorite recipe?
Cassy: 55:20
Ah, Ooh,
Diane: 55:22
queues.
Cassy: 55:23
these are tough. Oh gosh. Okay. So my favorite recipe from cook one dinner fix goodness gracious. How do I pick
Diane: 55:34
picking a favorite child? It's like, how can we ask her to do
Cassy: 55:37
but I'm here for it. I'm here for it. Okay. So another one of my favorites in here, it's going to be this Chipotle beef roast with Yucca and, um, and that's meal one and it's spicy. So, you know, if you have kiddos that are, or you yourself, don't like spicy foods, for example, I'm just kind of keep that in mind. But we blend up to pull is in adobo that can cut in and it just like, feels like home to me. Yeah. And we use that and we rub it on a beef roast. So it's a totally different way to make a beef roast. And it makes us really delicious meal. I love that the Yucca or Yuca, depending on how you say it, it's not probably a starch that folks are really familiar with. So I really liked that it pushes people, um, to just maybe try something new and it's served with a really yummy chipotle Mayo and then meal to that leftover roast is pan seared with a bunch of really yummy spices or Mexican oregano and a bunch of other things I say, Mexican oregano, you cannot find Mexican Regno regular. Ekonos just fine, but a bunch of yummy spices and some lime juice, and you turn them into barbacoa tacos and serve that with Pinto beans. And it's just such a yummy tea, like a different meal. It's still kind of both Mexican inspired vibe, but a little bit different if we're thinking about central America and I'm probably my least favorite and the book. Oh gosh. I mean, I flipped over to the vegetarian chapter. I did a, um, I did, gosh, this is, so this is tough cause I do, I'm proud of all of them and I ate all of them and enjoyed all of them. The ones that I
Adina: 57:14
Which one would you not make again?
Cassy: 57:16
the one that I would not make again, personally is tofu. I'm just not a tofu person, but I wanted to, I wanted to include it for folks who are tofu people. Um, and I think I found that the best way to make tofu, if you're going to go there is to get really from tofu and depress it. And so don't skip those steps. It's going to make a big
Diane: 57:37
it's soggy.
Cassy: 57:38
exactly the texture is going to be off. Um, and so I learned a lot about, so in the it's a vegetarian taco casserole and a tofus to table, uh, that is one of the dentist series in the veggie chapter. And they're both really delicious, but I just, I I'm just probably not going to be pressing much tofu in my future.
Diane: 57:58
I thought a chicken sat table would be delicious. So as I was going through, I thought, all right. happening for that
Cassy: 58:04
It would be in that taco casserole is also delicious because we get to melt cheese on top of this fluffy white Bryce. It's just so good. Um, but I would probably be adding some extra protein to it.
Diane: 58:16
We're
Adina: 58:17
it. That's what we would do to.
Diane: 58:20
while you mentioned that with each book feels kind of like, okay, I've done it. I did it. What plans do you have if any, though, for any future books, are there any on your radar, do you want to put your feet up first, New York times, best
Cassy: 58:34
I don't know. I don't know that the editor, uh, there was a person, um, in the publishing, uh, team that sent a note and she was so kind and lovely and wonderful. She was like, this has been such a joy. I hope we get to work again. So. I was like, oh no, like that, just that you're that one note kind of made me
Adina: 58:51
Sue and
Cassy: 58:53
Like, no. Um, so the next, I don't know, the next year I'm actually, I don't know if you've heard about this. There's a website called YouTube. It's Y O U tube. Um, and
Diane: 59:05
For a second. I was like,
Cassy: 59:08
we're gonna, I'm gonna do, I'm gonna throw all in on a YouTube channel. I was just, I don't know why
Adina: 59:14
on the YouTube.
Cassy: 59:16
on the YouTubes. Yep. And so I just, I feel probably a little late to the game, but I'm so excited. I think it's time to, I I've enjoyed Instagram and I'm ready for another way to deliver content. And I think YouTube is going to be where I'm headed.
Diane: 59:35
yes.
Adina: 59:36
I mean, that's why we're here. So
Diane: 59:39
that's why. Yeah. Instagram, it was nice for a while, but when we like other platforms, for sure, he did mention at the top of this episode or recording that you were looking at some YouTube videos. So maybe it sounds like you have some that are already in the.
Cassy: 59:54
Yes. Yes. We just filmed, um, a bunch of pumpkin bread and a pumpkin pie video. So hopefully these will be up pretty soon.
