Most people think of chili as a winter staple, as it may feel too hot for the summertime, but I think having chili in your year-round rotation is always a good idea.

This version is a french green lentil beef chili that is packed with fiber, protein, and flavor, and comes together in under an hour.

It’s delicious with an array of toppings, or as is, and the best part is having leftovers in the fridge for you to reheat throughout the week.

Now, let’s get to the recipe!

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This wasn’t originally on my “planned meals” menu this week, but it's a recipe made with pantry staples (orzo, garlic, shrimp from the freezer), some extra fun things I had in the fridge (fresh oregano, pecorino cheese), and it really hit the spot.

This recipe reminded me of when I first went to cooking school and barely knew how to cook with herbs. I felt so intimidated by utilizing these little flavor treasures.

Since I knew herbs, once used well, are a magical ingredient in cooking, I was determined to become more comfortable with them. And to be honest, the best way to get more comfortable with using them is through practice.

I started off by just making more recipes with herbs. I’ve then found that once I purchased a bundle of herbs for a specific recipe, I then tended to experiment more and use up the rest of it in other things I cooked throughout the week.

Now, when I do have leftover herbs, I tend to stick with the flavor profile of what that herb usually goes well with. Here are some examples of what I tend to gravitate towards when using a specific herb:

• Fresh oregano - Mediterranean. Think chimichurri, Greek salad dressings, Italian pastas and pizzas.

• Fresh cilantro - Mexican, French, Asian. Cilantro is actually very versatile when chopped finely. It adds a flavor that works well in many types of flavor profiles, predominantly in salsas.

• Fresh parsley (flat leaf) - Italian, Mediterranean. Also think chimichurri, shrimp scampi, and Middle Eastern salads.

• Fresh mint - Asian. Think Vietnamese fresh rolls, shaking beef, and Indian chutneys.

• Fresh basil - One of the most versatile! This can go in the Asian direction (Thai basil or basil), Italian (chicken parm), French (sauce vierge), you name it!

With the extra oregano, I wanted to lean Mediterranean. I had extra summer tomatoes, and thought doing an orzo with tomatoes and oregano would be lovely. Paired simply with salt, pepper, and oregano-marinated shrimp and green beans, it’d be an easy and delicious recipe. It sure was, and I’ll be sharing that recipe for paid subscribers today.

If you also commonly use dried oregano for recipes, try substituting this with fresh oregano - it’ll carry a similar flavor profile but add a punchier, fresher flavor!

Now let’s get into our recipe:

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I had a few friends over this past Monday, and wanted to share this quick spread that I whipped up. It was simple, delicious, and I would 100% do the exact same menu again to host friends (on a weeknight or a weekend)!

Last weekend, I had the chance to try Mazra in Redwood City for the first time after hearing about it for many years - the meats were delicious, the pita perfectly pillowy, but their trio of dips served enough for 1 person (so definitely get more), and the whole cauliflower left me wanting to make my spiced roasted cauliflower.

Our Saturday Supper menu #05 was inspired by my trip to Mazra - a Mediterranean spread with black cod as the main dish, spiced roasted cauliflower and my favorite leafy green greek salad as the veggies, and oregano braised chickpeas for our carbs (and fiber). If I would have done anything different, I would have definitely grabbed a larger cod. 1.5 lbs for 4 people is a bit shy, so I’ll definitely get 2 lbs next time.

Again, I’ve been sourcing my black cod from Costco, which, at $13.99 / lb, is a steal and has been so fresh and delicious these past 2 weeks I’ve gotten it. It also comes deboned, which is why you’ll notice a cut down the thick part of the fillet.

OUR SATURDAY SUPPER 05 MENU

• Mediterranean black cod

• Oregano braised chickpeas

• Spiced roasted cauliflower

• Leafy green greek salad

RECIPES

Mediterranean black cod

serves 4

gf, df, nf

• 2 lbs black cod

• kosher salt

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon chopped)

• 3 sprigs fresh oregano, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• zest of 1/2 lemon

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 6 grinds fresh ground black pepper

• 1/2 lemon, cut into thin slices

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.

2. Make the mediterranean marinade by combining the extra virgin olive oil, chopped rosemary, chopped oregano, minced garlic, lemon zest, ground coriander, and black pepper.

3. Transfer the black cod to a parchment lined sheet tray, skin side facing down.

4. Season the black cod with kosher salt on both sides.

5. Spoon the marinade onto the fish. Use the back of the spoon to spread the marinade all over the flesh side of the fish. Top with the sliced lemons.

