It all started with the decadent, heavenly aroma that permeated the house.

I was making chocolate granola. As it cooled, I began gingerly breaking off small chunks to nibble on. Before I knew it, I couldn’t stop grabbing for more. And then almost half of it was gone.

Sound familiar?

As food bloggers, we like to ensure that our recipes are amazing before we share them with readers. We’re obsessed with new flavours, bold tastes and intriguing combinations, and we love to experiment.

Unfortunately, all that testing, tasting and eating can have a beastly impact on our physical (and even emotional) health.

Unless you have a large family to feed or work as a lumberjack, those extra calories are likely going to end up in places you don’t want them to be, like your hips. Or your arteries. Weight gain aside, excess eating can put us at risk for a wide range of other problems including inflammation, diabetes, sleep disorders, fertility issues, heart disease and more.

Eep!

Don’t worry, no need to back away from the spatula just yet. Here are a few tips and tricks to staying healthy when you’re a food blogger.

Taste, don’t devour.

Of course you need to taste your food. But is it necessary to inhale those cheese puffs like a cyclone? Studies like this one and this one show that when we take smaller bites, we eat less and feel more satiated. So take a little sip, spoon a small mouthful or pinch a little bite.

Share the wealth.

Who says you have to eat every last drop of the food you make? Part of the joy of cooking is sharing your creations with others. Give the leftovers away to hungry coworkers, friends and neighbours. They’ll appreciate the gesture, and can even offer you valuable recipe feedback.

The freezer is your friend.

Package up your excess food and leave it in the freezer for a rainy day. I like to batch cook and freeze jars of soup, chilli and stews so I can defrost them later for a no-fuss healthy meal. I also put batches of muffins and cookies in the freezer and pull them out when a sweet craving strikes.

Learn how to store food properly in the freezer (here is a great resource from Mark Bittman to help you do it). Don’t forget to label containers with the date and contents inside. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve put something in a jar and said to myself, ‘I’ll remember what that is. It’s so obvious’. And then gazed at it a month later, scratching my head, without the foggiest notion of what I put in there.

Scale your recipes down.

If you don’t have a large family, try experimenting with recipes that serve two that can be easily doubled or tripled for more people. This works for all kinds of recipes: soups, stews, chilis, pizza, sandwiches, drinks, dips, condiments, and more. That way, you don’t end up with an excessive amount of food to tempt you. This strategy doesn’t work as well for baking, since scaling recipes up or down can impact the end result. But for cooking? Go for it.

Relinquish the quest for perfection.

I know, I know. This can be hard for some of you. While I consider myself a cranky stickler in many areas of my life, I don’t strive for flawlessness when inventing recipes. I use a lot of organic ingredients, and I simply can’t afford to make something eight times. Plus, food waste is one of my biggest pet peeves.

Accepting there is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ recipe will save you from having a heap of chocolate cake on hand that whispers seductively to you in your ear.

Vigorous recipe testing has its place, of course. However, do you need to do that for every single blog post? We all have a tendency to be self-critical. You may feel your chocolate cake needs work, but your neighbour down the street would likely think it’s the best cake she’s ever had.

Eat mindfully.

Sure, we eat for nourishment and enjoyment. However, we also eat when we’re stressed, angry, anxious, lonely, bored or distracted. I encourage you to think about the emotions that drive your eating and how you can overcome them.

It might sound a little hippy-dippy, but being present with your food is a sure-fire way to stop emotional eating in its tracks. This includes chewing well, eating while sitting down, eating slowly and being grateful for your food.

Take the time to experience every aspect of eating, including the way food smells, the way it looks on the plate, the shapes and colours, and how it feels in your mouth.

Move more.

We all know that regular exercise helps us lose weight, feel energized, improve our mood and sleep quality, and enrich our sex lives (wink, wink). If you’re recipe testing, can you find a way to sneak in more physical activity, too? Try going for a 15-minute walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator, attend a yoga class, dance to your favourite tunes or hop on your bike and pedal in the sunshine. Remember, you don’t need to huff and puff at the gym for two hours to benefit from exercise.  Studies show that short bursts of activity add up, too.

Drink lots of water.

Water carries nutrients, proteins, hormones and other chemical signals throughout our bodies. It’s essential to flushing out toxins and reducing inflammation and pain. Water also improves digestion and diminishes hunger, so there are plenty of reasons to drink it. Aim for at least eight to 12 cups a day. Try setting an alarm on your computer or phone, or download an app that reminds you to drink it. You can also fill up a few water bottles or mason jars at the beginning of the day, and keep sipping until they’re empty. Add refreshing elements like cucumber slices, lemon, or berries for more interest and pizzazz.

