KERF Interview Debut!

If you’re a member of the blog world, and possibly even if you’re not, odds are you’ve heard of Kath Eats Real Food. If not, head there as soon as you read this post!

I was so happy ecstatic to be able to interview the wonderful Kath herself via phone yesterday! It is for my Media Writing class—we had to interview someone with similar interests (blogging), and right away Kath came to mind. So glad she graciously agreed to take a few minutes to answer my questions. Enjoy!

Blogger Interview: KERF
By: CaSaundra Casillo   

  When most people here the word blogging, they can conjure up many different ideas. However, when you pay a visit to KERF blog, it’s all about real food. Kath Eats Real Food is a blog started by Kath herself, dedicated to her love of real food, healthy living, and sharing with others that an overall healthy diet is easier than most people think, and can actually be quite fun. Kath decided to go mainstream with KERF on September 1st, 2007. Since then she has gained 7,000 readers, and about 13,000-14,000 visits on her page per day.  Her source of inspiration to start a blog, which she updates three times daily in a diary-like style documenting her meals and snacks, stemmed from the blog “Eat Like Me” from Self Magazine. Her 30 lb weight loss also fueled her interest in blogging because she wanted to share her experience and answer all the questions people would routinely ask her about her weight loss journey.
  For Kath, blogging is like a 24/7 job that she describes as both wonderful and sometimes draining. She compared blogging to being like a student; you always have assignments, and constantly could be working on something. Still, she wouldn’t trade what she does for a 9-5 job any day. Other things she loves about blogging are the exciting comments she receives daily and the supportive blog community who she can relate to on all levels. “I love when I got together with other bloggers, we all wanted to go to bed early to wake up and exercise--we’re very like-minded.”
  Of course, not everything runs smooth in the blog world. She has had her share of negative comments, but since she started moderating them a year ago, most have dissipated.
  To say Kath has taken blogging to a new level would be an understatement. Through blogging, many doors have opened to opportunities she never imagined; traveling to Africa this past summer for a Lipton Tea tour, the Quaker Healthy Heart Start weekend in Chicago, numerous BlogHer conferences, heading the first Healthy Blogger Summit in Boston, publishing in Breathe Magazine, and recipe development opportunities. However, the benefits don’t end there--she also receives free food products to her door from companies and the chance to do various media partnerships.
  She can’t imagine what life would be like if she never started blogging. “I would probably be sitting unhappy in a cubicle.” Instead, she takes the free time she does have and is furthering her education with RD credentials. Kath hopes her online nutritional counseling will eventually grow into her own business.
  For bloggers just starting out, she says learning how to use your camera is necessary, and posting regularly is important. When picking a topic Kath suggests picking something that is already in your daily life, like food and eating is for her.   
  When asked what she hopes readers get from her blog, her response was, “That you can eat real food, and navigating all the products in stores doesn’t have to be challenging.” Kath plans to keep on blogging in the future and hopes that her blog can change lives for the good in both big and small ways.

Thanks again Kath—your a inspiration to all bloggers!

If you could interview any blogger, who would you pick?

A Monday Mix

Today's post is a mix of things I've collected over the weekend to share..
[[First Up]]A couple cool things going on in the blog world.
*There is an official blogger cookbook being made! How do you get your copy? Well first off, you need to have a food or recipe blog and you need to submit 5 of your best and healthy recipes with or without pictures. Yup, that's all! Otherwise it's free as long as you contribute. Once it's put together, it will be distributed via the computer(so you'll get an e-copy)and then you'll have all of the best blog recipes in one spot! Talk about convenient. So head on over here to join in on all the fun.
*2nd on the list of fun things is a giveaway! Who doesn't like giveaways right, especially when it's food! here is the link to win Simply Bars which look delish!
[[Next Up]]
Yesterday as I was sitting at the laundromat watching my clothes go round-and-round, smelling the fresh scent of laundry detergent,blah,blah..I was reading the newspaper and like I always do, turned to the food section first. An article really caught my attention & I thought I should share!!
Super size Trend Finds Its Way to Cookbooks
It's not just fast-food restaurants that have super sized the way Americans eat--cookbooks share the blame! So-called portion distortion, the trend of eating larger and larger servings is as much a problem with recipes as it is with restaurants. The study done by Annals of Internal Medicine found that classic recipes have changed tremendously in the past 70 years. There has been a 40% increase in calories per serving for nearly every recipe reviewed, which equals about 77 extra calories. The study identified the trend in numerous cookbooks, but focused on "Joy of Cooking" first published in the '30s and regularly updated with new editions since then, most recently in 2006. Of the 18 recipes published in all 7 editions, 17 increased calories per serving & larger portion sizes. Only the chili con carne recipe remained unchanged, but their chicken gumbo, however, went from making 14 servings at 228 calories each in the 1936 edition, to making 10 servings at 576 calories in the 2006 version. It is still a fact though that most Americans get their share of excess calories outside of the home. The increase in restaurant portions started in the '70's.
I found this a little shocking, considering McDonald's and other fast food joints are always targeted for "super sizing" and the "Whopper" deals, etc. But now it just goes to show it's not all on restaurants. Most importantly, I think it's just about being in tune to your hunger and knowing when to put the fork down. What do you guys think? Can this cookbook phenomenon be considered an added marker to obesity epidemic, or is it really all about being aware of nutritional values, the food on your plate,etc?