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A Day in the Life

Normally, the main subjects of my posts are the recipes.

I’m actually somewhat shy and don’t like a lot of attention on myself.

cck

But many people have asked what I do as a full-time blogger.

I do not just sit around and eat cookies all day. (Too bad, ‘cause that would be fun.) I work really hard! So today’s post is going to be a little different from the normal recipe posts.

A Day in the Life:

I wake up naturally around 5am, amble downstairs, and start replying to a massive amount of emails, comments, facebook messages, and tweets. If it’s a running day, I’ll eat pre-run snack, then and answer more questions while waiting for the food to digest. [Insert run here: a little over an hour]

Upon returning, I quickly check the computer again, then eat a real breakfast.

chocolate-oatmeal

Yesterday’s breakfast was this: 5-Minute Chocolate Oatmeal.

With breakfast done, I go back over to the computer, this time to ensure the day’s post published as scheduled. I work on writing new posts for about an hour and a half, taking mini breaks to measure dry ingredients, get one or two things started on the stove or oven, and cook something else in the microwave. (I’ve become a master at multitasking.) Then I run upstairs for a quick shower, after which I do maybe 20-30 more minutes of blogwork (writing posts, editing photos, answering questions) whilst also making lunch.

After lunch, I take Henry and Batman for a walk (unless they’re at my parents’ house, in which case I go by myself). I come back and do a photoshoot or two, since it’ll usually be nice and light out by this time. I also do some taste-testing of whatever recipe experiments were cooked that morning. Yesterday, I tested chocolate peanut butter pie and peach cinnamon coffee cake.

About two hours after lunch I’m usually hungry again, so I’ll have a snack. Sometimes the day’s experiments have turned out so well that I’ll just eat them for snack.

day in the life

Yesterday’s snack was one of my favorites: Fudge Brownie Energy Bars.

Yes, more chocolate.

Then it’s back to the kitchen for more recipe experiments (and washing dishes!). I also continue to check the computer intermittently, answering questions and emails. Y’all ask a lot of questions, which I love because it means people are reading and making the recipes. I do try to answer as many as I possibly can!

Some days I run errands, often with a friend (or my roommate, if she’s off from work) to keep me company. And then it’s dinnertime, which is often followed by hanging out with whatever friends (if any) have found their way over. Our house is quickly becoming the “hang out after work” place, and I take advantage of this by giving out samples of the day’s experiments, asking for honest opinions.

pumpkin-brownie

Not all my experiments turn out; it sometimes takes two or three trials before I arrive at a recipe worthy of publishing… or ten in the case of my Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies!

Sometimes we’ll watch tv (Gossip Girl, Friends, whatever sports are on), but I always have a notebook in hand to multitask—brainstorming recipe combinations, writing out new posts, making a to-do list, etc. After people leave (or even sometimes when they’re still over), I’ll schedule the next day’s post, continue to tackle the never-ending inbox, eat a nighttime snack—usually more chocolate!—and finally turn off the computer. I don’t take days off, and even if there’s no post for the day I’m still working on all the other components of the site. When it’s time for bed, I rarely have a problem falling asleep.

I know some people (a lot of people?) think blogging isn’t a “real” job, but truthfully it’s no different from saying my job is: photographer, photo-editor, recipe developer, writer, and often–too often!–web technician. It’s definitely never boring!

What do you do as your job?

Do you enjoy what you do? I love almost every minute of this (except when the site crashes or an experiment fails… those times are no fun), and I really hope to continue running this website for as long as people continue to read.

EDIT: By popular demand:

Part Two: Questions and Answers

 

Published on April 12, 2012

Meet Katie

Chocolate Covered Katie is one of the top 25 food websites in America, and Katie has been 
featured on The 
Today Show, CNN, 
Fox, The 
Huffington Post, and 
ABC's 5 O’Clock News. Her favorite food is chocolate, and she believes in eating dessert every single day.

Learn more about Katie

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233 Comments

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  1. peanutbutterlover says

    I am a high school student as my full time job! 🙂 I know that you don’t like writing about yourself, but your life is so interesting! I think you should write more posts like this to help out other bloggers, and also because you deserve some time in the spotlight… Not just your amazing food!

  2. Holly - InspirationBeauty says

    Wow, that sounds like a tiring day, it seems like you have no rest time at all!

    And gosh, Katie, you are so pretty! I’d love to know what makeup you use, as I’m a bit of a beauty junkie 😉

    Thanks for letting us spy on you for the day!

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Thank you so much, Holly :).
      I really know embarrassingly little about makeup and how to use it properly! I’ve never even tried liquid eyeliner… they make so many products that when I go into a store like Ulta I am overwhelmed! Pretty much when I wear makeup it’s just blush and bronzer (Estee Lauder), eyeshadow (urban decay), and whatever free mascara my mom has gotten in one of her gifts from Clinique or Estee Lauder. I’m not picky lol.