What health tips would you add to this list?

Sondi Bruner is a holistic nutritionist, freelance writer and food blogger. She educates people who follow allergen-friendly diets about how to eat simply, deliciously and safely, allowing them to rediscover the pleasure of food. When she’s wearing her writer’s hat, she works with natural health brands to create content that will help their customers live fulfilling, healthful lives. Find out more at www.sondibruner.com.

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Roasted Sweet Corn Soup from Sean’s Adventures in Flavortown as seen in the FBC flickr group

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

1000 Member Celebration Wraps Up – with Blurb – for EVERYONE!

We’ve had some great giveaways over the last four weeks to celebrate our 1000 member milestone.  Big thanks to KitchenAid, Jeanine at The Baking Beauties, Canadian Beef, and Corey Mintz and House of Anansi for contributing prizes!

The winner of Corey’s new book, How to Host a Dinner Party, as chosen by random.org,  is…Davindra Ramnarine from Goat Roti Chronicles.  Congratulations! Mardi will be in touch with you shortly for all your details.  For those of you who didn’t win but would still like to get your hands on a copy of Corey’s book, Mardi is doing a giveaway over on her blog that you can check out.

Our final giveaway is coming tomorrow and involves Blurb Books.  We’re very excited about this one because… EVERYONE who’s an FBC Member gets something.  That’s right! No contest, no need to enter, nothing!  So stay tuned for all the details tomorrow… right here!

Top Chef Canada Season 4 Casting Call – NATIONAL

After last week’s finale for Season 3, it’s time for casting to start on Top Chef Canada Season 4.  If you think you’ve got the skills and want to give it a shot, you can apply online at www.topchefcanadacasting.ca.

The Canadian Food Project

Valerie from A Canadian Foodie has started up a unique project celebrating Canadian food and she has amassed 75 other Canadian bloggers to help her out.  They just wrapped up their first month’s topic – “My first authentic Canadian food experience” and she has posted a round up of everyone’s posts who participated.  There’s some great stories and reading to be had to be sure to check out the first roundup and we’ll be posting notices of future roundups so everyone can share in this uniquely Canadian project!

Want to Expand Your Blog’s Audience? – NATIONAL

Do you want some new readers to find you (and who doesn’t??).  Well, we have teamed up with Foodies100 – the UK’s biggest network of food and drink bloggers with over 2500 members.  They want to know more about Canada Day and get to know their Canadian counterparts.  All you have to do is share your favourite Canada Day memory in the comments of this post (log-in required).  Ten comments will be chosen randomly and those ten bloggers will be featured on the Foodies100 Top Ten at Ten.  This is an easy opportunity to get your blog in front of some eyes across the pond!  You have till this Friday to share your memories with us.

Submit Your BBQ Recipes for National BBQ Day – NATIONAL

Have you got a GREAT BBQ recipe?  Would you like to share it for National BBQ Day? Then you should check out this post on National BBQ Day with Meal Exchange.  You don’t have much time but if you have a new (or old) post you want to share, check out the submission guidelines and join in!

BCfresh Warba-licious Recipe Contest – BC & ALBERTA

Members in BC and Alberta have been invited to take part in the 2013 BCfresh Warba-licious New Nugget Recipe Contest from BCfresh.  Four FBC members took all the prizes last year, including the $400 grand prize!  This year still have great prizes with a $100 prize for each category and a $400 grand prize.  Find out all about it here (you don’t need to be a member to participate)

Coming Wednesday…

On Wednesday we’ll have a new post for you from FBC Member and holistic nutritionist, Sondi Bruner, on how to stay healthy and watch your diet, without wasting food when you’re creating food blog content and testing recipes!  For those of you in Vancouver, Sondi is speaking tonight at Health on the Drive at 7pm on Gluten Free Eating on a Budget.  1458 Commercial Drive, Vancouver.

A Reminder: Calling All Writers – NATIONAL

Do you have a great idea for a Wednesday resource post that you think FBC Members would find useful?  Well here’s your chance to pitch it to us.  You can find out what we’re looking for and read our submission guidelines on our Contribute page.  Financial compensation is provided for original content so sharpen your pencils and share your knowledge with our membership!  Please note, we are looking for original content that pertains to blogging tips and resources.  Unfortunately, at this time we are not looking for recipe posts or posts that have already appeared on your blog.

New Members

A big welcome to all our new members this week.  We’re happy to have you on board.  Be sure to check out all our great blogging resources and tips!

