About
I’m Kathy, a creative at heart, foodie & curious cook.
Seeker of deliciousness but painfully practical
What drives my process in the kitchen every time, without a doubt?
- Simple methods
- Ease of prep
- Logical steps that make sense
- Innovative flavor profiles
- Make ahead components when possible
- Inventive ingredients that add dimension to flavor such as adding dark chocolate to chili, crushed tortilla chips to a seed bark, or adding a soft ripened cheese to a salad.
- Fun flavor enhancements that make sense (charring veg, using fermented dairy)
- Reinvention of favorites
- Strategic use of spices
- Subtle hacks that speed up the process or add flavor such as using a marinade as a sauce or buying a ready made component.
- Incorporating nutrition goals such as adding fiber, using less sodium
- Less is more, except for spices!
- Inspiration from life, be it a recent meal, a tale from travels, or a flavor I can’t get out of my head.
a few FAQ’s
I’m a lifelong New Englander.
Classic liberal arts degree, followed by exploring courses in graphic design, and more recently UX design and coding. Almost went to cooking school after college, and I probably should have, as I was living in Boston where there were some great chefs rising up 🙂
I spent 25 years in the design industry, first developing apparel, then content and creative direction for an artisan home decor company (more about that through the Linked In link in header).
Currently, an iPhone 16 Pro. I have always loved photography (in an uncomplicated way, just framing a shot, or catching the light in the moment without much forethought), and I finally decided to dedicate some time to sharing my creative and tasty cooking and photography with the world. I may start using a real camera, but I love getting creative with the iPhone, and making it work for me.
How To Make Sweet Potato Gnocchi (No Eggs, No Dairy) because they are so simple and rustic, yet require finesse, and also because beets and sweet potatoes are some of my favorite veggies to eat.
I’m extremely proud of my recipe for Healthy Homemade Granola (5 Tips for the Ultimate Healthy but Tasty Recipe) because lots of cooks love their granola recipes and claim them to be “healthy”, but I took the time to pick apart granola recipes, to discover how healthy they objectively are or are not. Of course “healthy” means different things to different people, but I’ve followed some basic standards to make a truly healthy granola that tastes really good and is super crunchy!
Cumin!
How my story began
After years of working in an office, I’m excited to get out from behind the desk and cook for you.
If I’m being honest, I credit Julia Child and Winnie the Pooh for inspiring my culinary journey, as a child, for it was Winnie’s cookbook that inspired a love of baking popovers for my parents, and Julia’s cooking show that taught me the method behind a great omelet. From there I would riff off of every recipe and basic food I could get my hands on. It was the creative urge that drove me and sustained me in the kitchen through adulthood, marriage, and raising a foodie son. I became that person with a stack of cookbooks on my nightstand and read them like novels, after which, I would create meals based on my memories and impressions from reading the recipes, versus following them verbatim. I had to riff.
A stint at a natural food store in young adulthood further inspired me, as I learned everything I could about nutrition, and what makes food truly nourishing. And it was the time with my son in the kitchen, exploring international cooking that fueled his curiosity about the world, that developed my use of herbs and spices. My career/jobs have always been in the design field and I love to create something from nothing, especially in the kitchen, where a few on-hand ingredients can spark an inspired meal. So, here I am, sharing that love and creativity for great-tasting food that also nourishes you. Aside from that, I think there’s enough structure and routine in life, that we can kick back in the kitchen and have fun!
~Kathy
I love creating all aspects of this recipe website.
I develop the recipes, am the chief tester, writer, photographer, and site designer.
(based on a beautiful template from Heartenmade. Link in footer)
This is a one-woman-run site.