Welcome to the April 2023 edition of RPL at Home, where I share what I’m up to when I’m not in the kitchen or in front of the camera.
Each month, I’ll share snippets of what I’m working on, habits I’m cultivating, things bringing me joy, books/TV shows/podcasts I’m enjoying, and more. Think of it as stream-of-consciousness blabbering meets a semi-curated list of recommendations meets life update.
This month’s edition
1. What I’m watching, listening to, and reading
2. What I’m working on (in life)
3. What I’m working on (in the biz)
4. Recipes you might have missed
5. Products I’m enjoying
6. Celebration time!
What I’m watching, listening to, and reading
📺 Watching
I just finished season 2 of The Sex Lives of College Girls, the HBO series created by personal icon Mindy Kaling. I think I may be slightly older than the target demographic, but it was a hilarious show to binge when Max was out of town. The witty repartee between the characters reminds me of the chemistry between the main characters on Gilmore Girls, Friends, and Happy Endings, but for college gals in a very inclusive 2023.
Also, I just watched the first episode of The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy. A charming but touching exploration of getting outside of your comfort zone (in some of the coolest places on earth).
📚 Reading
A few weeks ago, I finished Homegoing, the historical fiction novel from Ghanaian-American novelist Yaa Gyasi. And by finished, I mean I raced through it and read it at every opportunity because it was so good.
Gyasi weaves together a powerful narrative about a family that was split by slavery in the mid-18th century. Each chapter alternates between these two families over the course of seven generations: one chapter is from the perspective of a family member on the Gold Coast of Africa (present-day Ghana), the next chapter is from the perspective of a family member who lives in the U.S.
Despite there being no single central character, the storytelling is compelling, and the narratives, when read in order, paint a very clear picture of the realities of slavery and its enduring legacy on our nation.
I’m sure that this is the kind of book that many politicians would want to ban, which makes it feel all the more important to read.
Two other pieces I enjoyed this month:
- A Psychedelics Pioneer Takes the Ultimate Trip (the most profound 5 minute interview I’ve ever read; Dr. Griffiths truly has the secret to a happy life)
- Whatever the problem is, it’s probably solved by walking (more on that below!)
🎧 Listening
This episode from Hidden Brain on how experiencing awe can boost happiness. I was listening to this in early March when I saw an unexpected patch of bright orange flowers blooming on the side of the concrete 6-lane freeway I was driving on. It took my breath away and I found happy tears welling in my eyes.
At that moment, I had the urge to pull over and assume the role of carefree-girl-frolicking-in-field, but luckily my instinct for safe driving kicked in. And I was content with the fact that I had just experienced awe in this very ordinary part of my day.
What I’m working on (in life)
As I alluded to earlier, walking! I’ve always enjoyed walking, so truth be told, this is more of a build upon a current habit type of sitch instead of a build an entirely new habit.
When I first moved to San Diego, I tried to keep up my NYC lifestyle of walking everywhere. Walking 30 minutes to the farmers market was charming. Walking on a major thoroughfare at night with literally zero other pedestrians…not so much. So I quickly gave into car culture, and for the first year-ish of living here, I didn’t walk much, averaging 3,000-ish steps a day.
Eventually, I realized what’s now obvious to me. If I wanted to maintain an active lifestyle, I needed to actively put on sneakers, leave my house, and go on walks with no aim except to walk.
Why walking specifically? For one, these wobbly joints aren’t built for running. Trust me, I’ve tried. I even developed a year-long injury after going too hard with beginner Peloton classes. And two, I love walking. Being outside, even if it’s not amongst big open fields or grand mountains, is restorative for my soul.
For the last year and a half, I’ve gone on at least one walk almost every day, sometimes two walks. And that is certainly better than staying indoors all day.
But what I’m working on now is expanding this: making it at least two walks a day, if not three walks, and expanding the types of walks I take.
More frequent walks because I’ve noticed that the only way I can achieve my 10,000-steps-a-day goal on a work day is to take 3 walks a day (or two longer walks). And, yes, 10,000 steps is kind of arbitrary because you can get lots of health benefits even at 7,000 steps a day. But it’s nice to set myself a goal that feels challenging.
And, as mentioned, I’ve been trying to find little ways to experience more awe in my daily life. And going on walks, particularly right after sunrise or before sunset, really sparks that for me. Sometimes I actually stop and smell the roses. Yes, I am that person. Or I pause to admire the way the late afternoon sun makes ordinary shrubs look ethereal and flowers glow with absolute radiance.
