The Fed+Fit Podcast | Nurturing a Healthy Mindset for a Healthy Lifestyle
Welcome to episode 57 of the Fed+Fit Podcast. We publish a new episode every Monday—be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Episode 57 Topics:
- The New Yiddish Kitchen (cookbook)
- Simone’s blog: Zenbelly
- The Zenbelly Cookbook
- Jen’s blog: Predominantly Paleo
- Down South Paleo
- The Paleo Kids Cookbook
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Ep. 57: Special Guests Simone Miller and Jennifer Robbins
In this episode, host Cassy Joy sits down with Simone Miller of Zenbelly and Jennifer Robbins of Predominantly Paleo to discuss their collaborative book, The New Yiddish Kitchen. They share the origins of the project, the challenges of adapting traditional recipes to allergen-friendly and paleo-friendly formats, and the personal journeys that brought each of them to this work.
Episode segments include:
1. Introducing the guests, Simone Miller and Jennifer Robbins [1:10]
2. Book collaboration, The New Yiddish Kitchen [10:36]
3. Most difficult recipes to perfect [13:28]
4. Go-to dinners for Simone and Jennifer [18:01]
5. Advice for newcomers building a business or blog [22:18]
6. Favorite parts of the job [27:39]
1. Introducing Simone Miller and Jennifer Robbins
Simone explains that her career began in food rather than health. After years in restaurant kitchens and eventual moves into personal chefing and catering, a food allergy test revealed sensitivities that prompted her to pivot toward gluten-free and then paleo-style cooking. That change reshaped her business—she now runs a specialty catering service in the San Francisco area and operates Zenbelly, where she shares recipes and ideas that blend paleo principles with personal tolerances like occasional dairy or select grains.
Jennifer shares a different path driven by health challenges. After becoming increasingly unwell following the birth of her third child, she pursued every avenue to recover, ultimately finding major benefit from a paleo-style approach. Cooking and recipe development grew out of necessity and experimentation; what started as a private recipe collection became her blog, Predominantly Paleo. Over time she reclaimed her health and now helps others navigate restrictive diets with family-friendly, nourishing recipes.
2. How The New Yiddish Kitchen came together
Simone and Jennifer met through the paleo community online and discovered a shared desire to preserve and adapt Jewish comfort foods for people following grain-free, dairy-free, or allergen-sensitive diets. They began with an eBook to test recipes and demand. When the eBook performed well, they expanded the project into a full print book titled The New Yiddish Kitchen. Their goal was to honor heritage recipes—like matzo ball soup, rugelach, babka, and bagels—while making them accessible to those with dietary restrictions.
3. Most challenging recipes to perfect
Paleo-friendly baked goods were the biggest technical challenge. Simone cites bagels as particularly difficult; reproducing that distinctive dense, chewy texture without gluten required many trials. They experimented by adapting traditional methods—like boiling before baking—and testing various flour combinations. Rugelach and babka also required numerous iterations to achieve satisfying textures and flavor while avoiding common allergens. Both authors emphasize that the process demanded patience, creativity, and lots of kitchen testing.
4. Go-to dinners
Both guests rely on simple, nourishing weeknight meals. Simone favors non-recipe dishes such as stir-fries and roasted or pan-roasted chicken thighs paired with straightforward additions like apples, bacon, and white wine for flavor. Jennifer leans on one-pot meals and soups that stretch a little ground meat into several servings with added vegetables—an efficient and kid-friendly approach that keeps nutrition front and center during busy weeks.
5. Advice for newcomers
Simone’s advice focuses on authenticity: pursue what you love and resist measuring yourself against others. Her experience shows that staying true to your voice and being flexible helped her grow organically. Jennifer emphasizes networking—seek guidance from people who’ve already walked the path. Mentors and peers can offer practical tips and encouragement, and the community-based mindset benefits everyone: learn from others and, when you can, pass that support forward.
6. Favorite part of the work
Simone finds deep satisfaction in recreating recipes and solving culinary problems, especially when she can deliver delicious food that surprises guests who aren’t expecting paleo-friendly fare. Jennifer values the human connection—knowing her recipes help families, children, and people with health challenges gives her work meaning. Positive feedback from readers and home cooks is a powerful motivator for both women.
To recap: Simone shares recipes and catering through Zenbelly, and Jennifer shares recipes and resources through Predominantly Paleo. Their collaboration on The New Yiddish Kitchen brings cherished traditional flavors into modern, allergen-aware kitchens, celebrating cultural heritage while making beloved foods accessible to more people.
Thank you to Simone and Jennifer for joining the show. Their blend of culinary skill, personal resilience, and community-oriented spirit makes this episode a valuable listen for anyone interested in food, heritage, and practical approaches to eating well.