new podcast season!!! easy summer meals!
notes on rice bowls + steak tacos...
Hi friends!
It's been a little while since I've made new episodes of my podcast and I'm so happy to be back with a new season (it’s #8! but who’s actually counting?).
This season is a little different. Yes, I am a cookbook author who teaches cooking classes and typically talks to “food” people for my show. But I have other interests, too! A major one that regular readers of this newsletter already know about is powerlifting, a strength sport where you use a barbell to do a weighted squat, bench press and deadlift.
The goal of powerlifting is to see how the maximum amount you can lift. I've been training and competing as a powerlifter for a couple of years now and am just so fascinated by it all. So I thought it'd be fun to talk to a bunch of people I admire about lifting heavy things. Some are powerlifters, one runs a gym, one also writes about food, one is an Paralympian. Many are queer like I am. You'll hear from people younger than me and from an 80 year-old powerlifter.
Even if you're not into lifting weights, I think you'll enjoy these conversations.
They're as much about lifting as they are about finding things that help us live more happily and confidently in our bodies. They're about finding hobbies and passion.
They're about trying new things.
Earlier this year I published a long-form essay called “Built for This: The Quiet Strength of Powerlifting,” which I got to do for a collection of essays that
edited. In it, I got to tell the story of how I got into powerlifting and why it’s meant so much to me, which is really the story of my relationship to my body and myself (it’s available to read here and as an audio version here). It will give you so much more context for the entire season of episodes, but it’s not required reading by any means.Here’s more about it:
Last week I aired my first episode of this season and it’s with
. Laura is a trauma-informed wellness writer, coach, and storyteller. Her work and book, Lifting Heavy Things: Healing Trauma One Rep at Time, has been recognized across the fitness and mental health industries as well as NPR and The New York Times. She is currently working on a collection of essays exploring how the ordinary acts of cooking and eating can be a path home to ourselves, as well as a means to ask and answer big questions about life and love. I loved talking to Laura about lifting heavy stuff, knowing when to stop lifting heavy stuff, and how to approach it all from a holistic, embodied lens.
Listen to the episode here or wherever you listen to podcasts!!
And today I just aired the second episode with the wonderful Casey Johnston, an acclaimed writer and cultural critic whose work covers a diverse range of topics including health, technology, science and more. If you’re into strength, you’re probably already reading her wildly popular newsletter She's A Beast.
In 2021 Casey published LIFTOFF: Couch to Barbell, a book and training program for total lifting beginners who want to feel stronger and build a more meaningful, functional relationship with their bodies. Casey’s next book, A Physical Education, will be a journalistic exploration of the wide-ranging history, science, and psychology of strength braided with her personal story of learning to lift weights.
I am a super fan of Casey's. In fact, LIFTOFF was a roadmap for me when I started lifting. It was such a thrill to get to talk to her. I really hope you enjoy our conversation.
Listen to the episode here or wherever you listen to podcasts!!
I’ve got seven more episodes coming up and will be releasing them every Thursday. I’ll keep you posted about them here. I LOVED making this season and really hope you enjoy it regardless of whether or not you’re into lifting weights. Oh and thanks to Laura Tsutsui for editing this season!
And before I go, a few moments from the past week or so that have brought me joy….
Want more notes on my rice bowls and steak tacos? Details below for paid subscribers!
Thanks for being here friends. Talk to you soon xoooxoxox Julia
FOR PAID SUBSCRIBERS (THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT PALS!): DETAILED NOTES ON MY STEAK TACOS + RICE BOWLS
When I write everything down here, it seems like a lot of elements and steps for each thing, but it was all sooooo easy and soooo good and just the kind-of cooking I love: a bunch of simple things made simultaneously that all come together to make a great sum. When I reflect on these meals, they really are great examples of having good timing with cooking. Letting a grilled steak rest while you get your taco toppings sorted. Letting sliced cucumbers and carrots marinate in salt, sugar and rice wine vinegar while you sauté some greens and microwave corn. »»» Cook smarter, not harder my friends!!! «««
FOR THE STEAK TACOS: I got my grill smoking HOT!!! and brought a small flat iron steak (maybe about 1/2 pound total) to room temperature before seasoning generously with kosher salt and garlic powder. I grilled it quickly until it was
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