What Caught My Eye This Week

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I read tons of blogs.  Tons. I wish I could put down the blogs sometimes and pick up my books more, but there is something so captivating about seeing what culinary feats and feasts people come up with, and it’s instant gratification.  Click, click, click. There is always something novel and great to drool over which is why I love reading blogs.

Here are a few gems I’ve seen this week around the sphere:

Paula’s Nutella and Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Party Dip

Nutella and Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Party Dip

 

Caroline’s Spinach Artichoke Dip with Feta

Spinach Artichoke Dip with Feta

 

Helene’s Mixed Berry Trifle with Almond Lemon Cake

Mixed Berry Trifle with Almond Lemon Cake

 

Evan’s Apricot Energy Marathon Bites

Apricot Energy Marathon Bites

I love Balls & Bites and have a whole post of my own recipes and favorites.

Rachel’s Nutella Fruit & Nut Bars

Nutella Fruit & Nut Bars

Need more Granola Bar Ideas?  Check out my Granola, Granola Bar, & Oats Recipes Post

Amanda’s Watermelon Roll

Watermelon Roll

 

Joy’s Butterscotch Pudding with Carmelized Bananas and Cream

Butterscotch Pudding with Carmelized Bananas and CreamI have a Vegan Bananas Foster recipeAlcoholic, brown sugared bananas make my heart go pitter patter.

And my tastebuds weren’t the only thing drooling this week.  Here are some more cerebral gems:

Kath’s Post on Lightroom and Blogging

Gena’s Top 10 Tips for New Bloggers

Angela’s Kicking the Pop Habit: 1 Year Later

From my last post about Big Produce, I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only one who’s noticed how big food has gotten.  GMO much?

And always fun to hear about your must-have items at the grocery store and what you’re more flexible on.  Sometimes being flexible on things like Fuji apples vs. gala apples can save you a considerable amount of cashola.

All those posts around the sphere made me hungry for dessert.  Maybe a No Bake Toffee & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bite

No Bake Toffee & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites on cake stand

Questions:

1. What blogs do you read?  Why?

I love going to blogs with beautiful photographs.  They make me go back for more.

I also enjoy reading not only “healthy living” blogs, but baking blogs, and what I’d call “traditional food” blogs.  Blogs that use butter and cream and sugar and aren’t afraid to cook with liberal amounts of it.

I may not make what they make or necessarily eat everything they do, but I can appreciate their recipes and passion for food and cooking.  Usually these bloggers love to cook for the sake of cooking and appreciate food in all its glory, and can really cook or bake.  The true “foodies” of the world.

For over a year, I feel into the trap of reading only the same types of blogs.   The same 25 or 50 that many of my readers probably read but in the past 6 months or so, I’ve tried to break out of that loop a bit and branch out and read a wider array of blogs.  I don’t like to label my own diet, and similarly, I don’t like to put a label on the types of blogs I read.  And it’s been great!  I’ve loved really finding what blogs are out there, beyond just healthy living or healthy & fitness related blogs.

2. Have you discovered any great new-to-you blogs lately?

If you drop in more than 3 links, your comment will go into moderation.

3. Have you seen any recipes or posts lately that really have you inspired?   What has caught your eye?

Have a great weekend!

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Comments

    1. I just checked out your tumblr. VERY COOL! And i had seen simplybrek’s blog before, too. Straight to the point and just pics. Love it.

  1. I definitely gravitate towards blogs with pictures!

    Random question: I have been wanting to make your chocolate covered oreo balls, however I don’t eat dairy. Im wondering, how strong is the taste of the cream cheese in these? I am thinking about using Tofutti better than cream cheese, however if the cream cheese taste is strong I might not because Tofutti doesn’t taste amazing…

    1. Not super strong, no. I think you’d be fine with Tofutti. I mean, if you hate Toffuti, it’s not the recipe for you but as long as you are ok w/ it, i think youll love them!

  2. I read a ton of blogs too. I love healthier blogs mostly because I find if I read too many not so healthy blogs I tend to want to go to my kitchen and bake brownies and other things like that all day. That doesn’t stop me though, they’re all in my feed reader because I love the pictures and the drool worthiness of them all. I love the art in it.