It’s only been a week or so of hitting 10,000 steps a day, but I can already feel the benefits. I’m more energized, in a better mood, and feel more accomplished. The downside (for Max): I have been needing more frequent foot massages.
What I’m working on (in the biz)
👷🏽♀️ Building the RPL team
I’ve had my hands in a lot of different pots this month.
Working on the first big-picture round of edits for my next cookbook (more updates next month!), filming both long-form YouTube videos and short-form videos, developing new fun springtime recipes, working on a product we’re hoping to launch this fall (more on that soon-ish!), and more that I can’t even remember.
I love it all. But it’s a lot. Last week, Max and I spent a day writing down all the main areas of our business and the daily/weekly/monthly associated tasks, and honestly the list was so comically long that we both started laughing (crying) uncontrollably.
We realized that if we want to move forward on all these initiatives and still have a social life, we need to hire some very talented individuals to join the RPL team.
If you want to be notified when we post those job roles, be sure to sign up for our newsletter (also sign up if you like vegan recipes!).
👩🏽🍳 Introducing the RPL Recipe Club
We just launched our first monthly RPL Recipe Club!
Each month, I’m choosing a different recipe for the RPL community to make. Anyone can make the recipe, then submit a photo win amazing kitchen prizes. This month we’re giving away awesome cookware from Great Jones!
For all the details check out the April 2023 edition of the RPL recipe club.
🎥 What’s new on YouTube
We just shared a brand new YouTube video on how to master vegan pancakes. Not only are these pancakes life-changing, but you’ll also get to hear my mother’s hilarious storytelling in this video.
Recipes you might have missed
- Vegan Lemon Cake. So many of you chimed in with dessert suggestions in last month’s RPL at Home, and I’m proud to report we now have an epic lemon cake! Perfect for special occasions like Mother’s Day and graduations
- Spicy Gochujang Noodles. Your new favorite 30-minute noodle dinner that’s SO flavorful and easy to customize.
- Vegan Tagine with Chickpeas. A wholesome one-pot stew brimming with nutrients, warm spiced flavor, and all the coziness.
Products I’m enjoying
🥫 Calabrian Chili Paste. Y’all know I love my spicies (spicy food), and I’ve been obsessed with this Italian chile paste recently. Like all the best condiments, this one delivers multiple layers of flavor: spicy from the chiles, tangy from the vinegar, and a rich mouthfeel from the olive oil.
I found this brand at a local Italian market, but Cento also makes a variety. I slather it on (vegan) buttered toast, mash it up with vegan ricotta or feta and spread it on toast, add it to pasta…basically all the carby things.
🧴 Fave new skincare. For the last year or two, I’ve been using a few products from OSEA, which makes seaweed-infused vegan skincare and bodycare products. Last month I started using the OSEA Hyaluronic Sea Serum on my face before moisturizing in the a.m. and p.m., and I already love it. Dewy, hydrated, plump, soft, not oily. All the things!
Celebration Time! 🎉
We recently hit one million subscribers on YouTube last month! BANANAS. Thank you so much for your support and for spending time with our channel.
Okay, that’s it for this month! I’ve been loving writing these more personal posts, and I hope you’re enjoying them too.
Drop me a line below and let me know what you’d like to see in next month’s edition!
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Wonderful news letter. Thanks so much. Looking forward to the new cookbook!
Congratulations on your 1M viewers. You deserve it! Love your spunkiness and your recipes. Much luck.
Suzanne
Boston, MA
I love the description of spunkiness! That makes me smile :) Thanks, Suzanne!
That was fun!
Walking- you need a dog!! You’ll easily get your steps in.
Have you tried the Trader Joes calabrian chili pepper sauce? Very good and about 1/3 the price.
I am glad I signed up for the newsletter . I love the section on what products u enjoy and what you are working on in life Love your recipes and your energy .
Congrats on your 1 Million subscribers
Hi Deepa, that’s so lovely to hear. Thank you for letting me know that you’re enjoying the newsletter and my recipes :)
I can’t thank you enough. I’ve been on the whole food plant based vegan diet for one year now and there is no way I would have made it it if weren’t for your recipes. My husband and children are not on my diet and when I started making your recipes they decided it wasn’t so bad to eat mom’s style food a few times a week. My teenagers devoured the crunch wraps I made and request them frequently. I just want you to know that all the hard work you put into creating your recipes is making a difference in the lives around you! Thank you
Hi Lena,
I’m so honored that you’ve been loving my recipes and they’ve been helping your family enjoy more plant-based meals! It’s always so rewarding to hear about the impact that my work may have on others, so thank you for sharing this with me!
