Welcome to the October 2025 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.
Every few months, I give you a glimpse into 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.
Table of Contents
1. Fun Things!
2. What I’m working on in life
3. What I’m watching, listening to, and reading
Fun Things!
After a relatively slow summer, the last two months have been jam-packed (in a good way), which is why I didn’t get around to sharing any updates until now!
🌋Hawaii recap
In September, we flew to the Big Island, Hawaii to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday! I hadn’t traveled with my mom in awhile, and this was Max’s first time traveling with her beyond short weekend trips, and it was SO much fun.
Before checking into a resort on the western side of the island with the rest of the fam, my mom joined Max and I on our exploration of the more rugged eastern side of the island, where we were lucky enough to witness the Kīlauea volcano erupt the day we were leaving the east side of the island.
It was one of the most surreal moments I’ve ever witnessed, watching the power of Mother Nature unfold in real time. It was particularly special because my mom has always had “see a volcano erupt” on her bucket list so I was over the moon we got to experience that together.
We stayed in the rainforest, explored the Volcano National Park, road tripped, and stopped at beautiful waterfalls, gardens, and beaches.
My mom is the opposite of what I would call an “outdoorsy person” and has barely exercised a day in her life, but she surprised us with her sense of adventure and I’m so glad we got to spend that time with her.
Stay tuned because I’ll be sharing a detailed summary of our trip, including recommendations for things to do on the Big Island, where to stay, and what to eat.
🎥 NYC Trip!
As soon as we got back from Hawaii, we hopped on another plane to NYC where I had the privilege of filming recipe videos in the New York Times Cooking studio!
In case you missed the announcement in the last installment of RPL at Home, I became a contributor to NYT Cooking this summer!
We filmed four recipes in one day(!), which certainly wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the team at NYT Cooking. From the videographers to the food stylist, they made it so easy for me. All I had to do was show up and be myself in the kitchen, which is always the most fun part.
My first video on NYT Cooking’s YouTube channel will be out in mid-November (another one coming in January). Until then, you can find several of my recipes for NYT Cooking on their app/website, plus videos on my YouTube channel.
🎂 Double the Birthday Fun!
Then, a few days later, we celebrated my 38th birthday!
I was lucky enough that my mom had planned her 70th birthday party (with 200+ guests!) for the same week, so several of my closest friends and family were already in town and got to celebrate my birthday with me 🥰
We topped off a busy but very fulfilling season with my mom’s party, where Max and I regaled the audience with stories about my mom’s sense of humor.
Oh, and in case you missed the email about this update, Max—who’s never baked anything in his life, not even pre-made cookie dough—baked me a cake for my birthday!!!
And not just any cake. He made The Celebration Cake from my cookbook Big Vegan Flavor, and he did an A+ job. Texture: 100. Flavor: 100. Happiness: 100.
🏋🏽♀️ What I’m working on in life
If the Oxford English Dictionary crowned a health-related word of the past few years, I think it’d be strength training (okay, fine, that’s two words!).
With each month, more and more scientific research continues to shed light on just how powerful strength training is for overall health and aging, especially for women. And I’m pleased to say I’ve finally hopped on the bandwagon!
I’ve documented my fitness journey in past editions, but as a brief recap: Four years ago, I was in a lot of physical pain due to a combination of my floppy joints, an exacerbation of old injuries, and lack of exercise. I was in too much pain to exercise, which created a vicious cycle of getting injured frequently because being weak = my joints get out of place more quickly and my old injuries resurface more easily.
Two years ago, I started to get stronger by committing to pilates several times a week, which strengthened my core and hips. And this year, I decided to take my strength journey to the next level with heavy weights. Good-bye, 3 pound dumbbells!
Listen, I’m not doing anything crazy like lifting and slamming heavy barbells down on the floor of a Crossfit garage. I don’t even have a gym membership.
But I have been quietly obsessed with the at-home workout program Evlo. Perhaps one of the reasons I love it is that the program is created by physical therapists and it’s designed specifically for women’s bodies.
The emphasis is on “gentle consistency”: consistently strength training but in a way that’s gentle to the body. I used to easily get injured when I tried strength training on my own, whether at home or at a gym, and this is the first time where I feel safe and grounded when lifting weights.
The only downside is that my office is now turning into a weight room, as I’m collecting more heavy dumbbells. But I suppose it’s a small price to pay for feeling stronger, mentally and physically!
