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A Simple Guide for Creating an Effective Food-Themed Blog

The internet has given rise to the blog business in a big way. This has given people the opportunity to blend passion and blog writing in a way that might have been impossible without the internet. Those who love food may want to consider starting a food-themed blog, and the following guide will help you create a successful blog site.

Know the Foundation of Good Writing

It is important that you know how to write a good blog post. This is not only done to ensure that search engines rank your site but also for the good of your readers. Making sure you have an editor is important, especially for a food blogger who shares recipes. Readers need to be able to understand instructions clearly. Make sure that you do not forget SEO best practices and effective keyword usage throughout your blog posts.

Creating an Effective Support System

Part of what is going to make your blog successful is the business aspect. There are a number of ways that you can make money off of your blog site, and you need to use multiple routes. One of the most effective financial streams is affiliate marketing, which allows you to advertise food-related products on your site. As this affiliate marketing guide explains in detail, you get a piece of the sale should anything be purchased through your link.

Of course, you can also partner with food-focused companies directly and mention them one way or another on your site. Now, depending on the type of food blog you create you can also consider writing a recipe book or something similar that you can sell to your readers. You can sell your content on your own website, or you can use a third party if you want.

Variety and Simplicity

Another thing you have to make sure you do with your blog site is give your readers variety and simplicity. Online readers are expecting new and exciting content, which is one reason you should make sure you provide a wide range of recipes and/or dining experiences. Narrowing it down to a certain kind of cooking or style of restaurant is fine, but take steps to provide a well-balanced stream of content.

Those offering recipes should definitely consider a focus on fast and easy meal options. While intricate dishes which take hours to prepare can be included from time to time, delicious and simple recipes tend to be the most popular.

The same goes for blogs which focus on restaurants; ultra-fine dining is fine but you’ll probably find the most success with an emphasis on “greasy spoon” style eateries.

Create the Content Readers Want

It is important that you keep your ear to the ground when it comes to the content you create. Yes, you need to make sure that you write about something that you understand well, but you should also make sure that your content is on everyone’s mind. It is not always possible to be topical when it comes to food, but you can try whenever possible.

For example, those who are reviewing restaurants can talk about new restaurants or new menu items. Those who are sharing recipes may want to try ingredients that are popular at the time. Thankfully, most food-related blog posts are evergreen, which means your posts should stay relevant for a long time, but creating a topical subject should help boost your post initially.

These are just some of the things you can do to create an effective and successful food-related blog site. You do not have to implement these suggestions all at once if you do not have the resources but do your best. Remember, gaining a following is going to take time so be patient.

Five Ways to Help Someone Who Wants to Quit Drinking

Alcohol addiction is a serious problem that a lot of people struggle with. If you have a loved one who wants to quit drinking, and you want to offer a helping hand, then here are 10 ways that you can help them:

1. Be informed about the problem.

You can’t really help someone if you don’t have any idea what they’re going through. Alcohol addiction is more than just the consumption of alcohol; there’s almost always an underlying problem that needs to be addressed as well. Information will also help you understand the problem better. You can do research on the different ways that alcohol withdrawal affects an individual so that you know what to do once the withdrawal symptoms kick in.

2. Stop playing the blame game.

People with alcohol addiction usually exhibit behaviours that hurt the people around them. This is most likely just a part of a self-destructive mentality wherein they try to push away the people that they love the most. If your loved ones have said or done something to hurt you, you should try to lengthen your patience. Remember that they have already made the decision to quit drinking, which is a big positive step towards recovery. Stop playing the blame game and be as understanding as you can be.

3. Take your friend somewhere else on a Friday night.

This is one of the simplest ways in which you can help. If you usually go to a bar, a pub or a club on a Friday night, then offer to take your friend somewhere else. You can go see a movie instead or, better yet, stay at home and hang out at your place. You can stream a film on Netflix, play board games, or cook a meal together. Avoiding places where they may slip and doing activities that can take their mind off alcohol, even if they last just for a little while, they will help them a lot through the process.

4. Don’t push them!

One of the biggest mistakes that friends and family members make when “trying to help” a loved one overcome their alcohol addiction is to push them to quit. Every person goes through the process differently—you can’t expect your loved one to stop drinking as per your timeline! At the same time, don’t force them to see a therapist or to go to an AA meeting. Oftentimes, these efforts “to help” are what stops a person to really commit to quitting drinking.