  3. I read SO many blogs!! I only really read blogs with photos! And I like blogs where you can see the personality of the person shinning through. Plus I like ones that are a bit different (not oatmeal every single day!!) I read a lot of vegan and raw blogs, mainly because it’s easy to make vegan recipe because they are dairy free!!

    Anywhoo, have a beautiful weekend!!

  4. the watermelon roll is CRAZY! i like to read blogs that share about themselves a bit without showing me every morsel that enters their mouth lol. elana’s pantry had some good adds this week and i too was captivated by evan’s apricot energy bites but post lent since i gave up fruit for the season ;)

  5. I read hundreds of blogs. I wish I had time to read more! I love looking at the food and reading stories of life, getting recipe inspiration, and learning new things. All of the recipes you highlighted look amazing! Drool. :)

  6. Those pictures of food are incredible!

    I like blogs with nice pictures, but also blogs that have people that I like — they may not have the best recipes, but they are likeable to me, real to me, and I enjoy that! Averie I like your blog because although you eat differently than me, I still enjoy your recipes and reading about what you do day to day! I love seeing your pictures get better and better and I think it is great that you found a new passion!

    What is helping me this week is joining Twitter and “meeting” people on there and finding blogs that way — you can learn a lot about someone by what they post on there and I love it!

    1. thank you, Holly, for the sweet words.

      Twitter. Still trying almost 2 yrs later to figure it out and not get overwhelmed!

  7. I read blogs that inspire me…inspire me in the kitchen, in life, to dream, to exercise etc.
    The blogging world has so much to offer; it is such a great community with endless resources.

  8. Thanks for all the great links, Averie! I read so many blogs now that I don’t have enough time to post on my own as much as I’d like! Haha!! It’s all good….

    1. your comments are the BEST! Krista, thank you, for ALWAYS taking the time to comment on my posts…seriously, you are just superwoman!

      :)

  9. I read so many blogs – I read the healthy living/food blogs (like Kath, Tina, and Caitlin just to name a few larger ones), one that I’ve recently found is healthfulpursuit.com (love Leanne!) and makingitworkmom.com (HILARIOUS mom blog!)

    1. Aw Chelsey you’re so sweet! I love you too! Seriously though, check out her blog, it’s awesome.
      Hmm… I follow 57 blogs now and I read each of them line by line. I wish I could keep a counter of how many words I read a day. Screw books, blogs are better. I follow an array of different types – health, food – vegan, raw, food journal style… I like to follow the blogs where I get to know the blogger behind them. The pictures don’t have to be fantastic (although I really enjoy the photography on OhSheGlows). I also like to follow people through transitions in their diet. I’m a nutritionist so I get all happy inside when people find health!

      1. Leanne, your blog is awesome, love your easy but awesome recipes.

        And Chelsey thanks for the makingitworkmom info!

  10. I read too many blogs, it makes me late for things! i spend way too much time blogging. But luckily they help keep me inspired and make my blog even better. your blog is one on my main list! :)

  11. I am loving when you do a post like tihis! I think it’s nice too that you share other blogs by doing this! Your photos with the lightroom are amazng, and CONGRATS on getting them on foodgawker!!! Well featured I mean on there!!

    Love ya girl and thanks for your SWEET comment about me on Gabrielas blog, You are awesome as well ; )

    katie xo

  12. Definitely some amazing eats out there this week!

    I’d say #1 is personality for me. The blog has to have REASON behind it and a true passion for whatever they’re blogging about. Pictures, of course, are crucial, and I really enjoy blogs that have at least decent picture quality. On the same note as personality, I like getting to KNOW the blogger… they need a presence outside the blog whether it’s in Twitter, other blogs, email, or whatever!

  13. what beautiful recipes. I love prictures too, I think they say so much about a person. Their creativity, their heart.

  14. i’m with you, averie – love love reading blogs. addiction? yes! (hey, better than diet coke, right?!)
    i read healthy living blogs and running blogs. and lots of ’em.
    thanks for the recipe links! so many great ideas out there.
    have a wonderful weekend – hope you get sunshine and warm temps!