Before I even jump into today’s post, I want to express my sincerest thanks for all of your comments on the vlog that I posted Friday. I cannot even tell you how hesitant I was to share it, and then how much I dreaded my decision in the few hours after. Where you all called me “cute” I saw myself as “flighty.” Where you said that I seemed so “relaxed” and “real” I thought rather that I was “rambling” (as I appropriately indicated in my post title for the day). I still think that most of you were just being nice, but all the same I appreciate you taking the time to watch it. I have no idea when I will make another or IF I can even gather up the courage to make another, but I’m glad I bit the bullet and did a second one (my first was all the way back in October 2012, more than a year ago!).
Also, another note before sharing some delicious food pictures with you all, I’m going to be blunt and admit that I have no idea how much time I will be able to spend blogging this semester. Right now in fact I should be reading for one of my classes but that will come in due time and staying up just a little bit later is definitely worth it.
At the start of 2014 I had all of these big plans for Eating 4 Balance including finally getting a self-hosted site, upgrading to a new theme, working on more professional pictures/recipes. Yada yada yada. Oh, and being more faithful with comments too. I know that January is not even half way over yet, but can I just say MAJOR FAIL? Sorry everyone. I’m going to do my best. It’s not really an option for me to quit entirely or take a break because blogging IS MY BREAK. Really, reading blogs and blogging is my relief from college life and classes. Take that away and you have a Madison ten times more strung out and scattered than you saw in my video (I think beginning to refer to myself in third person may be a sign that the craziness has already begun? Is there no hope of turning back?!!! 😉 ).
With those hundreds of words put out there, this WIAW will be probably less wordy and more picture-heavy than normal.
I called this post “Yours, Mine and Ours” to represent the variety of food that I made over the holidays and am about to unload on you. There are some pictures of food that I made for my parents and/or brother (theirs), some food that I made for myself (mine*), and the food that I made for both (ours).
*Although as noted on Friday, I have basically backed off of trying to add anything new. Simple is the name of the game once more as I try to go back to how I felt before the holidays. Meat and veggies here I come… Already feeling much better though thankfully!
THEIRS
Gluten-free buckwheat pancakes inspired by Gluten-Free Goddess
Homemade macaroni and cheese
Whole wheat pasta, organic cheese and milk
Pumpkin oatmeal with granola and almond butter
Oatmeal with pears, almond butter and maple cinnamon pecans
Quiche inspired by Meghan
Made with an almond flour crust, eggs, milk, cheese, seasonings, onions, squash and broccoli
Puppy chow for my brother’s New Year’s Eve party
MINE
Gluten-free and vegan biscuits
Oh so moist, flavorful and crumbly!
Homemade ice cream with goat’s milk and stevia
Gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free pancakes
Sweet gluten-free and vegan pancakes made with potatoes
Potato pancakes topped with New York maple syrup
Whole Foods salad bar: red quinoa, grilled chicken and cucumber slices
Chocolate pudding: cocoa powder, pumpkin puree, tapioca starch, water, stevia and frozen blueberries… yum!
Goat’s milk yogurt with stevia and frozen blueberries
OURS
Alright, so we didn’t actually share THAT much food-wise over vacation
Paleo pumpkin chocolate chip cake with a chocolate frosting (I just ate some of the frosting. It was amazing and tasted like a rich chocolate pudding.)
I do have plans to share some of these recipes eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later! 🙂
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Questions for you:
- Can you guess what inspired the title of this post?
- Do you make food that is just for someone else, yourself, or even both?
- What is your favorite food to make? Obviously mine is pancakes!
Eating 4 Balance 
A movie from a couple years ago where two old flames marry and combine a large amount of children into one family 😉 haha i love how anytime you go home you do so much cooking for your family! It’s very sweet a thing you do, and I bet they are very appreciative of all you do 🙂
Oh you are GOOD 😉 As I always say, it’s kind of a mutual thing. I love to cook and they love to eat so it goes both ways 🙂
Don’t stress yourself about blogging! Who cares about new themes and boring stuff like that! Just make sure you balance life well and are not getting bogged down in unnecessary stresses.
The quiche sounds really good. Very tasty. And the last cake – wowza, yum!
Well, I guess what does that say about me if I find boring stuff like that interesting? 😉 However I completely agree about balancing life.
I am planning to share the quiche and cake soon as I have recipes for both!
ALL THE FOOD! Seriously everything looks amazing, your food and theirs 😉
Thanks Jessie! 🙂
First of all, I was not “just being nice” when I said how much I loved your vlog–you didn’t seem flighty or rambling at all, and I truly did enjoy watching it:) Sure, maybe the lighting could have been better, but that’s essentially irrelevant compared to what you were actually talking about! On a different note, don’t feel as though you need to apologize for not accomplishing all of your blogging goals–you have a busy and hectic life, and no one should be upset if you can’t blog as much or comment very often!! You have such a great blog already, and it’s inevitable that sometimes “real life” will get in the way. Don’t stress out about it:) Looking at all your food pictures reminded me that I still need to make those vegan grain-free biscuits of yours–so many recipes to try, and so little time! I often make food for my siblings and parents that I won’t eat myself because they contain animal products, though sometimes they will eat my “weird vegan food” as well. In fact, I recently made some vegan/gluten-free brownies that everyone seemed to enjoy. I hope you have a fantastic day!
I feel like the roles have just reversed as very recently I was saying a similar thing about YOUR videos. As such, thanks again for your compliments. The lighting is dually noted as well. Next time I will open the curtains before making a vlog. Oh, and change out of my workout clothes.
