On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Natalie Kalmar, the creator behind FitnessFoodieSTL, a resource that empowers women and families to live well without the pressure of perfection.

“ There are so many ways that you can move your body, whether it's dance fitness, playing a sport, [or] walking your dog,” she explains. “All of that counts; all of that is movement.”

Through her blog, social media, and local collaborations, Natalie shares approachable ways to stay active, enjoy great food, and make the most of life. While she is based in St. Louis, there are plenty of practical tips and delicious recipes that everyone can learn from and enjoy.

“Food is something that you should enjoy,” she says. "Always remember that you do deserve it.”

Natalie Kalmar shares how she became Fitness Foodie STL, why group exercise is so valuable, and her personal food connections, including some Jewish food memories. She also shares her recipe for Gooey Butter Cake, which you can find below.

Learn more about Natalie at fitnessfoodiestl.com. And follow @fitnessfoodiestl on Instagram and Facebook.

For more from Taste Buds, subscribe on iTunes and YouTube, and follow @TheDEBMethod on social media. Go to JewishJournal.com/podcasts to read the articles and get recipes.

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Peter Shankman, entrepreneur, speaker, best-selling author, and founder of Source of Sources. A Jewish single dad, Shankman became an amateur chef, because he loves cooking with his 12-year-old daughter.

“I used to think [cooking] was just about creating food that I enjoyed, and then I had a kid and I realized the bar is actually not so much food you enjoy, but food they'll enjoy,” explains Shankman, who was born, raised, and lives in New York. “To create a meal that she actually likes and that we sit and eat together after having cooked together is a lot of fun.”

Shankman said his interest in cooking happened both after becoming a parent and also after really understanding his ADHD.

“When you're ADHD it's much easier to order takeout and to have food delivered,” he says. “You want to set good habits for your kids … so you learn that maybe ordering in every night is not the best way to do things.”

Shankman says that having ADHD gives him a more experimental mindset, when it comes to cooking. He’ll be at the store, spot an ingredient and start thinking about different things he can make with it.

“You get to create these ideas [for meals], and if they work great, if they don't, life goes on,” he explains. “But either way, it's a lot of fun.”

Peter Shankman talks about some of his favorite single Dad cooking recommendations (“one day a week should be a cheat or comfort food”) and recipes, including his easy crockpot chicken, which you can find at JewishJournal.com/podcasts. He also shares anecdotes, including ones with his daughter, his grandmother, and how competing as an ironman triathlete led to joining an Orthodox Jewish swimming club, complete with tailgate breakfast.

Learn more about Peter Shankman at Shankman.com, follow @PeterShankman and his adventures on Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn. And reach out peter@shankman.com.

For more from Taste Buds, subscribe on iTunes and YouTube, and follow @TheDEBMethod on social media.

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Georgia Freedman, author of “Snacking Dinners: 50+ Recipes for Low-Lift, High-Reward Dinners That Delight.”

“We put a lot of pressure on dinner,” Freedman explains.

You need a protein, a starch, and at least one kind of vegetable - five if you are in California. Plus, it’s an important part of family life. It’s a time to connect with your partner and talk to your kids.

“And all of this [cooking and bonding] happens when everybody is completely exhausted,” she explains.

When you reframe the idea - that dinner has to be everything - you can trade it in for a fun, family dining experience that’s full of whimsy.

“A lot of the recipes that I created for [“Snacking Dinners”] are either snacks that are from my childhood - or other people's childhoods - that have been bulked up a little bit to make it more meal-like,” she said. “Or foods that I really love that I made into finger foods [or] snackable foods.”

Freedman talks about her early food memories, career journey, and how “Snacking Dinners” is different from her previous projects. She also shares her love of produce/salads, lots of snackable food prep tips, and her recipe for hummus topped with spiced nuts, olives, and raisins, which you can find at JewishJournal.com/podcasts.

“All the recipes in this book, except for the prep ahead chapter, take 5 to 20 minutes,” Freedman explains. “Having that in your back pocket is a really nice way to let the pressure off on the nights when things don't go well, and turn dinner into something that's more relaxing and fun.”

Subscribe to Georgia Freedman’s Substack at SnackingDinners.com.

For more from Taste Buds, subscribe on iTunes and YouTube, and follow @TheDEBMethod on social media.