How, when and why I started my blog

This post was originally published for Living24 Magazine, a new online platform that brings together young writers and professionals to share their own insight into life. I loved getting to sit down and write out my honest thoughts on blogging after all of these years. You can read my post, along with other lifestyle, wellness and culture themed articles on Living24’s site.

Let’s rewind to high school. I think it was my junior year (2010) when my middle sister Kathleen first got me hooked on reading blogs. Blogs? What is a blog I thought? On our parent’s giant Mac desktop computer, she showed me Jane Aldridge’s wacky vintage fashion on Sea of Shoes and Emily Schuman’s cali girl next door vibes on Cupcakes and Cashmere. From there I was hooked. I vividly remember sitting near the back of my 300+ person mass comm lecture course during first semester freshman year, skimming through my bookmarked list of blogs, reading each and every new blog post instead of learning about how to write a proper press release. I was enthralled with these digital platforms people were creating. They were merely just sharing creative aspects of their everyday life, but I was eating it up. I was making recipes I found on blogs, recreating outfits (you bet I was on that Hunter rainboot train because of this post - LOL), and DIYing my little heart out. I’ve had a creative bone since birth and reading these “lifestyle” blogs fueled me.

Being the blog junkies that we were, Kathleen actually started her own blog back in 2011. A Peony For Your Thoughts - because some things in life are too sweet not to be shared. While APFYT is no longer, we had a blast posting and coming up with content for her site. I say “we” because I was chomping at the bit every chance I could to guest post. Here is one of my favorites - ha! Around spring of my sophomore year of college I started to relish with the idea of starting my own blog. I sat on the idea for a while because I was honestly nervous my sister would be mad. I remember texting her, hey I’m going to start a blog. And she replied good you should!! You’ll be better at it than I am (blushes).

Take A Bite was established in 2013. My little creative outlet to share “bites of my life.” I remember spending a full day at the corner table in the dining room of my sorority house, piecing together free font downloads and creating header images for my site on PicMonkey (scroll down in this post for a look at what TAB looked like on day one). This was back when blogging was still really just gaining its stride. This was the Blogspot registered domain days where my posts looked like articles on fall fashion, nail DIYs, or how to style costume jewelry with horrible low-res and over-filtered images. If you dig back in the archives of Take A Bite you can find some true gems like this DIY t-shirt turban headband, homemade tassel garland, and mint is the new black. I was devoted to putting up 4-5 posts a week on the best pumpkin quinoa recipe (what?), how to washi tape your laptop, and the best fall bag from Old Navy... These old posts give me the biggest chuckle when I revisit them, but will always be some of my all-time favorites.

Blogging back then was worlds different than what it is in now. There are a few true bloggers still hanging on, but we have pretty much all retired our Blogspot web address for a sleek Squarespace site that really just acts as a concrete place to link an Instagram post to. #guilty. However, from day one of creating Take A Bite I was serious about two things. 1. Not making this a short term thing. I wanted to commit to longevity with my blog. I’ve seen so many people go through all the work of starting a blog and after being hyper committed for a month, just slowly stop posting. This included friends of mind. I didn’t want that. I saw TAB as an extension of me and I wanted it to run a long course. 2. To keep blogging my hobby. Strictly my hobby. 

I’m proud to say seven years later I’ve held on to those two truths I first promised myself. Take A Bite has shifted to be much more food heavy than fashion and DIY. I’ve also shifted to rely much more on Instagram as a way to share quick content, leaving new posts fewer and farther between. However, I think that is really just an expression of the times and how the digital space has turned. All this to be said, Take A Bite is still very much a part of my life it’s just expressed differently. 

Take A Bite is also not my full-time job, nor do I think it ever will be. I work full time as the Marketing Director for a fabulous restaurant group and I truly love what I do and who I get to work with. Being apart of a team, having a boss, being told what to do, yet also having my own responsibility and freedom is something I personally love. Blogging/content creating/influencing whatever you want to call it has always sounded isolating to me. This goes against the cultural dream to be your own boss and building your own platform, but I don’t want that. I’m already working from home due to the pandemic, but working for myself on top of that sounds lonely. This is nothing against all of the wonderful people who have been able to create a beautiful life from their blogs, that’s just not want I have ever wanted for myself. 