6. Roast at 425F for 12-15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the fish reaches 130F.

Mediterranean Black Cod

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Oregano Braised Chickpeas

gf, df, nf

• 1.5 cups dried chickpeas, or 2 cans of cooked chickpeas drained

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3-4 cups water or vegetable broth

• 6 sprigs of fresh oregano, finely chopped

• kosher salt

• black pepper

Instructions:

1. Soak and cook the chickpeas if using dried chickpeas.

2. Heat a medium sized pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil and drained cooked chickpeas. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until it becomes very fragrant. Stir, then add the water or vegetable stock and a large pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes. You may need to add more liquid depending on how cooked the chickpeas are.

3. As the beans are nearing the end of the braise, check their doneness and begin using the back of a wooden spatula to mash the chickpeas and break down their texture. This is optional, but recommended. Adjust with additional liquid if it looks dry. It will thicken slightly as it cools.

4. Add in the chopped oregano, taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper.

This can easily be made ahead of time and reheated on the stove on medium heat until warm, about 10 minutes.

Oregano Braised Chickpeas

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Spiced Cauliflower

serves 4

gf, df, nf

• 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1” pieces

• olive oil

• kosher salt

• black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.

2. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

3. Add the cauliflower to the sheet tray and spread evenly. Drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over the cauliflower, as well as a sprinkle of salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Use your hands to toss and mix together, coating all the cauliflower.

4. Roast at 425F for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges become slightly browned and the cauliflower is tender.

This can also be made ahead of time and reheated in the oven at 425F for 5-10 minutes.

Spiced Cauliflower

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Leafy Green Greek Salad

serves 4

gf, nf

• 8 oz spring mix

• 2 persian cucumbers, small dice

• 3 ounces sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled

• 4 sprigs of mint, chopped

• 1/4 bunch of cilantro, chopped

• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped – almost minced

• 1/2 pint of cherry or sungold tomatoes, halved

For the Lemon Za’atar Vinaigrette

makes 6 servings

gf, df, nf

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

• .5 teaspoons kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon za’atar

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Prep the vegetables, herbs, garlic, and olives.

2. Make the vinaigrette by combining everything into a mason jar or bowl and whisk until emulsified. You can use a food processor if you prefer.

3. Toss the mixed greens with the chopped vegetables, herbs, olives, and feta. Right before serving, drizzle half the vinaigrette over the salad mixture and toss. Taste, add more dressing, salt and freshly ground pepper as desired, and serve immediately!

Leafy Green Greek Salad

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It was packaged in a 1.5 lb vacuum sealed container (always a good sign with fish), and it was priced very well at $13.99 / lb. Additionally, they had processed the fish in a way where it was slightly cut down the middle, I believe to remove the bones. Sablefish (also known as black cod), tends to have a lot of bones, so this was a nice surprise.

Miso black cod was a staple item on our rotating supper club menu, and it was always considered a treat. The texture is so buttery and delicious, it always leaves you feeling light but satisfied, and it just feels like a really nice dinner.

Because of the 1.5 lb portion size, I ended up making miso black cod twice this week. It was delicious both times, and I wanted to share a few notes I learned, as well as the 2 slightly different warm farro salads I paired with it.

A few notes:

Most miso black cod recipes require you to marinate the fish for 3 days. I was really craving fish Monday night and felt impatient to have to wait 3 days, so dipped the fish in the marinade and pan seared it that night. It was delicious and I would say I actually prefer this texture compared to the 3 day marinated one.

A couple notes about this method:

1. The thick parts of the fish are not well seasoned (it makes sense that the marinade has not penetrated through), so you may want to add more salt as you’re eating the fish.

2. Searing the fish does cause the marinade to burn and stick to the pan. Be prepared to clean your pan. I used a cast iron on medium heat so it wasn’t that bad. You could also roast the fish the first day, but I opted for the pan sear since I knew there wouldn’t be as strong of a flavor from the marinade.

Besides that, this recipe is very simple and as long as you have fresh fish, it’ll be a killer dinner. Now let’s get to the recipe.

MISO BLACK COD

Serves 4

gf, df, nf

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup mirin

• 1/4 cup sake

• 1/4 cup red or white miso

• 3 tablespoons white sugar

• 1.5 lb black cod, cut into 4-5 oz pieces

• kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Add the mirin and sake to a small pot. Bring to a simmer on medium high heat and cook for 30 seconds.

2. Reduce the heat to low and add the miso and sugar. Whisk until smooth.

3. Transfer this to a medium sized tupperware container to cool.

4. To cook immediately - heat a cast iron pan on medium heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pan. Dip the fish entirely in the marinade. Brush off the excess marinade with your hands, then add the fish to the pan, skin side down first. Season the fish with kosher salt and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the fish reaches 125F.

