Hi, hi, hello! How has everyone enjoyed the holidays? We had a very busy weekend last week, and we’re coming up on another weekend of traveling. My nephew is getting married this weekend, which pretty much blows my mind (and makes me feel very, uhm, mature), especially since I still think he is a toothy-grinned little whipper snapper about yea high (when in reality the young man towers over me now… oh how time flies!). Anyway I have missed posting, and my camera actually is collecting dust – how sad is that?? I’m looking forward to post-holiday time and getting back to recipe testing, photographing tasty yummies, and all that good stuff.

Before I get too much into looking forward and gazing into my glass ball of blogging future, I wanted to take a moment to look back on 2016 (strictly speaking of FYB, here. I’ve read way too many depressing articles about 2016 and frankly I just don’t want to go there. One of my goals that I’ve already started early, is to keep, stay, and break a sweat, if needed, focusing on the positive. SO let’s just take with us all the yummy, happy, funny, beautiful, and joyful moments from the past year and let the bad things float away.)

I thought I’d share some of your favorite recipes I’ve shared on the blog this year, and also my favorite and my families most requested recipes as well. All recipes are vegan, gluten free, and made with wholesome ingredients (and love!). Here are the top 16 most viewed recipes of 2016, links to the recipes are under each grouping:

1. Creamy Matcha Popsicles

2. 5 Ingredient Sweet Chickpea Flour Silver Dollar Pancakes

3. 4 Ingredient Chocolate Covered Caramels

4. 3 Ingredient Maple Tahini Freezer Fudge

4. 3 Ways to Enjoy Rooibos Tea

5. Sticky Baked BBQ Tempeh Strips

6. Matcha Vanilla Cheesecake with Raw Chocolate Crust

7. Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough + 3 Ways to Enjoy It

9. Sweet Potato Casserole Cups

10. Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies (Made with Sweet Potato!)

11. 4 Ingredient Caramel Sauce

12. Baked Lemon Cheesecake

13. Salted Caramel Pumpkin Dip

14. Raw Matcha Mint Oreos (2 Ways: Regular and Ice Cream Sandwich)

15. Golden Turmeric Smoothie

16. 4 Ingredient Low Fat Chocolate Pudding (Soy Free, Nut Free, Oil Free, Date Sweetened)

A few things are clear, you all love MATCHA (and obviously so do I), recipes with 5 ingredients or less, and putting sweet potatoes in everything. You all have very, very good taste! I hope to do more easy, simple recipes, and of course you’ll see more matcha and more sweet potatoes. What I’d really like to know is what sort of new ingredients or dishes would you like to see here? You have no idea how much I value YOUR input! Lay it on me, friends.

Now I’d like to share some of our favorite recipes here at my house. The following were big hits and we’ve been making them over and over and still love them! Donuts, smoothies, tacos, and big fat cookies… that about sums us up. Even though they didn’t make it into the top 16, I think they still deserve to make it into your kitchen! Links to each recipe below the photos.

1. Maple Nut Goody Donuts
2. Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos with Ranch Celery Slaw
3. Spiced Super Berry Smoothie
4. Easy (Thai inspired) Peanut Sauce or Dip 
5. The Best Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies (yes a second peanut butter cookie recipe!)
6. Roasted Pumpkin, Mushroom, and Spinach Quesadilla with Chili Cashew Creme

Since we’ve taken a little time to look back, I thought I’d take a moment to talk about the direction of Feeding Your Beauty, and where it might be going in 2017. I’ve had a few friends and family ask me if I have any big plans for the blog, and this question always gives me sweaty palms, because actually I do have some plans. It makes me nervous to put them out there, just in case I don’t end up following through with any of them! I will tell you that I’ve been considering changing the name of the blog, as well as taking it into self-hosting territory. In other words, getting just a tad more serious about the blog in general. Scary, but exciting stuff!

When I first started the blog, I was really motivated to share information about food that could make you look and feel beautiful. While that still interests me somewhat, I’ve sort of moved away from that and find myself inclined to post easy recipes that are as wholesome as they are tasty; the kinds of dishes and desserts that I actually make for my family on a daily basis. I’d like to see the blog become a place where I share honest and realistic tips about being healthy and eating plant-based on a budget (and with young kids), how to meal plan, managing stress with diet and lifestyle, transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, and other healthy living and beauty tips. I’d like to move away from sweet treats just a tad and talk about real-life, everyday eating, and ways to make it easier and more delicious. One of my dreams is to create my own business as a health coach, and I’d love to let my passion for helping others adopt a healthier lifestyle shine through here. Maybe 2017 is the year to do it.

If you’ve hung on up until now, through all of my rambling and random thoughts, thank you! And thanks to all of you who follow the blog, whether it’s regularly or just to hop on to check out a recipe, I appreciate it more than you know. I am sending you all love and warmth and the very best wishes as we enter a whole new year of possibilities.

Happy New Year!