Good morning! There’s a lot going on behind the scenes over here that I want to let you know about. I figured I’d just do a big update post, so I’ll get right to it.
1) New recipe rating system on Oh She Glows
I can’t thank Eric enough for creating this recipe rating system for us. This is something that many of you have requested over the years and I am beyond excited to finally have it in place. We installed it late last week and I’m happy to see the ratings flying in already for so many different recipes (especially for last week’s Crispy Quinoa Cakes recipe!). Your feedback is so important to us and I hope you find it helpful too!
How it works: To rate a recipe all you do is select your star rating at the bottom of your comment and then leave your review in the comment box. This will help you find reviews much more quickly as your star rating will show up next to the comment.
<— Here is an example of what a rating looks like in the comment section. [Thanks for your feedback April!]
2) Instagram Contest
I’m giving away a signed copy of The Oh She Glows Cookbook (your choice of cover) on Instagram this week! The contest is open worldwide and runs until Friday. See my Instagram post for how to enter. Good luck!
3) Vegnews Veggie Awards 2014
I’m honoured to be nominated in VegNews’ 13th annual Veggie Awards™ this year in the “Best cookbook of 2014” category and the “Best Blog” category. If you enjoy the blog and/or cookbook, I would greatly appreciate your support! There are a ton of prizes up for grabs, so head on over and vote for your favourite people, restaurants, products, blogs, cookbooks, and more!
4) A Blueberry Hemp Banana smoothie recipe
From time to time, I share quick and easy recipes on my Instagram account. This weekend, I shared this delicious, high-protein smoothie recipe that I’ve been making a lot lately. Head on over and check it out! Also check out this recipe for my favourite coconut oil chocolate bar and a fav way to sneak in more calcium. I also recently created a new Instagram account, @theglowspot, where I share non-food related pictures.
5) Baby section on the blog
I mentioned this new Baby section on the blog several months ago, but I’ve been getting a lot of comments from many of you saying you had no idea it even existed. We decided not to put these posts in the RSS feed because I want to keep my blog’s focus on recipes, however you can find the link to this new section at the top of the blog and on the sidebar. I’ve been using it as a pregnancy journal of sorts, talking about my journey, sharing pictures, and also a bit on prenatal vitamins and healthy recipes.
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I hope you enjoy some of the new features going on! I appreciate your feedback so feel free to let me know if you have any suggestions. And be sure to let us know if the recipe rating system is working for you. This website has been a labour of love over the past 6 years and I love finding ways to improve your experience. As always, thank you for reading, trying out the recipes, and sharing the blog with others!
Agree with everyone saying how glad I am that you’re keeping baby stuff separate. I’m totally excited for you and I do click around that portion of the blog now and then, but I’m really here for the recipes. Thanks for respecting that! Just voted for your blog and cookbook in the VegNews survey :) good luck!
youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26
Here’s some unsolicited advice: take all the time in the world when the little one comes. Her size is inversely proportionate to the amount of energy required. Also, when the baby sleeps, SLEEP. Trust me, the dishes can wait.
I am very excited to read that you are developing an app! I love you recipes and look forward to seeing what you create next :) Also, I voted for “OhSheGlows” at the Veggie Awards- you deserve to win!!!
Just voted! : )
High planted based for over 7 years! I was looking for a Vegan cookbook and came across “Oh She Glows Cookbook” at Chapters. After passing it for the fourth time it kept on saying buy me. :) Your book is amazing and the recipes are the best! I love the granola, glo bars, super power chia bread, perfect chickpea salad sandwich, delicious. The soups will be welcoming in our chilly winters. I bought 2 more of your books for gift giving this month and on my list for Christmas giving. Thank you and looking forward to your next book! :) Brightest Blessings~
Hey Selena,
I’m so happy you decided to take a chance on the cookbook! And even happier you have enjoyed so many recipes so far. :) Thanks for your support!
I would love to rate the shredded kale salad but there are no stars to click on with the new rating system. It is my absolute favorite salad in the whole world and I bring it to every potluck I go to. It always gets rave reviews.
Carrie
Hey Carrie,
Do you mean this kale salad: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/11/25/the-best-shredded-kale-salad/ ?
I just clicked on the comment section and I’m seeing the stars (below the comment box).
Great updates to your website. I love your site. I am not vegan, but I am lactose intolerant. It is so hard to find recipes without some type of milk in it. Your caulipower pasta, and your butternut squash “mac n cheese” are my favorites! I love hearing about Sketchie because i am a cat person. I have two: Lola and Lucy. We have not gotten a Sketchie update in a while. How is he?
Thank you Syd. :) Sketchie is doing pretty good, thank you for asking! He bounced back from surgery quite quickly and remains his silly/active self even despite the medication. Actually, we don’t really notice much of a difference in him at all which is great and his blood work is coming back fairly good all considering. Hoping it continues and just very grateful for the time we have with him.
