This week on Not From Concentrate, Catherine Smart talks 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.
Catherine and Alana 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 is like to photograph her own cookbooks, navigate the modern food media landscape, and build a creative career that spans blogging, writing, recipe development, and photography.
For listeners interested in ADHD creativity, this conversation explores how personal history, place, memory, and experimentation can shape a creative life in food. Alana talks about the freedom of writing a second cookbook, the challenge of “vegifying” traditional dishes, and how California changed the way she thinks about vegetables.
This food podcast episode also gets into ADHD cooking, including pantry staples, building confidence with unfamiliar flavors, and why cleaning can sometimes be a strategy for calming a busy brain.
In this episode:
Why Hawaii cuisine is far cozier and more comforting than people expect
The surprising challenge of making traditional dishes more vegetable-forward
What Alana always keeps in her pantry
The creative freedom of writing a second cookbook
How California changed the way she thinks about vegetables
Cleaning as a strategy for calming a busy brain
ADHD cooking, creativity, cookbooks, and thoughtful conversations about food and culture
If you love food, Hawaii, cookbooks, creativity, or thoughtful conversations about cooking and culture, this episode is for you.
Not From Concentrate is a food podcast for busy brains from host Catherine Smart — a cook, writer, mom, and creative entrepreneur with ADHD.
Tune in for conversations with chefs, authors, creators, and food lovers about sparking creativity, calming chaos, and finding joy in (and out) of the kitchen +