5. Get ready for slip-ups.

It is possible that during the process, your loved one will have a slip-up or two. Don’t give up on them when this happens! Again, you need to be as understanding and as patient as possible if you want to be able to help them overcome their alcohol addiction. The fact that they’re already taking steps on how to stop drinking is already big for them, so keep supporting them despite slip-ups.

Your love and support surely mean a lot to your loved one who’s trying to overcome their alcohol addiction. But if you need an extra set of hands to help, Allen Carr’s Easyway helps individuals to quit drinking easily and painlessly.

5 Quick and Easy Family Meals

If you are short on time with a hungry family waiting for food, then what you need are easy-to-prepare and healthy meals that you can ready in a jiffy. The recipes below require few ingredients and take less than an hour to prepare.

Try any of these on a busy day and make sure you get the rest of your chores done on time.

1. Grilled Lemon Chicken and Asparagus

This healthy recipe is delicious which you can quickly put together on the dinner table. The recipe only takes 20 minutes to prepare. (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 sliced lemon
  • And as much asparagus as you would like

Directions:

Pre-heat a grilling pan on the stove on medium-high flame and brush it with oil. Season both sides of the chicken breast with salt and pepper and grill for 4-5 minutes per side. Add the sliced lemons wedges during the last 3 minutes of the cooking time and cook until the chicken is done. Serve with hot sauce and a side of steamed asparagus.

2. Grilled Cheese with Spinach

If you have a particularly busy schedule for a day, then a cheesy grilled sandwich with a side of veggies is the perfect meal for your family. It only takes 20 minutes to prepare and you probably already have the ingredients at home. (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 4 ciabatta rolls
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp. marinara sauce
  • 8 oz. Mozzarella cheese
  • Pepperoni and spinach as to your liking

 

Directions:

Spread liberal amount of butter on the outside of the bread rolls. On the insides of the rolls; spread marinara sauce and put as much mozzarella, pepperoni and spinach as you want.

On a low flame, heat a non-stick grilling pan and grill the sandwiches for 4-5 minutes on each side. Grill until the outsides are golden brown and the cheese melts. Serve with different condiments and a side of steamed veggies.

3. Easy Baked Salmon

This recipe is an easy one as you can marinade and freeze the fish the night before, ready to be grilled and served when you are short on time. It takes few ingredients and can be prepared in just 30 minutes. (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • ½ tbsp. brown sugar
  • ½ tbsp melted butter
  • ½ tbsp olive or vegetable oil
  • ½ tbsp honey
  • ½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ large salmon fillet (cut into 4 pieces)

 

 

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients except the fish in a bowl. Then pour marinade over the salmon fillets. Let the fish marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).

Pre-heat a grill pan on a medium heat and sear the salmon (discard the marinade) for 6-8 minutes on each side or until completely cooked. Squeeze a lemon on top and serve on a bed on steamed spinach.

4. One Pot Chicken Pilaf

This recipe is very easy and makes a very filling and comforting meal. The chicken pilaf takes maximum 30 minutes to prepare and saves you from a pile of dish washing later. (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 tbsp curry paste
  • 2 cups of basmati rice
  • 4 cups of chicken stock
  • 2 cups of frozen veggies

Directions:

Heat oil in a deep skillet and fry the onions until translucent, then add the chicken and cook until white on the outside. Mix in curry paste, add in the rice and cook for 2-5 minutes. Add in the frozen veggies and chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Then cover the lid and let it cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the stock is absorbed. Serve with a side of your choice.

5. Quick Pesto Pasta

Pesto pasta is a quick and easy recipe when you have kids who love pasta and adults who are too busy to sit down for a real meal. It takes a maximum of 20 minutes to prepare. (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 400 gms of Linguini
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tbsp. roasted pine nuts
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Fill deep pot with water, add 2 tbsp. of salt and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to packet directions (until al dente). Drain and keep aside.

In a food processor, add basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper and parmesan. Add in the oil slowly and blend it until smooth. In a pot, mix the linguini with the pesto and serve with extra parmesan grated on top.

Are You That Fit & Healthy Mom?

No matter if you are a house wife or a working mom; your health should be your first priority.

Opting for a lifestyle that keeps you and your family fit and healthy would also keep the ‘Happy Mom = Happy Family’ equation balanced.

Here are our Top 7 tips on how to maintain a healthy and energetic lifestyle.

Plan Your Activities

Your life can get hectic and a good way to deal with that would be to get into the habit of making a schedule of your activities.