Loving RPL at Home!! Thanks for sharing all these book/show recommendations.
Nisha you are the best! Your content and energy brighten up my day!
Aww thank you so much for sharing that, Mira!
Nisha, Love your show and your infectious personality. I was a long-time vegan but found that I was becoming insulin resistant. So, I set aside my ethical qualms and converted over to a ketogenic diet. I am now controlling my blood glucose much better, but I miss vegan food. I still watch and enjoy your show. Maybe you could drop in an occasional low-carb vegan recipe??? Also, have you considered doing a meet-up for your fans here in the San Diego area? It would be great to meet you. Thanks for the great show, and congratulations on 1M subscribers. Cheers!
Hay Steve check out the Physician’s Committee on YouTube. There’s quite a few doctors and professionals that do interviews on Podcasts and YouTube lives that have some really good information on beating type two diabetes on a Plant based diet. Good luck to you.
I started aiming for 10,000 steps a day back in 2008 after my youngest left for college and my life slowed down. I truly feel like it has helped me stay energized and healthy. At 65 I work in an animal shelter with a bunch of 20 somethings and they all say they need my energy. I tell eat plants and move!
That’s amazing! So great you found time for yourself after your kids moved out. I know my mom gained a lot of time to have a more relaxed life once my sister and I moved away, though I’m still working on getting her to walk more.
And yes, I’ve found that eating plants and moving are also my secrets to lots of energy (that and not drinking too much caffeine). Not necessarily the answers people want to hear LOL, but it’s true!
I love these RPL at Home updates! :) Thank you for sharing. I have also been prioritizing daily walks – it makes such a difference in all the ways you’ve described. Also, I’ve already made the Spicy Gochujang Noodles multiple times – it’s a new fav! Absolutely cannot wait for the cookbook!
Isn’t it amazing what a walk outside can do for your mood and energy? And yay, glad you’re loving the gochujang noodles! It’s a new favorite in our house too :)
Hi Nisha
Congratulations to you and Max on your YouTube milestone. That is awesome!
Just want to say that I so appreciate all the effort you two put into this and I love receiving your emails with recipes and updates.
I want to share with you a “awe” moment I had a few years back. When I was driving home from work at dusk one evening, I looked into the orange sky and noticed a wedge of geese flying in their V formation. It literally took my breath away. I wanted to keep looking at them, but I was driving on a freeway! It’s one of these things you will sort of always remember.
Hi Diane, thank you for the lovely wishes and for noticing all the effort that goes into the videos and recipes and emails :)
What a beautiful memory! Isn’t awe special like that? Even a fleeting moment of awe can stay with us forever.
Ditto on all the Congratulations!!!! 1Million Subscribers!!! Woo-Hoo! That’s awesome! Also SSSSSOOOOOOO EXCITED! for Cookbook #2! I discovered your channel in 2020 when the restaurants all shut down and I pretty much learned how to cook from your recipes and videos. :) So thanks a million and good luck on expanding the team!
Hi Taylor, I’m so delighted that my videos and recipes taught you how to cook! How cool is that. And so excited that you are excited for my next cookbook!
Congratulations on having such a wonderful channel! Your recipes and helpful tips have blessed my home with delicious food and appreciation for plant life living!
Thanks for another charming newsletter. Walking with awe is something we could all incorporate.
Congrats on the 1 million subs! It’s comforting and inspiring to get a peak at your hobbies and projects. Thanks for sharing.
Love the newsletter, many vegan hugs from Germany… If you need to hire writers and UX savvy folks, lemme know. :)
Congrats on the Golden button!
Thanks for posting the at-home update – it’s fun to catch up with you behind the scenes, and I look forward to hearing about what you’re reading. Off now to find a copy of Homegoing.
Congratulations on 1 million subscribers Nisha and Max! Love your recipes and love these monthly updates too. I appreciate all the behind the scenes hard work that you put in to develop and film your delicious vegan recipes.
Reading this with a cup of coffee was a great way to start my day! Thanks for sharing Nisha! It’s so easy to take inspiration from you without feeling guilty about my own life habits :)
(P.S. In one line you accidentally said you were averaging 3,000 steps per year instead of day, which confused me for a moment lol)
Congrats on your gold play button! Well deserved!