5. Alternatively - allow the marinade to cool, then add the fish to the marinade and ensure the fish is fully covered. Refrigerate for 2-3 days. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400F. Line a tray with parchment paper. Remove the fish from the marinade, brushing extra marinade off the fish with your hands, and transfer this to the tray. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the center reaches 125F.

Miso Black Cod

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WARM FARRO SALAD W/ BOKCHOY AND SNAP PEAS

Serves 2

df, nf, contains gluten

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup farro

• 4 heads of bokchoy, cut into 2” pieces

• 4 oz sugar snap peas, halved

• kosher salt

• black pepper

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• 1/4 lemon, juiced

• 4 basil leaves, chopped

Instructions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of kosher salt and the farro. Cook according to package directions, then strain and set aside.

2. Heat a pan on medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add the scallions. Cook for one minute, then add the bokchoy and snap peas. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables and tender to your liking. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a mixing bowl.

3. Add the farro and chopped basil to the mixing bowl, along with the other tablespoon of oil and lemon juice. Taste, adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as desired, then serve.

Warm Farro Salad Bokchoy Snap Peas

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WARM FARRO SALAD W/ LACINATO KALE AND YELLOW ZUCCHINI

Serves 2

df, nf, contains gluten

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup farro

• 2 yellow zucchini, cut into quarter moons (halved lengthwise, then halved again)

• 1/2 bunch lacinato kale, cut into 1/2” pieces

• kosher salt

• black pepper

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• 1/4 lemon, juiced

• 4 basil leaves, chopped

• 1/4 bunch parsley, chopped

Instructions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of kosher salt and the farro. Cook according to package directions, then strain and set aside.

2. Heat a pan on medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add the scallions. Cook for one minute, then add the zucchini. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, and until the zucchini is slightly browned. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a mixing bowl.

3. Add the lacinato kale to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until wilted. Season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a mixing bowl.

4. Add the farro, chopped basil, and chopped parsley to the mixing bowl, along with the other tablespoon of oil and lemon juice. Taste, adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as desired, then serve.

Warm Farro Salad Kale Zucchini

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I’ve been craving fresh, summer-y dishes packed with vegetables and built a quick meal plan for the next week. We are staying in town for 6 days before heading out to Glacier National Park, so I want to also be efficient with groceries and organizing meals.

Here’s my meal plan for the week:

• Steamed Salmon with Fresh Summer Tomato Basil Salsa and Farro Salad

• Minced Beef and Eggs with Charred Zucchini, Quinoa Rice, and Chimichurri Corn Salsa

• Lasagna Bolognese and Arugula Salad (I’ve been wanting to test our Supper Club recipe for a home cook version, and this is the week it’s going to happen!). Since this will serve 6, I plan to take the extras to Glacier and share it with my parents - it’s one of their faves :)

• Pork and Cabbage Dumplings w/ Smashed Cucumber Salad

• Greek Meatballs w/ Braised Chickpeas and Greek Salad

• Lentil soup + Spinach paneer - I’ll make a double batch of the lentil soup so we can plan to have some when we’re back from our trip.

In today’s post, I’ll share the recipe for the lemon steamed salmon + tomato basil salsa (also called sauce vierge), and this parmesan parsley charred broccoli and zucchini farro salad. It comes together in 30 minutes, and it’s one of those meals you’ll feel great about after eating.

I’ve recently loved throwing fresh cut radishes into salads - I find their sharpness so refreshing and delicious, and this was a great addition for this salad as well.

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One of those must-make recipes in the summer is this tomato shallot minced chicken stir fry. I created a version of this recipe a few years ago with pork tenderloin, but it’s evolved a bit over the years to hold up to what I found was most popular with our supper club subscribers.

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If you all aren’t familiar with the A1C test - this measures your level of glucose in your blood over the past 2-3 months. If you’re above a 5.7, you are considered pre-diabetic. If you’re close to that number, it’s recommended that you swap out the simple carbohydrates in your diet (white rice, pasta, potatoes) to more complex and unrefined carbohydrates, as well as more fiber.

I’m not a big macro counter - my philosophy is along the lines of eating balanced meals and what makes you feel good. But after seeing this table so clearly lay out that beans have SO MUCH MORE fiber and protein than rice, it’s clear that we have the opportunity to improve our diet.

The recommended fiber intake per day is 30-50 grams, which honestly seems very high and I know for sure I don’t eat 30 grams per day. I plan to spend the next few weeks back-calculating how we can aim to get to this target, and seeing if it’s realistic.