      • Holly - InspirationBeauty says

        Oh my gosh, last summer when I was in Maryland my aunt took my to Ulta and I thought I was in heaven! We don’t have huge makeup stores in Ireland like in the US, we just have beauty floors in the department stores and also drugstores.
        You always look so pretty and put together in your pictures. Thanks for sharing ! 🙂

      • Eco Chic says

        I became a vegetarian two years ago because of ethical or humane reasons and have also read some articles on cosmetic testing on animals. I personally try to avoid all products I can that are tested on animals. I was wondering if that is ever a concern of yours or not.
        I love your blog and everything you do! It helps me so much everyday with finding healthy recipes for me to munch on. Thanks!

        • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

          I actually gave up animal-tested products even before I became a vegetarian! 🙂
          I try to never buy any product tested on animals (or from a company whose parent company–like Proctor and Gamble–tests on animals). I’ve written letters to the companies as well. Cosmetic testing on animals is ridiculous and absolutely unnecessary… I can’t even imagine my sweet little puppies being held down while someone forces perfume into their sad eyes or makes them swallow a pint of shampoo :(.

  3. Kristen @ notsodomesticated says

    Very interesting … thanks for sharing!! 🙂 I’m a school psychologist. Right now, however, I’m only working part time because we moved in the middle of the school year and I could only obtain contract work. So I get to spend more time blogging than usual! 😉

  4. Janae says

    Thanks for posting about this Katie. Yes, full-time blogging is “real job” as you’ve demonstrated. I think too often people think it’s glamorous, like bloggers just sit around in sweats all day (I’m sure some do!) and can do whatever they want, unlike the people in the “real world.” What many don’t realize is really how much behind the scenes work there is.

    I’m in the process of transitioning to a full-time blogger, and blown away at the shear time/sweat equity involved. Thankfully, I really enjoy what I do, otherwise, I WOULD NOT continue blogging. Too time-intensive, and for the first while, there are no guarantee’s that all the time, work, and money will pay off.

    You’ve clearly shown that hard work, lots of time & creative energy, good content, and a lovely personality can make a successful blog. Thanks for sharing!

  5. Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says

    My job is being a law student! And your schedule sounds pretty darn nice to me! I guess that’s the flexibility you get with working from home, no one is there watching you, so you make your own schedule. But then on the other hand you never really leave “the office”!

  6. Stefanie @TheNewHealthy says

    It was really interesting to see your day in the life! I can definitely see how your inbox would be never-ending also! I have three separate email accounts (work, blog, school) and there is always something that needs attention in one way or another.

  7. Charissa says

    Loved this post Katie…it’s truly amazing how much time it takes to blog. I spend hours daily, while trying to balance my home life and studies…it’s not easy to do it all sometimes, but I admire the fact you seem to have your schedule ironed out. I still need to get parts of my life organized! 🙂

    And yes, it is a job!

  8. anonymous says

    Ok, I must admit I was formerly under the camp of people who would say blogging isn’t a real job because I’m able to maintain a job and a blog on the side. But Katie, after reading your post I really must apologize to you. I never thought about the fact that a bigger (fulltime) blogger would have mountains more emails and comments and fans to answer, as well as having to do a lot more on the technical side of things and not just post any old “ok” recipe like I do on my little blog. I’ve seen the crazy number of comments on your post and always marvelled at how beautifully you respond to your readers (Not all big bloggers do that, and I really appreciate that you do!) I bet answering all the comments alone takes up half the day! Thank you for all your hard work, and I really hope you continue on with it because you are helping so many people in a day and age when more and more people are struggling to get healthy. Thanks for giving us delicious alternatives to those cardboard rice cakes. Your pb cookie dough cookies are my favorite recipe in the world!
    I love your blog and hope you continue all the hard work

  9. Alison Williams says

    I am a runner as well and I have loved all your recipes! Life as a full time blogger is busy! How do you get paid?

  10. Whitney says

    You are soooo gorgeous! You must NEVER take a bad photo! I love that you took some time to share what a normal day looks like for you– I’ve often wondered about how people like yourself make a career out of food-blogging. It’s so inspiring and interesting to me.

    Currently, I stay employed in a variety of ways. I studied graphic design in college, so my “day job” (30 hr/wk) is as a graphic artist at a print shop. However, I find the most pleasure out of my other random jobs: I’m a voice teacher (teach girls how to sing), Music & Arts coordinator at my church, and currently going to school for health coaching, and building my business as a coach– so I also have several clients I coach. (More info about it on my website.)

    I look forward to dropping my “day job” and being able to structure a full-time schedule much like yours, with the variety of things I AM passionate about, and most importantly, feeling free and happy. 🙂

  11. Christine says

    Your days sound fun, especially all the chocolate! 😉

    I’m a housewife now (formally a Paralegal), and love all the things I do day to day to take care of my hubby, our fur-family and our home! I also love to cook/bake so this gives me time to experiment in the kitchen as well.