• Hold the Gluten Please (ON)
• The Daily Cook (ON)
• Rosalyn Gambihir (ON)
• Spoon (BC)
• Lady Dinesalot (ON)
• Cooking for the Carnivore (BC)
• FoodSinners (QC)
• ChichiLicious (QC)
• Bon Vivant on Vancouver Island (BC)
• FEAST (BC)
• À la saveur d’Andrea (QC)
• the food sisterhood (ON)
• Free to be Me (ON)

Business Members

• Quench by Tidings

Name: Lillian Leung

Blog name and URL: Beyond Umami (beyondumami.com)

Where were you born? Toronto, Ontario

Where are you living now? Edmonton, Alberta

Why did you start your blog?  I moved from Toronto, Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta in 2006 to start my Masters program in Speech-Language Pathology. I wanted to find a way to share my Alberta food experiences and recipes with my friends.

How did you decide on your blog name?  I wanted a unique name. After some thinking, the word “Umami” seemed to be a good fit because it is the lesser known fifth taste after sweet, salty, sour, bitter and is usually associated with the flavours of soya sauce, mushrooms and a “meaty” flavour. I wanted my blog, Beyond Umami, to encompass everything “beyond” tasting and trying out restaurants, to dishes that I made and eventually, my pursuit of the elusive macaron.

What do you blog about?  Essentially I try to blog about food that I’m interested in. Be it food that I’ve tried, made, or places and events that I’ve attended. Lately, I’ve been very interested in making macarons, you could say I’ve caught the “macaron bug”. It’s definitely an exercise in trial and error but the results are well worth it! I try to write about my experiences going through the step-by-step process of making macarons at home in order to encourage others and show that it is possible with a regular oven.

Which post are you most proud of and why?  My Lemon Curd Macaron Post because it was my first successful batch of macarons after almost half a year of trying to make them.

Which post do you wish received more love and why?  My Tart Making Post as I think everyone should have a good tart recipe on hand. Now that it is summer, there are so many fresh fruits available!

Which post’s success surprised you and why?  The post about participating in the University of Alberta Heritage Chicken Program. I wanted to write about why we chose to participate in the program and to document the differences in taste, texture and the look of heritage eggs versus the generic supermarket brand of eggs. What surprised me the most was that it immediately became a popular post as it seemed like many people were just as curious about the differences between heritage eggs and supermarket eggs.

What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without?  My iPhone. It’s been filled to the max with photos several times over! This is because I like to take step-by-step photos as I’m preparing food and post it to twitter, instagram, or facebook.

What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without?  My Artisan KitchenAid Stand Mixer (in Cobalt Blue!). Who would have thought both my husband and I would be using our KitchenAid at least 3-4 times a week, sometimes several times a night! We use it for everything including making pizza dough for dinner, muffins for breakfast, macarons, churning ice cream, frozen yogurt, pasta dough, and kneading bread.

Favourite food, care to share a recipe?  I have so many favourite foods! From salmon sashimi, to almond croissants, waffles, and of course, macarons. As far as sharing recipes, I would love to share my waffle recipe as it is perfect for any meal from breakfast with maple syrup, dinner with fried chicken, or as a dessert with ice cream on top.

What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page?  While it may seem that I can talk about food all day long, by day, I am a Speech-Language Pathologist. I help people with communication difficulties as I believe that communication is so vital!

What makes your blog unique?  I enjoy showing the step-by-step process of the recipes complete with lots of pictures as I find visuals really helpful for myself. My blog posts tend to be longer because of the size and quantity of the pictures.

Beyond Umami on Facebook
Beyond Umami on Twitter
Beyond Umami on Pinterest
Lillian Leung on Google +

Our intrepid Restaurant Roundup Crew share their favourite picks for lip smacking, finger licking delicious BBQ wherever you may be in this country.  From restaurants to food trucks, they’ve sourced it out for you.  So get a bib and some napkins and dig in.

Our Favourite Choices for Canadian BBQ Joints

Starting on the east coast this month…

Halifax’s Favourite BBQ Joint

I’d like to say I’m schooled in the ways of the grill, that I’ve travelled the Southern US stuffing smokey goodness into my face at every stop on the road. But I’d be lying. What I would give to tour the legendary BBQ joints of the South. Most definitely bucket list material. I’m a huge fan of all things pork so when BBQ finally hit our city, I was all over it. At present, we have but three BBQ joints in the city, one a chain out of Florida that I honestly haven’t been rushing to try. For me, there’s only one on that list. When the BBQ  Let’s be real, when the pork craving takes hold, it’s Boneheads BBQ every time. I can’t stay away from the pulled pork sammie..

