5 Questions with Jessica Murnane of One Part Plant

Jessica Murnane is the author of the new cookbook, One Part Plant. The idea behind the book and her awesome website is to inspire people to eat one plant-based meal per day. It started as an attempt to feel better after suffering from Endometriosis (Endo), a disorder that can cause severe period pain, blood-clotting, and infertility. It’s very common for people to suffer with Endo and not know they have it. Through the suggestion of a friend, Jessica started changing her diet and it helped manage the symptoms. Since it worked for her, it inspired her to try to help others going through the same pain.

What I love about Jessica and her intentions to help people feel better is that there’s nothing scary about her approach to wellness. It’s simple and easy to take her advice without committing to any scary “diet.” She’s as real as her approach to eating and living well and I was super excited to ask her these five questions to learn more.

If someone wants to make the change in their diet to introduce eating one part plant, what is the first step they should take?

Find a recipe that looks good to you. I know that might sound obvious, but when I first changed my diet I thought I had to eat steamed broccoli and dry plain brown rice. Now I know that plant-based can be lasagna, spicy curry bowls, and tacos.

Start exploring and see what’s out there. There’s also no shame in buying plant-based meals if you’re still getting started in the kitchen. Go on Yelp or the app Happy Cow and find a place near you that serves plant-based options and start there. Treat it like a new food adventure. Also less dishes, which I always love.

What’s the best lessons you’ve learned from a podcast guest and how has it impacted your life?

OH MAN! Such a good question. How do I even choose? I’ll have to say that every single guest has taught me something.

But here are some of my favorite lessons:

Ally Hilger teaching me about Focus Wheels.

Giselle Wasfie helping me understand how to confront past trauma.

Ruby Warrington sharing what “doing your dharma” means.

Jeff Garlin telling me to let compliments come in and then let them go out. If we give too much weight to the positive feedback, we’ll give equal weight to the negative… which is always problematic.

Mckel Hill helping me recognize what burnout is and what to do about it.

So you have a mini series on your podcast where you ask question about “things that freaked [their] week” and we want to know, what are the things that have freaked your week?

YES!

Ok, here we go:

Sweet: Proud Mary’s newest collection.

Eat: Heather Crosby’s new cookbook. She wrote it, designed it, photographed it, AND did all the illustrations for it. She’s unreal.

Sheeeeet: I just finished reading Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers In “Healthy Food”. Dr Gundry (the author) is on some next level shit. He’ll be on the podcast soon. He’s helping people heal in ways I did’t think were possible.

What lights you up or sparks your creativity in the work that you do?

Lately it’s been speaking. Sitting behind a computer all day can feel lonely and can zap my spirit. I love getting out there and and sharing my story and getting to hear theirs. I’ve been volunteering through the Endometriosis Foundation Of America to go talk to high school girls about Endo. That truly lights me up. I always leave there feeling so excited that these young women now have the knowledge to potentially help another woman. Education is critical right now, more than ever, when it comes to women’s health issues.

What does your morning and evening routine look like?

For the past three days, I’ve woken up at 5:45am to meditate. WHICH IS CRAZY. I never though I’d have the willpower to do that. But I was complaining so much about not being able to find the time to fit exercise and meditation into my work day…and finally decided to do something about it. Hence, 5:45am. So far, so good.

Meditation or not, I make my little bebe, Sid, some breakfast while my husband, Dan, showers. Then my husband gets Sid dressed and ready for school and my day begins. It usually starts with email. Riding my bike to work somewhere else (besides my house) for a little bit. Back home. Maybe a podcast interview or editing or shooting a new recipe. Coordinating book tour stuff. More email. A workout on Aaptiv or Yogaglo.com. Pick up my Sid from school. Feed him dinner. Dan gives him a bath, reads stories. I listen to a podcast in the kitchen while I make dinner (my husband and I alternate this). Dan and I eat dinner. Wrap up some emails. Reply to comments on social media. Some Netflix. CHILL. Night.

You can get Jessica Murnane’s cookbook wherever books are sold. (Oh, I learned why authors always say “wherever books are sold” from her podcast all about getting a book deal. If you’ve ever wanted to know how it works, it’s an informative, real podcast all about it.) Find her on Instagram here. And check out more of what she’s got going on here.