Because I grew up in a family where rice was on our dinner table every night, I’ve learned to crave it at almost every meal. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but just a little bit is very satisfying. I would pick rice over pasta, potatoes, and bread any day. A few years ago, after I learned more about the health benefits of quinoa, I switched over from plain jasmine rice to a 60% jasmine to 40% quinoa ratio.

Although that helps slightly with more fiber and protein, you can see in the table below that even that slight modification has no comparison to a similar portion of lentil soup or cannellini beans.

Knowing this nutritional information, and now having the opportunity to cook all our dinners since supper club closed, I wanted to actively try and completely replace the rice we eat at dinner.

I’m happy (and surprised) to report that after the past week, we had over 10 rice-free dinners, and I did not miss it at all.

I was actually planning to have fish tacos with the rockcod meal shown below, but when I went to make this meal, we were completely out. I’m glad I had a big container of lentil soup because wow did it come in handy, AND it tasted delicious together. I didn’t miss the tacos at all.

The 4 main dinners we had this week were:

• Crispy rockfish and summer cabbage salad over lentil soup

• Chicken marsala with dry fried green beans, broccoli rabe, and cannellini beans

• Chicken parm with summer cabbage and green bean salad and lentil soup

• Chicken parm meatballs with lentil soup, charred broccoli and zucchini

New recipes this week (below):

• Chicken parm meatballs

• Summer cabbage and green bean salad (of the 2 cabbage salads I made this past week, I loved this one so much I wanted to share - the lightly charred green beans + the cabbage and tomatoes were so good!)

• Braised white beans with shallot and garlic

Other past recipes seen here + notes:

• Crispy spiced fish - we split 1 lb of rockfish between 2 people.

• Chicken marsala - I marinated chicken once on Monday and used this for both the marsala and the chicken parm.

• Carrot and fennel lentil soup - made a double batch on Saturday to last the entire week.

• Chicken parm - tweaked the recipe slightly and just cracked an egg in the marinated chicken. I used 1.5 lbs total and sliced the chicken breasts in half to create thinner pieces. I then used 2 portions for the chicken marsala, and 2 portions for the chicken parm.

Now for the real question -

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When I think of a bbq plate, I want a few different types of meat (think Texas bbq joints - there’s always a variety!), a bright and fresh salad (or 2), and mac and cheese. I’d love some cornbread as well, but only if easily found at the store and very yummy.

The star of the show in this spread is the stonefruit burrata caprese salad and the slow cooked BBQ pork ribs - it’s what I’d love to walk into on a picnic table at a 4th of July party. Pork ribs cooked like this are super tender and fall off the bone - I keep a pretty clean spice rub on it, and brush BBQ sauce on after slow roasting for 3 hours. It’s been a few years, and it was just as good as I remembered.

As for the stonefruit burrata caprese - it’s important to buy the peaches and tomatoes a few days before you serve, so you can make sure they are at the optimal ripeness. I throw the peaches and tomatoes in a paper bag, and once they are smelling so strong and fruity, I put them in the fridge to keep that ripeness.

The saucy mac and cheese is decadent and a perfect vessel that balances out all the bbq seasoned meats, but is actually much lighter than traditional mac and cheese. The sauce initially seems very thin, but it comes together and reminds me of a better, clean version of box mac and cheese.

I made this for a few friends yesterday, and will definitely be making it again sometime before the summer is over!

This menu is also easy to scale up, no matter if you have 4 people coming over, or 20.

OUR SATURDAY SUPPER 04 MENU

• Stonefruit burrata caprese salad

• Spring mix salad with fresh corn and snap peas

• BBQ spread (seared pork sausage, bbq chicken, and slow roasted bbq pork ribs)

• Light and saucy mac and cheese

• Cornbread

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It’s not whether she would be living in a nice house or have a stable income (those are still a work in progress), but it’s that she took meaningful risks and followed through with what she said she wanted to do.

She chose an adventurous life, and pursued something that would help make a difference in people’s lives.

She tried completely new jobs, disliked some, enjoyed others, and ultimately found what would be the right combination that worked for her.

As I reflect on all of this, I remember that the reason I chose the adventurous path is because I value the journey - to explore what feels authentic to me, to experience the challenges, the ups and downs, to meet and work with people who share similar values to me, and to ultimately carve the path that I want to be on.

I spent my 20s figuring out how I could achieve the goal of helping people in their everyday lives, and that culminated in the creation of Jackie’s Supper Club. It’s a deeply personal business where I feel connected to the people and community I serve in an industry where I love the work.

There are so many things I love about this business, but as I reflect on how I want to spend the next 10 years of my life, this specific business doesn’t quite align with that vision.

