These sticky, savory meatball subs (pork or turkey) are inspired by bánh mì but take a simplified, weeknight-friendly approach. A punchy tamari barbecue sauce does double duty—seasoning the meatballs and creating a sticky glaze on top. It’s the sandwich of my dreams, and I hope you’ll love it too.
Hello my dears,
How are you? There’s so much going on in the world (and likely in your life) right now, and I hope this little space here in your email box (or on the Substack app) provides you with a soft reprieve—a gentle place to quiet the noise, tune back into yourself, and nourish yourself richly and deliciously. According to Mirriam-Webster, the definition of nourish is:
to nurture;
to promote the growth of;
to sustain with nutriment—feed
So often we forget that this work we’re doing here—nourishing not just our bodies but also our minds and spirits—is also how we grow. It’s how we nurture our roots so that we can stand tall and expand. And, it’s how we find the strength and grace to withstand all that life throws our way.
How have you nourished yourself this week?
Eeek. It’s an interesting question. I forget to nourish myself all the time. Not in the sense that I forget to eat (oh no, never that), but in the sense that I often forge through life on schedules and routines, forgetting to check-in. On Tuesday this week I found myself furiously cooking dinner after getting home from shuffling the kids around—hungry, tired and if I’m being honest here, totally grumpy. Making dinner was a thing to achieve—to get the hell over with so that I could finally rest.
I threw a mess of kale into a pot (I was making a creamy green pesto—the recipe will be in my forthcoming book). And then I remembered: I get to decide how this plays out.
Oompf.
This is real life. Cooking is not a curated Instagram feed. Making dinner is sometimes (or oftentimes, depending on your season of life) a struggle. But, as I remembered, I was the only one who could shift it into something else.
So I took a deep breath, felt into my body, and set an intention for the cooking process to feel nourishing—not the meal itself, but the actual process of cooking.
No, I didn’t suddenly become an instant bundle of joy, and yes, I was still tired. But there was a shift. I softened. I slowed down. I appreciated the green color of the sauce. I stood still and watched a tablespoon of butter melt into the crevices of the pasta. I slid a spatula around the pot then licked it clean. I was doing these things for me.
These acts seem trivial and won’t change the world in the larger sense. But, I don’t know, maybe they will? Unless we nourish ourselves—nurturing our minds, bodies and spirits in order to sustain and expand—how will we ever have the strength to create the world we wish to see?
The thing is, the onus is on us. As I wrote last week:
We can’t wait for the world to bestow peace, joy, or change upon us. We have to create it. Dream the future we want. Then move—step by step, meal by meal, choice by choice—in that direction.
We’re the only ones who can nourish ourselves, my love bugs. And it doesn’t even have to look like cooking or eating—sometimes it’s simply taking two deep breaths, or standing in the sun, or going for a walk, or calling a friend, or tending a garden.
By the time we sat down to dinner on Tuesday I felt a well of gratitude towards the food in my bowl. I said some words of grace, spreading that gratitude outward. I didn’t just feed myself—I nourished myself. In doing so, I showed up to the table as a fuller, softer, and more powerful version of me.
This week, my invitation is to tune in and nourish yourself more often. Maybe we can all start right now. What feels soft, sweet, and life-enhancing in this moment? It doesn’t even need to be an action—just setting an intention can pave the way towards a more nourishing day.
Do this for you. Allow it to feel delicious. I promise it will extend outward.
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Live class yesterday with Rebecca Blackwell
Did you miss yesterday’s live class with ? We had so much fun sharing behind-the-scenes looks into our kitchen layouts, storage tips, design favorites, tools, and more!
Tamari-Barbecue Meatball Subs with Quick Pickled Vegetables
Speaking of delicious…
These meatball subs are not only wildly tasty—they’re also fun to eat. I love an all-hands-on-deck meal, and let’s not forget: joy is one of the most nourishing things we have. Fun is fuel.
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The recipe was inspired by my dear friend Heather (a.k.a. my recipe muse), who also sparked this sheet pan chicken and countless other favorites. A few weeks ago, she texted me about some pork meatballs she cobbled together using We Love You brand Korean barbecue sauce. Her whole family went nuts for them. I added the ingredients to my grocery list immediately—but couldn’t find the sauce. So I set out to make my own using pantry staples.
After some tinkering, this version was born—and my family is fully obsessed.
Below the paywall you’ll find a printable PDF of the recipe (with tips and variations), and my Father’s Day menu this year. If you’d like to hop over, click the button below! This newsletter couldn’t happen without community support, and I’m so grateful for you.
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