This is my two hundredth blog post. It seems like it should be more than that, but two hundred is a lot, a big blogging milestone. Most of the posts were recipes, written and photographed by me. That’s a lot of pictures, words, food, dishes, and ingredients. In these two hundred posts, I have discovered blogging is the most interesting, most difficult, most frustrating thing I’ve ever done.
I have learned so much in both the kitchen and the world of technology. I know what a widget is, how to identify a spam comment from a mile away, and that advertising on Facebook is a waste of time and money. I know that foil needs to be placed under pans that could possibly overflow or I’ll have a long day ahead of me, that cookies are hard to bake perfectly, and homemade marshmallows are the best thing on earth. But I have a lot left to learn. For example, does anyone understand Google Plus? My photography skills are hopefully continuing to improve. And monkey bread, I will conquer you.
Blogging isn’t anything I thought it would be. It was supposed to help launch my writing career. Instead, I’ve got a writing career I can’t get off the ground and a blog growing so slowly a family of snails just passed it. Companies don’t contact me for the most part. Rather, I contact them. And then, they ignore my repeated phone calls and/or emails. Good times . . . not!
It takes a shocking amount of time to blog. From choosing and developing recipes to making and eating them, then taking pictures and editing those, writing posts, and putting all the parts together. Plus, there’s lots of grocery shopping. Don’t forget about social media, food porn sites, leaving comments on other blogs, maintaining my blog, dealing with companies . . . I need a nap. Most of the time, the day is over before I even know what happened.
Blogging has opened a new world to me. New foods and recipes, lots of friends, even if we’ll probably never meet, and a constant desire to work harder and improve. I always have hope one day my blog will explode in popularity and I suppose that’s what keeps me going, along with all of you, my wonderful readers and the comments you leave. Thank you for your support! I’m excited to see what the future holds and I hope you are too.
For now, the future holds this Healthy Banana Kale Smoothie. This is a super breakfast, lunch, or snack that is packed with superfoods, along with being vegan and gluten free without a drop of refined sugar. Frozen bananas and almond milk make this extra creamy – no fattening ice cream needed! The bananas, along with a heaping helping of blueberries are all the sweetness needed. We all know kale is one of the healthiest foods for you, and it’s perfect in here because you don’t drink it and think it tastes like kale. It tastes like bananas and blueberries. It is cold and refreshing and tastes like a decadent summer treat. But that powerhouse kale is in there giving you tons of nutrients. Healthy and craveably good, this is exactly the kind of recipe I want to celebrate my two hundredth post!
Healthy Banana Kale Smoothie
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 smoothies 1x
Ingredients
- 2 bananas, cut into pieces and frozen
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup kale, chopped
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, more if necessary
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, place the bananas and kale. Blend until finely chopped. Add the milk and blend until creamy. Add the blueberries and blend until the smoothie is thick and creamy without any lumps. If it is too thick, add more milk and blend again. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
I loved this post so much because I can relate to just about everything you said about blogging!! It is a VERY hard job and can be so frustrating at times. And I never get how it comes so easy for some bloggers and not others….even if you do all the right things sometimes it doesn’t always work out the way you want it to. And I never get contacted by companies, either! I thought I was the only one who had to do the reaching out! Well this comment is gonna turn into a book if I don’t stop. You’re doing a great job and I appreciate all of your hard work and love your blog!!!!!
Thanks for your nice comment, Ashley! It’s so nice to know I’m not alone. I think it’s just luck for some bloggers that make it big. Maybe that luck will come to us soon 🙂
Congrats on your 200th blog post hun! It’s been great! And I love this smoothie!!
Now a tidbit of advice (as a fellow food blogger and also an actor who has to deal with similar situations): try not to get discouraged, things happen in their own time.
Don’t hound companies. Just email them once and if they don’t respond, leave it at that (and definitely don’t call them, unless they say otherwise or someone you know who has worked with them says otherwise). And don’t focus to much on that kind of stuff-end of the day they’re just big companies run by old fogeys (more often than not). And from what I understand, unless you’re crazy huge, most bloggers do the majority of the reaching out. I very rarely get contacted by companies (and half the time they’re like weird companies who wanna take advantage of me and get free advertising and give me nothing in return.)
Also-I can definitely see your photography improving, so awesome job! And omg I still need to remind myself about the foil so I don’t make oven messes *sigh* 😛
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Thanks, Kayle! I agree that it’s important not to hound companies, but sometimes I think it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle and a couple of calls/emails can help finally grab their attention. Sometimes I think calling is better, because if you can get the right person on the phone, then you have their attention, as opposed to an email where they can just delete it without even taking a look.