Hi Angela, I just wanted to tell you that I consider your cookbook and blog part of my “health team”. I use your cookbook weekly as I prepare my meals for the week and the sound nutrition of your recipes have contributed to my now normal cholesterol and 27 pound weight loss. I appreciate the way you have designed your blog and book. They are easy to follow and the recipes are very tasty. I have learned so much about nutrition and how to have a healthy relationship with food. I am eternally thankful to you. I know you do not know me, but you have helped me change my life. THANK YOU!
Hi Shari, Wow, congrats on your weight loss and health improvements! That’s amazing. I’m so touched that you are enjoying my recipes so much. :)
I would love to win your cookbook! Even if I don’t win I will be purchasing the book soon because I love your recipes! They always come out great. The blueberry hemp smoothie sounds so good. I love the combination of blueberries and bananas in smoothies and adding hemp is a great idea for additional protein. The coconut oil dark chocolate sounds amazing as well and so easy to make! I have all those ingredients in my pantry so I will definitely be making it today.
Alright, it is about time I write this…. after being a vegetarian for 20+ years, I had tried (unsuccessfully) to go vegan on a few occasions but was miserable. Then I stumbled on your blog and suddenly the clouds parted and angels sang (ok well not literally but I probably sang a little). I use your recipes all the time. I finally bought the book and was quite pleasantly surprised to find even more wonderful, easy recipes. Now, much of my office is enjoying your recipes (chocolate chip cookies anyone?) and several non-vegans have bought the book and are taking the vegan plunge.
Dang, now I want cookies. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. Your site is a treasure trove.
Hi Ellen, Wow, thank you so much! You don’t know how happy that makes me to hear. And thank you for passing it along to others! I hope you all enjoy lots of yummy vegan recipes to come.
Your blog keeps getting better and better, I am so impressed! I think the rating system will be great. Will we be able to search for all 5-star recipes? Though I’m sure they are all worthy of 5 stars!
I’ve started following you on Instagram and voted for you in the veggie awards, good luck!
Awesome blog!
Thanks for sharing so many great vegan recipes – good for our health and our beautiful planet Earth…
bLOG : GLOBAL VEGAN FARE
I can’t say enough about your blog and cookbook. It has changed my life! I don’t remember the last time I used another recipe :) Every single recipe has yet to fail me. My non-vegan friends, family members and co-workers have now bought your cookbook because of recipes I have made. You are bringing healthy vegan recipes to non-vegan people which is amazing. I will definitely be following you on instagram as well now. I voted and good luck with the veggie awards. I look forward to every new recipe and good luck with the new baby. PS my 21 month old vegan son also approve of all your recipes especially the glow bars and green monster smoothies we make every morning :)
Love the new rating system!! (Thanks Eric!) It would be awesome if eventually there was a way to search recipes by their average rating.
A lot of recipes I find online are for at least 3 or 4 people. I seem to buy more groceries than I need to prepare the recipes, and end up wasting some of them. I’m new to this, and as a single person, what do you recommend would be easiest to make the recipes smaller for just me?
Also wanted you to know some of your recipes are being used in my ARBONNE 28-day detox group! Love them!
Thanks!
Love the new features! And Love that you used my comment :) It pretty much made my week to see that come up! Love it all :)
So exciting! I love the baby section on the blog, it’s awesome! Good luck with everything!
Dear Angela,
I’ve been wanting to write for a while and somehow never got around to doing it until today
I’ve been vegan for over a year now and your blog has been such a huge inspiration!
I recently travelled to Toronto and was so excited to find your book there (Im a french girl living in Vienna Austria so it’s not so easy to find around me!) I can’t wait to try all the recipes (especially the raw pumpkin pie… yum!)
I just want to thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes but also for all the positive vibes that you transmit (all the way accross the world it seems!) You’ve made me so happy so many times by doing what you do and I just thought you should know!
I wish you and Eric and your baby a lot of love and happiness!
Hi Claire, Thank you so much for your lovely note!
I had to write to thank you for maintaining this beautiful blog, and for including the advisories on the recipes such as “Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free.” As a vegan who is trying to limit her sugar and gluten, having these easy disclaimers is just invaluable. Thank you also for the sheer beauty of the blog and your cookbook. I give your cookbook to everyone now, as proof that a plant-based diet doesn’t mean eating tree bark and root vegetables. Blessings to you and your new addition!
Barb
Hi Barb, Thank you so much for your lovely words! I’m so happy you are enjoying the blog and cookbook. Thanks for spreading the veggie love :)
Loving all of these fancy new features! I like how you separated the food and pregnancy posts. Not a lot of bloggers do that. And using instagram for recipes, such a great idea, especially for simpler ones! <3 – June