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by Catherine Smart
A lot of food, a little bit all over the place. A food podcast from cook/writer/mom/ADHD-er Catherine Smart. Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and neurodivergent food lovers. We talk personal and professional journeys, sparking creativity, calming chaos, and putting our attention where it matters most. Together, we find joy in (and out of) the kitchen.
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Food writer, recipe developer, and longtime meal-planning expert Meghan Splawn joins Catherine to talk about the emotional, practical, and very real work of getting a food budget under control.After realizing her family had spent more than $32,000 in a year on groceries, dining out, coffee, Costco runs, and food in general, Meghan began publicly documenting her effort to cut that spending in half. In this conversation, she shares why tracking is the first step, how food spending can become tangled up with shame and identity, and why budgeting does not have to mean giving up good food.Catherine and Meghan talk about impulse grocery buys, ADHD-friendly systems, low- and no-spend weeks, freezer meals, meal planning without perfectionism, and the joy of using up what you already have. They also get into the “sludge of shame,” unidentified frozen objects, pantry roulette, and why a plate of frozen dumplings and edamame can sometimes save the whole week.This episode is for anyone who loves food, feels overwhelmed by food spending, or wants a calmer, more realistic way to cook at home.In this episode: Why tracking your food spending comes before setting a budget How money and food shame show up in the kitchen Meghan’s food budget diary and weekly tracking system Low-spend and no-spend week strategies Meal planning for people who hate meal planning ADHD-friendly fridge, freezer, and pantry systems Budget-friendly “emergency meals” to keep on hand How to spend less without taking the joy out of food
When Indian food is on the menu at Catherine’s house, it usually means ordering dosa, saag paneer, and cauliflower Manchurian from a favorite local spot. But why do so many of us love eating Indian food while feeling intimidated to cook it at home?This week, Catherine is joined by Auyon and Jyoti Mukharji, the son-mother duo behind Heartland Masala, for a warm, funny, and practical conversation about bringing Indian cooking into your own kitchen.They talk about: Why Indian home cooking doesn’t have to feel overwhelming Building confidence with spices, techniques, and pantry staples Family recipes, tradition, and adaptation across generations What American home cooks often misunderstand about Indian food How Heartland Masala makes this rich culinary tradition more accessible Whether you’ve always wanted to dust off your spice grinder or you’re simply curious to learn more about the depth and diversity of Indian cuisine, this episode is a delicious place to start.Subscribe to the newsletter at catherinesmart.com for companion essays, recipes, and more from Not From Concentrate.
This week, Catherine chats with cookbook author, photographer, and recipe developer Alana Kysar about the rich, comforting world of local Hawaii food — and how she transformed some of Hawaii’s most beloved flavors into vegetable-forward recipes in her new cookbook, Aloha Veggies. They dive into the cultural influences that shape Hawaii’s culinary identity, and why dishes like katsu, laulau, poke, and plate lunches are about so much more than vacation food. Alana also shares what it’s li...
This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine sits down with chef Spencer Horovitz , a 2025 James Beard semifinalist and the founder of Hadeem, a beloved California-Jewish Cuisine concept that's been popping up in San Francisco. But this episode goes far beyond food. Spencer speaks candidly about living and working with ADHD in the high-pressure world of professional kitchens: the burnout, shame, impulsivity, time blindness, and sensory overload — but also the creativity, resilience, and...
In this episode, Catherine sits down with journalist and author of Bread and War Felicity Spector to talk about the role of food in one of the most difficult places on earth right now: war-torn Ukraine. Since 2022, Felicity has been traveling to Ukraine to support grassroots food initiatives—from mobile bakeries feeding frontline communities to chefs creating restaurant-quality meals for soldiers. Her work captures something often missing from headlines: the resilience, ingenuity, and humanit...
This week, Catherine chats with cookbook author and food writer Anna Ansari, whose new book Silk Roads explores the rich, interconnected cuisines stretching from East Asia to the Middle East. Anna’s path to food writing wasn’t exactly linear—she started as an international trade and customs attorney in New York before moving to the UK and finding her way into recipe testing, food writing, and ultimately cookbook authorship. In this conversation, she shares how her background in law, her Irani...
In this episode, Nina Gallant pulls back the curtain on the world of food photography: what actually goes into building a shot, how creative careers evolve, and what it takes to turn artistic work into a sustainable business. balancing creativity with the demands of running a business, building community, and making work that people actually want to pay you for. We also talk about: What a food photographer actually does (beyond taking beautiful pictures) How lighting shapes e...
In this week’s episode, Catherine chats with Ashley Moore, food stylist and senior editor at America’s Test Kitchen, about building a creative career with ADHD—and why the way your brain works might actually be your biggest advantage. Ashley takes us behind the scenes of life at ATK, from fast-paced photo shoots to the precision and organization required to make every recipe (and image) just right. She shares how she found her way into food media, including early experiences working alongside...
A lot of food, a little bit all over the place. A food podcast from cook/writer/mom/ADHD-er Catherine Smart. Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and neurodivergent food lovers. We talk personal and professional journeys, sparking creativity, calming chaos, and putting our attention where it matters most. Together, we find joy in (and out of) the kitchen.
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