Let’s get this challenge started!

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Project Food Blog is Foodbuzz’s newest foodie challenge that will last until December 13th!  It’s kind of like Iron Chef meets Project Runway… a reality show for the bloggers!  Over the course of ten challenges, the Foodbuzz publishing network + YOUR VOTES will whittle down the entries to one Foodbuzz Food Blog Star.

 

Challenge #1 is simple:  introduce yourself to all your readers + all the fans of the Foodbuzz network and sum up why you believe you’ve got what it takes to be the winner.

 

I like to think of myself as a food blogger for the masses.  I have no legit culinary training.  I don’t own an expensive blender or fancy pots.  When I want to boil eggs, I have to Google instructions.  I’ve burnt more homemade crotons than I care to admit.  BUT – I have FUN with cooking, and I love to experiment with new ingredients, tastes, and textures! 

 

I am an Everywoman Foodie Chef.  Basically – if I can do it, so can you!

 

When I was 10, I told my mom I wanted to become a vegetarian (it took a few tries before I stuck with it for good).  She was concerned that I would just end up eating Oreos and pizza, so she bought me my favorite first cookbook, which I still own:

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In the back is my first official recipe:

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I guess that recipe for Honey Potatoes pretty much sums up my cooking philosophy.  Take simple ingredients and simple cooking methods and – TADA! – you can create amazing, healthy, and delicious meals.

 

You will NEVER see ingredient lists a mile long on my recipe page.  I hate it when you buy a cookbook and end up never using it because all the recipes require 20 different ingredients that you don’t already own.  I’m all for branching out – but cooking shouldn’t be rocket science.  Real, homemade food can be simple and delicious! 

 

To me, the most basic ingredient in every recipe is imagination.  I love flipping through cooking magazines, reading other blogs, and re-imagining my favorite childhood meals to create exciting, fresh dishes.   You’ve got to eat three (or five!) times a day – why not making it exciting?

 

What you get when you combine IMAGINATION and SIMPLE INGREDIENTS?

 

Fun, accessible dishes that everyone can make and enjoy!

 

Like… Pancake Truffles!

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Baked Wonton Cookies!

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Bean and Olive Dip!

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Biscuit Casserole!

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I’ll conclude Challenge #1 by saying this: Really good food should be really FUN to make… and eat!  I want to be your next Food Blog Star to spread the word:  Healthy doesn’t mean boring – and it doesn’t necessarily mean complicated.

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Voting starts next week!  I can’t wait to read all the other great entries on the Project Food Blog website.

 

If you had a health or food-related reality show, what would be the name?  Mine would be called  KISS the Cook:  Keep It Simple, Silly!, and it would be all about healthy cooking! :)  Obviously, Maggie would be my sous chef.

{ 96 comments }

 

  • Freya (Brit Chick Runs) September 15, 2010, 3:39 pm

    I love your intro! One of the best ones yet 😀
    Oh my, naming my own show…that’s too hard! I like your cooking show name, maybe I’ll steal that one and make my millions 😛

  • megan September 15, 2010, 3:43 pm

    great post! Everyone’s entries are so unique and well written!

  • Heather (heather's dish) September 15, 2010, 3:45 pm

    so cute! my name is lame, but it’d be something like Healthy Texan…Texas comfort foods with a healthy twist! wheeeee 🙂

  • Allie (Live Laugh Eat) September 15, 2010, 3:45 pm

    You really do make cooking as simple as can be yet still nutritious and amazeballs.

    I love your dress!

    • Jazz September 15, 2010, 6:20 pm

      Amazeballs.. I just laughed outloud in the library – good thing I’m the librarian…

  • Jo @JAGSfitnessblog.com September 15, 2010, 3:45 pm

    Love your intro Caitlin, that’s exactly how I see you just from reading your blog.

  • Holly @ couchpotatoathlete September 15, 2010, 3:46 pm

    I love your cooking show name! I hope you get it one day 🙂

    I have no idea what my show’s name would be — I am pretty good at coming up with creative names for stuff, but it takes me forever to think of something. I’m probably going to wake up tonight at 2am and wake up my husband to tell him my genius name for my cooking show 🙂

  • Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life) September 15, 2010, 3:46 pm

    Love your intro! I also like hat you swapped the last ‘S’ in KISS to ‘silly’… instead of stupid 😉

    I totally don’t deserve a cooking show yet… especially because I usually forget ingredients, have to improvise, or run to the store… but I’m working on it@

  • Jessica @ The Process of Healing September 15, 2010, 3:47 pm

    LOVE IT!

