The day of food you’re about to see was a busy one. Old recipes are getting new glamour shots taken 😉
Over the weekend I committed myself to making at least one old recipe from my blog each day this week to re-take photos and give them the fresh new look they deserve. Some of them are really good recipes that just look awful in the pictures – truly hideous. I personally try to look not-hideous in public, and my food really should not either! So, here we go.
So, that’s great, but what the heck does salt on my photos mean?
When remaking recipe “just” to take pictures of – do we cut corners on ingredients or make the recipe as written, essentially “full out”?
I decided follow my exact recipes just as I posted them, for several reasons. 1.) The recipe itself might need updating, not just the pictures. 2.) I have to actually eat the food, likely multiple times, in addition to taking pictures. 3.) The photos look better to me when I know they taste good. 4.) I have a touch of OCD. 5.) Go salt or go home.
So, here’s my WIAW: Salt on My Food Photos! (Spoiler: there wasn’t a ton of salt involved, and some sugar snuck in.)
Breakfast, oh happy breakfast! No recipe here, just something quick and tasty to start the day: sweet potatoes and and spicy andouille sausage with steamed/sauteed collards and eggs. I chose the andouille sausage since I’d just had it the day before in a hash with butternut squash and peppers, and wanted more!
I’ve been putting chocolate flavored coconut whipped cream in my coffee for a few days – just added some cocoa powder, maple, and vanilla to the usual coconut whip for a change!
Lunch was the two pieces of delicious Winter Squash Frittata with Apple and Bacon – definitely make this recipe if you like kabocha squash! It’s mostly sweet but savory too with the bacon (and salt!) Diana also really loved this and even finished it off for breakfast the next day.
In the afternoon I had two different snacks. First, the Maple Pecan Apple Crisp from last year that I’ve been promising to make my kids since we went apple picking. I figured I’d take the opportunity to get more pictures too. It’s an awesome healthy version of apple crisp!
Since the small bowl of apple crisp I had was hardly filling, I made myself a typical protein and fat rich snack – more spicy sausage and a pretty fried egg on top. I bought one of those tiny one-egg pans on sale at my grocery store and it’s too cute 🙂 I also had a home brewed kombucha but didn’t take a picture.
Chicken thighs were up in the dinner rotation, and, since I don’t have the mental energy to completely switch up recipes, I decided to season them a little differently for the sake of variety. I made a little spice rub of sea salt, smoked paprika and onion powder and cooked them in bacon fat.
The good thing about this seasoning is that it’s not at all spicy, and the “smokiness” was okay by my kids. It had a nice bacon flavor without actually eating bacon with it. Fried plantains and roasted broccoli on the side.
More fruit and chocolate for dessert! I’ve noticed lately that I’m tired of bananas, probably because I associate them with long runs, so thinking about eating them literally makes me tired. Strawberries and clementines are my best fruit-friends right now.
Do you ever wonder what the food behind gorgeous photos actually tastes like? Yes Michele, that’s what the recipes are for, I know. But are they worth their “salt”?
Enough!!
What’s your favorite recipe created by you? How often do you make it?
I have no idea how you had the energy to cook all these meals over the weekend after running 22 miles! I could barely make it into the car to go out to dinner. I definitely cut corners when remaking recipes, but sometimes then they turn into a simpler recipe or something slightly different!
Not sure I have the energy or if I’m just out of my mind! And simpler is not always a bad thing 🙂
Haha you are definitely in the middle of marathon training. Lots of food on the brain & in the stomach!
Seriously eating a ton and also feeling like I’ll always be hungry!
Favorite Suz recipe would be the enchiladas that I make for Thanksgiving. I ‘ve never come across anything like it. Favorite repeater would be my zucchini cornbread muffins. But that’s for the big dishes. I have lots of other creations that are repeats, they just never make the blog because om nom nom.
I haven’t had enchiladas in so long and now I want! Zucchini cornbread muffins also sound fabulous.
How has your body been reacting to FODMAPS? Has it gotten better from eliminating and reducing them for a while and now adding some back in? Your training has gone nicely and you are so smart how you replenish and refuel your body. Your a fine example of a dedicated marathon trainer. I am going away on vacation Tuesday and will be back the day before the marathon. We plan on cheering you on. Could you please tel me where your family will be watching in a private email so, if it is okay with you, my daughter, her boyfriend, my husband and I can meet them?
