Making Room by Gather Kayty Helgerson

Wait, did you just say that?

Any time we talk about food or the table, it's inevitable that conversations about weight or weight loss come up...and more often than not it's cringy.

 It looks different for everyone but whether it's for health reasons or preference, hosting guests who are on their weight loss (or health) journeys is inevitable. We've all heard the family member who says something a bit off the cuff or we've made the dish that tastes like cardboard but it doesn't have to be this way. It's time to talk about how to host in this situation well.

I welcomed on the creator and found of Clean and Delicious to help tackle this conversation, Dani Spies. We cover everything from identifying the eating style best for you, how to talk to guests about their weight loss journey, simple tips for cooking for crowd with mixed dietary needs & more.

Whether you are the one looking to eat a little lighter or you are getting ready to open your doors, there's something for you in this conversation. Stay tuned for more conversations like this in the coming season!

Buy Dani's new cookbook here!
Follow her on Youtube

This episode was sponsored by:
Good Ranchers
Visit Goodranchers.com to use my code GATHER for $10 off and free shipping off your first subscription!

Stress always falls by the wayside. It feels so much more important to focus on other areas of our health, life and relationships, am I right?  Yet if we were to poll all of our listeners, I bet a vast majority of us would say that it's something we experience, daily. Stress seems to have changed in the past few years, along with the types of stressors and the way it shows up in our lives. It's time we learn about what it is that makes us burn out and the important resets to reduce the stress we all feel.

Dr. Aditi after years of working with patients made it her mission to focus on making stress something that is both tangible and treatable. With a focus on educating the general public on the crisis in an approachable way, her career and knowledge has lead many to feeling freedom and with skills to manage the stress they feel.

It's more common than we all would like to admit that we use stress as an 'excuse' for not spending time together, not creating, not learning, not gathering & so many other aspects to being together.

Join us in this profound, light hearted yet wisdom FILLED conversation that will leave you wanting to make this holiday season a stress-free one to remember! 

Follow Dr. Aditi Here
Buy her new book here!

This episode was sponsored by:
Good Ranchers
Visit Goodranchers.com to use my code GATHER for $15 off and to pick your free meat for a year as a part of their Black Friday sale! 

As we get busier as a culture, spend less time home and with each other there are less opportunities to learn how to cook confidently.

We can probably all think of a recipe that did not end up the way we wished it would. Times when dinner stuck to the pan, the cookies ended up salty or even when we took one bite and threw the whole thing straight in the trash. Our guest today, Bri McKoy, can relate. She didn't grow up loving to cook, in fact she didn't see the point in even learning. However as she entered adulthood and realized that her 'eating out lifestyle' wasn't going to cut it, she took on the challenge, learned to love cooking and wants to teach you everything she learned.

From how to properly use salt, how the right sauce can elevate basic ingredients and go-to recipes for busy nights. This episode will get you inspired to get back into the kitchen and experiment with new confidence.

Follow Bri @brimckoy
Buy her latest cookbook here 

This episode was sponsored by:
Good Ranchers
Visit Goodranchers.com to use my code GATHER for $15 off and to pick your free meat for a year!

"Friendships just don't work for me" 

Maybe you have found yourself saying this. One way or another we have all found ourselves in cycles of stress, anxiety and either learned to cope well... or not so well. 

If you watched my recent TED talk, you may have heard the part at the very end, the part that surprises most people, where I share what I believe is the key to meaningful hospitality: The hard work of heart work'. 

I've realized that in my own life when realitionships are strained, or when we find ourselves constantly lonely, that often it's a sign that we need to dive in and ask why. It's time that we own the responsibility. 

To help me navigate this conversation, I welcomed on @ramsey personality and mental health expert John Delony. Talking through his recent research, own life experience and new book Building a Non-Anxious Life, I promise you that this conversation brings a new light to anxiety and lead you to a new freedom that you've been craving your life and relationships. 

Visit John & buy his new book!
Johndelony.com
Buy his latest book here!

This episode was sponsored by:
Good Ranchers
Visit Goodranchers.com/Gather to use my code GATHER for $30 off and free shipping!

Doesn't it feel like everyone is in Italy? I can't be the only one of scrolls social and see's half my feed exploring the cobblestone streets and sinking their teeth into the flavors that distinctively come from Italian Roots. Something about the colors, flavors and charm makes me crave pieces of it in my own dining, my own living, and my own hospitably. Katie Parla was born and raised in the East Coast, in the USA, and as soon as she could made Italy her home. Since then she has been set on exploring the parts of the country that are off the beaten track and educating the everyday cook with the real flavors of Italy. She has taken her knowledge to cooking shows we know and love while also giving private culinary tours that you can book her for on your own vacation

We laughed and connected over topics including:

"Is it the algorithm or is everyone in Italy"
The hidden gems that everyone should know about as you plan your trip to Italy
What should everyone know about travel in Italy, that isn't usually shared
What life looks like as a culinary guide
What is distinctive about the flavors of the Italian islands vs. main cities
American-Italian food
How to enhance the quality and authenticity of Italian cooking in our own homes
The role that alcohol plays in preventing difficult conversation

Katie whisks us away to a side of Italy that isn't shown on social media, and hopefully compels us all to slow down, plan a vacation there to experience it all OR take the steps embrace the taste of Italy and the Italian Islands in our own homes.

Visit Katie & book her as your culinary guide around Italy
Katieparla.com
Buy a copy of Katie's latest cookbook here!

This episode was sponsored by:
Good Ranchers
Visit Goodranchers.com/Gather to use my code GATHER for $25 off and $480 of free ground beef in your first 2 years. 

Many of us likely haven't said these exact words outloud  but, interior design has become our master. What do I mean by that? We allow our design skills, or lack of, decor, or lack of dictate how comfortable we are welcoming others in. Have you felt it? If you've been around for a while you'll know that design is a passion of mine, and I believe that there is a level of it that is necessary for hospitality. Somewhere along the lines though, the way we talk about it and approach it in our own spaces goes beyond passion. You could say that for many of us, it has become a dictator that gives us permission to move forward or on the contrary, holds us back.

Victoria Duerstock is a new friend of Gather, and in this episode talk about our own personal experiences with how design has the ability to create chaos or peace in our homes.

Whether you are a long time host or just approaching designing your space , this thought provoking conversation will get you evaluating your own approach design and give you peace-filled tips to move forward.

Stay tuned for more step-by-step  design focused episodes in this coming season!

Visit Victoria and her platform:
Victoriaduerstock.com
Endgamepress.com

This episode was sponsored by:
Good Ranchers
Visit Goodranchers.com/Gather to  get $30 off your first order of American meat Delivered straight to your door, and lock in your meat prices for TWO YEARS for  with code GATHER