It’s not necessarily that I’m afraid of upsetting other people, but more myself. I just love blogging so much and I’m of the mindset that I want to put my all into what I do and I can’t help but see my lessening of posts and my less than great responsiveness to comments and be edgy. I am trying to put a little less pressure on what I write about though, although maybe making a posting schedule would actually help save time and allow me to keep up the blogging? Something to ponder I guess!
Yes- try the grain-free biscuits! I just had someone comment on that post the other day and said they liked them. I had totally forgotten them really and then went and made another completely different biscuit recipe that you see above. Haha.
Ya, while I do eat meat, I can’t have a lot of other stuff so I can understand making “weird food.” But when I make something from scratch, no matter how different or healthy, and my family enjoys it, that’s just the best feeling in the world. The brownies sound wonderful- glad they liked them too!
Seriously, all this food looks delish! I’ve always wanted to try the Whole Foods salad bar – it looks so yummy! You made some really good looking food for your family!
I hadn’t been to the Whole Foods bar in such a long time. You would adore it. Maybe you would even like their hot bar more if you’ve never tried that! They usually have macaroni and cheese at the one I frequent 🙂
Loved the vlog! I had so much fun when I did it a few years ago! Cannot wait for all the delicious recipes for the food that was in this post!
Thanks Kaila. I had fun last year making the accent vlog too. Actually, until I posted my other (albeit less exciting) vlog on Friday I had forgotten that I’d ever even posted another video. 😛
GOSH I totally understand about blogging. It’s amazing how much time it actually takes! Don’t worry about taking time off if you need it – your readers will still be here for you whenever you get around to it. 🙂
It really does! You’d think at first it was just the time it takes to write posts but it’s so much more.
I must must must must have that chocolate pudding! And I am sure you know from me… I only blog about twice a week now! Always Wednesday and either Friday/ Sundays. I think its time to focus on me since I have been blogging since May 2011. It’s been a while and don’t feeeel bad. Do you! 🙂 Xo!
I will have to remember exactly how I made it. Haha. I just threw a bunch of stuff together. It didn’t settle well with me because of the cocoa… but maybe I can convince my dear family to try it if I whip up another batch all nice and fancy 😀
I usually blog on Wednesdays and Fridays too. And then occasionally Mondays/Thursdays/Sundays for those link-up parties. 🙂
It certainly has been awhile! It’s hard to believe but my first blog post ever was May 2011 too (on my old blog). Time flies.
Oh wow! So we are blog twins 😉 Yeah cocoa upset me so much too… why do I torture myself!!!! lol, At least coffee I can stomach if its a latte… aka more soy milk for my tum tum. Yes let me know if you do re-try 🙂
My oh my those pictures are making me so hungry! I haven’t made pancakes in ages but love doing the paleo recipe with eggs and bananas. Probably because it’s so easy 🙂
Pancakes are my go-to thing to make when I’m at home. Perhaps because I miss cooking on a stove with real utensils. haha. I’ve been trying to convince the parents to let me make them those egg and banana pancakes but they just won’t bite. After they’ve tried the coconut flour and almond flour paleo pancake creations just nothing is ever the same again 😉
Haha my family always is skeptical when I make food for them. No joke at Christmas my dad immediately asked why I was in charge of the popovers 🙂
Bahaha. My parents are willing to eat whatever I make them. But my brother is much more skeptical. The first words out of his mouth are “Is this normal?” or “What did you put in this?” He seriously thinks anything healthy equates to gross. I’m still working on him 😉
I hope you proved your dad wrong with the popovers! 🙂
That mac and cheese looks so delicious and decadent!
Thanks Julie! They gobbled it up 🙂
Well thank you for successfully making me very hungry — I would kind of kill for a plate of that mac and cheese right about now. Oi.
Since I live alone, I usually just end up cooking for myself. And I use cooking in the most liberal sense of the word because sometimes my meal prep involves nothing more than throwing together a bowl of cereal 😉 I do love baking for others though… or at least sharing my baking creations with them in an effort to get rid of them so that I can bake more 😀
Lol. Cooking to me is anything more than pulling out a prepackaged cereal bar. Haha. Most of my food is just heated up in the microwave at school so I don’t have much room to talk either.
Baking is my favorite! But thankfully my family eats everything up within a day or so… Then I can make something new 🙂
I loved this idea. It was really creative. You are quite the chef! All of your food looks delicious! I wouldn’t mind snagging the pancakes. 😉
Thanks Natalie 🙂
You could blog one a week, month, year & all your loyal readers will be here waiting for you when you write a post. Take it easy girl & don’t be too hard on yourself ❤ ❤
Well thanks for saying that Jessie ❤
You like pancakes? no!
I don’t care how often you update, I’ll be here ready to read whatever you share! Taking care of yourself is the most important thing because I’m sure we all want to hear from a healthy, happy, Madison 🙂
These look like delicious eats regardless of who they’re for and I’ll be happy to see recipes whenever they come.
Ha. What’s sad is that there are probably two or three times the amount of pancakes on here that haven’t even been documented. They are just so fun.
Thanks for the sweet comment Sarah. Happy and healthy is the goal!
How have I not commented on this post? I’ve read it like three times now, and I’m thrilled you made the quiche. Did the family like it?
Also as much as I hate to admit this because pumpkin was involved, the pumpkin oatmeal picture looks really good.
I hope you’re in school again and getting back into your groove. Shake your groove thang…Yeah Yeah..
I’m pretty sure I have done that with a few of your posts too. I’ve read them several times even and then move on so quickly to the next that I never even think to comment.
The quiche went off wonderfully! The next weekend I’m home I’m going to make it again and take better pictures and then share the new crust I made.
Haha. Yes, I’m back in school since the 13th! No shaking yet though.