Sandra kehoe – stay-at-home mom, photographer and blogger – creates a space on her blog Kitchen Apparel that allows her to share her journey to healthier eating and living with an ever-growing audience. It’s her place to practice photography and keep a virtual food journal and our place to go when we’re in need of some seriously delicious (and healthy) food porn.
She’s not a formally trained chef, nor has she ever taken a photography class. Instead, she’s learned these skills on her own and made her family an integral part of the journey. She’s kind of awesome like that and it’s that inguinity that has made her this month’s feature culinary creative, our Feature Food Innovator.
Can you briefly tell us how you came to do what you do?
A few years ago I quit my corporate job so I could stay at home with my two children. It was after the birth of my second son that I decided I needed to loose some weight and hire a health coach. I quickly rediscovered my love for cooking, and with a little push from friends and family, I took their advice and started a food blog.
Can you share where you find inspiration online?
I get lots of online inspiration from many other wonderful and talented food bloggers. There are way too many to list, but they all continue to inspire me every day.
I see that your blog features a lot of natural food photography & recipes. It’s very organic. Is that on purpose?
I guess you can say I purposefully try to feed my family the best and most nutritious food possible. Sometimes that means growing it myself, but most of the time it means seeking out the best organic and local foods available.
How has your history with food influenced what you cook in your own kitchen?
My history with food was very different from what it is now. I 
think I grew up like most typical Americans, on a diet heavily influenced by processed food. Now in my own kitchen, I choose to make almost everything from scratch, and fermented foods now play a large part in our diet.
What’s the first thing you do when you are coming up with a new dish?
I can’t say that I have many original dishes, but when I am working on something without a recipe, I always try to research the proper methods and procedures. I rely greatly on the book, Essentials of Cooking by James Peterson.
What’s the last thing you do?
With any luck, I’ll be cleaning empty plates after the meal, and subsequently posting a delicious recipe to my blog.
Haha! That’s always my least favorite part – the cleaning! What’s the one thing you just can’t live without in the kitchen?
I’d have to say my wild yeast sourdough starter. So much of what my family eats, depends on this beautiful symbiotic culture.
What’s the one thing you CAN live without in the kitchen?
We could definitely live without mushrooms.
Yes, mushrooms are one of those ingredients, aren’t they? Do you have any food or ingredient obsessions?
Peas, pumpkin, strawberries, tart cherries, lingonberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, chives, ramps, radish sprouts, chard, white peaches, blueberries, wineberries, pine nuts, Meyer lemons, goats milk, cinnamon and cardamom, just to name a few!
Is there anything you refuse to cook with or eat?
I absolutely do not drink soda anymore. If I am craving something carbonated I’ll have some kombucha instead. My kids even enjoy it.
What’s the most interesting or important thing in your food world right now?
Since it is now officially summer time, the most important thing for me is preserving. I’m in a constant state of freezing and caning everything I need to ensure we have fresh and local foods to last us through the winter.
Have you ever had a “WOW” or “ah-ha” moment with food or in the kitchen?
Yes, the very first time I made my own cheese was a “WOW” moment. It was an amazing realization of how easy the process was, and how delicious it tasted.
That’s so creative! What’s been the hardest (and most valuable) lesson you’ve ever learned?
Always check inside the oven before turning it on. Casualties, there have been many.
Every night we recommend a dinner idea for our audience with a drool worthy photograph. What’s your go-to dish for your supper?
In the summer my go-to dish is Zucchini Gratin. There always seem to be lots of extra tomatoes and zucchini out of the garden in the summer, and this dish puts them right to work.
Sweet summer corn is also making an appearance and one of my favorite meals is a Sweet Corn Risotto with homemade farmers cheese.
Both of those look fantastically delicious. We also have a series where people tell us about the last meal they’ll ever eat (if given the option, of course). What would be your last meal ever?
My last meal would be a big plate of steamed blue claw crabs with butter. Ideally I would be eating them on a private island out in the bay, while watching the sunset.
What’s the one thing you would tell someone who is inspiring to follow in your footsteps?
Set your goals, and take it one day and one step at a time. Always be willing to learn and try new things, especially when it comes to food.
Find Sandra Kehoe : Kitchen Apparel | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
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Keep Eating! Keep Innovating!
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