This is the key for achieving your daily goals. It would help you keep track of what needs to get done on priority and stay motivated as you complete one goal after the other.

Wake Up Early

If you are following your daily schedule, it’s necessary to wake up early to keep on track. It offers you the best time for a morning walk or some alone time to work on personal goals. It helps you to start your day on an optimistic note and enhances productivity for the entire day.

Workout

This is the time when you can include your entire family to help you achieve your much-needed workout goals. You can all get active together, ride bikes, play chase or go for a walk. This would also instil the habit of exercise in your kids from an early age.

Eat Breakfast

Having a healthy breakfast within thirty minutes of waking up helps maintain your metabolism and improves your performance for the rest of the day. It is the most important meal of the day. It help keeps your weight and cholesterol level under control, too!

Plan Your Meals

Refrain from eating out more. Rather prepare meals at home that are healthy. Make it a habit to go for grocery shopping with your family, once in a while. Ask them to pick items that are good for health which they’d like to eat. Preparing their favourite meals at home would help you achieve that calorie goal you’ve made for the day!

Read Often

Reading improves the functionality of your mind. In addition to increasing your vocabulary it can also improve your concentrating abilities. Also keep yourself updated on current health issues through reputable sources like fitness magazines etc to know what needs to be followed for maintaining fitness in your life.

Sleep Well

Those who make fitness and health a lifestyle understand the importance of being fully rested. It is recommended to approximately have six to eight hours of sleep to get your body to function at its best on the next day.

Loss of sleep or irregular pattern results in stress or fatigue and increases the chances of stroke, heart disease and diabetes. Plus, it’s bad for the skin, too.

We hope that these tips would be helpful for you in taking steps to be healthier version of yourself. Be an inspiration and offer encouragement to yourself and other moms around you to follow a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Snacks to Boost Your Kid’s Energy Levels

It’s time to remove all that junk food out of your pantry. Kids and their nutrition should be a priority for all the parents.

Try these 7 kid-friendly home-made snacks to keep your child fuelled for his/her busy day. The best part is that these snacks are super healthy and your child is guaranteed to love them.

Whole Grain Cereal

A bowl of whole grain cereal with milk is a healthy start to your kid’s day. Try adding fruits that your kid enjoys, to make it a power packed snack with all the essential nutrients for your child.

Avocado Spread Sandwiches

Packed with potassium, iron and soluble fibre, avocado is one of the best ingredients you should add in your child’s diet. Mash the avocado and mix it with a few sauces. Use this as a spread on your child’s chicken or turkey sandwich of whole wheat bread along with a few cucumber slices. The spread can also be used as a dip with baked potato wedges too!

Smoothies

Kids love sipping on chilled drinks. What’s better than offering them what they want while also ensuring that it is super healthy for them! Try experimenting with different combinations of fruits and vegetables while using non-fat yoghurt as your base. It’s a great way to fulfil your child’s need of consuming fruits on a daily basis.

Ice Pops

Best way to keep your child hydrated during those hot summer days is to prepare ice pops at home. What’s good is that you know what’s going in them. Try out making a combo of orange juice and non-fat Greek yoghurt to fulfil your child’s Vitamin C requirement or whip up some yoghurt parfait and add some berries to get that oh-so-delicious taste.

Choc-fruity Bites

Your kid has been asking for some sweet treats at an odd time? And you don’t want to ruin their appetite? A great snack idea for this can be covering banana chunks or strawberries with chocolate. These can be kept in the freezer for a long time so your child can eat them even when you aren’t around.

Crispy Rice Treats

Kids enjoy munching on crispy and crunchy food. Classic crispy rice-marshmallow balls made with dry fruits and seeds are a great way to keep the kids happy and healthy. Use canola oil or olive oil butter to bind all the ingredients together.

Mini Fruit Pizzas

This is the best DIY recipe which we are sure your kids would enjoy.

Dice a few chunks of a couple of fruits for them. Use plain wheat tortillas as crust for your mini pizzas and cut them into fun shapes that your kids want. Put some plain Greek yoghurt as the base and add honey as a sweetener which serves as a healthy substitute for sugar.

Ask your kids to add fruits of their own choice, from the chunks you’ve kept to prepare their own personal colourful treats they’d gladly devour.

So there you have it! Let your child enjoy these healthy snacks which would provide them the right amount of nourishment they need each day to grow stronger and healthier.