Reel Talk: Think Outside the (Subscription) Box

May 3, 2021 Jessica Dreyer

Someone (apparently, not Teddy Roosevelt) once said that “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

It’s kinda funny to me that this quote predates the advent of social media (by a long time!) but feels more applicable than ever. We’re just starting to emerge from our pandemic hibernation, and comparing yourself to that person who got ripped or wrote a novel in their past year only sets ourselves up for disappointment and feeling bad about ourselves!

Likewise, Instagram, TikTok, etc. can be really good at making us feel like we don’t have the skills or know-how to achieve certain things…like cooking. That’s why those subscription boxes (I won’t name names, but a popular one rhymes with “Shmoo Shapron”) exist! I did some research among my friends who have used these subscriptions before (both those who like to cook and those who don’t), and I’ve come to a few conclusions. But since fact-dropping and hot takes don’t exist if they’re not on social media, I also made an Instagram Reel to briefly explain what bugs me so much about these kits!

What's Your Foodprint?

April 2, 2021 Jessica Dreyer

April is Earth Month, which is really the extension of Earth Day (April 22nd each year). I mean, if I can extend my birthday celebrations into a week or more, I think Mother Earth has a right to celebrate as long as she wants!

In fact, one of the best ways to celebrate her is by examining your food choices and understanding how your diet can impact the climate. This isn’t a plea for going vegan for lowering greenhouse gas (methane) emissions, but to understand how food waste and strains on production and labor to get your food from where it’s grown and made to your plate all add up!

#GOALS (for cooking)

March 15, 2021 Jessica Dreyer

Recently, Eater (one of my go-to sites for food news) featured a great article that reflected upon short-lived New Year’s Resolutions to cook more, and how being stuck at home indefinitely can lead to a cooking rut…or worse…boredom in the kitchen!

The solution? Give yourself a challenge with specific parameters, like cooking your way through an entire cookbook, or adding a certain number of meatless meals into your rotation each week. That way, there’s a common theme, but each day brings a new recipe and a new focus to get excited about!

Cooking is good for your stomach...and your brain!

February 25, 2021 Jessica Dreyer

You’re probably wondering what neuroscience has to do with cooking. Don’t worry…I’m not a zombie (mmm, brains!).

Well, do you like to cook? Ask yourself why or why not. If you do, it’s probably a habit you’ve formed over time and repetition, until it’s something that feels familiar to you. If not, it can still feel uncomfortable and scary. That’s pretty normal of any new habit, whether it’s starting to meditate, learning to cook, or picking up an old running routine again. And throughout all this research on habits, there is one truth that can’t be overlooked: it takes practice!

Shakshuka...love shak, baby, love shak!

February 9, 2021 Jessica Dreyer

There are a ton of different recipes and methods for making shakshuka, but you really only need 3 things: tomatoes, eggs, and spice! (Oh, and feta is a requirement for mine, too.)

As shakshuka originates from Northern Africa, it traditionally calls for harissa paste, a Tunisian blend of roasted hot peppers, sweet bell peppers, spices, and olive oil. Not all harissas are created equal, though! If you've ever bitten into one hot pepper and had it be WAY spicier than the rest, you understand.

Food Justice Friday: On The Blog

January 29, 2021 Jessica Dreyer

Since last summer’s protests for Black Lives Matter and against police brutality, I’ve been trying to better educate myself on how to be anti-racist. Not just “not racist,” but actively working to understand the root causes that keep systematic inequality in progress.

I really wanted to be able to apply this to my business, as well, since activism, advocacy, and education are such big parts of my personal life — so Food Justice Fridays were born. Every Friday on Instagram, instead of sharing my own OliveJess content, I share a resource or organization working to create better accessibility, equity, and autonomy for nutritious food in all communities.

That said, I’d like to share one of the orgs I care a lot about: MAZON: The Jewish Response to Hunger. Their advocacy work covers both the change needed at the policy level (aka legislation!) and direct services to ensure that no one in the U.S. falls through the cracks due to a lack of resources. To MAZON, hunger is a political — not a situational — concern.

While it’s wonderful that President Biden has signed an executive order to extend SNAP benefits for all qualifying households because of the pandemic, we need to ensure that working single moms, senior citizens, and Indigenous populations receive enough benefits to cover their food needs. Source

MAZON’s website also has an incredibly moving digital experience about experiencing hunger in America. I had the opportunity to visit an in-person immersive, walkthrough version of the exhibit a few years ago when it stopped in LA. I highly recommend it to enhance your understanding of food access as a political movement. Source

Cheesy Cauliflower Bread Bites

January 13, 2021 Jessica Dreyer

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Cheesy, gooey, gluten-free/Paleo/keto, and a good way to get in some veggies! They’re delicious on their own or dunked in marinara like the breadsticks you’d get with pizza.

Spiced Apple Cake

November 22, 2020 Jessica Dreyer

This cake has a really delicate, runny batter that bakes up so moist it’s almost like a custard. You fold in some apples sauteed in butter and sugar to let them caramelize, and some extra cinnamon because you can. I’m also going to suggest you eat this for breakfast just because you can. And possibly because it’s the only way to get your hands on some before your self-described “not a cake person” dad eats half of it.

The recipe came from Food52, which was really an adaptation of a famous plum cake recipe. I don’t see why this batter wouldn’t also be amazing with tart-sweet juicy plums when they’re in season, and when persimmons finally arrive in our grocery stores, I’m going to try that variation. I bet strawberries would be killer, as well, especially if they’re sauteed first.

Apple (or use any fruit you have!) Crisp

November 10, 2020 Jessica Dreyer

Confession: I’m really not much of a baker. I prefer cooking since it’s a lot more forgiving…more like finger painting than doing a science experiment. But I also have a major sweet tooth AND a gluten sensitivity. So, I bake things anyway. Most of it is trial and error (and plenty of error, let me tell ya) but this apple crisp recipe is so easy that you really can’t mess it up.

Best-Ever Turkey Meatballs

November 10, 2020 Jessica Dreyer

My mom swears these are the best turkey meatballs she’s ever had, and I assure you, she’s not just saying that because moms tend to think everything their kids do is great!

Turkey often gets a bad rap, because it can be dry and bland. It’s fairly low in fat, and it’s a large piece of poultry that most of us are most familiar with when prepared for Thanksgiving and roasted for hours and hours. This will often turn the breast meat into something with about as much flavor and texture as cardboard. However, if you buy ground turkey, it is typically sold in blends (like ground beef!) of different ratios of lean, lighter cuts to fattier, darker cuts. Personally, my fave is the 93% lean/7% fat variety. Don’t bother with 99% lean unless you like eating Styrofoam packing peanuts.

Recipes + Resources