No. 008 : Simply Julia

A freer gentler take on healthy eating

Aug 30, 2024

If there were ever a cookbook that felt like being welcomed into a friend’s kitchen - barefoot, dogs napping nearby, tea on the stove - it’s Simply Julia by Julia Turshen. Subtitled 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food, this book is full of meals that don’t aim to dazzle, but to soothe. It’s as if Julia is right there, lovingly handing you a wooden spoon while chatting about what’s always in her fridge and how to make the best almond chicken cutlets for the people you love.

7 things I’m comforted by in Simply Julia

Meals That Hug You

Julia herself describes these recipes as “meals that don’t try to wow you, but hug you.” And that’s exactly what they feel like. From Breakfast Nachos to Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes to Roger’s Jambalaya, every page reads like a warm embrace from someone who has plenty of practice making food with care - in every sense of the word.

“While I care deeply about giving you trustworthy recipes, pretty photos to show you what they look like, and stories to tell you what they all mean to me, what I care most about is who you’re cooking for, including you.”

Personal Stories + Headnotes That Feel Like Conversations

Reading this book feels like sitting at Julia’s kitchen island while she tells you about her life, her wife Grace, their sweet pups Winky + Hope, and how she thinks about food and health. Each recipe opens with a story - where it came from, who it’s for, or why it matters. It’s intimate and generous, like something a dear friend would share across the table just for you.

Essays That Make You Feel Seen

Scattered throughout are personal essays on everything from body image to volunteering to a love letter to her gas grill. Some are playful, others deeply reflective—especially her beautiful piece on the worthiness of our bodies in a world shaped by diet culture. Each one shares another layer of who Julia is and what healthy comfort food truly means to her.

A Freer, Gentler Take on Healthy Eating

“Healthy food... does not have any room for guilt. It’s full of agency to pick and choose. It comes from a place of love, not fear. It’s about feeling full, in a truly holistic sense, and has zero to do with deprivation of any kind.”

Julia’s definition of “healthy” feels like a big exhale. Inspired by her real life - living with a partner with type 1 diabetes and cooking for community kitchens - her recipes are often low-carb, “have a light hand with ingredients like butter and sour cream (but are not afraid of them!), and are mindful of excessive sugar, and favor plants and grains.” And there’s a helpful index in the back that highlights which recipes are vegetarian, vegan, dairy or gluten-free (there are lots!).

Unique Chapter Organization

Each chapter includes eleven thematically linked recipes - “Eleven Chicken Recipes,” “Eleven Weeknight Go-Tos,” “Eleven Make-Ahead Mains,” and more. It feels like your bestie Julia is replying with ideas to your group chat plea: “I’ve got chicken for tonight - what should I make?” It’s casual, creative, and breaks the norm of the usual category structure in a fun and playful way.

Charming and Thoughtful Lists

I didn’t know I needed to know Julia’s “Seven Favorite Solo Meals” or “Seven Things She Learned as a Private Chef” until I read them. These quick, funny, deeply personal lists feel like kitchen secrets passed between friends—and I loved every one.

Homey, Light-Filled Photography + Clean, Personal Design

The food photos by Melina Hammer are bright, unfussy, and full of life, while the lifestyle shots by Winnie Au show Julia at home—barefoot, relaxed, welcoming. Designer Leah Carlson-Stanisic keeps things clean and breezy, with Julia’s own handwriting sprinkled throughout like little fridge notes just for you.