In this episode of The Mindful Table, Jesse sits down with Sarah Vachon, co-founder of Citizens of Soil and a certified olive oil sommelier. Citizens of Soil is Mindful Chef's exclusive olive oil partner, making Sarah the perfect guide to break down the far-reaching benefits of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.

Sarah shares her personal journey from working in sustainable food supply chains to discovering the unfair commodity systems that squeeze independent olive oil farmers. Driven to shake up the industry, she explains how supporting small-scale, artisanal producers not only ensures a fair livelihood for farmers but also preserves the quality of the land and the nutritional value of the oil.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• The Mediterranean Way of Life: Why the Mediterranean diet is less about a rigid meal plan and more about a holistic, slower lifestyle rooted in community, relaxation, and mindful eating.
• How to Spot High-Quality Olive Oil: The red flags to look out for in the supermarket, the importance of checking for a harvest date rather than just a bottling date, and why clear plastic bottles can damage your oil.
• The Sensory Experience of Olive Oil: How to identify the three positive attributes of extra virgin olive oil—fruity aromas, bitterness, and the characteristic throat-tingling peppiness caused by oleocanthal, a powerful natural anti-inflammatory.
• Best Practices for Home Storage: Why you should move your olive oil away from the heat of the stove and how long you actually have to use a bottle once it's opened.
• The Cooking Debate: Dispelling the myth that you can't cook with extra virgin olive oil, and exploring how it actually transfers health benefits and raises the nutritional value of the ingredients you cook with.

The duo also looks at a few dishes featured in the kitchen, including Mindful Chef’s own baked za'atar feta salad, as well as a vibrant green gazpacho and a paprika-harissa bean dip from Citizens of Soil's newly released community cookbook, Citizens of Soil.

The Citizens of Soil community cookbook is out now and available directly through the Citizens of Soil website.

To try Citizens of Soil olive oil in your next meal, head over to the Mindful Chef Ready to Go page, or refer a friend to earn account credit and gift them a free bottle! Our Mediterranean menu is live for the whole of June, featuring three brand-new dishes inspired by the region every week!

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In this episode of The Mindful Table, we dive deep into the science and evidence behind creating a truly balanced plate. With an overwhelming amount of nutritional information and misinformation flooding our social media feeds, it's easier than ever to feel confused about what we should be eating.

To strip away the confusion and return to simple habits for real life, we are joined by Dominique Ludwig, an expert nutritionist and nutritional therapist with over three decades of experience. Dominique is the creator of the Renew Reset Recharge and Triple 30 nutrition programs, and the author of the best-selling book, No Nonsense Nutrition.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Nutritional "Train" Analogy: Understanding how macronutrients and micronutrients work together to unlock essential chemical reactions in the body.
• The Truth About Food Noise: Exploring why we experience constant thoughts about food and how unbalanced meals trigger our appetite.
• The Mechanics of Satiety: How stretch receptors in the stomach and chemical signals in the small intestine tell our brain we are full.
• Beyond Calories In vs. Calories Out: Why the food matrix matters more than calorie counting for long-term health and weight management.
• How to Assemble a Balanced Plate: A breakdown of Dominique's 1-2-3-4-5 Principle to effortlessly balance protein, fiber-rich plants, healthy carbohydrates, and fats without relying on tracking apps.

Whether you are looking to quiet the food noise, maintain muscle mass in midlife, or simply enjoy food with confidence and pleasure, this episode provides practical, evidence-based steps to reclaim your relationship with food.

Dominique's book, No Nonsense Nutrition, is available now.

You can also watch the full episode on YouTube.

Learn more about Mindful Chef at mindfulchef.com

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Join Sasha (Registered Dietitian) and Jesse (Professional Chef) for the debut episode of The Mindful Table Podcast! In a world saturated with "nutrition cacophony" and "Instagram-perfect" plates, finding a realistic balance between health and flavour can feel impossible.

In this episode, the duo tackles the root causes of dinner-time burnout and the psychological barriers that stop us from eating well. From the "love-them-or-hate-them" magic of anchovies to the startling statistics of the UK’s fruit and veg intake, this conversation is all about stripping back the pressure and getting back to basics.

• The Weekly Dish-Up: Why Jesse is currently obsessed with the "underrated" anchovy and Sasha’s simple hack for increasing your daily nutrients.
• Cutting Through the Noise: How to navigate "science washing" and conflicting dietary advice from social media.
• The 80/20 Rule: Why dietary patterns matter more than a single "perfect" meal.
• Mindful Eating: Reconnecting with your body’s hunger signals and finding joy at the table again.
• The Power of Simplicity: Why your dinner doesn't need to be a gourmet masterpiece to be "good."

You can also watch the full episode on YouTube.

Learn more about Mindful Chef at mindfulchef.com

Mindful Chef does not provide medical advice and consumers should liaise with a health care professional as appropriate.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.