  • Kristina @ spabettie September 15, 2010, 3:47 pm

    I always love when MAGGIE is featured! 🙂 She’d make a great chef.

    oreos and pizza… hee hee!

    fun post 🙂

  • ari September 15, 2010, 3:48 pm

    NAILED IT! totally how i see you, and how i think it should be.

  • Maria September 15, 2010, 3:49 pm

    Cute post/photos! I am with you on every one of your points! I mostly avoid cookbooks because I usually have to go buy ingredients (which ultimately, I will forget one or two and get immediately frustrated). Long ingredient lists and complicated cooking methods make my head spin – I’d definitely watch your show 🙂

  • grocery goddess jen September 15, 2010, 3:51 pm

    Maggie would be an excellent helper. I love your blog and definitely enjoy your outlook and recipes and dog pictures.

  • Stacey (The Habit of Healthy) September 15, 2010, 3:58 pm

    I love it when you said you are a food blogger for the masses – this is so true (in a good way obvs!). I have tried your balsamic reduction and your quinoa crunch breakfast topper. Both were super easy to make and both worked so thanks for the great recipes. I will be sure to try some more of your creations, including the famous pancake truffles and that darn tasty looking french toast you make!!

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:42 pm

      Yay I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the recipes you’ve tried!

  • Sarah for Real September 15, 2010, 4:03 pm

    Hmm… Mine would be a raging failure and would be called something like, Obsessed Mu(n)ch? Get it? Har har har

    LoL, I tend to be a perfectionist when it comes to cooking, both in technique and with results so I rarely think I’ve got anything good enough to share.

  • Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman September 15, 2010, 4:06 pm

    This was great, but I think that last photo was my favorite part. I vote for you to make that the main photo in your blog sidebar. It’s so you.

  • Jess @ NZ Girl Runs September 15, 2010, 4:06 pm

    I have little to no creativity when it comes to names, but mine would be something like “food you can’t mess up!”. I think a lot of the time people are scared to try cooking because the don’t want to mess up and start again or have to work out something new to cook. My cooking style is very simple and it CAN’T be messed up. I’m a bit of a Rachel Ray in that I don’t use measuring cups or spoons, and I’ve never had a recipe turn out bad.

  • Tina September 15, 2010, 4:09 pm

    I have to say you top my lists. I love how you keep things simple, creative, and fun. And present it in such an easy to relate to manner. You’re just awesome all around, Caitlin. 🙂

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:46 pm

      Thanks Tina!

  • Lisa September 15, 2010, 4:15 pm

    It sounds like we have a similar food philosophy. I have to google how to do stuff too and I can’t even number how many recipes I’ve ruined!

  • Erin September 15, 2010, 4:15 pm

    Love the intro Caitlin! You continue to inspire me and I really appreciate your work 🙂

    • Erin September 15, 2010, 4:16 pm

      Oh and PS. I’m so glad i’m not alone in having to google how to boil eggs :p

      • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:46 pm

        Heheh eggs can be tricky! And thanks.

  • Hedda September 15, 2010, 4:19 pm

    You got my vote, Caitlin! 🙂
    Your blog is amazing in every possible way, and I love your attitude towards cooking. It is important to reach out to people who struggle with their daily time schedule – they need quick and understandable recipes that result in delicious and healthy food.

    If I had a TV show about health I would make it my mission to promote positive body-image, and to change our perspective of health to include more than just the weight. Show that healthy and beauty comes in different shapes and sizes, and that being unique is absolutely fabolous.
    The name? Hmm, tricky question for a mind tired from reading anthropology all day. How about Embrace Life.
    Simple as that – embrace all the opportunities life has to offer. Be thankful for being alive and being able to experience.
    As Mother Theresa said : ” Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it. “

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:47 pm

      You need a show!

  • eri September 15, 2010, 4:22 pm

    love the intro! i totally feel you on lengthy ingredient lists! i’ll be like, “ooh, i wanna make that!” then look at the ingredients and realize i have only 2 out of the 15 ingredients listed and i’ll get discouraged and not attempt it at all! and i really like your show title. i’d watch it! :p

  • Chelsea @ Strawberry Sweat September 15, 2010, 4:22 pm

    This is definitely a good intro to your cooking style. I definitely like the simpler recipes. Often the complicated ones don’t taste as good!

