When the 30-year-old recipe developer and author of the cookbook “Justine Cooks: A Cookbook: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen” launched her popular Instagram and TikTok accounts @justine_snacks in 2020, she was just beginning to explore intuitive eating. This approach, developed by registered dietitians Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole, emphasizes principles like “rejecting diet culture” and “challenging the food police” to encourage people to eat when hungry, stop when full, and let go of moral judgments about food.
As she shared her journey online, Justine noticed her initial fears around food slowly fading away with practice. Now, as a self-described plant-focused pescatarian, she spends less time worrying about food choices and more time listening to her body’s needs, creating recipes for herself and her followers. Her recipes, featuring seasonal produce and healthy fats with creative twists, offer a fresh take on comfort food without any restrictions.
Justine’s journey towards a healthier relationship with food has been a gradual process, marked by learning to eat for energy and balance rather than restriction. By nourishing herself throughout the day and enjoying a variety of foods, including desserts, she has found a sense of liberation and authenticity that resonates with her audience.
To cultivate a more positive relationship with food, Justine suggests embracing additive resolutions that focus on adding quality to your life rather than strict rules. She also recommends setting intentions for what you’d like to achieve without rigid constraints. Here are three ideas from Justine to help you move away from dieting in 2025 and beyond:
1. Prioritize a meal you often skip, like breakfast, to start your day with nourishment.
2. Experiment with new ingredients or cooking techniques to expand your culinary horizons.
3. Practice mindful eating by savoring each bite and listening to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness.
By incorporating these suggestions at your own pace, you can gradually shift towards a more sustainable and fulfilling approach to food and wellness.
Consider prioritizing a meal that often gets overlooked to help improve your relationship with food, suggested Doiron. In 2024, she made a conscious decision to focus on dinner after realizing that her hectic schedule was affecting her hunger cues. By making time for herself and enjoying cooking, Doiron experienced increased energy and creativity.
To add more variety to your diet, challenge yourself to try a new vegetable each week. Embracing fresh produce as fun and exciting rather than a chore can make a significant difference in your eating habits. For example, experiment with parsnips or Romanesco broccoli to discover new flavors and textures.
Simplify meal planning by creating a menu capsule wardrobe of trusted recipes that you enjoy and find easy to prepare. This approach can save you time, money, and reduce mealtime indecision. Find recipes that satisfy you and bring joy to your cooking routine, rather than feeling like an obligation.
For a flavorful and functional meal, try protein-topped avocado toast or Gochujang Beans With Melty Escarole and Black Vinegar, which are both simple to make and packed with nutrients. Celebrate the versatility of vegetables by exploring different cooking techniques and flavor combinations to elevate your dining experience.
Shallots, garlic, and other flavorful ingredients are essential components in creating delicious dishes. According to Jim Henkens, incorporating pantry staples and condiments can elevate the taste profile of any meal. This recipe, designed to serve four and with a preparation time of approximately 20 minutes, showcases the versatility of black vinegar, a condiment commonly paired with xiao long bao. Justine Doiron, in her cookbook, reveals her penchant for infusing dishes with black vinegar to introduce a hint of acidity and tanginess.
In this particular culinary creation, black vinegar takes center stage in enhancing the flavors of creamy butter beans enveloped in a glossy, sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. The quick and convenient preparation method involves using just one pan, culminating in a delightful combination with escarole that mimics the texture of a dumpling wrapper. The dish is best enjoyed alongside steamed rice, allowing the luscious sauce to infuse the grains for a delectable dining experience.
For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
– 4 tablespoons of salted butter
– 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
– 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
– 1 tablespoon of finely grated fresh ginger
– 2 tablespoons of gochujang
– 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar
– 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
– 2 cans (15 ounces each) of butter beans, drained and rinsed
– 3 cups of roughly torn escarole
– ¼ cup of black vinegar
Instructions:
1. Begin by melting the butter in a large pan over medium heat until the milk solids start to brown, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallots and cook until softened, and the butter turns a light golden brown hue.
2. In a separate container, combine the grated garlic, ginger, gochujang, vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, and a cup of water to create a flavorful mixture.
3. Introduce the butter beans to the pan, ensuring they are coated with the butter. Pour in the gochujang mixture, increase the heat to medium, and bring the contents to a gentle simmer. Allow the sauce to reduce by half, stirring occasionally for 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Once the sauce achieves a thick and glossy consistency, add the escarole to the pan and let it wilt into the beans within seconds.
5. To serve, divide the dish into four bowls and drizzle each portion with at least one tablespoon of black vinegar, adjusting to taste.
This recipe is adapted from “Justine Cooks: A Cookbook: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen” by Justine Doiron, published by Penguin Random House in 2024. Karla Walsh, a seasoned freelance lifestyle writer based in Des Moines, Iowa, brings over 16 years of editorial experience to.