Now I’ll be honest, Take A Bite has cultivated a decent little community for me. I do get paid here and there from content I produce and I’ve had far more opportunities than I could have ever imagined because of my blog, and for that I’m so thankful. I’ve met incredible people through blogging, including one of my dear friends who I’ve traveled with, talk to regularly, and got to go to her wedding two years ago. It’s not lost on me just how cool blogging has positively impacted my life. What an awesome hobby if I do say so myself!

All this to be said, there is so much pressure out there to be a hustler striving for more Instagram followers or to become the next Defined Dish. Oh you don’t have 10k and a swipe up, then why bother sharing? I feel those pressures. I feel them hard. But I do my very best to remember the voice in my head that told me back in 2013 that this is a hobby, this is for fun, this is my creative outlet. I’ve never wanted my blog to overshadow me, I’ve just wanted it to be a bonus add-on. Sometimes I want to scream “Hey look at me, I’ve been doing this for 7 years!!! Follow me! I’ve been around forever.” But honestly, that’s just me being jealous of seeing people grow quicker around me. If I put my head down I’m sure I could get those numbers up and create more opportunities. But for the 5th time, I really and truly love this as my hobby. I have never personally put pressure on myself to post something at a certain time, to stick to a content calendar, or to reply to every DM. Because I’m really just a normal ol’ 27-year-old girl who has this blog and can use it as my excuse to post yet another picture of my chocolate chip cookie recipe and show you what I bought on Amazon and pretend as you care. 

If you want to start a blog, or maybe more relevant today, and Instagram account. Go for it! This outlet continues to be so incredibly fun. Just own it and own your intentions on where you want it to go, and I promise it will be worth it.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was pretty slow. Wake up, workout, work, eat, sleep repeat. I was happy to be home for the weekend to recharge and see a bunch of people I love. I wouldn’t categorize myself as a homebody per se, but I always feel good after a few days back in Oklahoma City. 1. to see my fam and friends who I miss all the time and 2. to remind myself that home is always there and Dallas is an adventure I’m not done pursuing!

-Really really loving my new desk set up. If you are working from home and haven’t invested in a true work space, I highly encourage it for more mental clarity and better productivity.
-This breakfast on repeat last week. Ezekiel toast, almond butter, sliced banana, cinnamon, tahini drizzle and chia seeds!
-Leftover enchiladas made for a really happy lunch break.
-This morning detox drink inspired by my friend Lauren had me feeling so good last week. I would even make it after lunch sometimes or before bed per her suggestion. Recipe here.
-Have you started following my new passion project @confessionsofarentaholic? I rented this band tee (that I ended up buying!!) along with some other goodies last week.
-The same day my “What I Eat in a Day” post went live, I shamelessly indulged in the best ice cream ever. Felt great about it. Don’t miss the post, you can read it here. After posting a picture of Cookie Two Step, I had a handful of people let me know I needed to try the new Cookie Cake and Cookie Dough Overload. Anyone had them?
-Scooted up to OKC for a wedding, but made sure to make a stop at the new Bradford House while in town. Go for breakfast, cocktails or snacks, skip on dinner IMO!
-Some of the best!! I love my friends in Dallas, but I miss my Oklahoma gal pals on the daily.
-We love the maid of honor! Family friend weddings are always a blast with this crew.

Annie

Podcast bite: I don’t talk much about being single on the blog, but if you too are single and struggling or in a place of needing encouragement I wanted to share this podcast episode I was lucky to be on last week with my friend Dr. Julie Shannon.

What I Eat In A Day

Ahh! The old “what I eat in a day” post. I personally love and I’m proud of the shift I’ve seen in the influencer world lately when it comes to these type of posts. I keep seeing more and more disclosures like “this is just what works for me” or some people who won’t even post what they eat in a day because they don’t want anyone thinking that if they eat what that person eats, they will suddenly turn into them. Because you know what, I’ve been there.