    I’m not sure what I’d call my cooking show. I’d have to think about that one…maybe something like Relax and Cook!

  • Little Bookworm September 15, 2010, 4:24 pm

    Love the intro – great post Caitlin!

  • Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter September 15, 2010, 4:31 pm

    Yay! Great post! I just ate your baked tofu. Omigosh it was absolutely delicious. The only thing I had to buy was the tofu itself, but I was going to buy it anyways 🙂

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:49 pm

      <3 yay perfect tofu is so good!

  • Veronica September 15, 2010, 4:32 pm

    Loved this post – but most of all I loved that DRESS in the last picture. Please tell me the designer! Its gorgeous.

    I’d love to be a food blogger, only..I hate taking pictures of my food. That would get tedious. Instead, I just like to talk about food! And make it! And eat it!

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 4:32 pm

      TARGET, baby!!!

  • Camille September 15, 2010, 4:33 pm

    I think my show would be called “Chocolate and Lettuce” and it would be about baking and eating healthy!

  • Lindsay September 15, 2010, 4:36 pm

    That last picture is PRICELESS! I love when you can feel the happiness in a photo – you and Maggie are obviously so happy together 🙂

  • hippierunner September 15, 2010, 4:41 pm

    The challenges should be fun to observe! I like your title. Hmm, I can’t think of one I’d want to commit myself to though, haha!

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) September 15, 2010, 4:42 pm

    Great post. Healthy food should be simple and delicious!

  • Nicole of Raspberry Stethoscope September 15, 2010, 4:43 pm

    Beautiful dress!

  • Catherine September 15, 2010, 4:44 pm

    Excellent intro! Very entertaining and well-written.

    Where did you get that dress? It’s so cute!

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:49 pm

      Target is awesome!

  • Maria Albo September 15, 2010, 4:50 pm

    Beautiful pic!

  • elliebelle September 15, 2010, 4:51 pm

    The pic of you and Maggie is adorable!

  • Kelly September 15, 2010, 4:55 pm

    I love your recipes. I’ve made so many of them and changed them to my own tastes very easily! I hate complicated recipes too!

  • Nicole September 15, 2010, 4:56 pm

    You and your blog are so fabulous. I love your positivity!

  • Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) September 15, 2010, 5:01 pm

    I loooooove that picture of you and Mag’s. You can see how much she loves her momma 😉

    I love your philosophy in the kitchen. I love cooking. Like LOVE cooking, but sometimes when there’s too much muss and fuss it makes me not want to even bother. Simple is better. Always.

    I love when people ask me what seasonings I used in a particular and my answer is almost always… salt & pepper. Then they say… ‘really?! it’s so flavorful!’ Yep, salt and pepper 😉 I like to develop flavor with good oil, garlic, onions… pretty much flavor my cooking with veggies.

  • Val @ Balancing Val September 15, 2010, 5:03 pm

    Mine would be something like.

    Simplicity . . .

    Something to the point and minimal 🙂

    Im off to check the foodbuzz blogs out. Good Luck!

  • loreejo September 15, 2010, 5:04 pm

    REALLY cute! and i LOVE that maggie is getting so much face-time! 🙂 good luck!

  • Ellen@FirednFabulous September 15, 2010, 5:07 pm

    Oh lord, I can’t cook. Which is why I love the you keep things simple and tasty. Maybe mine would be: Food from Fired ‘n’ Fabulous. (Fab food on a budget!) hehe

    Ohh and Caitlin, I tried emailing you back, but it didn’t send. I can’t believe I didn’t know you went to Clemson! I was probably leaving just as you were getting there…graduated in 2003!

  • Allison K September 15, 2010, 5:16 pm

    I LOVE your dress!

  • Halley (Blunder Construction) September 15, 2010, 5:27 pm

    I always have to look up how to hard boil eggs… everysingletime. I can’t get it through my head for some reason. I love this project(and the accompanying photoshoot), can’t wait follow the challenges.

  • Laurie September 15, 2010, 5:27 pm

    Great intro! Love the picture of you and Maggie! She’s not spoiled is she??? 🙂

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:50 pm

      My little baby girl!