Montreal’s Favourite BBQ Joints

We’ve got two picks for Montreal this time around.  First up is the Montreal Food Divas with their pick of Le Boucan.

Le Boucan is, without a doubt, home of the best BBQ that Montreal has to offer. Smoked tomato soup, irresistible mac n’ cheese, pulled pork and some great BBQ sauce lathered on chicken and ribs, are only a handful of reasons to go to Le Boucan. The place has that nitty gritty Southern charm, and even their desserts turn heads with their bacon brownie and amazing buttermilk pie. The Divas had quite an experience there and cannot wait to return!

If you want to hear more about that experience check out their full review!  You can find Le Boucan on twitter: @RestoLeBoucan

Next we check out what Jason at Shut Up And Eat has to say and he chose differently with Blackstrap BBQ

If you’re going to visit one place for BBQ in Montreal, make sure it’s Blackstrap BBQ located in Verdun.  Dylan Kier – owner, head chef and reigning Quebec BBQ Grand champion runs two smokers overnight to provide BBQ enthusiasts a taste of his authentic Memphis style BBQ featuring his award winning smoked brisket, pork ribs and chicken.  Can’t decide what to order? Get the “Le Gros”, a plate that consists of everything on the menu, including fried mac and cheese balls,  fries and braised greens!

Read Jason’s full review of Blackstrap BBQ on his blog. Find them on twitter @bbqblackstrap.

Toronto’s Favourite BBQ Joint

Toronto’s Stella at Food Junkie Chronicles picked The Stockyards for her BBQ fix:

The Stockyards offers modern renditions of classic comfort food for all your BBQ cravings. After four years since The Stockyard first opened, the BBQ joint’s 48-hour brined and marinated fried chicken, as well as their authentic wood smoked Carolina style BBQ, still generates lot of buzz in the city…and rightfully so!

Be sure to read Stella’s full review of The Stockyards on her blog.

Winnipeg’s Favourite BBQ Joint

Kathryne at Food Musings picked Lovey’s in Winnipeg for her BBQ fix:

Everyone knows that the `sides` make a BBQ house and Lovey`s in Winnipeg, are Sensational.

You’ll want to check out Kathryne’s full review of Lovey’s.  Find them on twitter at @LoveysBBQ

Calgary’s Favourite BBQ Joint

If there’s a city that should know BBQ it’s Calgary and Stephanie at Global Dish chose Big D’s Smokehouse at the Calgary Farmers’ Market:

Classic BBQ grub (pulled pork! beef brisket! sausages!) available to stay or go, along with a deli case of ready to take home and grill up yourself goodies. What more could you want?

You can read Stephanie’s full review of Big D’s on her blog.

Vancouver’s Favourite BBQ Joints

Two picks from Vancouver this month. Let’s check out Sean at Sean’s Adventures in Flavourtown‘s choice of the ReUp BBQ food cart:

My go to spot in Vancouver for a BBQ fix has been seen around the world on Eat St and one of Vancouver’s first food carts to have hit the streets.  The ReUp BBQ food cart has been serving up consistently mouth-watering pulled pork and beef brisket that is some of the best in Vancouver.  You can find them at their food cart in downtown Vancouver or in New Westminster at their store front location in the River Market.

You can read Sean’s full review here.  Find ReUp on twitter @reupbbq

Next up is Dee at Gastrofork and her choice of Hog Shack Cook Housedf just outside of Vancouver in Steveston.

Hogshack is one of my favourite places for BBQ when I’m too lazy to do it myself. Their Mammoth platters can feed the masses, featuring their great Kansas styled barbecued meats including my favourites: the Dino Ribs and Smoked Sausages. Feeling adventurous? Finish their Flat Line Burger in 5 minutes or less and you score a free meal and a Hog Shack T-Shirt!

Be sure to read Dee’s full review on her blog.  You can follow Hog Shack on twitter @HogShackca

Don’t agree with our choices?  Well… tell us yours in the comments. We’d love to hear them!

And don’t forget,  July 13th 2013 is National BBQ Day (www.nationalbbqday.ca), in support of local food and local farmers. Hundreds of grills across Canada will be fired up in support of Meal Exchange’s fourth annual National BBQ Day, a backyard celebration of local food. One of the first and only national events aimed at raising the profile of locally sourced foods, National BBQ Day encourages Canadians to host a BBQ in their own backyard with family and friends, using as much local food as possible. Participants can register their event on the National BBQ Day website and are urged to share their National BBQ Day experience through social media (#NationalBBQDay) to win prizes and raise awareness of local foods available and where they got them.  If you’re going to be grilling why not participate?

