Southport resident superstar, Kathleen Ashmore is a social media sensation with 2 million followers on Tik Tok. After a successful career in the food world that includes a life-changing dream job at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia; this trained chef and recipe developer made a pandemic pivot. While focusing on raising her 2 children but feeling unfulfilled, Kat turned to social media as a creative outlet in the summer of 2020. Combing her culinary expertise with this new platform to educate and inspire, an unexpected career was simmering.
With a focus on healthy eating, Kathleen’s philosophy is that food should still be fun and exciting. She wants to change that diet culture mindset from what you’re taking away to instead, spotlight what you’re adding to your plate. This was the impetus for her wildly popular Hungry Lady Salad series. She started to create big abundant salads changing what people think a salad should be and it resonates. Her loyal followers continue to grow seeking her easy to make nutrient dense meals and advice. Kathleen’s number one tip is to stick to preparation. She recommends taking just 30 minutes a week to meal plan and making a grocery list to cover it. Then immediately wash, prep and store healthy snacks and produce so they are ready to go when you and your family are hungry.
Kat Can Cook and she’s just getting started. Soon she will add author to the mix with her debut cookbook coming next year. For more delicious healthy recipes be sure to find @kat_can_cook on Instagram and @katcancook on Tik Tok.
Perfect for cold winter nights, check out Kat's hearty 'meal-in-a-bowl' soup recipe:
White Bean and Chicken Sausage Soup with Greens
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large carrots, diced
4 cups raw spinach
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
28 oz. can whole tomatoes, crushed with fingers
12 oz. chicken sausages, sliced and cut into half moons
2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
8 cups vegetable stock or water or mix of both
Juice from 1⁄2 a lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper
Fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Heat the oil in a stockpot, add the onion, garlic, and carrots, and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the chicken sausage and continue to cook until browned, 3-5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin, paprika, ginger, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste, and stir for another minute until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, white beans and vegetable stock and stir well. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add juice from half of a lemon and the spinach, and turn off the heat.
To serve, ladle in shallow bowls and top with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
