Let’s be honest: most of us have tried to eat more vegetables—only to watch them slowly wilt in the back of the fridge. Or we associate veggies with bland, boring “diet food” and force ourselves to eat them when we’re feeling guilty, not because we actually enjoy them.
In this episode, Alison chats with cookbook author Jess Smith, whose brilliant approach to vegetables reclaims them from diet culture and places them at the center of meals that are actually satisfying, flexible, and delicious.
Jess’s cookbook Start With a Vegetable flips the script on meal planning. Instead of figuring out how to “squeeze in” veggies as a sad side dish, she shows you how to start with what you’ve got in the fridge and build meals that are full of flavor, fiber, and joy.
From systemizing grocery trips and smart storage strategies to go-to sauces and mix-and-match bowls, this episode is packed with practical ways to make veggies an easy, craveable part of your everyday routine—without adding stress, guilt, or rules that don’t work for your life.
If you’ve ever stared into your fridge at a sad, soggy bag of spinach wondering where it all went wrong … this episode is for you.
Tune in now!
Listen to the Full Episode Here
Here’s Why We’re Obsessed with This Episode:
It takes veggies out of the “diet food” box and makes them delicious again.
Jess gives real-world solutions for reducing waste without meal-planning your entire life.
The grocery store tips alone are worth the listen—no more forgotten produce in the crisper!
You’ll walk away with ideas you can use this week (even if you hate meal planning).
The vibe is realistic and anti-perfectionist for those of us who are busy and don’t love to cook.
Don’t Miss This Episode If…
You keep buying vegetables… and then throwing them away.
You’re trying to eat healthier but refuse to live off boiled broccoli.
You grew up on overcooked veggies and still have trauma.
You want to eat more plant-based meals but don’t want to live in the kitchen.
You’re juggling family, work, and life and just need a damn shortcut.
Tune in now!
Listen to the Full Episode Here
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why traditional meal planning might not work—and what to try instead.
The simplest veggie prep system to reduce waste and boost flavor.
Jess’s favorite no-fuss sauces that transform any veggie from “meh” to amazing.
How to organize your fridge so your veggies don’t die a slow death.
Ways to use one ingredient in multiple meals without getting bored.
Tips for incorporating more plant-based protein into your meals (no soaking dry beans required).
How to make cooking once and eating twice your new superpower.
About Jess Smith
Jess Smith is the writer and photographer behind the Inquiring Chef food blog. In addition to running the site which reaches over 8 million home cooks every year, she spent nearly a decade as chief recipe developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. She runs a popular cooking camp for kids every summer called Inquiring Chef Academy and in January she released a best-selling cookbook called Start with a Vegetable. Jess’s recipes have been featured in popular publications like Parade, Hallmark, Raddish Kids, Livestrong, Self, Yahoo, NBC, HuffPost, and She Knows.
Resources & Links:
Grab Jess’s cookbook Start With a Vegetable
Follow Jess on Instagram for insights and updates
Check out Jess’s website for more recipes for real life
Sponsor Shoutout
This episode was brought to you by Miles to Go Athletics. Take our app-based training community for a two-week no obligation test drive here.
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