I’m off and on with FODMAPs, normally eliminating them before my long runs and then going a bit overboard for a couple of days until I feel it! I’ll shoot you an email when I figure it out 🙂
Your “protein snack” is hilarious because it’s so something I would do, but maybe not typical for others! You are getting very good with your photography, especially the frittata. My favorite recipe I’ve come up with is my own spin on cauliflower fried rice! It never seems to get old, but somehow I keep changing it.
LOL I was totally thinking the same thing! People might think it’s weird but to me, totally normal. I had homemade pork sausage today for my afternoon snack 🙂 And thanks about the photos, I’m working my ass off so I appreciate the compliment! Cauli rice sounds great!
Everything looks delicious!
Thanks!
My favorite recipe is always changing, right now it’s my newest, a Pumpkin Apple Spice Loaf – but a year ago I would have said ALL THE MUFFINS and before that, I was still in my baby chef stages and I would have said salmon and asparagus that I literally stick olive oil and black pepper on and set to broil for 15 minutes, which is not a recipe 🙂 Such an ambitious photo taking journey for you, mine is a LOT slower (but progressing!)
Yum that sounds great! And yes I’m fixated on redoing recipe photos and driving myself nuts with it 😉
yay for making the apple crisp again! I am all about the apple crisp right now, it’s so good! I have a few recipes I should remake from my blog too, when I find the time that is.
I know, it’s easier that making a whole apple pie! I really don’t have the time, sleep is the thing suffering because I’m doing computer stuff at night so I get the good morning light, ugh!
Do you keep a rough calorie count to make sure you get enough during training?
Not really, but just make sure I’m not losing any weight. My appetite usually guides me pretty well 🙂
Gorgeous photos – making me hungry! 🙂
Thank you!!
this all looks gorgeous! my favorite recipes are anything that take me under 30 minutes that my husband thinks took all day 😀
for myself,i am in love with my crockpot beef short ribs: in a pot add half a cup of coconut cream, half a cup of sriracha, and beef short ribs. cook for 24 hours. AMAZING. and not spicy, just yummy. honestly mustard could be subbed for the sriracha since i know you have mustard and just add a touch of maple or honey. so freaking good and melty.
That’s awesome criteria for a good recipe! I need to get going with some crockpot action 🙂
Would it be possible for you to point me to a WIAW post when you were not training for a marathon? I am curious to know what you would eat during a time period with a lower activity level. Thank you!
I remembered writing one up when I was on a running break: https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/wiaw-on-a-running-break-taming-the-runger/
Not sure if you’ll find it much different though but hope it helps!
Thank you for replying! This does help.
Awesome 🙂
That apple crisp recipe definitely looks ‘worth it’s salt’ 🙂
I just kobucha squash this week and I LOVE it!! I may have to give that frittata a try!
If you like frittatas and kabocha it’s worth it! And thanks 🙂
My order of almond meal needs to get here now so I can make that apple crisp! My favorite recipe on my blog are my acorn squash pancakes. Oddly, most of my favorite meals haven’t made it to recipe form on the blog!
I have a few things I made all the time that aren’t “recipes” – mainly typical dinner items!
That apple crisp is like whoa. I’ll have to try that bad boy!
Tasty, healthy, pretty simple – hope you try!
The photos look great!! And that hash…yum! I’ve been craving something like that!
Thank you so much! The stuff I crave all the time – yum!
Go salt or go home…I love it. It all looks delicious but I think I’m gonna start with trying out your frittata as I’ve never made anything like that before. Thanks for the new ideas!
Hope you do – it’s different but so good! Sweet and savory and healthy 🙂
Whipped cream in coffee is such a great idea! I used to have that as my airport “treat” – a Starbucks Americano with a bit of whip on top. I’ll have to get it tomorrow when I fly out!
I like to feel like I’m having a little treat every morning 🙂
I am going through my old recipes and reshooting too! I have some done, but still haven’t actually updated 😛 I’m remaking one today too! It’s kinda fun to bring back the oldies!
Lol as if we don’t have enough to do already! I am enjoying bringing back old recipes though!
Your new photos are looking good! Adding chocolate flavored coconut whipped cream to coffee sounds amazing I must try this!!
Thank you! And yes, try it!
I need to do that with some of my older posts/recipes too! It’s painful to look back, but also encouraging to see improvement.
Now I’m off to go brew my next batch of kombucha:)
Oh so painful to look back! I feel like I need to start with the worst and go from there!