I love Melissa Wood. She radiates positivity and and is a gem in the wellness world. I became completely inspired by her back in January and really leaned into her lifestyle. If you follow Melissa you’ll understand what I mean when I say I was doing hot lemon water and green juice in the morning, then I’d practice one of her workouts, avocado toast with tomato after that, a green salad with tomatoes and sauerkraut for lunch, sip on more green juice while I made dinner, and some kind of vegan pasta for dinner. I should look like Melissa now, right? Wrong.

Quarantine hit after a couple of months of this and my cute plant-based inspired diet got thrown out the window when I spent seven weeks living with my parents in a household that runs on meat at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In an effort to not be too difficult (I still snuck in coconut aminos and cauliflower rice when they weren’t looking), I naturally started eating more meat. And you know what, I felt amazing. I had so much more energy, and wasn’t hitting the 3pm slump so hard like I was earlier in the year. When I was trying to stick to more plant-based meals, I was taking a nap every day. Now I know plant-based eating does amazing things for a lot of people and the environmental side of it all is really important but, the natural vitamins and energy that animal protein can give you is something I was really missing. Something that my body needed.

This is a long-winded introduction to finally share what I eat in a day. But before we proceed, take my daily “bites” with a grain of salt. What I like to eat may sound gross to you, and what works for me may not work for you. However, since I genuinely love reading people’s morning routines (should I do a post on this?), knowing what someone “typically” eats in a day is also weirdly fascinating. So without further ado.

MORNING:
I try to drink at least 20-30 ounces of water before I have any coffee or anything to eat. After I work out and get my water in, I switch off between making tea (green or earl gray), decaf coffee or a homemade matcha latte. All with Nutpods dairy-free creamer mixed in. I’m pretty sensitive to caffeine and it really ramps up my anxiety, so I try to avoid it. I love a warm beverage in the morning, so I still get my fix in a less anxious way.

I have tried my hand at intermittent fasting and I still do it here and there, but the more I read is (again just what works for me!!) it’s really not great for women with hormonal issues and those who haven’t been though menopause yet. Also I literally go to bed excited to wake up for breakfast, so why am I trying to skip it? My blood sugar and cortisol need to chill in the morning and eating a good and healthy breakfast is a great help with both. My go-to’s are either avocado toast made from Ezekiel bread, smashed avocado, a sprinkle of turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper with some fruit on the side, a green smoothie, or some kind of yogurt (love this one right now) with berries, cinnamon and chia seeds.

AFTERNOON:
I’ve really been trying to amp up my lunches. I used to often eat a salad or a small portion of leftovers that would leave me hungry the second I finished. I’m working on eating a more balanced lunch that is healthy but satisfying. I’ve been loving these wraps full of turkey, salami and the works, either wrapped in lettuce or in a low carb tortilla. I’ve also been making little quesadillas with dairy-free cheese, any deli meat or protein I have, avocado, red onion etc. The best lunch is honestly dinner leftovers. This week I’ve been eating these grain-free enchiladas. I look so forward to lunch. I’ll eat 1.5 and plate them over greens, with extra veggies or an apple on the side to make it more balanced.

Snacktime is something I used to feel guilty about eating. I hate that I’m even saying that, but yes for a long time I used to feel bad if I couldn’t make it from lunch to dinner, without needing a snack. And this is coming from the girl who used to eat a pint of Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream for an after school snack in high-school...maybe that triggered my snack problem. Two ends of the spectrum! Snacks can be hard. I’m like oh I’ll just have a few crackers then I’ve suddenly downed the box. I think this is why I tried to forgo them all together. The truth is, it’s absurd to ignore your hunger cues. A snack is a great way to put off immense hunger at dinner time, helps you focus to get through the end of the workday, and keeps your energy up. Since quarantine, I’ve really leaned into the afternoon snack. I look forward to it every day. It literally brings me a boost of joy in the middle of the day. I’ve been loving a handful of cashews and dried prunes, an apple and almond butter or a bowl (or 2) of Skinny Pop.

