So. First things first. As some of you may have noticed in my one year blogiversary post, I kind of casually dropped the news that I’ve received my first cookbook offer. Which isn’t indicative of how I really feel about it, because internally I was going “!!!!Kajfdksajejalskdfjeiggng!!!!!”. (<— And no that is not an Icelandic volcano.) But let me start from the beginning and tell you what happened.
A few weeks ago I got an email from a smaller but reputable publishing house, asking if I had ever considered having my own cookbook. My thoughts were as follows: 1. OMG YES, and 2. So soon?! At that point, having only been blogging for less than a year, I was stunned that they had even reached out to me about a cookbook deal at all. But then I immediately remembered a post by Laura of The First Mess from almost a year ago (yeah, I’m that much of a fangirl), where she talked about her first cookbook offer and how she handled it. She had reached out to one of her mentors – Sara Forte of Sprouted Kitchen – who gave her the #realtalk about the ins and outs of cookbookery. So, of course, I emailed Laura, who wrote this incredibly detailed and thoughtful response, that addressed pretty much all of my questions. So Laura, let me start off by saying THANK YOU for being so wonderful and patient. You helped me think of things I had never even been aware of and answered all of my questions with such grace and patience. Girl, you are the best!!
But moving on to the actual cookbook. I’m in the earliest stages of discussion with the publisher, and don’t have a lot of information yet to share yet. But I would highly recommend any food blogger to read this article by Alanna of The Bojon Gourmet – she goes into the nitty-gritty of cookbook publishing, including royalties, advance payments, time frames, and negotiating. Seriously, this post is a treasure trove of information. So many things I wasn’t even aware of were addressed in this post. And I have to say, it’s really awesome of Alanna to be so open about her cookbook process, because it really is a great resource for other bloggers going through the same thing. And that’s something I aspire to do here, too – I’ll be giving regular updates of where I am in the cookbook process, to help anyone else who may be having questions about cookbook authorship. We food bloggers need to stick together!
So to summarize – I’m in discussions with a publisher, but I’m undecided as to what I’m going to do about it. I have a lot of thoughts on the matter, both ways. Obviously it’s my dream to have my own cookbook. But there’s so much that goes into it, and I want to make sure I’m in the right position in my life to be writing a cookbook. There’s also the question of whether or not I want to wait until after I’ve gotten my Master’s in Nutrition to write a cookbook. Then I can be writing with nutritional authority, you know? It’s a lot to think about. And if any of you have any ideas or opinions, I would love to hear them!! Would you be interested in seeing a Well and Full cookbook? Tell me your thoughts!!
Today’s recipe is a vegetarian (and vegan) twist on a classic, universally loved soup. And I’ll venture to say that this chickpea noodle soup is better than its omnivorous counterpart. It’s warming and comforting, perfect for a rainy day or if you’re feeling under the weather. Made with gluten-free pasta and hearty chickpeas swimming in a savory, herb-scented broth, vegetarians and omnivores alike will be clamoring for a taste.
I’m also incredibly lucky to have been able to collaborate with an amazing ceramicist for this post. As a food blogger, the first thing your readers see is how your recipes are presented, not how they taste. And finding beautiful, unique, and functional ceramics is no easy task. That’s why I was so excited to find Vilks Ceramics, an Etsy shop full of gorgeous pottery and ceramics. Katrina, the artist and owner, makes stunningly beautiful bowls, plates, utensils, and other kitchenware. If you are a food blogger looking for unique pieces that will make your blog stand out, look no further than Vilks Ceramics. Also, it’s worth mentioning that Katrina is the sweetest person to work with! :) Be sure to check her out on Instagram and Facebook, too.
Chickpea Noodle Soup w/ Fresh Thyme
Ingredients
- 8 oz . Gluten-Free Pasta I used brown rice spaghetti
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 White Onion chopped
- 3 Large Cloves Garlic finely minced
- 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 1/2 Cups Cooked Chickpeas
- 1 Tsp Fresh Thyme finely chopped
- 1 Tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by cooking your pasta according to the package directions, or until al dente. When done, rinse pasta off with cold water in a strainer and set aside.
- Bring a pot to medium heat (I used the same pot as I used to cook the pasta). Add chopped onions and a glug of extra virgin olive oil, and sauté for a few minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add in minced garlic and sauté for another minute or so, until garlic is fragrant. Be careful to not let the garlic brown too much!
- Add in vegetable stock, water, cooked chickpeas, thyme, and Old Bay seasoning. Let simmer for about five minutes, so the flavors can really meld.
- Taste broth and add salt and pepper as desired. I added a lot of fresh-cracked black pepper, but you can do whatever you like.
- When ready to serve, place spaghetti in bowls. Spoon the soup over pasta and mix in your bowl.
- Enjoy!
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