Hey Reader!

In the 130th issue of The MF Kitchen, you'll slice into the details of:

• Recipes for my Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Cosmic Brownie Blended Overnight Oats Protein Cookie Dough!
• The 8 nutritional pillars I follow to hit my goals much easier...
• Peanut butter that's worth millions of dollars...
• Homemade sour candy that's half as many calories...

Preheat your ovens…

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Weekly Recipe Roundup 🍽️

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches that are only 374 Cals with 46g Protein! Click below to download the recipe and make it easy yourself: ​​​Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches.pdf​

Cosmic Brownie Blended Overnight Oats Protein Cookie Dough Let me show you how to take your oats to the next level! For only 422 calories with 35g protein, you can eat cosmic brownie cookie dough for breakfast! ​​Click below to download the recipe and make it easy yourself:​ ​​​Cosmic Brownie Blended Overnight Oats Protein Cookie Dough.pdf​

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Recipe Recreations Of The Week 🤌

Macro Friendly Double Cheeseburger gang rolls DEEP 🍔

Macros for each WHOLE Double Cheeseburger:
​425 Cals, 20g Carbs, 13g Fat, 57g Protein

Here's the recipe and video:​
👉 https://www.instagram.com/p/C7j1YB8shLq/​

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This Week's Flavor 🎥

Cal Carne Asada Loaded Fries Meal prep steak and fries then put into Carne Asada Loaded Fries with 53g protein! Sign me up! ​Here is the recipe and video.​

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Zach's Beats 🎧

​Impatient - Sebastian Paul​

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One FAQ ❓

Answer: If there’s one thing I’ve learned about people (myself included), it’s this:

We have serious trust issues with simplicity.

If something feels too easy, we immediately doubt it.

"There’s no way it’s THAT simple."

Meanwhile, complexity impresses us. We assume that more rules, more tracking, more stress must equal better results.

And we self-sabotage.

But here's the truth...

Simple usually wins.

And the more I keep things simple, the more likely I am to hit my goals (without losing my sanity 😅).

So let’s simplify this whole thing for you...
​

Step 1: Get Crystal Clear on Your Goal

Vague goals don’t work.

"I want to lose weight" is weak and doesn't hold much energy.

“I want to lose 25 pounds in 12 weeks” gives you an actual target (roughly 2 pounds per week).

Easy to track, easy to manage.

Same for bulking.

Pick a timeline, understand you’ll gain a little fat (that’s normal), and don’t obsess over the scale.

Just lift, eat, and enjoy your damn workouts.

That extra fat is an investment in muscle you’ll have forever.
​

Step 2: Stop Overthinking "Eating Healthy"

I can’t stand the elitist garbage around this.

Eating healthy does not mean dry chicken, sad salads, and skipping restaurants.

If that’s your definition, you’re doing it wrong.

Nutrition should fit into your life, not control it.

You should be able to enjoy an ice cream cone with your kid without guilt.

Or grab a burger and fries with your college buddy without overanalyzing the macros.

Memories > Macros. Every time.​
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Step 3: Adopt the “Good Enough” Mindset

Perfection is a lie. Stressing over a “perfect diet” will burn you out.

So here’s the real cheat code:

• ✅ 80/20 Rule: Eat 80% nutrient-dense, whole foods. Leave 20% for whatever the hell you want.
• ✅ Hit Your Protein: Let carbs and fats adjust to your personal preference. Just don’t go too low-fat (25% minimum for hormone health).
• ✅ Eat Consistently: Skipping meals wrecks hunger control. Keep it structured.
• ✅ Ignore the Organic Hype: If you’re stressing about organic, you’re sweating over a 0.00000000001% difference.
• ✅ Drink More Water: Hydration boosts mood, energy, and keeps hunger in check.
• ✅ Use the “Hell Yes” Rule: When you cook with my recipes, every meal can be both indulgent and macro-friendly. You’re never forced to choose between delicious and goal-friendly (because the right techniques and ingredients make both possible). And the more you cook, the easier it gets. What once felt complicated becomes second nature.
  • But when eating out? That’s where the “Hell Yes” or “No” mindset comes in. If it’s just a random meal, keep it basic. But if it’s a food experience worth remembering, go all in and enjoy it (guilt-free).
• ✅ Prioritize Sleep: Good sleep = better energy = smarter food choices.

​
​Final Thought:

Simplicity should always be the goal.

Make it easy. Make it sustainable. And for the love of all things delicious, have the damn ice cream.

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Weird Food Fact 🤓

You know how they say diamonds are a girl’s best friend?

Well, if you’ve ever tracked macros, you know peanut butter is right up there too.

Rich, indulgent, and stupidly expensive… not for your wallet, but for your calorie budget.

Every bite? Accounted for.
​Every gram? Measured to perfection.

Because when you’re working with something this high-value, you savor every last bit.

No zoning out. No mindless spreading. Just full, undivided attention to making sure not a single calorie goes to waste.

But here’s something wild to think about while you’re scraping the jar clean…

Peanut butter and diamonds? They’re not so different after all.

Turns out, both are made of carbon. And under the right conditions, peanut butter can literally be turned into diamonds.

Scientists at the Bayerisches Geoinstitut in Germany actually did it. They used high-pressure anvils to mimic the intense heat and crushing force found deep within the Earth’s mantle.

The result was tiny, microscopic diamonds (formed from peanut butter).

So, can you turn your peanut butter into bling?

Not exactly. Unless you’ve got access to multi-million-dollar lab equipment and a few million years to spare, your peanut butter is staying peanut butter.

But it’s still fun to think about.

Because whether it’s a flawless diamond or a flawless spoonful of peanut butter, some luxuries are just worth the price.

So next time you’re savoring every decadent bite, just remember…

You’re not just eating peanut butter.

You’re indulging in the diamonds of the macro world 💎🥜

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Serving Surprise 😮

Sour candy fruit has been going through cycles of major popularity every other year it feels like.

One that's still everywhere is Fruit Riot:

These products are amazing. But there is one caveat.

They are a bit higher in calories than you’d expect.

Each plate you see here is 360 calories:

It’s really not that much for that many calories.

They are quite sour (so it is hard to eat the whole bag which is nice).

But when I want to eat a ton of sour candy grapes, I use my homemade recipe:

This whole plate is 300 calories.

That’s the power of homemade.

Convenience is always higher calorie unfortunately.

But I do think there is a business opportunity for a lower calorie version of Fruit Riot.

We’ll see if anyone hops on that.

I’ll link to two of Sour Candy Fruit Recipes.

First is more candy, second is more sour candy:

​Sour Candy Grapes Version #1.pdf​

​Sour Candy Grapes Version #2.pdf​

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Once again...

Convenience is almost always higher calorie.

That's not a knock on convenient food, it's just the reality.

The more YOU cook, the more control you have.

Pick one thing this week that you normally buy pre-made and try making it at home.

The calorie savings (and the flavor) will surprise you 😁

Much love and happy cooking,
​Zach