    As another poster asked, I also wonder how you make some money? Do the advertisements pay a lot?

  12. C.C says

    Two questions: This might be personal so if you don’t want to respond, I’ll pretend I didn’t ask. : ) First, how do you make money as a blogger? Advertising, I’m guessing? And is this enough? Second, do you get lonely working for yourself? Whenever I was freelancing I really missed having co-workers.

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I’m working on a follow-up post for the first question.
      As for the second, I’m lucky that I kept in touch with a lot of my college friends, and then I’ve made friends through their friends. And my roommate has her friends who have become my friends… and of course I have you all ;).

      But yeah, it’s kinda limiting… I’ve always thought it’d be fun to just pick up and move to somewhere like Florida or California. But with my job, making new friends would be hard. I’d probably join a vegan meet-up group or something.

  13. Janet says

    One thing I don’t understand is how one gets “paid” to be a blogger. Is it just from advertisers on your site? Are there other sources of income from blogging? (I’m asking as an honest question even though it sounds a little sarcastic when I reread it). I would love to be paid to be a blog reader, but I don’t know who would foot that bill. 🙂

  14. Lizzie says

    I’ve love to blog, but I have no idea how people can work full time and run beautiful sites. I could never do that, so I definitely see how this takes up all your time. Thanks for the glimpse. I’d love to learn how you mange to earn a living doing this – the financial side. 🙂

  15. Katie @wishandwhimsy says

    Katie, it’s always fun to read a blog from another Katie! I really enjoy what I do as I work in non-profit development. I meet amazing people. But I’m also finding that I love promoting healthy lifestyles. I recently started a blog as a way to turn my passion of healthy living into reality, and maybe one day I’ll be a full time blogger, too. Let me know what you think as I begin my journey. I’d love for you to stop by my little blog for a visit anytime at http://www.wishandwhimsy.wordpress.com.

  16. Brittany O says

    Hey Katie!
    Great post today! I never knew you were a runner! I am actually a marathoner and wondering if you have ever thought of creating a pre-run/race recipe? I know from experience that eating foods high in fiber are usually not the best before a long run or race and also it is good to have a food with a low glycemic index. Any ideas? I am struggling with ideas besides the same old oatmeal with banana.

    Your energy bars look great, can’t wait to try them!

    • Barb says

      I love waffles or toast with peanut butter before long runs. One of the best long-run, low fiber energy bars I have discovered is the Honey Stinger brand. If you haven’t tried them, or don’t have time to make your own energy bars, you should pick one up!

      • Brittany O says

        Thanks for the idea on the honey stinger energy bars! I have tried that brand for race gummies and love them! Waffles also might be a great choice! I have a few marathons coming up and I need to find a food that doesn’t upset my stomach (or sits ok when I am a little nervous) and provides some good energy throughout the run! 🙂

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I almost always run first thing in the morning, so I’ll just have some fruit and a handful of nuts pre-run. But I think my stomach is weird… when I was a freshman in college, I used to work out in the afternoons, and I could eat a giant piece of layer cake or a huge meal and still be fine for a run right afterwards! Of course, I’ve never in my life run a marathon… so maybe the discomfort would kick in if I ran longer?

      • Brittany O says

        I think the discomfort sets in more for me when it is a “race” or really long run! I get a little anxious and excited! Usually on shorter runs I can eat whatever but struggle on the longer ones! I heard Brendan Brazier a vegan elite triathlete might has some ideas on pre-run nutrition!

  17. Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says

    Funny, I just posted yesterday about Balance, and how I am not really ready or equipped to have blogging ba a full-time job. I would love to, but I am new, so need to get more readers, ads, etc., and my full-time job is Chief Operations Officer of my household – meaning mom, wife, cook, laundry person, grocery shopper, errand-runner, driver, etc. Luckily we outsource housecleaning, which leaves me with some time for blogging.

  18. Amanda Montgomery says

    I am a stay-at-home Mom of two, and I also homeschool. And I will tell you, it is by far the most challenging “job” I have ever had (because really, its like 20 jobs crammed into one)! No sick days, and I am always on call! Not only do I have to constantly do the cleaning and run errands, but I also have to prepare lessons and find new and fun things for the kids to do, and then do it all with them. My brain is constantly in “teacher mode”- I am forever jotting down ideas of what I would like to teach, or fun ways to teach a certain subject, etc. I am always, ALWAYS looking for teachable opportunities in every day life. On top of that I try to find time to crochet, sew, make jewelry, and paint various things for craft shows. It’s madness, but I absolutely love it!

  19. Attars says

    I work like ABA (Applied behavior analysis) tutor with autistic children, sometimes it’s really hard but I really love my job!At the end of a long day I’m tired, but I know I taught them something usefull for their life like a new word, or how to brush their teeth, or how to write a word and so on!

    I really like these kind of posts!!When I read about all the energy you have I feel inspired and I start doing something!!