  • sarah k. @ the pajama chef September 15, 2010, 5:28 pm

    how cute! and i love your young handwriting. mine looked similar… so bubbly!

  • Sana September 15, 2010, 5:29 pm

    Crap I am pretty sure I left a comment on this post but it may have been on another blog. I have blog ADD.
    ANYWAYS!
    I love your blog because you make healthy living simple and less like an infomercial with 3 easy payments 😉

  • JenATX September 15, 2010, 5:35 pm

    HA! Caitlin, you really did a good job of showing your personality in this post. I love the humor (KISS the cook, Maggie being the sous chef, having to Google how to boil an egg). Great way to start the FoodBuzz contest!
    Anyway, my show would be about trying healthy things at restaurants 1. because i love to eat out 2. because the show would probably pay for me to go to fabulous restaurants 3. because i LOVE to skim through restaurant menus & find my favorite items on the menu

  • Laine @ Beets, Butter & Moutaintops September 15, 2010, 5:39 pm

    I hope you win! For Maggie’s sake.

  • dotsie September 15, 2010, 5:54 pm

    That is an AWESOME photo of you and Maggie!!

  • Bee Goes Bananas September 15, 2010, 5:55 pm

    How cute are you? Those pancake truffles look INCREDIBLE!

  • Annie@stronghealthyfit September 15, 2010, 5:56 pm

    Great entry- good luck in the contest! You’re one of my favorite food bloggers 🙂

  • Jasmine @ Eat Move Write September 15, 2010, 6:02 pm

    Very cute. Your cooking philosophy and mine are the same. 🙂

  • Charlie September 15, 2010, 6:31 pm

    I love your entry! I actually thought about making your pancake truffles this morning but decided to make them an other day (easy weekend breakfast!).

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:51 pm

      let me know how you like them! they are my favorite recipe ever.

  • yummiee cupcake September 15, 2010, 6:46 pm

    i hope you win! love this post!!

  • Caitlin @ Right Foot Forward September 15, 2010, 6:50 pm

    I LOVE the pictures that you included in this post! Especially the one with Maggie 🙂

  • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 7:00 pm

    Google is my sous chef. I’ve yet to man-up and hard boil an egg!

  • Kelly September 15, 2010, 7:06 pm

    Love the pic of you and Maggie at the end!

  • Jessica (Fit and Clean) September 15, 2010, 7:09 pm

    I think we’re the same in some respects…I was supposed to have a workout blog, but it morphed into a clean eating food blog…I’m the kind of person that didn’t learn how to boil water until college, LOL! I also hate recipes with tons of ingredients. It’s mindboggling! 😉 You look fantastic in your pictures and I wanted to wish you good luck 😀

  • Dee September 15, 2010, 7:13 pm

    I second yummiee cupcake! 🙂

  • Michele September 15, 2010, 7:25 pm

    Love it – can’t wait for the voting to begin.

    Amazeballs? LOL

  • Meredith September 15, 2010, 7:35 pm

    I hope you win. You are my favorite healthy living blogger because you’re honest, don’t pretend to be perfect, creative, and insightful. Good luck!

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:51 pm

      Thanks Meredith – that is really sweet.

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin September 15, 2010, 7:52 pm

    I always love how easy your recipes are! I don’t have the time or patience to make recipes that involve a gazillion ingredients and complicated cooking recipes. 😛

  • Laura (Starloz) September 15, 2010, 8:26 pm

    i love your simple recipes!

  • Laura Ann September 15, 2010, 8:33 pm

    I hope you win – you’ve got my vote! I’ve only been reading for 6 months or so, but I absolutely love it. Your recipes, your stories, your volunteer work. I love reading about your successes and struggles. It really comes across in the blog how much you care about your readers.

    I totally relate to your beginnings of going veggie. I was in my early teens when I first realized I didn’t want to eat meat, and I also tried a couple of times before it took hold. My mom had the same concerns as yours and bought me ‘The teen’s guide to going vegetarian.’ We are so fortunate to have such supportive moms!

    Good luck to you!

    • Caitlin September 15, 2010, 9:53 pm

      thank you so much! 🙂 🙂

  • Lily @ Lily's Health Pad September 15, 2010, 8:55 pm

    I love reading these entries! I enjoy reading your blog for all the reasons you mentioned. I like SIMPLE meals.

