Hi guys! Hope you’re having a good day so far. As some of you know, I am participating in this year’s Project Food Blog through Foodbuzz. For the first of the many challenges, contestants are asked to do a little soul-searching and reflect on what defines them as a food blogger and why they should be “The Next Food Blog Star.”

I started my blog in April of 2009 when I enrolled in graduate school. After living and working in New York for a year as a freelance writer and acupuncturist’s assistant, I decided I wanted to be the one sitting across from patients with a clipboard. Given a long-standing interest in nutrition as preventive medicine, becoming a nutritionist seemed a natural choice.

As a food blogger, I try to bring enjoyment and awareness to eating and cooking. I like to know what’s on my plate. I’m fascinated by the science of cooking. I’m a disaster in a lab setting when it comes to boiling and concentrating chemicals (I found out the hard way that an overheating thermometer will, in fact, explode), but in the kitchen, I have endless patience for discussing the functions of different kinds of flours, the pros and cons of different milk varieties and milk alternatives, tempering eggs, or how to mimic the texture/taste/appearance of favorite foods when adapting them for people with allergies.

As an aspiring dietitian, I think it’s important to show that healthy meals can be tasty and interesting. Yes, I follow a mainly vegetarian diet, but it’s not all brown rice and tofu! I don’t really believe in the word “bad” when it comes to food. I don’t think diets are something you go on or off or need to worry about “cheating” on. I think it all comes down to living a healthy, balanced lifestyle that makes room for favorite treats.

Aside from posting recipes and reviews, I like to keep myself—and you guys—informed about what’s going on in the food and nutrition world. My hope is that others can benefit from what I post. I think we’ll start to see an even stronger emphasis on good nutrition, and I hope to be a part of the solution to some of our country’s health problems.

If you like what you see, vote for Keeping It Real Food in the Project Food Blog Challenge!