  20. VanessaG says

    I’m a first grade teacher(kindergarten next year). I’ve been teaching for 5 yrs! I’d live to have time to blog. I love yours!! 🙂

  21. Hannah says

    Such a great post! This is the life I want! So fun and creative, and you are the boss of every component. Good for you for being so dedicated!

    xx

  22. Treats With a Twist says

    I loved reading this because I can totally relate. I’m a baking blogger too and when people hear that, they assume I’m skipping around all day, eating cookies and shopping. That would be nice! I work really hard and I’m on a computer all day with things in and out of the oven, and constantly taking notes on what I want to do, things to buy, and tweaking recipes that may not have turned out the first time around (story of my life). Thanks so much! Have a wonderful chocolate-filled day!

  23. Malgorzata AKA MagoshaJ says

    I found your blog soon after I decided to ditch my corporate career and become a screenwriter. I have to say that your post on deciding to be a full-time blogger was one of the things that contributed to the feeling that I was doing the right thing and thank you for that! I am your biggest fan in Poland and you are my personal hero! I support you with all my good vibes that I send to you across the ocean 🙂 And I totally love your hair!

  24. Emilia says

    Great post!
    I’ve always wondered what a day in the life of a blogger might look like. It sounds like a lot of work, but also quite fun. You’re so fortunate to be able to make a job out of the blog!
    My “job” is university student, but at uni I work as an international ambassador, helping other international students get used to England. I love it! Though I have no idea what I’ll want to do when I leave university…

  25. Lori P says

    Great post Katie! I get so wrapped up in my job that I really have no idea what others’ days look like at their jobs! Blogging is so much more work than one would originally guess.
    I am a speech language pathologist in an elementary school. I love the energy of a school full of kids and great co-workers but I also loooove that I have summers off! This summer I will be busy planning my wedding 🙂

    • Anonymous says

      I am a SLP as well, working with Middle School students, and I love my job! I enjoy using parts of the summers, and vacations to work with adult rehab clients, and seeing clients in my private practice. I would love to be a full- time blogger someday, writing about my DH’s and my ” Bed and Breakfast Recipes”, which DH modifies to allow for my grain-intolerance. Thank you Katie, for your wonderful work! I am very grateful!

  26. Sunnie says

    Keep uo the good work, Katie! I absolutely love your blog, and I’ve only been following for about a month now. You’re a total inspiration! 😀

  27. Kathryn says

    Love your blog! I am a mom of 4, runner, fitness fanatic, and nutritionist wannabe so I am always looking for healthy, delicious recipes for our family! You always have some great ones! Keep up the great work!

  28. Melissa says

    I am a Respiratory Therapist and when I am not making sure people keep breathing then I am homeschooling my 4th grader. While she is doing her work, I am checking your blog for exciting things to make my family. We are gluten, dairy, and soy free so finding exciting recipes were difficult until I discovered your blog. Everything I make my hubby and daughter ask “Is this Katie’s recipe, it is delicious!” Thanks Katie!

  29. Lindsey W. says

    Hey Miss Katie, my husband and I are new to the vegan lifestyle (after watching Food Inc, Food Matters, and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on Netflix!!) and I’m so glad I stumbled upon your website. We JUST tried your 5 minute carrot cake recipe and really enjoyed it! That is so cool how you can microwave the cake like that!!! However, to be honest, we were not the hugest fans of the Better’n Cream Cheese frosting….. I think I must have done something wrong b/c it turned out kind of sour-tasting..(our health food store was out of “silken” so I used extra firm tofu!)…

    I’m a flight attendant for Delta… aka professional drink server/global food tester. 🙂 And my husband is in school to be a preacher. Blessings!

  30. Yellow Haired Girl says

    Thanks for sharing this – it was nice to have a little glimpse into your life 🙂 I work as a TV reporter … so I have the same “job” everyday – but everyday is very, very different!

  31. Sonja says

    thanks for letting us having a sneak peak in your daily life! I’m a freelance copy writer and public relations consulter 🙂

  32. Nathalie says

    I’m an assistant English teacher in Japan (ALT). I do enjoy my job, though thank god I’m exempt from a lot of the responsibilities teachers here get saddled with. Teachers here are really stretched to the max attending school functions, helping students with anything and everything (even researching and applying to colleges for them!!), etc.

    I’m in awe that you naturally wake up at 5! I did that (via alarm) last year and wanted to die a little, especially during the winter. May I ask what time you usually go to bed? Also, holy cheese! You run 8-10 miles in “just over an hour”?! I’ve been running for about two years and I just can’t seem to eke out a consistent sub 9:30-minute mile (on a really good day), so my morning 7 miles can take upwards of an hour-ten to an hour-twenty minutes or so. It’s been driving me nuts. I know you’re being inundated with questions, but you have any tips about that I can steal off of you?