  • Natalie September 15, 2010, 9:00 pm

    I like it because you show how easy it can be to throw together something healthy and your instructions make it seem do-able!

  • Wei-Wei September 15, 2010, 9:04 pm

    Your post is so cuuuuute! I just love that first photo of you. I didn’t know that you had vegetarian inclinations from so early on – I wish my mom was as supportive as yours.

  • maria @ Chasing the Now September 15, 2010, 9:43 pm

    Yours is my favorite entry I’ve read so far! 🙂

  • Lauren September 16, 2010, 12:15 am

    i have that cookbook! it’s the same one my mom bought me when i told her i wanted to be a vegetarian in high school.

  • Amber K September 16, 2010, 10:33 am

    I love the title KISS, Keep It Simply, Silly!

    I HATE it when recipes include a ton of ingredients even if I do have them, but it’s even worse when you don’t even own half of them.

    With each new entry I see though, this contest is going to be hard! So many of my favorite bloggers are involved!

  • Sue September 16, 2010, 12:13 pm

    I agree! I hate finding a good recipe only to find I need to go out and buy a bunch of ingredients. Those pancake truffles look yummy!

  • suki September 16, 2010, 12:17 pm

    Great intro. It certainly makes cooking seem less of a daunting task. 🙂

  • Dez @ Dezolutions September 16, 2010, 1:10 pm

    I became a strict vegetarian this year, I have since started introducing organic poultry back into my diet once or twice a month. I naturally gravitate to vegetarian meals by default. Sometimes, cause I’m too lazy to defrost the chicken. Can you imagine, being a vegetarian from laziness 🙂

    BUT, I have since created a tab on my blog for SUPER easy yummy vegetarian recipes for dummies:
    http://dezolutions.com/vegetarian-receipes-for-dummies/

    AND if I may recommend a few SUPER easy cookbooks:
    – Hungry Girl 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories
    – Now Eat This by Rocco Dispirito

    They have a pretty easy ingredient list (sometimes roccos is a little longer).

    And a subscription to Cooking Light, you get a healthy mostly vegetarian recipes sent to your house every month! You’ll never be bored!

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) September 16, 2010, 1:21 pm

    I love Maggie as a sous chef but you’d need to bring the ironing board into the kitchen.

    My food show would be called….That’s healthy? It’s what Hunni says to me half the time when I cook because they taste decadent but he knows they aren’t.

  • Arlene @ Adventures in Weight Loss September 16, 2010, 2:04 pm

    OMG — you definitely have my vote. Love the pancake truffle and wonton cookie recipe ideas. I’m going to print them out and try them ASAP, because they both seem to be CarbLovers Diet friendly.

  • Ashley @ Getting Stronger, Burning Fat September 16, 2010, 2:05 pm

    Good Luck! Awesome idea

  • sippitysup September 16, 2010, 4:43 pm

    Came to check out the competition. You look strong! Good Luck! GREG

  • Stylish1 September 17, 2010, 3:11 pm

    Awesome job Caitlin and you’re right! Healthy should mean fun not “spending hours in different super markets trying to find 1 ingredient”!

  • stephchows September 20, 2010, 10:55 am

    YUM!! totally voting for ya 🙂

  • melissa September 20, 2010, 10:16 pm

    I’m voting for you all the way. I’m glad you re-posted this link because I missed it the first time around. Good luck!

  • Jacob's Kitchen September 21, 2010, 5:52 pm

    Great post! Your food looks really fantastic. So creative, and nicely presented. Pancake truffles? Genius! I look forward to reading more in the future. I voted for you! =)

    Good luck!

    You can check out my PFB post at : http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/1/view/503

  • Lea @ Healthy Coconut September 22, 2010, 6:04 pm

    Caitlin, you post is so fun and bubbly. Your personality really shows thru. Good luck on the competition.

    My reality show will be called “Coco for You” or something using coconut in the name. “The Healthy Coconut show”? “Coco nutty for you”? lol

    ok I better get off the comment field before I fill it up with silly names.

  • Lick My Spoon September 22, 2010, 7:14 pm

    Pancake truffles, what a novel concept! Just voted for you, can’t wait to see what’s in store in upcoming weeks!

    Lick My Spoon

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