Hey, it’s Arash 👋
On Friday, I announced my new cookbook on Instagram and when I sat down to think about what I wanted to say, I thought about the old me.
The version of me that was trapped in the prison of my own mind…
… the guy that after a bad meal said “Screw it. I’ll start over Monday.”
… the guy that was constantly hungry and thinking about his next meal.
… the guy that thought eating healthy meant giving up all the foods he loved.
… the guy that spent years on the endless cycle of restricting, binging, and then somehow ending up heavier than he started.
And that’s who I wrote this cookbook for. For the old me… and for that one person where things may also just click.
I remember that feeling all too well.
I see you. I’ve been you. This is for you.
And I don’t just mean the cookbook.
Food noise has become a major buzzword recently and I think the reason it took off is because it explains something so many of us silently struggle with.
For years, I thought it was a matter of willpower and discipline.
But I was wrong.
For decades, the inside of my mind was a battlefield. A constant war between the Arash that wanted to lose the weight and make better decisions and the Arash that just wanted to eat the food that was in front of him, the food he was craving, and the food that just tasted good.
As short term as it may be, there is something comforting about losing yourself in a pint of ice cream, that second or third serving of pizza, a large bag of popcorn, and a box of donuts. It may feel great in the moment, but the regret that follows is usually brutal.
When people talk about food noise, this is what I think they are talking about.
And from the messages, emails, and comments I receive, it’s clear so many of us struggle with it.
Heck, I even struggle with it to this day! The difference is, after years of giving in, I’ve learned to manage it better. I’ve learned how to eat and what to eat to manage my hunger and cravings. I’ve learned how to recognize the patterns, take a pause, and trick myself in different ways not to give in.
When I decided enough was enough, I made it a goal to not restrict myself. My mission was to find a way to eat that I didn’t need to escape from.
And that’s what’s behind everything I do, from the cookbook to the recipe videos and these emails. Sharing my story in hopes that I can make it a little easier for you.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can help you guys more. I want to know who I’m actually writing to.
If you want more of (or less of) something, I’d love to know.
A few weeks ago, I promised I’d share some of the recipes that didn’t make it into the new book.
Cutting this one hurt because it’s SO GOOD, but it was a little too similar to the Easy Lemony Chicken from my first cookbook, So Easy, So Good.
The editing process is one of the most difficult parts of writing a cookbook. You spend months developing recipes just to end up scrapping some of them. But it’s a part of the creative process and it’s always my goal to have a big variety of proteins, cuisines, and cooking methods.
Bone-in chicken thighs marinated in lemon, garlic, and tomato paste, then roasted over onions and finished with a garlic yogurt sauce.
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 2+ hours marinating)
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: about 3 hours (including marination)
Servings: 5
By the way, I know I’ve been talking about it a lot but I’m still getting tons of questions.
My new cookbook is called High Protein, Big Flavor. It’s now available for pre-order and will officially be released January 5th. The sooner you pre-order the more FREE digital bonuses you get.
The first one’s already available and the second one is coming very soon.
The book has:
100 high protein recipes (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts)
a photo for every recipe
full macros for every recipe (calories, protein, carbs, etc)
Talk soon,
P.S. If you already pre-ordered the book, make sure you sign up here to receive all the FREE digital bonuses.
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