Sep 21, 2026 · 4 min listen · Last updated September 21, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. Chloe, September 21st. Quick run through ten health stories — let's start with the longevity piece. Let's get into it. First, from susanality. Protein-Packed Vegetarian. I first met Grace Elkus in 2021, when she was working for The Kitchn.
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Daily Health & Wellness Brief · September 21st
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Protein-Packed Vegetarian
I first met Grace Elkus in 2021, when she was working for The Kitchn. I had been hired to do a recipe for them, and when it came time to test it, I had the pleasure of working with Grace. I had to look back to remember the recipe I had created for them, and it was a large-format grain bowl, which is right up Grace’s vegetarian alley. Add some tofu, and you’d have this version that I made several times last summer, which is even more up her alley! I had forgotten about that particular assignment, but not about Grace. When I found her on Instagram, I followed her immediately.
Issue #255: Why We Should All Be Paying Closer Attention to Our Hormones
Every single month, for about two days around my ovulation and then again before my period, it feels like a switch flips. I go from being a fairly level-headed, happy person, to experiencing a depression so deep, I often compare it to falling down a tunnel with no handholds. All of a sudden, I feel completely encompassed in darkness, which I experience as depression, insomnia, complete lack of creativity and motivation, and even suicidal ideation. It feels like all of the things that make me me go away, until I get my period and the clouds magically part.
Beacon says gene therapy succeeds in key trial of rare eye disease XLRP
Hey! So, I was just reading about this gene therapy for a rare eye disease called XLRP. It's a pretty big deal because some really major companies, like J&J and Biogen, have tried this before and it didn't quite pan out.
This new therapy, from a company called Beacon Therapeutics, seems to have done well in a key trial. It's a gene therapy, which basically means they're trying to fix the underlying genetic cause of the disease. XLRP is a condition that causes progressive vision loss, and it's inherited.
What's encouraging is that this trial showed positive results. They're looking at whether the therapy can actually improve or at least slow down the vision loss. It's still early days, of course, and they'll need more data, but it's definitely a promising step forward for people with XLRP. It’s not a cure yet, but it’s a really solid sign that this approach might work where others haven't.
For a refreshing granita, simply juice a pint of grapes, mix in a tablespoon of sugar, and freeze it while scraping it with a fork every 15 minutes until it reaches a fluffy consistency. This granita can be served alongside the cake for a lovely dessert pairing.
Every month, I want to start my favorites post by writing something along the lines of “somehow we’re already at the end of insert current month”. But that’s how I feel, ok??? The months are flying! We’re squarely in the thick of summer and I’m in peak form. I love the heat. My garden is finally starting to bloom with all sorts of flowers—yellow, feathe…
If this is your first time tuning in for one of my focaccia recipes, welcome. This is truly the best one that you could have possibly chosen. If you’ve made many, listen up! I’ve changed a few things around here. Recently, I’ve felt like my dough is over-proofing. I’m not quite getting the lift that I’m used to, which makes sense given the recent heat in Maryland. I’ve also been getting a ton of questions about how to get the bottom of the focaccia dark and crispy. My main thought on this topic is that the darker the baking vessel, the darker your crust.
Last week Collin and I went to New York to do a collab focaccia sandwich with Radio Bakery. Kelly, the chef/owner, and I were line cooks together at Bouchon Bistro in our early twenties. She’s a rare case of a chef who has boots on the ground experience in both baking and pastry and savory cooking. When we worked together, she had just made the switch from the Bakery to the Bistro and was working on the line. I think that’s part of the secret to her success with Radio—her understanding of both flavor combinations and techniques.
Ian Dingman Believes Cookbooks Should Never Be Boring
Dear Readers, today we’ll meet Ian Dingman, the man behind many of my favorite cookbook designs (and probably yours too). Please note that this post may be too long for some email providers, but you can click the subject line to read it on the Substack website or app. About ten years ago, I came across Tyler Kord’s A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches. While the amusing title inspired me to purchase the book, I also appreciated its design. It was clean and elegant, and had excellent endpapers that were hand-lettered by the designer, Ian Dingman.
Mélanie Masarin, the author of Riviera and founder of Ghia, thinks there’s too much fanfare around hosting in the US. “My friends know that I have an open door policy,” she says on this week’s podcast episode. The rule is: “If I’m home, you can come over…This is what life is all about to me.” She’ll pull anchovies and potato chips and olives from the pantry for a spur-of-the-moment aperitivo, but given the option, she’ll always prep snacks in advance.
THIS GIVEAWAY is NOW CLOSED! Stay turned for our next one in September! The Dinner Plan offers cooking inspiration and advice that makes the dinnertime juggle easier. Every week, I talk to cookbook authors on the podcast (you’re following over there, right?) about what they actually eat at home and how they make getting dinner on the table night after night feel less overwhelming.
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