Shelley L. Nadel, CFP®, CLTC®, LUTCF, brings a fresh perspective to the way we think about money in her new book, The Wealth Recipe: A Culinary Guide to Financial Power. Blending her experience as a financial planner with her love of the kitchen, Nadel shows how financial decisions can become more manageable when explained through the language of food. Her opening chapter introduces the idea that, just like preparing a great meal, building lasting money skills often requires the right tools, techniques, and timing. Preparation, balance, and planning—these are the ingredients that can help fuel both a delicious dish and a more confident approach to money.
Nadel doesn’t lecture from a stage—she teaches from the kitchen counter. Her Food and Finance with Shelley™ brand has included professionally produced videos, speaking engagements, and now, a book that brings it all together. With signature kitchen metaphors, she makes concepts accessible without oversimplifying them.
A Plan You Can See
The most vivid parts of The Wealth Recipe come from its simple, practical frameworks. Planning is like making guacamole: start with a strong base, then fine-tune the texture and seasoning to suit your taste. In the same way, each household may need a blend of income, savings, spending, and insurance that can be adjusted to life’s evolving realities. By anchoring planning with a recipe, Nadel seeks to break down barriers and encourage readers to take action.
Her focus on women is especially notable. While women often control much of household wealth and entrepreneurship, many report lower confidence and frustrating experiences with advisors. Nadel’s approach aims to empower: build literacy first, create a plan, then seek partnership as needed. Readers who’ve felt overlooked or excluded might find her voice more inviting.
Preparing the Kitchen for Success
Like a cook laying out ingredients, Nadel emphasizes careful preparation over improvisation. She translates this into action steps that resemble recipe cards: gather your information, understand how the pieces can work together, follow the sequence, set a real deadline, and adapt as needed. The effect is gently powerful—readers can feel that progress is within reach.
Rethinking Debt: Choosing Healthy Ingredients
Nadel’s chapter on debt avoids making readers feel ashamed. She compares debt to the role of fats in a recipe: when chosen wisely—like using avocado in chocolate pudding—you can still enjoy the richness without compromising the dish. But the wrong fats, or too much of them, may overpower and cause harm. In the same way, not all debt is necessarily bad, but managing it with care can make a significant difference. Nadel walks readers through repayment strategies such as the “debt avalanche,” showing how focusing on high-interest balances first could help restore balance and improve the overall plan.
Selecting Investment Ingredients
Investing becomes a tasting menu in Nadel’s hands. Asset classes are the ingredients, and factors like company size, sector, and geography add variety. Diversification is like plating a balanced meal: complementary pieces come together to create strength and resilience. Readers leave with a clearer sense of how to construct a portfolio—without feeling burdened by jargon.
Cutting Clean, Serving Sweet
Taxes, often overlooked, are the knives of the financial kitchen—essential tools that make every job more precise. Nadel explains how tax-deferred, after-tax, and tax-free strategies can work together to create efficiency over a lifetime. Risk management, meanwhile, is like dessert—her blueberry pie analogy makes it approachable and memorable, reminding readers that balance and perspective matter.
Serving Retirement in Courses
Retirement planning is served in two stages: accumulation (gathering and stocking) and distribution (serving and savoring in the right order). Nadel illustrates how timing withdrawals may help prevent the pantry from running dry too soon—just as running out of eggs in the middle of baking can disrupt the entire recipe.
Health, Longevity, and the Sweet Finish
Nadel doesn’t shy away from the challenging topic of healthcare in retirement. She explains that Medicare Parts A, B, and D provide the main course—essential and sustaining—but they rarely form a complete meal on their own. Supplemental coverage, whether through Medigap or employer-sponsored plans, adds the finishing touch, much like a carefully chosen dessert that rounds out the experience. Long-term care is another aspect of that sweet course—something ideally planned for early so it’s ready when the time comes. By addressing these needs in advance, readers may safeguard both their savings and dignity, ensuring that their later years remain secure and fulfilling.
Why It Resonates
The warmth in Nadel’s writing reflects her 18 years of guiding clients. Her food metaphors work because they feel natural—familiar comparisons that transform complex ideas into accessible lessons. By the final chapter — “Your financial feast awaits” — readers leave with the confidence that they can create a plan that works for them.
Book Details
The Wealth Recipe: A Culinary Guide to Financial Power
By Shelley L. Nadel, CFP®, CLTC®, LUTCF
In association with and edited by Terri S. Heath; illustrations by Catherine Heath
© 2025, Artisan Publishing. All rights reserved.
Disclosures: Securities offered through Lion Street Financial, LLC (LSF), Member FINRA and SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Csenge Advisory Group. Lion Street Financial is not affiliated with Radian Partners, LLC. View full disclosures and links within the book.
Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice. The strategies and concepts discussed are intended to provide general guidance on financial literacy and planning. Individual financial situations may vary, and it is recommended that readers consult with a certified financial planner or other qualified professional before making any financial decisions. The author and publisher do not guarantee specific results or outcomes from following the suggestions in this article.