Adina: 1:00:03
that's
Diane: 1:00:04
Alright, pumpkin bread to go with my pumpkin syrup that I made because I'm in the Starbucks, tastes like a candle pumpkin candle camp. So I love a good pumpkin bread though.
Adina: 1:00:16
I actually made a pumpkin bread this weekend and it was delicious. And I'm looking forward to more. Should we do a couple of rapid fire questions before we close it out?
Diane: 1:00:26
Let's do it.
Adina: 1:00:27
All right. Cassy sweet or salty,
Cassy: 1:00:31
salty,
Adina: 1:00:33
salty. She salty.
Cassy: 1:00:35
I put actually, can I put salt on a sweet, I would like sprinkle of salt on a brownie.
Diane: 1:00:41
Hm, well, Maldon salt on top. Yes. I liked that too. That was one of my favorites. What would be your final meal?
Cassy: 1:00:49
my final meal. Oh my goodness. Um, it would probably be, I don't know, it's probably my, a pasta dish. I grew up eating that. My mom made, she called it chicken Callan, Katy. So it was a made up name. You can't Google it.
Adina: 1:01:03
love that.
Cassy: 1:01:05
It was just, uh, it was a PNA, pasta and chicken and bacon and a bunch of vegetables and like a really light cream sauce. And it was just delicious.
Diane: 1:01:15
Comforts of home and childhood. That sounds sweet.
Adina: 1:01:19
all right, well, this isn't rapid fire. It doesn't have to be, but what is the best piece of advice that you can leave our listeners with for getting their shit together in the kitchen for dinner? Whatever it may be.
Cassy: 1:01:33
I have the piece of advice that I would leave you with. If you're feeling a little frazzled and you're feeling, gosh, you just cannot get it. Of the game or whatever it is. And it just feels like this in my, in my cases that I've lived through, but I don't run away train. And I feel like I'm never ahead is stop and assess where you over-complicating things because you might be over-complicating things and it might be an opportunity to just slim it down, simplify, get your, get everything back together, dedicated together that works for you, figure out a routine. And then once you feel like you have really mastered the routine and you're ready for more than to add on a little bit extra, then try recipe. That's new to you or try and ingredient that's new to you or a method. But until then, if things are feeling out of control and just all over the place, then it might be time to simplify.
Adina: 1:02:26
Love that we're all about that simple that I heard you say earlier, like quality, but simple. And that's like a big theme of what we do here. So if you heard what Cassy said, and you're looking for guidance on that, her book is the best place to go. We love it. We recommend it to clients all the time. We recommended her last book. And now we're even more excited about this one because as Kasey mentioned, it makes even more sense as a solution for it throughout the week. Um, and Diane give us those details on how our lovely listeners can win a copy of cook once dinner fix.
Diane: 1:03:03
yes. Oh, we are so excited for this. So if you want to get your hands on it, of course you can go out and grab it right now. We'll put info in the show notes, but this is going to be a mainstay in your kitchen. We already know it. So if you want to enter to win a copy, instructions are in the full show notes, but you can follow G Y S T as you probably already should be doing on Instagram, follow Cassy at fed and fit. Share this episode to your story and tag, get your shit together, pod so that we can see it and submit that by. I think we said 11:59 PM. Eastern standard time on the 11th. We'll choose a winner and we can't wait to see what you cook up in which dinner series you decide to start out with, like Cassy where can people find you to continue to follow along? I know you've been doing demos from the book and keep up with you, your fam and Gus and bed.
Cassy: 1:03:52
Yes, we're all over Instagram. I'm still mostly there. You can still find me there. I haven't broken up yet. Um, but the, my username there is fed and fit we've been doing a lot of demos because hopefully I think this concept sometimes easier seen. It's easier to understand once you see somebody go through it. So hopefully you'll have lots of great examples.
Diane: 1:04:12
oh, there are tons of your highlights.
Adina: 1:04:14
Those demos have been so fun to watch and they are great. They will give you a real taste of what this book is all about. We love you, Cassy. We love this book and we cannot wait for our clients and our listeners to get their hands on it.
Diane: 1:04:28
thank you so much for your time, Cassy and congratulations again on this book and two New York times best selling author. You're great. We love you. And we like you
Adina: 1:04:38
enjoy that shower,
Cassy: 1:04:40
Thank you all so much.
Adina: 1:04:43
Buh-bye.
