Kiss My Broccoli!

I have a fun one for you guys today!  I’m hoping while you’re reading this, I’m safely relaxing at home, but if not, I should at least be in the home stretch.  (Can we say thank you for being able to schedule posts! 😉 )

Anyway, like I said, I have a fun one for you guys today as I want you guys to take an opportunity to meet one of my lovely friends I met at BLEND back in May.  Her name is Heather and her blog is Kiss My Broccoli.  She’s super awesome and often makes me drool on my computer over her delicious pancake recipes.  No, seriously…keep reading.

I totally stole this super adorable picture from Heather – thanks girl! 🙂

What’s the story behind the “Kiss My Broccoli” blog name? And when and why did you start it?
I get this question all the time. While it’s kind of a funny story, it really isn’t a story at all.

But first, a little background: It wasn’t long after my discovery of the healthy living blogging community (Fall of 2010) that I got sucked in. I started trying recipes. I started buying food I never even knew you could eat (hello chia seeds!). It only seemed natural to start documenting these new discoveries so I started posting pictures of my foodie creations on my Facebook page. After about a month, all of my friends (or at least the cool ones who knew about food blogs) were urging me to start a blog of my own. I was reluctant at first…I didn’t know a THING about computers (still don’t) and much less about how the inner workings of a blog worked. After a couple of months, and SEVERAL food pics later, I started to see that this was more than just a “phase” I was going through…but what was I supposed to call it?

One night, my sister, Tori, came over for dinner. I made a typical blogger inspired dinner and of course, there was broccoli! During our meal, I noticed Tori had zoned out for a minute, sitting there with a piece of broccoli on her fork just hovering at her lips… I asked, “Um, do you guys need a room?” which of course snapped her out of her daydream and prompted her witty reply, “Oh, kiss my broccoli!” We both doubled over with laughter and at that moment I just KNEW…I had a blog name!

When the blog first got up and running, it was mainly just a platform for me to show my adventures with new foods, share some of my “throw together” recipes, and take really horrible photographs as documentation! 😉

What prompted your healthy living lifestyle?
I think I can honestly say that the blogging community is what really started my passion for healthy living. I did NOT grow up around healthy options…most of my family’s meals were comprised of pre-packaged foods and it was a rarity to have fresh produce in our house. While I started to show some interest in college when I started my job at GNC, let’s face it, I was IN COLLEGE…healthy living was not at the forefront of my mind! It wasn’t until I discovered this community and saw the passion in others that I started to think about myself and what I wanted. Over the last year and a half, my lifestyle has had a complete makeover. I eat more veggies and less meat, I exercise nearly every day, and I feel GREAT! I only wish I had made the changes sooner!

You always have delicious recipes on your blog, what’s your favorite thing to make?
That’s easy…

PANCAKES!

(Note from Katie: SEE ^^ I TOLD you guys!!)

What’s your preferred form of exercise?
If you had asked me this a year ago, I would have said, “CARDIO” without skipping a beat…or maybe WHILE skipping a beat? 😉 But now? I do love a good sweaty cardio workout here and there, but most of the time my focus is on strength training. After I got over my fear of the “boy’s zone” at the gym and started playing around with free weights and some of the machines, I got hooked. I’ve been lifting weights regularly for a few months now and I love how strong and sexy it makes me feel!

Plus, who doesn’t like offering tickets to the latest gun show? 😉

Are you a workout + music or workout + read person (or neither)?  And what’s your favorite kind of music to listen to or book/magazine to read while working out?
Since I’m not much of a “stay in one place” kind of person at the gym, reading doesn’t really work for me…but really I’m just saying that to cover up the fact that I have the absolute WORST coordination and don’t trust myself to try to read while on gym equipment! Lol Seriously though, I am all about the tunes! I go through phases on what I like to listen to, but most of the time I go back and forth between 80’s pop and the current hits station…just gotta have something with a good beat!

Do you find working late / overnight shifts difficult to maintain your healthy living lifestyle?  If so, how do you deal with those challenges?
I’ll admit, my transition to night shift was pretty difficult at first…I never seemed to get enough sleep in those first couple of weeks. I was tired (and cranky) all the time. All I wanted was to skip all my workouts, stay at home, and eat comfort food on my days off and when I was working, I was constantly grabbing for snacks or coffee to keep myself awake. It took a few weeks of experimenting, in which time I found a good eating schedule and actually stopped drinking coffee (I know, Katie is totally shaking her head at me right now!), but I think I finally have it figured out now!

(Note from Katie: WHAT?! No coffee?! I’m totally pouring an extra cup in your honor. 😉 )

What’s your favorite way to relax or spend a day off?
I am most relaxed when I’m outside…I love going to the park and hiking while taking pictures. It’s funny how the world just seems to slow down when you’re looking at it through a camera lens!

What are a few things you love about yourself?

I love my sense of humor and knowing that I can make people laugh. I love that I am a quick learner with just the right amount of stubbornness to go along with it….two things that have definitely come in handy in life (my job, photography, and the all the joys of being a homeowner…yeah, Google is my best friend!) I also love my dimples and my green eyes….Thanks daddy! J

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what is the first thing you would do?
Seriously? The FIRST thing? I’d quit my job and get started on a cookbook! 😀

And since we’re gearing up for the Labor Day weekend, any fun plans?
Oh yes, the FUNNEST of plans!…I’m working! Womp womp! 🙁 Of course with it being a holiday weekend, I’m pretty much guaranteed at least one drink for entertainment purposes! 😉

What are YOU doing for Labor Day weekend?