I want to have a big family and also be able spend time with my aging, retired parents. I want to fulfill my vision of feeding the wider community delicious healthy food. I wish to build Yuja into a strong brand, something that feels like the modern version of what I grew up loving about places like Panera and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. I also want to provide my team the opportunities to challenge themselves and grow.

To even come close to doing all of this, I need to build a business that can thrive day to day without my constant involvement. One where I can empower my team to do their best work as I continue to grow it to align with my larger vision.

I originally wanted to do that with Jackie’s Supper Club, but it’s fundamentally a very high touch business. And for the price point it was set at, I wouldn’t have expected anything less - we set a high bar every week with the level of food execution, menu detail, and accommodation of special requests.

I loved being a part of these details each week, but it came at the high cost of my time. So when I really thought about what I want to focus on and how I want to spend my time in the business, it became clear that I needed to shift my focus from Supper Club to Yuja.

Deciding to close down Supper Club was one of the most difficult decision I’ve ever made. To be honest, I grieved for many weeks. It felt like I had lost a part of me. I put so many hours of blood, sweat, and tears into this business, and not continuing it felt like giving up, a failure.

I’ve been able to spend some time over the last few weeks to process this, and now have a lot more clarity:

1. The version of myself that created the Supper Club is different from the version of myself now

2. Closing Supper Club is not a failure - the difficulty in doing so is an acknowledgement of its incredible success

I would not be who I am today without starting and running Jackie’s Supper Club, and my future self wouldn’t fully form if I didn’t make the tough call to close.

It also helped me recognize why I chose this path in the first place. What I’m feeling right now - the nostalgia of what I’ve been through to get where I am today, and the excitement for the potential of what this can be - this is the journey.

The hustle to bootstrap and get something started (looking back, this was my favorite part).

The growth to go from just getting something out there to creating something that resembles a real business.

The risk to reinvest my earnings and savings to commit to a 10 year lease to open a restaurant.

The discomfort I had to embrace in learning to make decisions before I was ready (I found this to be the hardest part).

The strong core belief that people will like and want what Yuja has to offer, for many MANY months well before we knew for sure.

The difficult realization that I need to let go of what I first created and love dearly in order to move forward.

The grieving and processing of who I used to be and how that’s made me who I am now.

Being 6.5 years into the journey of a major career change, I’m so proud that I took the risk and gave myself the opportunity to figure out what I can be capable of. I’m proud that I persevered in carving my own path, despite the many times along the way when I was so close to giving up. And I’m incredibly proud of what Jackie’s Supper Club has been over the past couple of years.

I know people will remember the meals (as will I), and we will carry forth some of those special touches into the next chapter.

I’ve used this for so many occasions - it’s elegant, easy to whip together, and a dish everyone loves to rave about.

It’s inspired by my time at a high-end catering company in the Bay Area famous for their pistachio aillade (a French nut sauce) over fish), and this is my take on it.

I love to spice it up it with juicy blistered tomatoes and a creamy herby yogurt. It’ makes for a delicious main to use in a dinner party, or can be served with a rice pilaf and charred zucchini for a weeknight dinner.

More recently, we’ve been adding it to our meal delivery menu, and not only has it been well received, but I’ve learned that many of the components last well (stored individually), and make for a super yummy mid-week dinner.

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Meal planning also wasn’t a thing.

I would tag along with my dad to the grocery store every weekend, and watch him buy his weekly proteins, staples, and a bunch of vegetables that were on sale.

Corn that’s 8 for $1?

Great! Let’s get 16.

Asparagus for $1.99?

Amazing, let’s buy 5 bunches!

I was always embarrassed standing in the checkout line with my dad, but little did I know it wasn’t because of the price that we bought so much of it (ok partially), but also because those vegetables were abundant in the markets and were also super fresh and tasty.

So even growing up in Indiana, where I had no idea about California cuisine and seasonal produce, we were eating pretty seasonally.

I bring this up because this week’s Saturday Supper 03 menu is inspired by the fresh corn I grabbed on sale at Safeway.

When I saw there was 6 ears of fresh corn for $1, I grabbed as many as I could, and immediately started thinking about all the ways I could incorporate this in the lunch I was preparing to make for my friends that day.

Six ears for a dollar - you really can’t beat that (until they run a sale for 10 for a $1!). Here's what we made.

OUR SATURDAY SUPPER 03 MENU

• Coconut dal with fresh corn

• Spiced chicken and sauteed asparagus

• Snap pea and corn salad

• Cheesy Flatbread

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Spring snap peas are super tender and sweet, and it’s really the best time of the year to be eating them.

Depending on what the rest of your dinner looks like, and what other produce you have laying around, you can add in one of these salads to freshen up your whole meal and make it feel like spring.