What I’m watching, listening to, and reading
📺 Watching
I’ve discussed my love for spy TV shows in the past, so it’s not surprising that the first two on this list are just that.
First up, season 5 of the British TV show Slow Horses, which is IMO one of the best shows of the past decade. It’s a spy thriller series but it’s also really funny, so it scratches two itches at once. We watched the penultimate episode last night, and I’ve been hypothesizing finale endings with Max all morning (he’s very tired of listening to me by now).
Next, The Eastern Gate, a Polish espionage thriller series. Set in 2021, it follows Ewa, a Polish spy, while international tensions between Poland, Belarus, and Russia unfold. It’s intense and sometimes quite violent, but also captivating and full of clever twists and turns.
I particularly love non-English TV shows because you have to give them your undivided attention; otherwise, you’ll completely miss the plot. In an age where there are now TV shows literally being dumbed down for “second screen viewing,” I, for one, love a TV show that requires your full attention.
Finally, The Lowdown, a crime drama starring Ethan Hawke. He plays a scrappy, chaotic yet charming journalist who’s single-mindedly focused on uncovering the truth about corrupt, big money actors in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It’s shot artfully, has a great mix of humor and intrigue, and is each episode is packed with delightful surprises.
PS: Ethan Hawke was my neighbor for a few years when I lived in Brooklyn, and he was always so nice. The first time he said hello to us, I think I garbled in surprise “uh, yes, you too.”
📚 Reading
While I’ve read several books since I last shared an update, I wanted to share the one that stuck with me the most: Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Adichie’s novel, now nearly 20 years old, is an epic and heartbreaking novel that recreates a moment in history that had long been forgotten: the brutal Nigerian Civil War and Biafra’s fight for independence in the 1960s, which resulted in the starvation of millions of civilians.
I loved this book for two reasons. One, it’s just a masterful novel. It features complex characters with a page-turning plot. Two, it introduced me to a part of history I had embarrassingly never heard about (and sadly reminded me that history often repeats itself).
As I was reading the novel, I’d find myself regularly putting down the book to research a fact about Nigeria or the Igbo people or the civil war, so I felt like I got to read an engrossing novel and get an education.
🎧 Listening
I’ve been a longtime listener to This American Life, and the recent episode Harold has become one of my all-time favorites.
It tells the captivating story of Chicago’s first Black mayor, Harold Washington, elected in 1983.
Like the novel Half of a Yellow Sun, I enjoyed this episode so much because it placed me in a different historical period with such specificity that I almost felt like I was in Chicago in 1983 on the cusp of this historic moment. And I got learn about an incredibly inspiring politician who I had never heard of (sadly, he died shortly after being elected to his second term in 1987).
Okay, that’s it for this edition! Drop me a line below and let me know what you’re reading, watching, or working on in your own life!
I love your emails. Thank you for taking the time to do them.
Hi Lyn, that makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for reading them!
Hi! I loved your update!
I’m reading this wonderful nonfiction book called Light Eaters – it’s about cutting edge botany science. I really like it!
I’ve been watching Abott Elementary on HBO and Wayward on Netflix.
And lately I’ve been really working on just improving my cooking skills and also my cardio! I’m trying to keep my mind and body busy while I wait for my July 2025 CA bar results (they drop 11/7!!)
Hi Selenne! The book sounds very interesting! Thank you for the inspiration, my fellow RPL-er :) Greetings from the Netherlands!
Hi Selenne, thanks for stopping by and sharing! I LOVE Abbott Elementary (thanks for the reminder, I need to get started on the new season). Hope you have some delicious things on the menu this week as you wait for your bar results! Best of luck to you!!
I’ve never watched an episode of Slow Horses, but one of their regular filming locations is the school I work in. Really must get round to it, you’re not the first person to recommend it.
Oh wow, that’s so cool! It’s such an incredible show! And since you live in England, you won’t need to turn on subtitles like me to make sure you catch everything they say 😅
Hi Nisha (and Max),
I’ve made MANY of your recipes and they’ve all come out perfectly.
I am volunteering at Gilda’s Club (excellent cancer support organization) here in Louisville, KY, teaching a “Plant Powered Plates” class twice a month. This past week, I showed them all how to make your Savory Vegan Cornbread. I also made a simple quinoa chili to go with it. Besides copies of the recipes I demonstrate, I give them a paper with a list of my favorite websites/YouTube channels. You’re at the top of the list. My “students” are truly working on giving meatless a go. They’re very open minded about trying new foods. I have yet to go home with leftovers because they eat it all. :-) The cornbread was a big hit.
