Sunday Meal Prep | Week of July 28
Sunday Meal Prep | Week of July 28
Schmaltzy tomatoes, regenerative seafood, and a party dress.
Sometimes nutrition and healthy eating get a bad rap—as if it’s unenjoyable to eat food that’s good for you. It’s my mission and at the core of my nutrition practice to debunk this, so I was thrilled to see this study showing a correlation between diet quality and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. By studying brain chemistry, they found a circular relationship between food choices, meaning that a healthy diet increases the health of your brain, which helps you to make better food choices.
The inverse, sadly, is also true, which is something I work on with many of my 1:1 clients. You have to break the chain somewhere. If you can make a commitment to healthy eating, even if you start with just a week or two, your brain chemistry will eventually catch up. I know it’s hard in the beginning, but the sooner you commit, the sooner it will click. And who knows, you may even start enjoying it!
If you’re following this meal prep series, then you’re all over this. I know I’ve said this before, but I’m always amazed when someone tells me that they read these emails or cook the recipes. I got the kindest DM this week, and thought I would share, because she gets it! Easy, delicious, diverse. Gahh…this makes me happier than the skillet chicken thighs with schmaltzy tomatoes on the menu this week.
If you’re cooking with us, please let me know. I’m here for the community, and working to find more ways for us to connect and add value to this space. In addition to weekly recipes and nutrition deep dives, we’ve got a book club (August 16th!), monthly giveaways (this month, it’s a knife set + stand from Material Kitchen and a nutrition session with me), and a lively chat. These are perks for paid subscribers. If you’d like to join the party, you can upgrade your subscription here:
WHAT I’M LOVING RIGHT NOW
Before we get into this week’s menu, just a couple of things I’ve been into lately:
Microplastic and Mercury-Free Seafood
Seatopia (use the code MIA_RIGDEN for 15% off)
I know many of you share concerns about microplastics and heavy metals in our seafood, which is why I am such a big fan of Seatopia. They use regenerative aguaculture to source high quality seafood that supports marine habitat restoration, biodiversity, and fair-trade jobs. Best of all, they ship seafood boxes straight to your door and plant a kelp tree with every order.
Party Dress
Alemais Piato Floral-Satin Mini Shift Dress
It’s my birthday on Tuesday and every year I buy myself a party dress (even if I’m not having a party, lol). It’s a silly little tradition that I’ve been doing since I moved to New York in my early 20s. Truth be told, I’m not big on my birthday, but I am big on party dresses. I love this brand, Alemais, for their vibrant prints and sustainable ethos. Now someone invite me to a party (for you, not for me) so I can wear it!
MENU | WEEK OF JULY 28TH
I am going out of town for a few days tomorrow, but that’s not going to stop me from making coconut saffron mussels, purple sweet potato fries, and a salad with you all tonight. Ozzie will not eat mussels (he’s a good eater, but not that good, c’mon), so I’ll