This morning I attended my first-ever Cville She Blogs meeting. She Blogs is a group for women bloggers, and I don’t know why it’s taken me a year to get to a meeting!
I brought a box of Great Harvest sweets to help me break the ice 
The meeting was very fun! I type about blogging things all day online online, but it’s always fun to get together and TALK about the things we bloggers do all the time.
The group hosted Jen On The Edge as the speaker, who gave a great roundtable talk about increasing blog traffic. Jen is fabulously sarcastic and funny – a good storyteller too!
I also met Denise, Dolly, Jacob (he blogs!), Polly, and Jane [and a few more who I did not get cards / blog names from!]
Our meeting was held at the bakery’s bank and when I left the building, I realized I had an errand to run inside regarding my debit card. I actually got in my car, started to drive away, and then remembered and went inside.
GUESS WHO WAS IN THERE!
I did not see him enter OR his car! So random and what a wonderful surprise!
We walked over to Harris Teeter together to each get some things for our jobs. I asked him on a date to get a cappuccino at Shenandoah Joe’s only to find out he already had a cappuccino from Shenandoah Joe’s in his car!! The chances!!
I came home and worked for a bit until lunchtime
Baby romaine salad with big beans (LOVED these canned beans from Whole Foods!!), olive oil, heirloom tomato (probably my last this year 
), honey peanuts and cottage cheese. Delicious!
On the side: toast with TJ’s fig butter and grapes
And now…a story
When Matt and I first moved into our apartment together after we graduated from college, I started a little recipe notebook that has followed us from house to house. That first year I tore recipes out of magazines or copied them from the internet and glued them into the book – with an A, B, C, D, E, F rating scale.
An A+ recipe!
I just found the book when we moved! The above salsa remains a favorite, yet I never remember to make it! And the below chicken soup was a staple for ages.
This maple salmon is still one of my very favorites! It’s baked and succulent + sweet.
And I remember the first time I made this Rosemary dressing!
I even took a stab at wine label saving…but this is the only one that made it into the book. A gift from my parents for my 21st birthday! Note the super sophisticated tasting notes..
So that was the first book I cooked with…here is my first REAL cookbook!
Goodbite gave me 3 copies to giveaway. Shipped from my house to yours.
TO ENTER: Email KERFGIVEAWAYS@GMAIL.COM in the next 24 hours and I will randomly choose 3 winners.
And to close, here’s that Mexican Scoop recipe I made the video for last week!
Bye friends!
{ 111 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like the meeting was great! Bet you were quite popular with those goodies!!
I love that recipe book idea, along with the rating scale!
aww hehe that is a pleasant surprise!! You guys just seem like you’re still sooo in love with each other!! Just how it should be.
And nice video Kath!
We are!!! <3 He’s the best.
So sweet!
Your “first” cookbook is so cute!
Aww I love that little recipe book that followed you! I may do the same!
Very cool! Love that you and Matt bumped into each other at the bank, lol
I also am a reader of Jen on the Edge! Her blog is so funny!!!
I’d love to be able to meet up with fellow bloggers like that, what fun!
I love the idea of grading recipes!
So had any of them read your blog? You would probably make a great speaker for the group!
Actually, yeah!
I have a binder filled with recipes I’ve made and notes but I’ve never thought to use a grading system. I get hooked on recipes and make them over and over til they’re totally mine with all the little changes I make in them.
Mmmm… great harvest treats and yummies always help break the ice.
HOW cool that you are in a recipe book! You sure do have great idea
and those treats look ammmmaazzingly delicious!
I loved the grading scale. Congrats for having your 1st recipe cookbook. I know you will have more!
The rating scale is a great idea! I have a little cookbook that I made that follows me around too.
I usually just tear out a recipe if one of us doesn’t like it!
yay! a video post!
love that cookbook idea. i have so many recipes ripped out but can never remember what i’ve tried, what’s good, what’s bland, etc. etc.
just emailed you to enter the giveaway!
LOVE video posts!!
I love the grading scale for the recipes. I hadn’t considered doing that. I just go by which recipes are most spattered from cooking!
Every time you show your recipe book I feel so jealous! That’s such a great thing to have and I’m sure holds so many wonderful memories
Yours and Matt’s relationship makes me happy – it’s such a great example of a happy marriage!
I agree!
Great video! I like how you split the screen like that.
Wow this is an awesome post!
The roundtable blogger meetup…there is one in San Diego that has just recently started and I have met some of the ladies in other places/venues but haven’t made it to any of the roundtables yet but your post has me wanting to go!
The A+ recipes and rating scale…love it. And that you found it. Hidden treasure unburied!
And cute vlog!
And I just found out nhershoes lives close to me. Might need to start one in the Inland Empire or find an existing one.
