The Mindful Kitchen: Simple Rituals for Cooking with Intention, Gratitude, and Joy
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Can preparing dinner become a mindfulness practice?
In this conversation, Meryl sits down with cookbook author and podcast creator Nicki Sizemore to explore how intention, gratitude, and presence can transform even the most ordinary meal into something deeply nourishing. As Our Mindful Nature enters its final season after 11 incredible years, this series continues its exploration of food as a doorway into everyday mindfulness.
Nicki is the author of Mind, Body, Spirit, Food — a cookbook woven through with grounding meditations, rituals, and intentions designed to help us prepare meals with joy and presence. Her message is clear: mindfulness doesn't require a retreat, a silent room, or extra time. Sometimes, it begins with a single breath before you chop that onion.
What To Expect
- How Nicki discovered mindful cooking out of a moment of real burnout — and how it became a healing practice
- Why we so easily leave our meditation practice on the cushion — and how to carry it into the rest of our day
- The four core practices for cooking with intention: breath, engaging the senses, setting an intention, and gratitude
- How setting a single word as an intention before cooking can shift your nervous system and your entire evening
- How adaptable recipes create space for presence instead of perfectionism
Featured Guest
Nicki Sizemore is a cookbook author, culinary school graduate, and the creator of the Mind, Body, Spirit, Food podcast and Substack. With over 20 years in the food industry, she now lives at the intersection of intentional cooking and mindful living, helping people find freedom, presence, and deep nourishment in their kitchens.
Find Nicki at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickisizemore/
Substack & Podcast (Mind, Body, Spirit, Food): https://mindbodyspiritfood.substack.com/
Mind, Body, Spirit, Food cookbook — available wherever books are sold
After 11 incredible years, this summer series marks the final season of Our Mindful Nature. Stay tuned in the coming episodes as Meryl shares more about what's next.
Thank you to Brianna Nielsen for production and editing support. Find her at: https://www.instagram.com/itsbriannanielsen
This podcast explores meditation, mental health and the power of connection, offering guidance for caregivers, healers, and therapists facing compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health struggles through self-care, self-compassion, and resilience. With a focus on anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, each episode provides tools like meditation, mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding to cultivate clarity and reduce stress. Listeners can also experience nature-inspired guided meditations, designed to bring peace and balance in times of distress.
