What defines me?

Me in my favorite corner of the kitchen. If I stand really still I can hide there from my kids!

For the first challenge in the Project Food Blog Challenge, we are tasked with explaining what defines each of us as a food blogger and why we should be the next Food Blog Star.

Defining myself as a food blogger is relatively simple. I blog because I am on a mission to literally take the mystique out of vegetarian cooking. Some years ago I joined the board of my local mother's club. As part of this club our members would take turns making meals for other members who were in need of meals (usually new moms). It quickly became apparent to me that there was one issue facing the board member who facilitated these meals, people's negative feelings towards vegetarianism and vegetarian cuisine. I was pretty shocked. Not only am I married to a vegetarian, I used to be a vegetarian. I could not believe how vitriolic this topic would become and then it dawned on me...it is the unknown that was disturbing these women. It took me a while to start the blog, but the seed was planted that night. I have attempted since my blog was created almost a year and half ago to offer to my readers everyday food, but without the meat. I offer them easy to follow recipes, nice photos and a tip or two along the way. In addition my readers will be able to save some money and take some burden off the Earth by cutting back on their meat consumption.

Okay, out with easy and in with the hard. Why do I deserve to win and be the next Food Blog Star? Well, for all the reasons I stated above! I really want to help people figure something out and I want to help them better understand how others live and eat. Whether you are new to being a vegetarian or need to find a vegetarian recipe, mine is the blog for you. If you are a life-long vegetarian, I also probably have new recipes for you as I have become very adept at making almost any recipe meat free. Heck, I even have stuff that would appeal to the vegan among us. Essentially, I serve an under-served market in the eating/cooking world.

Besides, I honestly love doing this. I love bringing these recipes to my family and to my readers. I love looking for new ideas, cooking them, photographing them and sharing them with the world. Not to be trite, but love is the most important component in almost any recipe. But the reason I should win is not just because of love, it is also because this is my passion and this blog has very much become a part of who I am. Every feature on this blog is about me and made by me. For example, the first photo below is my favorite from the blog (Grilled Bread and Tomato Salad) it is now featured on all my buttons and headers (second photo below). I hope you can see that everything about this blog is me, from my passion for vegetarian cuisine, to my desire to teach others, to my photos and graphics. I may use a recipe from a cookbook now and again, but I plan the meals and I do the cooking and I take the photos and I attempt to express it all in my posts. There are no web designers here or fancy cameras, it is all just me with my pots, pans, my point and shoot camera, my tiny tripod and some computer software. So, please vote for me. I have much to offer and I cannot wait to share it with you all.