Hi Kath. I’ve been an avid reader for a little over a year now. One of my top favorite blogs.This is is only my second time commenting. You’ve been quite the inspiration and I’ve gotten a lot of food ideas from you (especially yummy breakfast meals) and I have even purchased local Great Harvest Bread in my area! Even though I eat pretty well (almost similarly to you), I’ve been struggling with my weight (I’m a bit under 5’2 and have 10-15 extra pounds on me)– pretty much from emotional eating. Have you ever dealt with that? Also, I’ve really been thinking about starting intuitive eating, as you do, instead of obsessing over calories. My other question is– do you get negative comments from others about your healthy lifestyle? If so, how do you deal with it? Thanks a lot!
Hey Mary,
I have dealt with some emotional eating and use simple ways to get around it – like not keeping ice cream in my house (if I want it, I go to the ice cream shop!)
I don’t think the negative comments are about my healthy lifestyle – more me in general, as those people love to pick.
Just a suggestion, coming from an emotional eating and intuitive eating perspective, you might want to check out the book “Intuitive Eating”…although I can’t remember the authors’ names off the top of my head. The book was recommended to me by several people (dietitian included!) and helped me to look at food in a different way and start to make a transition towards more intuitive eating. The authors aren’t preachy at all and I appreciate that they fully address and don’t minimize the emotional aspects around eating behaviors, rigidity, trusting our bodies, etc.
The trusting your body thing is so key! And treating yourself with kindness and compassion always. It’s just food, after all!
And you know, once in a while, it’s OK if you have an absolutely delicious dinner and you keep eating past that point where you’re not hungry but you’re not stuffed. This is where that trust in your body comes into play! When I eat more than I meant to for dinner, I just remind myself that the body knows when it needs food and will let me know by giving me hunger cues. And this may not fly among the dietician crowd, but if I’m not hungry for breakfast, I don’t eat it. It’s not like I’m going to work in a field all day, and as soon as I get hungry, I can and do eat. No big deal!
Some people freak out when I tell them that I I often skip breakfast, but ever since I accepted that I’m often not hungry in the morning, I’ve been more productive at work, my weight has settled in at the lower end of my adult range, and rather than spending an embarrassing amount of time thinking about what I would eat during the course of a day, I trust that when I’m hungry, I’ll eat. And when I’m not, I won’t. The end.
Even though I’ve gotten to a place where I think of food as I think of sleep or bathing or moving my body, I still enjoy listening to these podcasts: http://renee.personallifemedia.com/
They were very helpful at the beginning of my exploration of intuitive eating. And if you haven’t tried therapy, find a good therapist. It’s the kindest thing I’ve ever done for myself. Finding peace around food is such a gift, and it’s a great jumping off point for further personal development. Enjoy the adventure.
Great suggestions, thanks guys!
Thanks Kris! I’ve always had a rocky/love-hate relationship with food, but it’s slowly getting better the last 2 years. I have brought up emotional eating when I went to therapy for another issue a few years ago, but she didn’t see it as an issue since I’m “petite” (although I was at the very high end of ‘healthy’ BMI for my size at the time). Been following intuitive eating the last 2 days and it feels sooo freeing and my mind isn’t constantly thinking about food/calories anymore! It’ll be interesting to see, say in a year, where my “happy weight” ends up! Really appreciate the helpful advice!
Thank you! I should check that out! Appreciate your help!
Thank you, Rachel for the great book suggestion! And, as always, thanks Kath for your response and your wonderful blog!
That is cool that you found your recipe notebook! It was in the lost and found box
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Hi Kath,
How many people does your Mexican Scoop recipe serve? 2 cans of beans is a lot!
Nice video
Congrats on being published! I got published for the first time this year and it is an awesome feeling!
-Amy
Serves 4-6!
Great vid! Hmm I need to try fig butter
that is just soooooooooooooooooooo cool!!
love the idea
It’s funny, when I read your blog I imagine your voice and it sounded almost exactly like your voice on the video. Strange but cool.
Have to try that recipe!
That book looks wonderful-definitely going to email now! And that Mexican Scoop sounds fantastic. Mexican is probably my favorite cuisine and that recipe is healthy and yummy. Would it serve three as a meal or a side dish? I’m thinking dinner tonight
And congratulations on being published, Kath!! That’s fantastic!
Well I sent my entry from the wrong email-whoops! I guess it’ll be that one anyway….
I think 3 for dinner would work just great!
Yes…. Dinner one day this week. Had to go grocery shopping first, didn’t have everything but now I do. Can’t wait!
Hi Kath! Thanks so much for the cherished treats this AM. I shared some with my personal trainer and the fam. I’ve read (and loved) your blog before, but now a chance to revisit and love s’more. By the way, would you share that asian chicken soup recipe? Sounds delicious for a chilly autumn day.
