Three Blogs to Eat By

This post could also be called “One of These Things is Not Like the Others.”

In my hours of trolling the internet, looking for dinner inspiration, I’ve come across a few blogs written by encouraging women who have motivated me to cook better, more often, and using “from scratch” ingredients.  Two blogs feature vegan, organic, vegetable laden meals and one, well, let’s just say one makes you want to go to your nearest butcher shop for two pounds of ground beef and then swing by your local bakery for a cupcake.

Here are three blogs that keep my kitchen cooking:

Earthy Andy

I’m not even quite sure how I came across this one (I think it was recommended to me on Instagram), but Andrea, a Hawaiian transplant from Saskatchewan, Canada, overcame her health problems by changing her diet.  She recommends a “raw till four” diet consisting of uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds during the day and one cooked meal in the evening.  Although I’m not certain this lifestyle would work for me (definitely NOT for P), she has some awesome smoothie recipes I’ve incorporated into our day to day routine.  We tried her Koko Samoa Vegan Ice Cream on Labor Day and it was super easy to make in my Vitamix.  I doubled the amount of Medjool dates it called for because we prefer a sweeter taste.  I also can’t help but admire her two son’s awesome surfer dude blond hair.  P hopes someday our kids will be that cool.

Oh Dear Drea

I think Andrea Duclos of Oh Dear Drea is super woman.  Like Earthy Andy, she also used food to treat her health problems.  On top of that, she manages her own blog, wrote and photographed a vegan cookbook, and created homemade products such as dry shampoo and natural deodorant all while initially being a single mother.  Seriously, she has skills.  I haven’t tried any of her dinner recipes yet (I don’t know how P would react to a vegan dinner – he might postpone the wedding) but I did take her advice for her Maca Morning Shaker to help with my wacky hormones.  I wish I could say that I still make my shaker every morning but the practice has kind of fallen by the wayside during the busy workweek.  There’s always tomorrow, right?

The Pioneer Woman

You could say The Pioneer Woman introduced me to the world of blogging.  Without Ree Drummond, I don’t think I would be here, typing away on my computer on my day off, hoping someone reads this post.  I want to BE her – minus the television show.  I don’t think I could do that.  But a cattle ranch, four adorable kids, a hunky cowboy hubby, and my own test kitchen would be perfect.  Also, in case you were wondering, she isn’t vegan or gluten free and didn’t solve any of her health problems with food. (I know, you were getting worried there.  You thought I only ate healthy stuff).

The Pioneer Woman creates fail-safe recipes that you can serve to just about anyone.  It’s comfort food.  It’s good.  And it helps to put that spare tire around your waist.

P and I made her Favorite Meatloaf recipe shortly after we started dating for our friends J & J.  We served it with a salad and a side of cheese grits (P is a true Georgia boy) and it is the best thing we have ever cooked together.  A concoction of Wonder Bread, Parmesan cheese, ground beef, and eggs, wrapped in bacon and smothered in homemade tomato sauce, it is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  And as I said, The Pioneer Woman ain’t never cured any of her health problems with food.

(A beautiful photo collage by J#1 of our meatloaf and grits cooking extravaganza… it seems like ages ago now!)

What blogs inspire you in the kitchen?

Keep cooking,

JUP Girl