Introducing Mind, Body, Spirit, Food
Sharing my new cookbook, Mind, Body, Spirit, Food, feels a bit like a birth- one with a very long gestation period. I spent years writing it, although at times it felt like it was writing me. I'm thrilled to share a bit of the story behind it here on From Scratch Fast, where so much of its heart already lives.
What This Cookbook Is About
Mind, Body, Spirit, Food brings together naturally gluten-free recipes with simple, grounding practices designed to help you feel more present in the kitchen.
Each recipe includes a short mindfulness prompt - a gentle invitation to slow down, notice what's happening around you, and reconnect with the act of cooking itself. The goal isn't to cook differently or follow rigid rules, but to cook with more awareness, ease, and trust.
The book includes adaptable recipes, many with multiple variations, making it a flexible guide you can return to again and again. The chapters are organized around how we move through our days and meals:
- Awaken: Breakfast, snacks, and starters
- Ground: Salads and sides
- Soothe: Soups, stews, and bowls
- Innovate: Streamlined dinners
- Transform: Marinades, sauces, and rubs
- Improvise: Clean-out-the-fridge meals
- Share: Desserts
All photography by Rikki Snyder
"Nicki shows how cooking can connect us-to our families, our communities, and ourselves. She transforms the daily slog into a source of meaning and pleasure. I've dog-eared nearly every page."- Jenny Rosenstrach, NY Times Bestselling author, Dinner: A Love Story
Why I Wrote This Book
The idea for this book took root years before my Mind, Body, Spirit, Food newsletter existed. I began writing it in 2022, but the story really starts earlier than that.
In 2019, I found myself deeply worn down - creatively, emotionally, and physically. Cooking had always been my work and my refuge, yet at home it felt rushed and heavy. My kids were young, I was juggling too much, and dinner often felt like something to get through rather than enjoy.
As I write in the book, "making dinner felt like a race, and I was the out-of-shape jogger gasping to keep up."
Around that time, I began dealing with chronic indigestion and relied on daily medication for years. I felt disconnected from my body, and cooking, once grounding, became another source of stress.
What shifted things wasn't a dramatic overhaul. I started bringing small moments of awareness into the kitchen. I paid attention to my breath while chopping. I noticed the sounds and textures of what I was cooking. I felt my feet on the floor as I stirred a pot.
Those quiet changes softened my relationship with cooking. Over time, my connection to food (and to myself) deepened. I eventually came off the medication, found my way back to enjoyment in the kitchen, and discovered a steadier sense of trust around feeding myself.
This book grew out of those experiences. It shares the simple practices that helped cooking become supportive again - something that nourished more than just hunger.
"A beautiful celebration of mindful cooking-blending nourishment with intentional living. From invigorating mornings to comforting dinners, this book offers tools to create meals that bring joy, balance, and meaning."- Aran Goyoaga, James Beard-recognized author, Cannelle et Vanille
A Cookbook You Can Grow With
Writing this book without a fixed timeline allowed the recipes to develop slowly and naturally. They were tested, revisited, and woven into everyday life in my own kitchen long before they were ever written down.
There are 51 core recipes, each with thoughtful variations, offering many ways to make them your own. These are dishes meant to support real life: weeknights, gatherings, quiet lunches, and everything in between.
This is a cookbook designed to be used, adapted, and returned to over time, meeting you where you are as your needs and rhythms change.
"So much more than a collection of enticing recipes-this is a guide to truly nourishing yourself. With warmth and zero preachiness, Nicki invites us to listen to our bodies and rediscover the joy of food."- Ellie Krieger, MS, RDN, James Beard Award-winning author
Get Your Copy!
Mind, Body, Spirit, Food is published by Storey Publishing and was released on January 13, 2026.
You can order a signed copy from my fabulous local bookstore, Split Rock Books, or you can order from your own local seller or from the other links below.
Thank you for being here and for cooking alongside me. This book exists because of this community, and I'm grateful to finally share it with you.