I love to read regency romances (not bodice rippers) They always have a happy ending and only chaste kissing. I find them relaxing. The language of the period is tremendously fun. My favorite authors of the genre are Georgette Heyer and Mary Kingswood, at the moment.
The hubster and I recently recovered from Covid. Sheesh! Thanks to the vaccinations we got earlier this year, it wasn’t too bad. While we were in isolation, we binged watched The Big Bang Theory which we had never seen. It made our sick days much more fun.
I just turned 69 and after reading about your mother’s fabulous birthday trip, I’m thinking that will definitely be on my wish list next year.
Happy birthday to you and your mommy.
Hi Alice, thank you so much for this lovely comment! I’m honored you’ve enjoyed my recipes so much 🥰 And what a treat to hear that you’ve been volunteering at a cooking class and have made some of my recipes for the group. That means so much to me to know that my recipes are helping others interested in eating more plant-based foods. Glad you are feeling better after having Covid and had something fun to watch. I sincerely hope you’ll get to take a fabulous 70th birthday trip next year!!
I’ve recently begun rewatching and watching for the first time, a large amount of 90s and early 2000s romantic comedy films. Many of them are terrible but thats what makes them amazing.
I showed my partner my favorites – Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, How to Lose a Guy in 10 days, He’s Just Not That into You, Bridesmaids. They’re so bad but So much fun
What are some of your favorites??
Ha, I love that! I will never turn down an opportunity to watch 10 things I hate about you when it comes on TV!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I was delighted to see your spy TV, non-English world cinema, and book recommendations. I share your passions! … And, of course, you are my go-to-gal for healthy recipes that include flavours from around the world. Congratulations, Nisha on being a part of NY Times Cooking.
Hi Barbara, I’m so honored that I’m a go-to source for you for recipes 🥰 So happy you enjoyed reading my recommendations and thank you for the kind wishes!
Loved reading your newsletter Nisha! Happy 38th to you and Happy 70th to your mom! And props to Max for making one of your cakes to celebrate! I loved Slow Horses. You may enjoy Bad Sisters – that was really good too.
I have enjoyed making your recipes for a few years now. I used to hate tofu until I began following you. I also just found out I am pre-diabetic so I would love to know which recipes have a low glycemic index. This may also finally get me to start exercising too so I will definitely look into the at home program you are doing.
Thank you for making vegan cooking easy and delicious!!!
Hi Swati, thank you for the birthday wishes! Thanks for the rec on Bad Sisters–it looks so funny! I’m honored you’ve been enjoying my recipes and are now loving tofu! I’m not a nutritionist so I’m not sure how much help I can be in that area, but I agree that exercising is an important part of managing your blood glucose levels and I hope you find a program that works well for you!
What a fun trip to celebrate your mom!!!
I’m still waiting for the engagement announcement!!!!!!
P.S. Happy Birthday, you are a very youthful 38, must be that vegan diet, lol!
Hi Annette, it was the most fun trip! I’m so happy we got to celebrate my mom! And thank you for the compliment! It might be that vegan diet but it’s also my mom’s genes 🥹
Oh boy, Slow Horses is brilliant – we have been gripped by each new season as it came out. For any of your UK followers, I recommend Riot Women on BBC IPlayer which is the best piece of writing I have seen in a VERY long time, with standout performances from brilliant British Actresses and centres the female experience with a finesse seldom seen in drama.
For books, I loved Ripeness by Sarah Moss which covered the 60’s to the Present Day in Italy, Northern England and Ireland, in a way that was subtle and contemporary.
Gripping is the right word for Slow Horses! I can hardly wait for the next season, and I just finished the most recent one. Riot Woman sounds amazing. I don’t know if I’ll be able to watch it in the US, but I’ll add it to my list!
Currently trying to convince my husband that he, too, can bake me a birthday cake for my upcoming 35th birthday! Thank you for the inspiration!
Happy almost birthday, Nadiya! I hope you get your cake!!
Thank you for the great newsletter. First time I have read one.
You are the third person to recommend Slow Horses. I will be watching soon. The other recommendations sound great. And the idea of one that forces me to focus will be great for my wandering brain!