    Thanks always for being fabulous ~<3

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I go to bed pretty early… like 10?
      And lol I think most of my normal running routes are closer to 8 miles. (And “a little over an hour” is like an hour and ten to fifteen minutes)
      I guess… make sure to take days off? I know I’m usually fastest if I’ve had enough rest and my legs aren’t tired. And also, stop stressing about times! I don’t even own a Garmin, and it makes running much more enjoyable ;).

    • Shelley says

      if you want to get faster, try doing intervals. for example, run fast for 30 seconds, then jog for 60. And repeat. You can mix up the length of the intervals, and if you do it once or twice a week instead of your regular run, you will definitely start to notice a difference.

  33. Samantha says

    This was such a fun post.

    I wish I could say I currently love my job but I don’t. My fulfillment ends up having to entirely come outside of work. I do love doing my own blogging, my quilting, and thanks to sites like yours I have become really into baking and cooking (to the point I am trying new recipes almost daily and changing them up myself).

    Since I have worked from home for a long time (which is the best part of my job) I actually can totally appreciate the self-scheduling aspect. I love and admire what you do. It is inspiring to me because I would love to make my own way doing something I love.

    Love that you have people coming over to be recipe testers as well. 🙂

    The side bonus of this post is that it is fun to read what other people do actually…especially some are regular responders so it is fun to get a sense of this larger community.

  34. libby says

    I am a stay at home mom. It sounds like you really like your job…so do I am and it makes waking up so much nicer!

  35. Zestful Lou says

    I’m a teacher for Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students with Autism. I teach an SH class (which stands for severely handicapped). My students are awesome and awe-inspriring, but many days I go home in tears and simply exhausted because they’ve taken every speck of energy from my mind, body, and soul.

    There are days when I love my job and there are days when I tell myself that I’m going to resign. This week, my days have been the latter of the two. I am sitting in my empty classroom as I write this (the kids have gone home) just trying to kill time until I’m “off the clock” because I can’t bring myself to do any more work for the day and my patience has been tested to the brink of losing it.

    It’s funny because today I looked at my classroom aides and said, “I hope some day my blog becomes popular enough that all I have to do is sit at home, bake, and blog.” It doesn’t sound so easy after all! Thanks for the insight and thanks for taking my mind off work for a second.

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      They did!
      Well, the peanut butter pie was pretty much guaranteed to be successful because it was a food processor recipe. So I just kept adding ingredients until it tasted good. Those types of recipes are so much easier than baked goods, where you can’t fix it if it comes out of the oven tasting/looking horrible.

  36. Jenny D says

    I run a small in-home daycare and I know what you mean about people not taking you seriously! Just today one of my Mom’s text me to ask how her kids were. I responded and then told her the sensory project we were working on. She sent back, Oh, that sounds like so much more fun than working…. Yes, I have a lot of fun and get to play and go outside. But don’t doubt for a minute that there isn’t work involved! Even during my “off” hours and weekends, I am still preparing and doing something for the daycare. It may be play for the kids, but the planning involved, setting up and clean up are very much indeed a job!
    I’m sure it wasn’t meant as dig at me (although this is one of many comments she has said to me that always make me have to take a step back before I answer) but that along with many other snide remarks I get tend to briefly throw me off track. But the positives about this business are so worth it that I couldn’t imagine going and working outside the home ever again!

    • Jessica says

      Good for you for doing in-home daycare. We use an in-home daycare provider and she is worth her weight in gold and I am sure works much harder than many people with an office job.

      • Jenny D says

        Awww, thanks! Its just so much more enjoyable than any office job or working in the public that its definitely less stressful so the actual work part is never as bad as any job that I have had in the past! I think its the stress and dislike of what you are doing that makes “working” so miserable!

  37. Christine says

    You certainly do a REAL job, Katie!!!!! Do you know I eat your recipes multiple times a week – you have a real impact on others! So, thanks for what you do!
    I am mom to 4 boys. I homeschool, am a paid cantor in my church, teach different classes, coach a First Lego League team, and do a little free-lance writing.
    BTW – apparently, there are many people out there who consider what I do (SAHM) not a real job, either. Or, a luxury!!!

  38. Kristy says

    I was a teacher for a few years, but with our district budget cuts my job was no longer, so now I’ve gone back to my family business of property management. So thankful I have that to always fall back on and yes, I do like my job. Not necessarily for the subject matter, but being able to work with my family and have flexibility is priceless.

    I hope this isn’t a rude question, but I am honestly curious about how a blogger, such as yourself, is able to make a living doing this? I’ve often wondered about social networking places as well. You hear on the news that someone sold the social networking site for millions of dollars, but it’s free so how does one make money? I imagine the advertising helps, but is that the only revenue and does it pay enough? Again, this isn’t meant to be rude in any way. I’m just curious.