The method is simple, and so are the ingredients. Now let’s get into it:

5 snap pea combos I’ve been loving:

1. Snap pea cucumber salsa

2. Snap pea corn and cucumber salad

3. Snap pea orange mango salsa

4. Mediterranean snap pea salsa

5. Fennel, snap pea, cucumber salad with roasted sesame dressing

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Which means I may need to redefine what community looks like for me here.

And honestly? Making friends as an adult is hard.

Earlier this year, I read a Substack about a family who hosted dinner every Saturday night as a way to intentionally build community. I don’t remember every detail of the article, but I remember the feeling it left me with: that gathering people around a table, consistently, could become its own kind of anchor.

I recently launched my second business, and somewhere in the middle of all of that, I started feeling a little out of place. Like my world got smaller while everyone else's shifted. So I'm starting this series here on substack called Saturday Supper. We have an in person version of this in our restaurant, Yuja, but this version is meant to bring that same feeling of warmth and community into your home through guest worthy dinners.

The purpose of this series is partly to hold myself accountable to actually do the thing (hosting, putting myself out there, building the life I want to have). And partly because I love cooking for people, and I want to share the menus, moments, and the little things that make it feel special without being stressful.

Here’s what you can expect with this series called Saturday Supper:

1. Weekly drops on Friday with an entire guest worthy Saturday Supper menu

2. Each menu will include recipes for:

   1. Protein + option for substitutions

   2. Carb - usually grains, pasta, or bread

   3. Vegetables - either a salad, cooked veg, or something green

3. Recipes will be a bit more indulgent than your typical weeknight dinner, but it won’t take you an entire afternoon to make. Plan to spend ~60 minutes prepping before guests come, plus another ~30 minutes once they’re here.

4. Real play by play as I host guests with each dinner menu.

5. Community & Conversation - topics we’ve loved and questions to spark discussion

If this is something you want to be part of, would love for you to join this online community.

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It’s been over a year since I shared a recipe on substack and really felt this strong desire to cook a homemade meal from scratch.

This past year was filled with growing my meal delivery business, learning how to navigate renovations and working with contractors, opening a restaurant, and honestly… staying alive (and married) while doing all of that.

I have a tendency to bite off more than I can chew, and this last year was a great example of that. I’ve learned many lessons, but once April 1 hit this year, I really sensed a shift and a weight off my shoulders, and ultimately the feeling that I have regained my joy in life and feel alive again.

Was it all worth it?

I’m still trying to figure that out, and it depends on the day. But the short answer is yes.

The food service business is hard. People only stick with it out of passion, and I’m really glad there are so many people who do, including me.

Even though I haven’t forgotten why I started a food business, I have forgotten how much I enjoyed the process of cooking - starting with some simple, beautiful ingredients, and transforming them into a meal that people love.

I plan to be back cooking for myself, friends, and neighbors, and sharing some of my favorite recipes here. All of that is to say, hello again from an intense but fullfilling ride - I’m ready for you spring 2026!

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If you’re craving breakfast for dinner, or even just breakfast foods in general, this recipe will hit the spot.

Pancakes are usually made with butter. Although delicious and very classic, I recently tried making pancakes with olive oil, and found it brings a really nice flavor profile. Paired with a blueberry maple compote and some turkey bacon, it’s a killer weekend breakfast.

Leftovers of these pancakes do also reheat well the next day, or even several days later.

Other recipes to make this week:

Nashville Hot Chicken Salad -

This is another full meal salad I made and loved. It’s got crispy potatoes, spice-heavy chicken, small crunchy pieces of celery, and a hot honey mustard dressing. Perfect for lunches throughout the week, or for a nice healthy & hearty lunch on a Saturday.

Soy Scallion Noodles with Ground beef and Veg -

It’s crazy how just a few extra ingredients can make a lazy meal feel like something intentional.

Celery and cabbage are 2 vegetables I always keep stocked in my fridge - one, because they last for forever, and two, because they are easy to add into any dish for some extra veg.

Hope y’all try this because these will be your new favorite pantry staple meal you’ll have in your back pocket for any busy night. 

Now onto our recipe this week: Olive oil blueberry pancakes

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Now, as a salad lover, you know I love lettuce. But, there are so many ways that eating lettuce could go wrong (like soggy lettuce), I’m not surprised it’s a commonly questioned ingredient and may not always leave a lasting impression on you.

But, in a salad like this, I consider lettuce to be the body of the meal. It carries the salad, but it’s all the other components that make every bite delicious. I almost always prefer lettuce mixed in with a variety of other ingredients to really make it shine, and to really appreciate its innate characteristics. Kinda like a being with a partner that brings out the best side of you. 

