It’s that time of year again – where we round up and reminiscence about the past year. Instagram started this a few years back and they collate your #BestNine2021 pictures based on the number of “most liked pictures” However, with the new algorithm and the ability to ‘remove likes’ let’s just say this year was interesting on the IG platform. Don’t worry, this won’t be an IG bashing post, but rather a 2021 ‘year in review’ – from my top recipes, to work, & personal. What a year 2021 has been!
Top 5 Recipes of 2021
I always love looking back at the most/least popular recipes over the past 12 months. It really is hard to predict what will take off but also interesting to see that what I thought would be ‘popular’ ends up being a flop. As I begin to plan for next year, let’s take a look back at the ‘most’ popular recipes of 2021. And duly noted that potatoes are a well loved side dish! I’ve already started testing one for next year!
- Mashed Potato Waffles – If there ever was a more genius way to use leftovers, it’s this recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love mashed potatoes. But taking the mashed potatoes and turning them into waffles? Simply the best!
- Easy Peppermint Bark – Once you see how easy it is to make this dessert, you’ll never buy store bought again. Yes, it’s that easy!
- Rosemary Parmesan Potato Stacks – Is there really a wrong way to eat a potato? I think not. This simple, yet elegant, variation on roasted potatoes is sure to impress a dinner crowd. Flavor variations are endless too!
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup – Roasting everything on one sheet pan is a game changer. And I’m not sure if it’s the garlic or the sage that I love the most here. If a ‘cool front’ ever happens again, this soup will definitely be made again!
- Twice-Baked Potatoes – Growing up my mom would make these and I always thought they looked like too much work. This version is the ‘lazy’ version. Definitely a favorite in my house too!
#BestNine2021 – Work
We left 2020 hopeful as a vaccine was rolling out. Little did we know that our department would be ‘deployed’ in helping to roll out the vaccine. I received the vaccine in January knowing we would be out and about helping at the different vaccine sites. We administered over 50,000 vaccines from January through May and to say what an impact that had on my life is an understatement. From speaking to people of fear of the unknown or simply comforting those that were crying tears of joy that they’d be able to see their loved ones again, I may have simply been entering their vaccine record in Florida shots, but I was an integral part of the ‘team’. Literal Community Nutrition in action.
And the rest of this year has been virtual zoom classes. We’ve still been working remote (which I am thankful for and know is a privilege) and we were ready to possibly restart in-person, but hello Omicron. 2022 will start with virtual and stay that way for awhile more. With the virtual setting I’ve been doing more ‘cooking demos’. I love teaching about nutrition and since I’m able to zoom from my kitchen I’ve taken advantage of literally bringing nutrition into the kitchen! I also do a diabetes series on Thursdays and Fridays. Check the website for the zoom codes and join, they’re completely FREE!
#BestNine2021 – Website
I finally switched from Squarespace to WordPress. It was no easy feat, but here we are. And I couldn’t be more proud!! Sure, there are things that still need work (I need to still update all my old posts to meet SEO standards for one) but there’s a print function for my recipes and I’ve been sprinkling in more of my food photography with each post!
I’ve always loved photography. Being able to merge my nutrition background with creating recipes that then translate to a food photo that might make someone want to try that dish, I’m doing what I love. Now this is still a hobby on the side, but here’s to finding some income in this next year. The sky is the limit!
#BestNine2021 – Personal
I wish I could say that I traveled this year, but with COVID I honestly haven’t. I just keep wondering when/if is the time and then there’s a new surge. I’ll continue to travel through the food that I create. Just this week I made Belgian waffles. And let me just say they were phenomenal and I didn’t even have to jump on a plane!
I also had what some would call a ‘milestone’ birthday. To me it’s just another year around the sun, but when I turned 40 I went to Italy. And with this milestone I wanted to return to Europe. A big trip will just have to wait. But I did make myself a monumental cake. I mean I had to, right?
Since there wasn’t any travel this year and because COVID continued, I decided to finally begin on some house renovations that I’ve been needing to do. Suffice it to say that what started off as a simple project or two led to quite an overhaul of my place. All was needed and lots of hard work went into making this place a home that I am proud to call my own (previously my grandma’s). House projects will always continue, but as I’m sitting here looking around I still am in awe of all the work that went into each and every crevice. The project manager is also proud.
#BestNine2021 – Round-Up
If you’ve made it all the way through my year in review and really only came for the photo collage, here you go! The birthday cake made it along with a few ‘selfies’. You were impressed with my themed boards. Can’t wait to see what new boards I throw together this next year! And the only other food photos were avocado toast and Taiyaki with matcha ice cream. I’m impressed with that Taiyaki myself. Might need to get a taiyaki machine to make it homemade it was so good.
And that leads me to my final question for you. What recipes do you want to see this next year? Leave a comment below with any requests and I’ll see what I can do. Instagram is just one platform (& with it’s algorithm issues, not all my eggs are in one basket). So thank YOU all for following me here on my website. I’ll keep posting when I have a new recipe or a nutrition article to talk about. Heading over now to talk about all the new Nutrition Trends for 2022!
As 2021 comes to an end and 2022 begins, it’s a great time to reflect. I look back on the past so that my view going forward can be that much clearer. Be present. Breathe it all in. Enjoy the ride and keep growing. Take care and be safe my friends.