  39. jo @ including cake says

    I also love getting a little glimpse into the lives of others. I’m also constantly on the go with lots of hobbies and interests to fill my time…. my ‘real’ job is currently only part time (3 days a week) and that is as an architect (sounds way more glamorous than it is) i’ve reduced my hours to make time for the things I love. I’m really into fitness and I teach Pole Exercise classes but also I love to be creative and I have my blog that I am building up slowly plus I make artworks and i’m also trying to get a lot better at photography so that one day that will form some source of income in it’sown right and hopefully in the not so distant future i’ll be able to quit the ‘real’ job!

  40. Natalie says

    Your hair look lovely in that photo! I’m a long haul flight attendant and today was a day off so I spent it banking sleep. Normally it’s an early start to beautify myself, I spend a lot of a working day serving food and drinks and refereeing fights between passengers about the etiquette of seat reclining all while smiling. A LOT! I’m making your corn bread tomorrow really looking forward to it 😀

  41. Stefanie says

    Right now, I am a baker at a local grocery store bakery. Not my dream location but it is just a stepping stone to my own bakery.

    Your day sounds busy. I’m glad to hear you are enjoying your job.

  42. Jana says

    I am a part time at home Criminal Researcher and Student Coordinator for a Foreign Exchange Student Program.
    Look out Katie you could be the next Pioneer Woman!
    Jana

    • Amber with Slim Pickin's Kitchen says

      I think a lot of people have wanted to know the same thing! Look on her FAQ page. She answers your question there and has a link to a post called 3 Steps to Healthy Hair

  43. char eats greens says

    I am a student living off my husband at the moment. No, but in all honesty, I have some summer work coming up, which helps. I’m doing the school thing second time around and I don’t know how I managed to work (midnights!) and attend school full-time. Now I’m having time just attending the school part! I guess having a 40 minute drive does add to that versus when I went away to university my first time around – I lived in the town where my school was!

  44. Dudette (Miss Lebowski) says

    I would certainly say it is a job, you do work hard on your recipes, your posts, you are constantly busy AND you make money from it – sounds like a job to me 🙂
    I would be curious to know what was the turning point when you said ‘okay, I am doing this full-time”. I know you have blogged about that you are a 100% into it or not at all”-type of girl, and how much you loved it, and didn’t want to give it up. What I am wondering that when you decided on doing this as your full-time job, did you already have enough of an income from it to support yourself or was it more of a ‘let’s give it a try, I think I can make a living from this”.
    Also, curious to know how many hits do you get per day…I mean you get at least a 100 from me (ok, not THAT many, but I certainly check back all the time and browse around :-)), I can’t even imagine with all the CCK-fans out there…wow!

  45. Kaila @healthyhelperblog! says

    Sounds like a fun job to have! I would love to be able to be in the kitchen being creative all day! Recipe developing would definitely my favorite part!

  46. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says

    A blogger’s work is never done! I swear from the time I wake up until I fall asleep, the majority of my day involves food and blogging, which I love. I’m a small business owner (software and web development) but I’m also a blogger, so I have two jobs that have no real set schedule, but no official days off unless I take the. I was born into business ownership, so all I know is how to be my own boss, which means: your bills aren’t paid and you don’t have healthcare or any other benefit unless you work hard and do it for yourself! There’s nothing easy about it. There’s zero security, it’s not easy, but I love it.

    Thanks for giving us a glimpse I to your days; my days are very similar. 🙂

  47. Amber with Slim Pickin's Kitchen says

    That’s so funny that you posted this b/c I’ve often wondered how you schedule everything. As I’ve mentioned to you before, your blog inspired me to start my own which is something I desperately needed to do. I have a back injury that prevents me from working on a full-time basis, so the majority of the week I was at home twiddling my thumbs while the hubs went to work full-time. We are newlyweds (6 months on the 29th!), so I didn’t feel as if I was doing my part in our marriage. I started to get angry with myself and was starting to worry that my husband may eventually end up resenting me for not contributing more. I knew I had to find some way to set my own schedule and make money at the same time. Before I came across your site, I didn’t even know it was possible to make blogging your full-time job! After reading more and more of your posts, I started to realize that I could totally do the same thing. Cooking is a huge passion of mine, I have a BFA in Creative Writing, I studied manual photography, I have an awesome camera (but desperately need a new lens), and I always had friends asking me for my recipes. I had all the tools I needed, but had no idea how to start. I want you to know that I’m so grateful to you for posting your tips as well as your insight into what it takes to create a successful blog. Even if my site never takes off and I have no readers at all and I don’t make a penny, I am happier than I could have ever thought possible. I love every second I spend working on it, so much so that I’ve been running a fever all week and still managed to get a post up! I feel as if I’m actually doing something useful now. You have helped me more than you can ever realize, and because of that I will always have a platonic girl crush on you 😉

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Aw you are entirely too sweet :).
      And I think you have the PERFECT attitude to be successful with your blog long-term! Too many people email me asking how to turn their blog into a business, and I cringe because if you are writing a blog with the sole purpose of wanting to make money, you probably won’t be successful OR happy. My blog made little to no money for years, but it was successful because it was FUN.