Big thanks to our entire Restaurant Roundup Crew for sharing their favourite BBQ spots.  They’ll all be back next month their top picks for cold summer time treats.  Check it out for all your ice cream and gelato needs!

Don’t see your city listed here?  Do you review restaurants on your blog and are you an FBC Member?  Then let us know! We’re still looking for folks in Kelowna, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Fredericton, St. John’s and Charlottetown.  You can reach out to us through our Contact page.

***all images are courtesy of our Restaurant Roundup Crew.

this is a sponsored post on behalf of BCfresh Vegetables

It’s back! The BCfresh “Warba-licious” Recipe Challenge, launching June 1st, 2013 and ending July 7th, 2013. This is a chance for BC and Alberta food bloggers to put their recipe development skill to work

Why just BC and Alberta?  Because these adorable little nuggets come fresh to you straight from the fertile soil of BCfresh farmers. They are harvested & showered (to look their best) and sent to market within hours. Fresh is always best and New Nugget potatoes are so delicate they can’t travel too far.

Last year we had 4 winner from FBC: sixtyone45 who took home the grand prize.

And the runner up entries were The Tiffin Box, Bake Me Something Good and bcfoodieblogger.

What IS a Warba?

BCfresh is one of the only companies to commercially grow this delicious heirloom variety. The Warba may come from the 1920’s but it still signifies the beginning of BC’s local produce season and the start of summer.

The Warba New Nugget Potato needs very little preparation and no peeling is necessary, just a light rinse under cold running water. Warbas are yummy when steamed, gently boiled or sautéed. Enjoy in a salad or try them skewered on the barbecue.  However you choose to prepare them, these popular and fresh-tasting nuggets are only here for a limited time.

What is the recipe challenge?

You must create an original recipe using BCfresh Warba New Nugget Potatoes.  Recipes should be submitted in one of 3 categories:

• Appetizer
• Main Course
• Salad.

One recipe from all categories will be crowned the Grand Prize winner for a total of 4 winners.

How will the contest be judged?

Criteria for winning the BCfresh “Warba-licious” Recipe Challenge are based on a point system and will be judged as follows:

• All recipes will be reviewed by BCfresh representatives
• The recipes must contain BCfresh Warba New Nugget Potatoes
• Recipes not meeting the eligibility criteria will be eliminated
• BCfresh representatives will taste/judge recipes that qualify; each recipe will be scored to a maximum of 100 based on the following criteria:

The staff at BCfresh loves a good story. We want to hear about how you came up with the idea, what memories may have prompted your wonderful recipe.

We also love a great photo… of the finished product, the raw potatoes fresh from the store, the work in progress… a picture is worth a thousand words, so to speak.

We also appreciate the beauty of a simple recipe, made with fresh local ingredients that are easy to find and form a well thought out creation.

What are the prizes?

BCfresh is offering the following prizes in our 2013 Recipe Challenge:

Grand Prize: $400 gift card
Appetizer Winner: $100 gift card
Main Winner: $100 gift card
Salad Winner: $100 gift card

Winners can select gift cards to the BC/AB retailer of their choice. Best efforts will be made to acquire a gift certificate from the selected retailer, however first choices are not guaranteed.

Judging to select the finalists will take place between July 8th and July 12th, 2013.

Winners will be announced on July 19th, 2013 via our website, social media and via Food Bloggers of Canada.  Winners will also be contacted directly by BCfresh staff.

The full contest details, including how to submit your entries, can be found here:

BCfresh Warba-licious New Nugget Potato Recipe Challenge 2013 – FAQ and other details

and the complete rules and regulations can be found here:

BCfresh Warba-licious New Nugget Potato Recipe Challenge 2013 – Official Contest Rules

Good luck everyone!

Follow BCfresh on Facebook for more great info.

For the past three years I’ve been hosting dinner parties every week, as part of my Toronto Star column, Fed. Whatever I’ve learned in that time is distilled into my new book, How to Host a Dinner Party.

The idea that a dinner party is about people, not food, is less of a tip and more of the guiding principle of my life. So with that in mind — and if you feel that cooking for your friends should be a competition, there is a whole television network devoted to you — here are my top 5 tips for hosting dinner.

1. Be ready when guests arrive.

The worst thing you can do when your guests show up is to still be cooking, cleaning or dressing, instead of getting drinks into your their hands. It can seem uptight that I put in so much work in advance of a dinner party. But that’s so when the doorbell rings, I’m not working. I’m spending time with my friends. Imagine if your guests showed up half-dressed and then asked to use your shower.