Hey Dolly! So nice to meet you too – can’t wait to attend more meetings! Is the recipe too hard to decipher from the image? I can try to take a better photo if so.
What a great idea to cut out and write recipes in a big notebook and then grade them. I always have a hard time keeping track of all of my recipe cards and remembering how much I like them. Great giveaway by the way – I’m entering for sure!
That’s a very good idea for a recipe book. I am in the process of MAJORLY streamlining my shelf of cookbooks and cooking magazines. Especially now that so much information is online, it seems silly to hold onto to much paper. However, great recipes are certainly worthy of a binder or some sort of system.
Seeing your notebook made me smile-I haven’t done something formal like that with my boyfriend, but it’s a great idea. We love to cook together!
I found a note book that I had written recipes in when I was 6!! Its too funny!
Back in the day (we’re talking teenage years!) I used to clip or handwrite recipes and collect them in a binder and rate them too…apparently, I’ve been food/cooking-passionate since coming out of the womb!
You and Matt are soulmates for sure (and couldn’t make a cuter couple!)
Love seeing you live, Kath…your soutnern accent always makes me smile!
Just emailed you for a chance to win the cookbook. Thanks!
I also still get excited to see my husband whether I expect to or not, even after almost 9 years of marriage. I hope he feels the same way when he sees me! It is the BEST feeling ever!
I, too, think you’d make a great speaker at CVille She-Blogs, Kath! Thanks for the baked treats, the coupon, the links to our blogs, and this recipe — looks great and I’m looking forward to trying it. I had already enjoyed your blog, but just today checked out the CVille page. Next time we have out-of-towners heading our way, I’m telling them to check out your page first to figure out where they want to go. Thanks!
Thanks for stopping by Jane!! I’d love to speak sometime – perhaps on how to blog 3x a day and keep your sanity!!
See you again soon!
Yes: 3x a day and all done in real time — there’s no writing up a post ahead of time for the bank, no curating content from other sources. Wow.
I love the recipe book idea. Currently, all of my favorite recipes are written on random pieces of paper and post its, stuck on top of my fridge. Not the most sophisticated or organized storage system!
Love the split screen!
My crazy husband does not like beans! Although I have gotten him to like black bean burgers and lentil chili. Gotta keep working on that.
I love this recipe !! I scooped mine up with PLANTAIN CHIPS, SOOO good , love your recipe !
OMG GIMME!! Love plantains!
Your a fan too !:-) I think everyone needs to discover them! I like the lightly salted ones , o ly ingredients are plantains, oil and sea salt. I have tried the spicy flavor – good but they don’t “agree”with me lol.
I bought a simple recipe book at Costco {warehouse store} to keep printed recipes in that my family tries out. But, only the recipes that get a high five from everyone gets a place in that book.
I’m so jealous your WF carries those big beans, I’ve been searching for them at about 4 different stores ever since I tried their prepared salad made with them but no where around me sells them in the cans or dried. I’m gonna try to put in a special request for them now that I know they sell them in cans somewhere, hopefully they’re special order them for me!
Congrats on the cookbook too!
Love you blog Kath (I’m a fellow Katherine). You are truly and inspiration!
Thanks!!
Nice blog Kath, I’ve been reading it for awhile! You got me to get back to oats in the morning and to try out coconut butter. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Amy!
What great memories! I have a cookbook like that, but since I didn’t find my cooking voice until a few years ago, there were only four recipes in it. Now I’m much better at collecting recipes and making them.
I love ‘real’ cookbooks. My favorite is Better Homes and Gardens. A staple.
I love your first cookbook! I have something similar to that only mine looks like a mess of a folder, def. not as organized! Thanks for sharing the video you made, I cannot wait to try the mexican scoop recipe!
handwritten recipes are the best and I have several notebooks that have plenty of favorites. keep up your great blog and great ideas. thanks for sharing them with us.
Wow your parents gave you wine for your 21st bday, seems more like a 40th bday present. I was out doing shots and 50cent beers. You were old for 21.
I have a recipe book just like that! I always just throw random, good looking recipes in to it….but I am mad because I never get around to making a lot of them! I’ve got to take a look at that again!!
I have a recipe notebook very much like that too! I still use it almost daily! I can’t wait to check out the Good Bite book!
It wasn’t too long ago that that was how we all collected recipes. It still amazes me that I can try a dish, type in a few ingredients to google and sure enough in a few minutes come away with the recipe.
i’ve picked up rating recipes from my mom. all of my cookbook recipes have little smiley face or frowny face notations!
Agreed – The She Blogs Meeting this morning was great! Lots of very friendly, open people. I just need to track down (I forget her name) the person who’s responsible for membership fees!