      • Amber with Slim Pickin's Kitchen says

        Yay! I’m definitely having fun!

        PS. I totally talked you up at whole foods today! The women in front of me were talking about chocolate, and I immediately jumped into their convo and told them all about your blog and your ultimate chocolate fudge pie! I’m no vegan, but I’ve totally slipped that one by both the hubs and my best friend. They had NO CLUE it had tofu in it and they both gobbled it up. SCORE!

  48. Viri says

    Thanks for writing this up! I call myself a “work at home mom.” I spend my days taking care of my toddler, running errands and doing housework, and after she goes to bed, I am a freelance writer/editor. Often I work until 2 or 3 am. Then my child is awake by 8 and the day starts over again. Sometimes I work while she naps, but often I nap too, depending on how late I was up working to meet a deadline. Sometimes I miss having a “regular” job because I never leave my work. Even when I am not writing I’m thinking about my articles, and of course being a mom is work too. I don’t get weekends off or vacations. I would not trade it for anything because I am glad I can take care of my child (my income is not enough alone to live on but I am married and my husband works outside the home full-time), but it’s not all fun and games, either. =)

  49. Katy says

    Thank you for such a cool post – I’ve always wondered what it’s like to be a full-time blogger! I’m a medical technologist. I started out in research as a grad student, but then discovered the clinical laboratory world, got my MT license, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I currently do a specialized kind of oncology testing, where we diagnose and monitor leukemias and lymphomas of all kinds – it’s really fascinating stuff and very rewarding – there’s always a new challenge ahead. Plus my particular job is all day shift – not always a given for med techs! 🙂

  50. Anna @ The Guiltless Life says

    I loved this post! I hope you didn’t feel you had to justify yourself to anyone, but if the motivation behind it was just to share, I loved reading! You don’t have to be as personal as your income – that’s no one’s business but yours – but I always love to peek into a day in the life of someone else! Always fun 🙂

  51. Sara says

    Great post!

    I’m currently a stay at home mama. It’s definitely been my most rewarding job, haha. And I love my boss. 😉

    Once the little peanut (8 months old) is bigger and starting pre-k I’m going to get back into the work force. No idea what I will do though. Good thing I have a few years to try to figure it out. My degree isn’t going to get me very far in this economy, unfortunately!

  52. Sandy says

    I’m an accountant so i sit at the computer all day too – though sometimes you’re blog distracts me from my ‘real work’ hahahaa! Its worth it though! I love your blog so thanks for being a full time blogger!

  53. Marilyn says

    This was really interesting. I’m always curious about people’s days. FYI – I had a very CCK day. I’m recovering from wisdom teeth extraction and made 2 batches of pumpkin pie in a bowl and a batch of pb fudge because neither recipe requires much chewing. 🙂

  54. Cori says

    I am a stay at home mom and I love it…most of the time. 🙂 It keeps me much busier than I ever could have imagined.

  55. Sara says

    My first reaction to people who stay at home or work from home is to be jealous. But I have to admit on my days off I sometimes do absolutely NOTHING so I think I’m one of those people who HAS to go somehwere outside my house everyday to get anything accomplished! Kudos to you to keeping a schedule and holding yourself accountable

  56. Alanna says

    It’s fun to read what everyone does, and there are definitely a lot of teachers! I’m a science geek, myself… I’ve been working in University research labs for about 10 years now (I was a Bio major) and just finished my Master’s in Cell and Molecular Biology last summer after several years of part-time school and full-time work. It definitely sounds like a lot to keep up on this blog between creating/testing new recipes and responding to all the comments, but you have such a talent and obviously enjoy what you do, which is awesome. (:

  57. Jerri Williams says

    Hi! I am Elizabeth’s Mom and she told me about this site tonight. I can’t even tell you how excited I am! I have been obsessed with healthy desserts (especially chocolate ones!) for years now. Looking forward to reading more. Thanks!

    Jerri

  58. Arielle says

    Thank you for this post! I’ve been wondering a lot lately about what food bloggers do on a daily basis.
    I’m a graduate student in Biophysics, but my research is more related to genetics. I would love to be a part-time science blogger and part-time food blogger, but don’t know if I can realistically make a career out of that!

  59. Rebecca says

    Hey Katie! Here’s my question. Have you ever been featured in any food magazines or shows? If not, what magazine/cooking show would you love to be a feature in/guest on?

  60. brianne says

    Wow! What a leisurely day, it’s great when you are able to do something you love. I’m a stay at home mom to two boys. I love baking as well, although I don’t often have time since my boys are pretty busy. Run, bake, check some emails, sounds like my kind of Saturday!

    • anon says

      so you check and answer hundreds of emails on a saturday? plus make up recipes without a cookbook to follow, write stories with meticulous grammar and that are engaging, maintain a high traffic website, and take professional looking photos? kudos to you… but i don’t believe it. 😉

  61. Bjork says

    I love your site! It is so inspiring and enjoyable to read.