2. Don’t serve food you’ve never cooked before.

Too many people are tripped up by their lofty, celebrity chef inspired dishes, and the ensuing disappointment. Cook what you know. It’s just like writing. The dishes that we truly understand, like the stories that really happened to us, are going to connect with people, more than the complex ambitions of glossy, overproduced chef food. Which would you rather have, bison prepared three separate — sous vide, smoked, tartare — ways that didn’t turn out right or a properly roasted chicken with buttery potatoes?

3. Stay cool

Being calm and confident means everything. Despite what you may have heard about my punctuality chart on page 83, the most important piece of information on it is to not be upset at guests who arrive 30 minutes late without calling or texting. I mean, you can be upset but just don’t show it. Bringing out our hostility, whether it’s directed at late friends or corked wine, sours the evening. Confidence is charming. And it’s a confident person who can brush off life’s little indignities.

4. Serve water

Start the evening with water bottles and glasses already on the table. And keep it there, like the wine. We get wrapped up in the service of wine or cocktails. But a guest should never have to wander to the kitchen to get water. If you wait until midway through the meal to start pouring water, your guests will take it as a signal that they’re too drunk.

5. End on a high note.

Everything ends. And the pursuit of a good experience, past its peak, is what ruins most evenings. The average dinner, if people are having a good time, goes about four to five hours. I’ve had guests stay until 2 a.m., chatting or playing video games, but only because I wanted them to stay. If I’d wanted them out earlier, I’d have said the magic words. “I’m having fun. But it’s time to call it a night.”

About the book: This book began as notes for a class on dinner parties, for which I’d outlined 37 steps to hosting dinner. I think the finished book, with its lovely design by Alysia Shewchuck and acceptable drawings by Steve Murray, is more cogent. And I hope it gives people the confidence and inspiration to host more often. In the meantime, these five tips should get you started.

Corey Mintz is best known from the dinner parties he hosts in his home for his popular Toronto Star column, “Fed.” Before that he was a restaurant critic and before that he worked for a living, as a cook. In the past two years, he has hosted 150 dinner parties. He began without napkins or stemware, serving wine out of Nutella jars. But after hosting politicians, artists, academics, monkeys, librarians, chefs, sommeliers, cops, lawyers, psychologists, a spy, a forager, a rabbi, a gambler, a drug addict, and a mayor, he’s become a pro. His first book, How To Host A Dinner Party, was published in May 2013 by House of Anansi Press and features recipes, anecdotes, expert analysis, and an endless bounty of how-to tips. It is the essential guide to perfecting the art of welcoming people into your home.  Check out Corey’s blog Porkosity and follow him on Twitter.

We’ve got a Members’ Only giveaway of Corey’s book going on over in our Members’ Only area – login to check it out and enter today!

goat cheese and strawberries from eat. live. travel. write.

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

1000 Member Giveaways Continue

We’ve had some fun giveaways for our 1000 member celebration over the last few weeks with KitchenAid, The Baking Beauties, and last week’s talking meat thermometer from Canadian Beef!  And who won our talking thermometer?  With random.org’s help, the winner was comment #25: Pam Blacker.  Congrats Pam – Ethan will be in touch with you shortly for your mailing details.

And, we’re not done yet.  We have two more giveaways coming your way.  Join us tomorrow when we announce the next one – you won’t want to miss out!  It’s going to be fun – it involves Corey Mintz!

BCFresh Recipe Contest (BC & ALBERTA)

Also coming your way on the site tomorrow is the annual BC Fresh Recipe Contest.  We saw some great winning entries from FBC Members last year so we can’t wait to see what you’ll all come up with this year.  Tune in tomorrow to find out all the details (hint… baby Warba new potatoes are involved!).  This contest is open to members in BC and Alberta.

Calling All Writers

Do you have a great idea for a Wednesday resource post that you think FBC Members would find useful?  Well here’s your chance to pitch it to us.  You can find out what we’re looking for and read our submission guidelines on our Contribute page.  Financial compensation is provided for original content so sharpen your pencils and share your knowledge with our membership!

New Members

Welcome to all our new members this week – we’re very happy to have you join us!

• Turnip & Bean (ON)
• cored + diced (ON)
• Marie est dans son assiette (QC)
• Dining with Donald (MB)
• Barrie’s Foodie Girl (ON)
• Audrey’s 74 (ON)
• Joey Eats (ON)
• Earthgiven Kitchen (ON)
• The Food You’re K–raving (ON)
• Twisted Chef T (ON)

Blog name and URL: Chasing Tomatoes http://www.chasingtomatoes.ca and Notes From the Cookie Jar http://notesfromthecookiejar.com

Where were you born? Kamloops, BC

Where are you living now? Chilliwack, BC

Why did you start your blog?  Chasing Tomatoes started mostly as a place to store recipes for my step-daughter, who lives in Calgary. I began blogging at Notes From the Cookie Jar out of curiosity and because I loved to write, and eventually Chasing Tomatoes became a food blog in its own right.