I too am increasing my strength training. Starting a barbell class for women in a few weeks. Being taught by PT and trainer. Not a cross fit type class, a strength class that is about getting stronger safety. Can’t wait to up my game.
Have been cooking from your Big Flavor book most recently the Marinated White Beans & Fennel with Spiced Za’atar oil. I sub chick peas. It was amazing and many compliments from my friends who were over for dinner.
Hi Sandra, thanks for reading! I hope you will check out Slow Horses. It’s such a well-done show! That’s so amazing you are also working on your strength trainin. It’s so important to focus on safety, especially when you are new to it! I’m so honored that you’ve been cooking from my cookbook and loved the marinated beans/chickpeas recipe. Thanks for sharing :)
Strength training is best for woman after 36 not gym but three times
a week 20 mins, I lost 25 lbs via strength training n healthy food and just like you I educate in my Instagram reeskookin
What a lovely, newsy update! I’m so happy your mom crossed one item off her bucket list. Happy birthday to you both! I’m inspired by your weight training. It’s time for me to get with it.
Thanks, too for the book recommendation. I think Adichie is a great writer, so I’ll definitely pick up this novel. Right now I’m reading Susan Choi’s book, Flashlight, which is so well-written and interesting. I enjoy books that take you on a character journey which makes you wonder what will happen when these people converge.
You’ve done a wonderful job connecting with your fans. It’s always great to hear from you!
Hi Kathryn, so nice to hear that you enjoyed reading this update :) If I can give you once more piece of motivation for starting strength training, as soon as I started doing it, I started feeling stronger mentally (and happier) too! Flashlight sounds like a book right up my alley – thanks for the recommendation. And thank you for being here 🥰
Wonderful newsletter! You and Max are always adorable and it was lovely to ‘meet’ your beautiful mother. For someone who never exercises, she looks fantastic! Loved seeing your Hawaii adventure (esp. the volcano) and your double birthday celebration. Happy Birthday to you and your mom! And congrats to Max for baking such a gorgeous cake!
Thanks for the glimpse into your world. Always enjoy them.
xx
Hi Sue-Ellen, I’m delighted that you enjoyed reading these posts! And thank you for the birthday wishes. We all (me, Max, and my parents) thoroughly enjoyed the cake that Max baked!
I still can’t get over you contributing to NYT Cooking! I can’t wait to see those videos when they’re ready. I’m a voracious reader and love seeing the bookish content. I’m currently reading SULA by Toni Morrison and it is unhinged!! I haven’t heard of HALF OF A YELLOW SUN – it seems like AMERICANAH is Adichie’s most famous. I have read and enjoyed THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS and ONE DAY, EVERYONE WILL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THIS. Also a big weight-lifter and loving seeing you get into that. I’m curious if you’ve noticed any improvement with your injuries since lifting?
Ha, you are too kind, Holly! It does feel like a pinch-me kind of experience! I believe the videos on NYT Cooking’s YouTube channel will be live around November 15! I loved Americanah by Adichie, but I love Half of a Yellow Sun even more because of the historical context. Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed a few books on my next-to-read list. Since starting strength training, my hips seem to be stronger and less likely to get out of alignment. I still have issues here and there but overall, I am noticing improvements, so YAY!
Great RPL Nisha. Happy birthday to you and your mom. I enjoyed reading your update and will definitely check out some of your shows and books.
Hi Janice, thank you for the wishes! I’m so glad you enjoy reading the update :)
Oh my gosh I would be so star struck living by Ethan Hawke! Look forward to seeing that show. It looks great!
Haha, I was the first time (hence my stammering), but he was so friendly that it became easier. The show is SO good!
I’ve read Great Circle and it made me chew on it for days after finishing.
You’re not the first person to say that, so now I am looking even more forward to reading it!
Happy birthday! This was a really fun read and the cake looks delicious!
Hi Shruthika, thank you for the birthday wishes and for stopping by!
I will definitely be giving slow horses a try!! i’m trying to be more intentional about TV/screen choices, so I only want to watch something that I’m truly excited about, not simply putting it on for the sake of watching TV. Great RPL Nisha! Happy belated birthday to you and your mom : )
Hi Nikita, that’s a fantastic goal to have! I have been more intentional about that over the last few years, and I can say it really makes TV an experience I savor. Thank you for the birthday wishes!