EVENING:
I like to eat early, I always have. I blame living in the sorority house when they would serve us dinner at 5. Since then I’ve fully adopted that schedule and could eat at 5 every night if I chose. Once I eat dinner I’m pretty good, I don’t get too hungry before bed. However, 5 is pretty early so I try to push it to around 6. I typically do a big loaded salad with whatever is in season, I love spaghetti squash with pesto and red sauce, or my favorite go-to/freezer meal is always cauliflower fried rice or some kind of stir fry situation. I try to keep the carbs lower in the evening.

If I need dessert, which I usually always do, I go for a handful of chocolate chips, a spoonful of almond butter or a couple of graham crackers. Sometimes all combined :)

Now this was just an example of a good day. At least a couple times a week there is a massive amount of tortilla chips scarfed down while at drinks with friends, or those nights when I just can’t keep my hand out of the bag of chocolate chips and one handful turns into 4 or 5. You do you and go take a bite of what works for you!

Annie

*This post is not sponsored by Nutpods, but I’d be remise not to mention that you can get 15% off your order by using the coupon code _ANNIETUCKER at checkout.

Bites of My Life

Last week I was off. I felt unmotivated, lazy, a bottomless pit, the list goes on. These weeks come and go. Unfortunately I feel like I’ve been having more than less of these weeks. Being at home with me, myself, and I is wearing on me. I scroll and scroll on social media to fill the long days and can feel the way it’s affecting me.

However, I’m totally aware of all of this. I’m trying really hard to schedule something each day to look forward to. A walk with a friend, meeting up for drinks, or my favorite - just getting out and going for a drive. I’m feeling really motivated by my new desk set up I got assembled over the weekend and ready for a fresh week’s perspective!

-I made The Defined Dish’s lasagna zucchini boats and they were honestly killer. Don’t let the zucchini scare you away from this Pinterest sounding meal. The flavor of these was next level. The recipe is in her cookbook, which I love but have honestly only used a few times.
-This bike short set, just buy it and don’t overthink it because it’s everything of the sort.
-Friday night in with these three celebrating our girl (pup) Finley Anne turning 5!
-I just love a good salad - sue me!
-Tried my twist on these NYT Tahini Chocolate Chip cookies and my twist failed…I tried to turn them into bars since the dough was so crumbly, but they were actually disgusting. The biggest downside was that I proceeded to eat so much of the dough and baked bars that I spent the rest of Saturday on the couch with a stomach ache - yay!
-A new neighbor left this like-new desk outside for 3 DAYS! And I wanted it. More on how I snatched it in this Instagram Reel I posted.
-Got my desk in place and thrilled about my new work from home set up!
-It’s hatch chili season and I also had these amazing homemade coconut flour tortillas I got from the farmers market (if you are in Dallas you have to check out The Salsa Texan and their 10 calorie tortillas). The combination meant one thing for me - enchiladas. I posted the quick recipe for you here.
-Graham crackers, simply the best after-dinner snack. Two a night on r-e-p-e-a-t!

Annie

Lite Bite: Hatch Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Hatch Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
8 tortillas (your favorite flour or grain-free tortillas are great, I lucked out with these insane homemade coconut flour tortillas I got at my nearby farmers market)
1 ½ cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 green bell pepper, diced
½ yellow onion, diced
½ cup salsa (a hatch chili or a verde salsa is preferred, but I used a red salsa I had and they were great)
3/4 cup shredded Hatch Chili pepper jack cheese*

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

Sauté the bell pepper and onion in a cast-iron skillet. I didn’t even use oil, I added in a splash of water got them cooked and kept them from sticking. Once the onions are translucent add the shredded chicken to the pan just to combine. Transfer the filling mixture to a plate and wipe out your skillet.

Pour 1/2 cup of salsa in the bottom of your cast iron skillet or a 9x13 pan and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the other 1/2 cup of salsa over medium heat. Once warmed it’s time to assemble. Dip each tortilla in the warmed salsa making sure to coat the front and back of the tortilla. Lay on a plate and fill with about two tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Roll them up and then lay in your pan seam side down. Pour any leftover salsa over the top of the enchiladas. Top with the shredded cheese and then bake for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Top with avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, red onion, cilantro etc!

*This recipe can easily be adapted to not be “hatch chili.” Use any salsa you like and regular pepper jack or Monterey jack if you want to tone down the spice a bit.

Happy hatch chili season!

Annie