How did you decide on your blog name?  Being involved with Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, I wanted something that reflected my search for real, unprocessed food. One day my husband and I were traveling through the Fraser Valley on our motorcycle and I saw fields and fields of fresh produce, and thought of Chasing Tomatoes.

What do you blog about? I write the recipes that my family has been enjoying, articles about cooking with kids, farms and markets in the Fraser Valley, and other food related topics.

What post are you most proud of and why?  I’m really proud of the lemon bars post.

For years, I had tried very hard to find a lemon bar recipe that fit my strict criteria of not too sweet or sour, just enough filling, etc. It wasn’t until I tasted lemon bars that a parent of a girl I was working with made, and I hunted the teenager down and begged her, in front of all her friends, to give me the recipe. Sweet victory!

Which post do you wish received more love and why?  My raspberry chocolate pistachio biscotti is amazing.

People pay all sorts of money to have biscotti in a fancy coffee place and little do they know, it’s really easy to just bake your own and add in all sorts of different flavours!

Which post’s success surprised you and why?  I’ve been surprised by how well the Beef and Bean burritos have done.

It’s been featured in The Metro and on Yummy Mummy Club. It really is a go to recipe at my house, for those nights when I don’t feel like cooking. I came up with it one night just out of my head, and now I make them often and keep a bunch in the freezer for emergencies. When you have a hungry teenager to feed, there’s always a food emergency.

What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without?  Honestly, I’m very much a low tech gal. I only got my first smart phone recently, and use a laptop, but could live without it. I think if I had to pick something, I’d say my camera. I love to take photos of the adventures my family is having.

What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without?  My microplane. It was a gift from a very dear friend, and I use it all the time.

Favourite food, care to share a recipe?  Ever since I was a kid, I have loved a good, homemade, cheesy pizza.  I’ve tried all kinds of recipes but this one is my favourite!

Pizza is a huge hit in our house, and I not only love eating it, I love all the different kinds we can create, too.

What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page?  You would never know that I’m also a certified scuba diver and at one time, my family owned a dive shop and ran a diving boat business here in BC.

Notes from the Cookie Jar on Facebook
Karen (Scattered Mom) on Twitter
Scattered Mom on Pinterest
Karen on Google +

Last month, at the fabulous FBC2013 conference, I spoke on a panel (with Aimée and Dan) dedicated to ‘making dough’, and how to generate an income with your words. We had an open discussion on the topic, and shared the diverse ways the three of us earn a living as food writers.

I was thrilled to be asked to recap the chat for those who weren’t in attendance, and to expand on a few of the important points that were discussed that afternoon.

Making Money Via Your Blog

I’ve divided this into three main categories, which include: Amazon affiliates, ad networks, and sponsored posts. I view these as the most common ways to generate an income strictly from the posts you create.

1. Amazon Affiliates

Everyone who has a blog could/should open an Amazon affiliate account. Aimée spoke to this on our panel, but I want to expand on it and share a little more information.

For starters, as long as you have a blog you can create a profile. It’s free and is available to you regardless of whether you have 10 or 10,000 readers. Essentially, any time you mention a product or cookbook in one of your blog posts, you can embed a ‘secret’ code in the link that earns you a commission if one of your readers clicks through and purchases the item you linked to.

Obviously, the more readers and click-throughs you have, the better, but it’s a great place to start. You can sign up with Amazon.ca or Amazon.com, and my suggestion would be to determine where most of your readers come from in order to help you decide which store you’d like to sign up with. For example, I have more American readers than Canadian, so I often use the .com version of my Amazon affiliate account, although I do have myself set up with Amazon Canada as well.

Additional reading:

How to Become an Amazon Affiliate – Amazon.ca
9 Reasons Why I AM an Amazon Affiliate – ProBlogger
10 Tips for Using Affiliate Programs on Your Blog – ProBlogger

2. Ad Networks

In Canada, there are several options for partnering with an ad network. In most cases, this means placing a display ad on your site, but it can also result in integrated creative content within your posts (see sponsored content below).

The best ad networks are the ones that will run campaigns that are a good match for your content and your readers. Here is a list, with links, to some of the ad networks open to working with Canadian bloggers:

• Federated Media
• Ligit Advertising Services
• Say Media
• SavvyMom Media Collective (you need to be a mom to sign up)
• Martha’s Circle
• Glam Media
• Google Ad Sense
• SheBlogs

Visit each network to learn more about their requirements, terms and policies, and featured ad partners.