Well this is what I’m calling a nashville hot chicken fries salad. It’s got super flavorful, juicy chicken, crunchy and fresh romaine, small pieces of celery, savory potatoes, fresh herbs, avocado, shredded cheese, and a hot honey mustard dressing. 

So if you’ve got someone in your life who questions the deliciousness of lettuce, make this salad for them to let them see a different side of it. 

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In my opinion, they are the perfect meal for a Saturday lunch with your partner, or even for solo meal prep for some weeknight dinners.

Here are 5 of some of my favorite full-meal salmon salad recipes to kickstart the year.

Salmon Salads with Quinoa

Hot Honey Mustard Salmon Salad

Fresh, bright, and crunchy with cucumbers, tomatoes, and romaine, but really it’s the hot honey mustard that pulls this salad together. I use some quinoa in this salad to give it a bit more body, and it keeps me full and fueled all afternoon.

BBQ Salmon Salad with Cucumber Mango Salsa

I love this bbq marinade, and paired with the vibrant jalapeño lime dressing and mango, the sweet, savory, and flakey salmon texture all go well together to make salad one of my all time favorites.

Salmon Salads with Potatoes

Easy Salmon, Broccoli, and Charred Potato Bowl

This is like your favorite salmon and broccoli dinner bowl, but made into a lunch time edition. There’s tender yet crispy thinly sliced potatoes, crunchy broccoli, and an oregano red wine vinaigrette that will have you loving every bite.

Herb Roasted Salmon Nicoise Salad

Another salmon and potato salad that is super flavorful and fresh feeling. If you can’t find eggs, feel free to skip them and try substituting beets! It’s a fun and fresh way to enjoy a nicoise.

If you’re in the mood for a Taco-esc Salad

Salmon Taco Bowl

This is probably one of my most popular salad recipes, and for good reason! I created this recipe based on the Sweetgreen fish taco bowl (my favorite bowl there), and I make it whenever I’m in the mood for a full meal prep week of salads.

Hope you all find something yummy for the weekend (and potentially to meal prep for the week)! Your future self will thank you in advance ;)

xo,

Jackie

Happy 2025. It’s officially the middle of the decade!

It’s kinda crazy to think about, and to also reflect on how the last 5 years have changed.

5 years since covid started, 5 years since I first left the “traditional path” and went to culinary school, and 5 years since I met Shiping. There have been many unique experiences, challenges, new routines, and life milestones - I can’t pinpoint a single thing that was most memorable or meaningful. But instead, many moments that have created the life I love right now and many memories that I will treasure dearly.

I still love the same foods as I did back in 2020 - salads, homestyle Chinese food, balanced meals, cookies, and ice cream, but I find myself eating a lot more fish these days (very fitting that I’m sharing a salmon recipe today!)

Over the past 5 years, I’ve found my own style of food I like to create and eat, and I feel like I’ve grown up a lot in the sense of adulting. 5 years ago, I enjoyed cooking but never made dinner regularly (I traveled a lot for work back then and Sweetgreen was my dinner most nights…).

These past 5 years have been some of the best years of my life, but I can also only imagine the next 5 years to be just as great, or even better. I hope to revisit this newsletter January 2030 and reassess how my eating habits have changed… I bet they will!

I’m curious to know, how have your eating habits changed since 2020? Is there something that’s noticeably different? Something that you’re proud of, or want to learn more about? Let me know in the comments below.

To kick off the new year,

I’m sharing a simple but delicious salmon dinner. 

It’s mediterranean-esc with mashed chickpeas, tomatoes, and green olives.

The mashed chickpeas are a version of braised beans - something I love to eat, and is an elegant and fiber packed side dish. I throw in some spinach at the end to add in some leafy greens into the meal, and it’s so, so good. 

Finish the mashed chickpeas with some chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and you’ll feel really good eating this.

It tastes clean, is flavorful, and it’s a fresh way (in my books!) of eating salmon. 

Other recipes to make this week

In addition to this salmon bowl that would be perfect for dinner one night this week, there are a few other recipes that are new to my website.

Lately, I’ve been craving foods that feel different.

I’m a bit bored with my usual go-to’s, and I’m very open to trying new flavor profiles and using new ingredients.

This salad recipe was inspired by a 7 layer dip my mom told me she had on new year’s eve. Shiping and I ate it on a casual Saturday for lunch, and we both LOVED it - it was super flavorful, slightly familiar, and very satisfying.

That questionable pile of brown on the side of the salad is refried beans. I know it’s not the most beautiful thing (I probably should have spread a layer of it on the bottom of the bowl for a nicer presentation), but it complements the salad really well. It’s totally optional and isn’t *needed*, but we both enjoyed it on the side.

