A Q&A with Wendy + Jess!

And a recipe for their Creamy Mushroom & Rotisserie Chicken Pasta!!

Hi all!

Before I jump into today’s amazing interview with Wendy + Jess (and share their great recipe), a quick reminder that I am offering two more classes this month:

• SUN. 3/17 @ 2pm EST: KIDS COOKING HOUR! »» SIGN UP HERE «« / $25

• SUN. 3/31 / 2pm - 3:30p EST: HOW I GROCERY SHOP + ORGANIZE MY PANTRY»» SIGN UP HERE «« / sliding scale starting at $40

As always, if you want to join class and money is a barrier, just let me know and we’ll figure it out!

Okay! I am so pleased to dedicate this week’s newsletter to Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones, two nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. With over a decade of clinical experience, they have helped thousands of individuals improve their relationship with food and achieve better health outcomes.

Wendy Lopez (L) and Jessica Jones (R).

If you’re a listener to Keep Calm & Cook On, my podcast that shares the same name as this newsletter (which has been on a long hiatus but I’m thinking of bringing it back?!), you might remember the conversation I had with them way back in December 2020; I also got to speak to them on their podcast a few months later. As I shared with them in those conversations, discovering their work and becoming a regular listener to their podcast was so hugely instrumental for me in my process of divesting from diet culture, identifying the structural forces behind it, and learning to have a kinder relationship to my own body.

Wendy and Jess are not only so informed, smart, and easily able to explain all of these things, they’re also fun and funny and just so easy to both talk and listen to.

I’ve been so excited to see them launch Diabetes Digital, an innovative telehealth platform designed to empower individuals to manage and prevent diabetes through 1:1 virtual nutrition counseling. Their devotion to compassionate and culturally relevant care, weight inclusivity, and financial accessibility shows us what health care can look like. You can listen to them share more about it in this conversation with

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith

: “You Don’t Have to Lose Weight to Improve Your Blood Sugar.”

I am so happy for Jess + Wendy and their new venture and am excited for all of their current and future clients who will benefit from their approach to wellbeing.

They were kind enough to answer seven questions for today’s newsletter and also offer a recipe for Creamy Mushroom & Rotisserie Chicken Pasta.

1. You're in the process of getting your new business/platform out in the world! What has been the most satisfying part of getting it out in the world?

JESS: There are so many things to love! But the most satisfying is identifying a distinct need and fulfilling it. We noticed a gap in the healthcare sector for a diabetes and prediabetes nutrition-focused platform that is culturally and weight-inclusive, prioritizes patients, embraces technology, and accepts insurance. In an era where the internet makes it feel as though every idea has been done to death, we were both thrilled to be able to pursue a niche that seemed untapped. What also excites me is that our venture is spearheaded by professionals in the field—registered dietitians and diabetes educators, ie. my business partner Wendy Lopez and me—rather than venture capitalists aiming to disrupt for the sake of disruption.

2. And the most surprising part?

JESS: The most surprising part is how much work it is to accept insurance. My goodness! You would think there was a better, more streamlined system, but there isn't. Many insurance companies took over eight months to get in network with. We applied for a couple in June of 2023, and we're still not in-network. This line of work requires a great deal of patience and persistence. But through meditation, I have been working on both. 

WENDY: To me, the most surprising part was how generous coverage for nutrition counseling is with health insurance. In most cases, health insurance plans cover nutrition counseling, often without any copays. This is a complete game changer because it improves accessibility to quality nutrition support. As a dietitian, this was something I didn’t even know and it’s great because people are able to get quality support without having to come out of pocket. 

3. What's your quickest way of explaining why weight is not something you focus on?

JESS: Focusing on weight often misses the broader picture of health and well-being. Instead, we prioritize sustainable lifestyle changes, mental health, and nutrition that support the body's needs without tying success to a number on the scale. 

WENDY: When managing diabetes, oftentimes the focus is weight instead of health-promoting behaviors such as balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, and mental health. An effective and sustainable approach to health is multifaceted, and we want to create a supportive environment for all body sizes without shame or judgment. 

4. How are you enjoying doing more one-on-one work versus trying to reach as many people as possible through social media and other digital platforms?

JESS: I think we can all agree that social media is a dumpster fire. Shifting from being constantly in the spotlight to focusing more on behind-the-scenes work has been incredibly freeing. Also! There's a real hunger for personalized, one-on-one care instead of the one-to-many approach. With the digital world overloaded with courses, communities, and endless groups, the value of individual care has never been clearer.

5. What advice do you give to people who want to work with their friends?

JESS: Make sure to have work vs friendship boundaries. The best thing that happened to us was to stop talking about work on text and WhatsApp and move those conversations to Slack. That way, when we hit each other up outside of Slack, it's mostly as friends and not business partners. It's a simple shift, but it changed things for us for the better!

WENDY: Like Jess said, clear boundaries and communication are the most important things. Also clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and expectations are helpful to navigate bumps along the road (which there will always be). We do regular check-ins and have honest discussions about what is going on both with business and personal matters, and this helps us have a strong business relationship while preserving the strength of the friendship.

6. What's the best thing you ate recently?

JESS: I've been doing these yummy salads for lunch that are satisfying and filling versus sad and meaningless. I typically use pre-washed kale, lots of flavorful fat via Graza olive oil and half an avocado, protein from beans (I get them from the salad bar at the grocery store) + hardboiled eggs (I use this hardboiled egg maker WHICH WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE). I top it with this lemon garlic dressing from Chosen Foods. I also add things like sauerkraut, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, olives, pre-shredded cabbage, and anything else I have in the fridge. I serve with a side of sourdough toast and butter or half a bagel with cream cheese (also drizzled with Graza olive oil). DIVINE.

WENDY: I had this creamy crab pasta at Chleo in Kingston and it was just WOW. Hearty, rich, velvety…just perfect. 

7. And what's the next thing you're going to cook?

JESS: It's one of those salads because lunch is coming up in T minus 3 minutes. Bon appetit! 

WENDY: I just went to Trader Joes and coincidentally got all of the ingredients for a creamy turkey and mushroom rigatoni so I’m going to make that one of my meals for the week. I’m thinking of pairing it with roasted string beans for a complete meal! 

A RECIPE FROM DIABETES DIGITAL:

CREAMY MUSHROOM & ROTISSERIE CHICKEN PASTA

see more photos here!!

• 8 oz linguine (or your favorite pasta)

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• 1/2 cup cashews

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 cup thinly sliced fresh button mushrooms

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 lb shredded rotisserie chicken

• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

In a blender, combine vegetable broth and cashews. Blend until smooth, creating a creamy cashew sauce. Pour sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl.

Heat olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add cashew sauce, milk, and soy sauce to the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in shredded chicken and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Add cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing gently in the creamy sauce until completely coated.

Top the Creamy Mushroom & Rotisserie Chicken Pasta with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper for a touch of heat.

TIP: To reheat leftovers, add a splash of water or milk to the pasta when reheating to maintain the creamy consistency. For a refreshing twist, squeeze a splash of lemon juice over the pasta just before serving.

VARIATIONS:

• You can add your favorite vegetables, such as spinach or bell peppers, for added flavor, color, and nutrients. 

• Feel free to replace the whole milk with a dairy-free alternative, like almond milk or oat milk, for a vegan version.

Thank you so much to Wendy and Jess for offering so much for us. And thank you all! Talk to you soon. xo Julia