3. Sponsored Content

There are plenty of opportunities for creating sponsored content for your blog, and they typically come via an ad network or directly from a brand.

In my opinion, the most important aspect of creating sponsored content is to ensure it works its way seamlessly into your blog, without appearing like a paid message. It shouldn’t deviate far from the type of posts your readers expect, and ideally is written with your voice and perspective.

Examples of sponsored posts:

Here are three examples of sponsored content, where the post is created in such a way that it doesn’t necessarily come across as a paid opportunity.

How to plan a simple taco party: the make, the buy, & the do-ahead – SimpleBites
Skillet mac n’ cheese with spinach and bacon – Dinner with Julie
Party pieces: making homemade sparkling water – Family Bites

Making Money as a Freelance Writer

1. Online Work 

Online writing opportunities are more readily available than those in print, which is great, because it helps you to quickly build up your writing portfolio. Connect with web editors and pitch your ideas for unique content for their site.

2. Print Work

Traditional newspaper and magazine articles are harder to come by, but it’s not impossible to secure one of these precious writing assignments. Build a relationship with the editors of the publications you are interested in writing for, and send a query with a pitch for a story.

Alternative Ways to Earn an Income

Plenty of income-earning opportunities have come to many food writers via their blog. They include, but aren’t limited to:

• Teaching cooking classes
• Spokesperson work
• Program ambassadors
• Event hosting
• Selling of photos
• Contest judging

Lastly, many food bloggers have made appearances on television and radio programs. Most of these don’t pay, however, the exposure can sometimes be worth more than a cash payment.

Jan Scott is a food writer, party planner, and blogger with a specialty in celebrations for kids. She is the Food and Party Editor for SavvyMom Media and regular contributor to several other family-focused websites.

Prior to making the transition to freelance writer, Jan was an event planner for one of Toronto’s top private caterers. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband, and two tween sons, and can almost always be found in cooking in the kitchen or scheming up plans her next party. You can follow Jan on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Pimmsicles by the The Tiffin Box in the FBC Flickr Photo Group

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

Monthly Winners with Janes and Arla

It’s June and that means… May winners!

First up we have free product vouchers from our Weekly News Sponsor,  Janes Family Foods, for one randomly drawn member.  Random.org brought up member 327 which is… Charmian Christie from The Messy Baker! Congrats Charmian.  Melissa will be in touch for your mailing details.

Next up we have $25 in gift certificates from our Featured Member Blog sponsor, Arla foods.  This goes out to one of May’s Featured Member Blogs and we had five Featured blogs last month and Random.org chose…#1 – Bridget’s Green Kitchen.  Congrats Bridget – Melissa will be in touch shortly for your mailing info!

We’ll have more June winners the first week of July!

Halifax Members Getting it Done!

Congrats to FBC Members Kathy Jollimore (Eat Halifax) and Kelly Neil (kellyneil.com) on placing second and third, respectively, in The Coast’s Best Local Food Blog rankings.

And on the same day, both ladies chatted about food blogging with CTV.  You can watch them in action.  Great job ladies!

The Halifax Food Bloggers group also held a recent FARM-MARKET-TABLE recipe contest in partnership with the Halifax Seaport Market.  It sounds like it was a tight race but they awarded FBC Member Eatitorial with first prize!  You can read her winning entry here.

Great to see so much good stuff coming out of Nova Scotia, including lots of new FBC members – keep up the great work everyone!

1000 Members Giveaway 2 Winner

As part of our ongoing 1000 Members celebration, we had a singed copy of the Everything Guide to Living Gluten Free up for grabs to one lucky member.  And the winner is… Joanne Taylor from Cherry Bomb Kitchen.  (as chosen by random.org #6).  Congrats Joanne – we’ll be in touch shortly for your details.

Be sure to drop by the site tomorrow for another fun giveaway that will run all week with Canada Beef!

Members Only Opp (ONTARIO)

If you’re in or near Burlington, Taste of Burlington has an opportunity for 10 area food bloggers to attend the Summer Taste of Burlington on Tuesday June 25th.  If you’re interested, find out more here (log-in first).

New Members

Please welcome all our new members this week – we’re happy to have you all on board!

• Peanut Butter and Onion (ON)
• Halifood (NS)
• Where Women Live (NS)
• Beyond the Cake (ON)
• Dorks with Forks (ON)
• Mom and the Messy Kitchen (ON)

New Business Member

• Hill & Knowlton