New Cookbook Cover Reveal!

Introducing my new baby ❤️

Hello my dears,

I’m so excited to officially introduce you to my new cookbook! It feels like a birth, albeit, one with a very long gestation period—I spent years writing this book (although it often felt like it was writing me). The book will officially hit shelves in January, but today I’m thrilled to finally share the cover and a bit of the back story!

The official synopsis:

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT, FOOD combines wholesome recipes with simple rituals and mindfulness practices to transform cooking into an act of self care. Featuring over 50 naturally gluten-free recipes—each with adaptations—the book brings the power of intention into the kitchen to help you connect with your food, empower you as a cook, and experience more freedom and joy as an eater.

The back story:

I started writing this book in 2022, before this newsletter was even a spark of an idea—in fact, the book is what inspired the newsletter in the first place. I’ll be sharing much more about the “why” behind it as we get closer to publication, but I wanted to give you a bit of the backstory now.

It was 2019, and I was a burned-out blogger who felt like I had lost her voice—and, more deeply, her sense of purpose. I felt unmoored in many areas of my life, including in the kitchen.

Cooking has always been my solace, my passion, and my creative outlet. I had built a successful business and written three cookbooks to help busy people get dinner on the table. And yet at home, I was flailing.

Cooking began to feel like a chore. My kids were little, and I was strung out, stressed out, and barely holding it together. As I write in the introduction of the book: “Making dinner felt like a race, and I was the out-of-shape jogger gasping to keep up.”

I developed chronic indigestion and relied on daily medication for five years. I lost touch with my body, and old fears of disordered eating began to resurface. Dinner—my favorite meal to cook and eat—became a source of stress instead of pleasure.

I hit a wall and knew something had to change.

So I started small. I began bringing parts of my morning mindfulness practice into the kitchen. And to my surprise, those tiny shifts made a huge difference. Slowly, my relationship with cooking began to heal. My connection to food and to my body deepened. And—I hadn’t expected this—I became a better cook.

Eventually, I got off the medication. I reclaimed my love of cooking. But most importantly, I discovered a deeper freedom around food and feeding myself than I had ever known.

This book shares the simple practices that helped me transform cooking from a necessity (and oftentimes chore) into a rich source of nourishment—one that fed not just my body, but also my mind and spirit.

But it’s also a cookbook.

The recipes

The best thing about writing a book without an initial agenda or timeline is that I could take my time with the recipes. I started crafting the dishes out of curiosity and joy instead of under the pressure of a deadline. They’ve become entrenched in my household, and they’re now family favorites (it’s been so hard keeping them from you!). Each recipe includes variations, meaning there are really 100+ recipes in the book (it required a lot of testing), from appetizers and snacks, to main dishes, to desserts. The chapters are organized into the following sections:

• Awaken (Breakfast, Snacks & Starters)

• Ground (Salads & Sides)

• Soothe (Soups, Stews & Bowls)

• Innovate (Streamlined Dinners)

• Transform (Marinades, Sauces & Rubs)

• Improvise (Clean-Out-the-Fridge Meals)

• Share (Desserts)

I started writing this book for myself. It helped me find my voice again. It reconnected me to myself. But most beautifully—and who could have guessed?—it led me here. To this work, to this newsletter, and to you. Thank you for being here during this journey—I’m so grateful for you.

Pre-Order it!!

The book will officially hit store shelves on January 13^th, 2026, but you can pre-order it now! Pre-orders are massively important to cookbook sales and are an easy way to support authors—just save your receipt if you pre-order, as I’ll be doing some fun giveaways this fall. 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.

• Pre-oder a signed copy from Split Rock

• Pre-order on Bookshop

• Pre-order on Barnes & Noble

• Pre-order on Amazon

From my heart to yours,
xo, Nicki

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