Food Blogger Interview: Sarah Jane Parker of TheFitCookie and Fit Betty
Our Dishfolio food bloggers are the
best, and we want you to know more about them! That's why we
interview them on a regular basis to share their expertise and
experience with other food bloggers like you. Today we're talking
to Sarah Jane Parker of TheFitCookie
and Fit
Betty. Her two blogs: The Fit Cookie is centered around family
and healthy, allergy-friendly food and recipes. Fit Betty, is
focused on fitness, nutrition, athletic fashion, and some healthy
recipes.
Tell us about your food blogging goals: What are they? How are you accomplishing them?
My ultimate goal with both of my blogs and my recipes is to encourage and provide great, healthy recipes for people with food allergies or who are on special diets. My kids have nut allergies and I have multiple food sensitivities, so I know how difficult it can be to find great food that fits into special diets. I love to experiment in the kitchen, and I wanted to share my recipes with others so they can experience great health and fitness, while still enjoying a variety of great food.
What's your go-to literary tool and how does it make your food blog successful?
My writing is very simple, conversational, with a dash of how-to and humor (or my attempt anyway!). I try not to write too much and focus on the recipe at hand. I have been turned off by recipe blogs that are too wordy, and sometimes I skip the text and go right to the recipe. I know that people are busy, so I try not to get carried away with writing. "Show me the food" is kind of my motto when I write my recipe posts! I know some people love to read lots of words, but I am not that person - I am a skimmer, so {most} of my writing reflects that.
What ethical food issues get you talking with your friends and family?
I really try to emphasize whole, less processed foods that are affordable. I am very passionate about healthy food that has whole ingredients that are minimally processed. I work hard to create simple, practical recipes from accessible and affordable ingredients. My personal theory is that you can create a fantastic recipe, but if no can afford or find the ingredients to make it, it won't fulfill the intended purpose: nourishing your body and mind.
Are you making money with
your food blog? If so, what's your secret blog monetization
ingredient?
Right now it is mostly sponsored posts and ads and campaigns from BlogHer, but some of my affiliate connections have been working well!
Describe your all-time favorite recipe.
Right now it would be my World's Best Gluten-Free Granola Bars. When you add mini chocolate chips to the recipe, they are to die for!!
What's the best food photography tip you've learned in the past year?
Natural lighting works wonders for photography, even if you don't have a top of the line camera. Also, photo editing (brightness, contrast, shadows, etc.) are a huge help!
How many cookbooks do
you own and which do you reach for most often?
I have something like 26 cookbooks and lots of food magazines (Clean Eating and Food Network Magazine). I haven't cracked a cookbook in a quite a while since I have been working on my own recipes and I have been getting a lot of recipes and inspiration online. The most used cookbook recently, though, has been Kids in the Kitchen by Gooseberry Patch. There is a fantastic pancake recipe in there that I have made and revised for our allergies.
If you had to choose a kitchen tool you couldn't live without, what would it be and why?
I can't live without my grain mill! Well, I could live without it I suppose but with all of the gluten-free baking I have done, grinding my own rice flour has saved a bunch of money. I got a Nutrimill as a gift and it is wonderful. I published have a how-to for grinding your own gluten-free flour at home:
What's next? How will you make yours the best food blog in town?
I want to continue to provide recipes made of whole foods that are easy to make and affordable. But I want to continue to expand the variety on my blog to include more paleo and grain-free recipes as well as more salads and main dishes (I have been doing a lot of desserts lately). I am also hoping to do more videos this year, as well as improving the quality of my videos and photos.
What keywords or cooking types would you like to be best known for?
The words to best describe the recipes on both of my blogs would be: allergy-friendly, healthy, whole food, gluten-free, soy-free, simple, and affordable.
Want to be interviewed for the Dishfolio blog? Send us an email to let us know!