Her name was Elizabeth, but I didn’t get her blog!
Nice video! And love the pics of your cookbook. If my notebooks only looked half as good as yours……
I tried to make a recipe book like that too, but I got lazy. Plus then I discovered blogs and now I get most of my recipes from online!
congratulations!!! what a great accomplishment.
I have to try this recipe now – it looks so easy and quick!!!!
I have a few notebooks like that! Now I bookmark recipes I want to try…and I think I had better get to trying, as the list is REALLY long
Sommelier Kath,
I’m impressed with your video! I got a feeling of some subtle (not so dixie!) Southern charm maybe only because I hear nasily Northern accents all the time!
Everything from the cuteness about running into Matt, the Mexican scoop video, and the recipe book is awesome and adorable! Reading you blog always puts a smile on my face
Thanks Lilly <3
have loved your blog for some time now! love reading about all your healthy ways! inspiring!
Thank you Jean!
I love this! I’ve been collecting recipes for a few months now and putting them into a book and grading them is a great idea. I just got engaged last night YAY, so I’m excited to start putting more recipes together in prep for cooking for Neal and I more!
kath do you know the brand of those big beans? i’d like to get them at my whole foods! thanks so much
Crud, no. The can was recycled. You can barely see it in this post:
http://www.katheats.com/gold-out-of-straw
OH wait – just found the original photo and zoomed in – Bioitalia brand of 100% organic butter beans
I love your first cook book! I started saving recipes to a jump drive from work because we didn’t have internet at home. I would copy and paste into word documents to bring home so I could have something to cook from
Giant beans look so fun to eat. Epic meal time.
Glad you had fun with some bloggers! I’m just getting into the blogging community, but I’ve already gotten the impression that bloggers are basically the best people ever. Everyone’s so supportive (well, most of the time!)
MOST of them are!
I bet it was so interesting talking strictly blogging with a group of people! I bet there were some interesting blog topics as well… I tend to get so sucked into the healthy living/food/ photography blogs that I forget there are millions of other niches and kinds out there!
And I love the cookbook memories… food has a way of taking up right back. Chedda cheese goes with all wines in my opinion
You and Matt are too cute!!!
I’ve noticed that you use olive oil a lot on salads. Do you ever use store-bought salad dressing? If so, could you recommend one that’s healthy & natural? I’ve never made my own dressing. What’s your favorite homemade dressing? Thanks!!
Hey Katelyn,
I rarely use it – I really don’t like the taste. Maybe it’s onion powder or garlic powder? They always taste fake to me. I also think they overpower the food. So I tend to just drizzle homemade components right on rather than dirtying up a jar. This usually involves high quality balsamic vinegars, good olive oils (I cook with cheaper ones), drizzles of honey and sea salt
I love that book- because I too have one just like it
Happy Tuesday!
Just wanted to stop by to say that I had salmon on the menu tonight and made a quick change to use the marinade you posted here and it was divine!!!!! We loved it!!!! thank you
OH yay!! I need to do that too!
i love ranking recipes, too, but i use a 4 star (****) system like they do for movies! only 3.5 or 4 star recipes get repeated! oh, and i write the date on the recipe the first time i make – unbelievable how time flies!
Congratulations Kath! Would love a copy of your book!
I’ve made that salmon recipe, too, and it is great! Love to win your cookbook.
Hey your recipe book looks just like mine! I’m not alone!
Ahh those wine tasting notes are great!
Such a good idea about grading recipes although I’m an easy judge- I’m sure anyone that I remotely like would get an A+ from me
I’ll be emailing you ASAP for that cookbook giveaway! I wanted to get a copy anyhow
I love pretty much any bean…except butter beans. They’re just too big & mealy for me
That is too cute about the notebook! I went clicking on photos at the bottom and just now came across an older entry where you mention the book too! http://www.katheats.com/a-beautiful-day
Fun to re-read!
Sounds like a great meeting!
I definitely emailed you to win the cookbook. It looks awesome!
Just thought I’d drop you a quick hello to say how much I’ve been enjoying your blog – I lived in CVille a while ago whilst I did my MA, and it’s great to hear how it’s changed and moved on, and how good of a place it is to live for non-students! Loving the recipes, and general chitchat as well (I didn’t know about chia seeds and all the Trader Joe’s goodness!). Your optimism is catching. Thank you!
Thank you galit!
It’s so sweet to see how excited you were to run into Matt at the bank. What a treat to be married to such a wonderful friend! I feel the same about my husband
It was so nice to meet you yesterday! You’d think that with us both living in a small town, our houses being so close to each other, and my popping into the bakery when I can that we’d have run into each other at some point already. Luckily, now we have.
I know!! Now that we can recognize one another, I’ll be on the lookout!
Such a nice keepsake! Great idea.