The foil is so important. I’ve learned that the very hard way crouched over the oven for the better part of an hour cleaning up burnt mess – so not fun 🙁
Congrats on your 200th post! I can’t help you with Google + 😉 Blogging is a lot of work – but so rewarding too!
Yes, blogging is a lot of hard work but then what in the world isn’t. Writing is hard work too but I know how much you love it and when things happen, it will all be worth it. People work for years and still don’t get noticed or appreciated. Do it for yourself and then it will be worth it.
Great post and I see how much you have improved over the years. Love your recipes and writings!
Thanks, Debbie! Your constant support means a lot!
200 posts, congratulations! I wasn’t around to read all of the first 200 posts, but I look forward to the next 200+. Which reminds me: no, I don’t know what the deal is with Google+ either. I’m still trying to master my Nike+ with running.
Thanks, Joanna!
First off congrats to making it this far. Life is hard, blogging is hard and finding time to food blog is crazy. I get discouraged sometimes, but then I look back at all my posts and if anything I have them. My children one day will. And your photography has defo improved. Practice makes perfect 🙂 I truly love reading your blog and you come up with some great recipes. Saying that do yourself a favor conquer monkey bread, because you will not be disappointed 🙂
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Thanks, Elizabeth! I agree that it is nice to know that even if this whole adventure ends, at least I have a bunch of tested recipes all written out. Oh, and I know I need to keep trying monkey bread – I haven’t found the right recipe just yet.
My friend always tells me to create a blog but I know it’s 10,000 times harder than it looks, so props to you! This seems like a great idea to eat veggies without tasting it!
Love these super healthy smoothies with kale, perfect morning smoothie!
Congrats on 200! That’s a big deal. And I agree blogging certainly takes a lot of time and attention. I hesitate to call it work, because I blog for a hobby, but each post seems to end up taking me about a day’s worth of activity when all is said and done. Anyway, great smoothie! Wonderful way to use kale. Thanks for this.
What a great post, and I can certainly relate to lots of things you mentioned about blogging. One thing is certain – you’re an amazing writer! You should absolutely continue blogging to keep writing and getting even better, to keep that side of you developing and maturing even more -you have a talent! I couldn’t even come close to your writing abilities even if I wrote 200 posts! 🙂 And by the way, congratulations on your 200th post! It’s an amazing accomplishment! And, yes, about the smoothie – you just couldn’t make it any healthier!!!
Thank you so much, Julia! Your comment means so much. I love to write and it’s beyond amazing to hear you like my writing 🙂
The smoothie is very good. It’s hard not to get discouraged about things, I do all the time. All you can do is go back and try again.
Thanks, Dad!
There is a reason work is called work! And one never knows where a path may lead until one starts down the path.And then you can change direction. Writing every day may be practice for the next best thing. And photography-well, that’s tough for me, too! But a new challenge and something to learn. Congratulations and give yourself a pat on the back. Most people wouldn’t make it to 20 and you’ve done 200. And in the process I’m sure you’ve made a lot of people very happy! Nothing wrong with that!
Thanks for the nice comment, Abbe! I definitely have to think of the blog as practice for the big things ahead!
I’m always surprised by how much time it takes me to keep up with my blog. Good thing I enjoy it so much! And congratulations on your 200th post.
Congratulations!!!! How exciting! I know just how long it takes to blog its amazing! I love my blog and the people that comment but sometimes its real hard work. I love your blog so much and glad you keep it up. 🙂 here’s to the next 200
Thank you so much 🙂 Blogging is definitely hard work, but I guess anything that’s worth doing can be a lot of work.
Boggling is definitely a lot of work, but it so fun to be bale to share chunks of our lives with each other 🙂 This smoothie looks FABULOUS!
Thanks, Steph, and thanks for visiting 🙂
Yum! I definitely love adding kale to smoothies, especially in the summer time!
Congrats on 200 posts! I totally agree with everything you’ve said here about blogging. I don’t freaking get Google+ at all, and the grocery shopping…oh, the grocery shopping. I swear, I get home from the store, and within 1 hour, discover at least 2 or 3 more things that I need but didn’t get. It NEVER ends.
Oh, yeah, and all the times I go to the grocery store and have a cart full of stuff and spend a fortune and am planning to make something and then I’m out of say flour. Oh, it’s awesome, isn’t it?
I just made this and it is simply delicious!!!
Oh, good! I’m so glad you liked it, Debbie 🙂