Grilled Chicken 7 Layer Dip Salad

Now, onto our Mediterranean Salmon Bowl with Chickpea Mash:

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Happy fourth to last (!!) Sunday of the year.

Highlights from this week included a tsunami warning that was a result of an earthquake (see photo of me questioning how “real” it was, while working in our kitchen very close to the bay!), getting really excited about a new one pot ginger scallion salmon recipe I’m tweaking, and attending a holiday event where I got to meet Guy Raz.

For those of you who don’t know Guy, he hosts many podcasts, including one called How I built this. It’s a podcast sharing the stories and interviews with founders behind some of America’s most beloved brands. Guy is an incredible host and journalist, and it was so fun getting to chat with him in person.

My favorite episodes are ones where they talk about food (of course!), and I particularly love the ones on Jeni’s Ice Cream, and Stonyfield yogurt.

Check them out on your next long drive if you haven’t already :)

Now onto recipes for the week

This week’s recipe is a herby mushroom orzo with burrata. I made this for my friend for a girls night in, and it was the perfect meal. She is vegetarian, so instead of making something that centers around a protein like I normally do, I knew I wanted to find a way to use mushrooms and burrata for a comforting but classy dinner.

I’ve made an orzo like this before, but wanted to bring a bit more richness and flavor into it without the meat - hence, the 3 different types of herbs and the butter. It’s subtle, but fresh tasting and we both agreed it was very delicious.

We paired it with a 2020 white Chinon (100% Chenin grape) that I got from my Dolores Deluxe Wine membership, and it was so good.

Other recipes to make this week

In addition to this herby orzo, there’s one new recipe on my website. I’m calling it my one pot creamy mushroom chicken and rice skillet, and I’m slightly obsessed it.

So much so that I’m working on developing more iterations of it, as it’s cozy, comes together in one pot, super flavorful, and is like a healthy-modern take on a casserole.

Casseroles don’t really sound that appealing to me - they’re usually made with some processed can of condensed cream, has a LOT of cheese (in and on top of it), and it just tends to give off brown and overcooked vibes.

I vibe with the cheesy goodness and understand how this is a classic comfort food, but my version is a little bit less indulgent, sneaks in some leafy greens, and still hits that comfort food craving.

I’m excited for you all to try it and let me know what you think.

The recipe is on my website, here.

If you’re wanting something else to make, here are a few other ideas that sound good to me right now:

Chicken Avocado Ranch Salad

Stir Fried Cauliflower with Mushrooms and Ground Pork

Lemon Pepper Salmon Bowl

Now, onto our Herby Mushroom Orzo with Burrata:

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Hope you all had a great thanksgiving!

There are only a couple (non-holiday) Saturdays left of 2024, and I can’t help but reflect back to some of my favorite Saturdays this year.

My ideal Saturday with no plans is to spend the morning doing all my favorite things -I start by making Shiping and I a hearty egg scramble for breakfast. Then, we take a stroll through our neighborhood to get some good coffee, visit the farmers market, and come home to make a fresh salad for lunch.

It’s pretty basic and boring, but thinking back, those were some of my favorite moments of this year.

I’ve recently been obsessed with kale salads with a combo of lacinato kale and baby kale, and this salad particularly knocked my socks off.

It’s the combination of julianned radishes, Persian cucumbers, chewy farro, the sweet and tart balsamic vin, and savory chicken that make every bite so delicious.

Shiping and I wolfed down our bowls, talked about how we should do this more often (have no plans on a Saturday), and spent the rest of the day watching movies and doing absolutely nothing.

In the year where we started a business and spent many weekends working, finding joy in such a simple day was pretty great.

I hope you guys try this salad sometime this week, love it as much as we do, and take some time to reflect on some of your favorite memories and simple pleasures of 2024.

In addition to this chicken, farro, and kale salad I’m sharing this week, we are in the midst of my “good on grains” series. There are 2 new recipes on my website that are perfect for weeknight dinners - a minced beef stir fry with bokchoy and a sweet and sour fish.

This minced beef stir fry is such a banger - it’s made with 2 different types of vegetables (bokchoy and celery), beech mushrooms, and a simple broth-chili sambal-soy sauce situation. Easy, flavorful, and delish.

The sweet and sour fish is a great dish to make on another night, or to make with the minced beef stir fry if you’re feeding a larger crowd and want to have a few dishes for variety.

I know I’ve been leaning asian for most of my recipes the past few weeks, but I’ve got one coming next week that is a one-pot creamy mushroom and chicken rice skillet. It’s comfort food in a bowl and I can’t wait to share it.

Now, onto our Chicken, Farro, and Kale Salad:

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