    It’s fun to see the behind the scenes look on your life.

    I’m actually in college but I have an RA job and I sing in church every Sunday, and that’s how j support myself. I love my jobs!
    Hopefully, I’ll become a professional singer in a few years 🙂

  62. Julie Barnson says

    I have several jobs. I am a Professional Storyteller, a Mom, and a Teacher’s Assistant for Youth in Custody at a local high school where I teach the science class. It makes me crazy busy! 🙂

  63. Albizia says

    I’d say I am a full-time nutcase. I wish I could call this a job and forget about everything else 😀 . The life of a blogger just seems so much more interesting than the one of a human disease genomics PhD student. I’d kill for a flexible schedule like yours. But we all know that PhD is a form of legalized slavery so…

  64. Kit-Kat says

    I really liked your post. Some people take it for granted that being a recipe blogger is a breeze. Not so! I will admit that for me, just having a blog is difficult! I have one really nasty commenter who keeps hounding me, and I have to trash their comments because it is so hurtful. I don’t know how you can handle all of the commenters that are not very nice to you,but you do a very great job! 🙂

  65. TwoDogsAndSpice says

    Hmm, very neat. I do hope that you post more about this. Also the coconut cake from the other day looks great. Finally, do you think you could address in your next post whether you find taste testers for the recipes?

      • Samantha says

        I would love to be a recipe tester (in all seriousness). Seeing as I am all the way in WA state it is just too far to be a taste-tester, which would also be amazing.

        I made the coconut cake tonight. Goodness! I did a 1/4 recipe in one mini-loaf, 1/2 the sugar, added shredded coconut. Cooked 15 minutes. Truly amazing. Took a lot of will power not to make a second mini-loaf.

  66. Anna says

    I only recently discovered your site and I LOVE it!! I’m a personal trainer – and part of that involves blogging – including making recipes that involve chocolate 🙂 I Love the blogging side, and definitely understand how it can be a full time job, although I don’t make a cent for the time I spend doing it. Well done with making a living from it! I’ve been fwding some of your recipes to clients as most of us are mad about chocolate and love eating healthy versions of it 🙂

  67. BroccoliHut says

    I guess my job right now is a graduate student…soon to be dietetic intern. I am so passionate about nutrition–I absolutely love what I do and can’t wait to make it a lifelong career 🙂

  68. meg says

    I dont think I knew you had a dog named Henry. I also have a dog named Henry. Its actually King Henry Alexander. He is a chihuahua who needs to go on a diet. I hope he makes anyone on here smile like he makes everyone in my life smile..

    [img src=”http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1nj36Kywn1rqg5njo1_500.jpg”]

  69. Stacy says

    Currently I am unemployed in the “real” world. On the flip side I am a blogger and am currently taking steps to build my handmade business as well. I would love to know more about how you got to this point of full time blogger. I love your recipes and know that is your primary focus on your blog, but would love to know more about how you became full time at this awesome gig and how you earn your living from blogging. Thanks for sharing your story with all of us.

  70. Mali Korsten (The Korsten Chronicle) says

    Great post, Katie! I’m a full-time musician (singer-songwriter), and people assume I just sit around playing guitar and sleeping all day! In truth, I work really hard – the difference is I work for myself rather than for a boss, and I don’t get weekends off, nor do I stop working at 5pm! I totally love my job – wouldn’t swap it for anything – and working hard is what allows me to to do it full-time. It’s great to see you challenging preconceptions about what it means to be self-employed.

  71. TheCookieFairy says

    I’m a full-time student at university here in London, and a part-time waitress, but I wish my job was to be a full-time blogger/recipe developer/photographer/web technician/etc. Fortunately I’ll have more time for that this summer. Some day I’ll hopefully be a food writer/assistant editor/blogger/novel writer. Yep, lots of things, and I like it that way 🙂

  72. Jamie says

    I’m an accountant business/systems analyst turned stay at home mom. It was the best decision I have ever made! And I applaud you for all your work! It definitely helps out this girl:)

  73. Millicent says

    Thanks for the insight ,but it would be great if you could please explain how you can earn a living as a blogger and help others who are interested in doing this but don’t know if how this earns an income.

  74. Alex@Spoonful of Sugar Free says

    Thanks for the great post, Katie! Gosh, I can’t imagine being a full time blogger with a blog at your scale. I spend so much time already on my blog and I don’t even post everyday! Truly amazing, Katie.

    Currently, I am a tennis-playing, student-athlete, sugar-free blogger, dietitian-to be 😛

  75. Strawberry Mama says

    I loved this post! like everyone else, I’m curious about the life of a full-time blogger. I have to say, it’s pretty much what I expected 🙂

    My 2yr old saw this post over my shoulder. He asked if I would make him the chocolate oatmeal. I said yes. Then he asked if we could eat it. Also yes! I whipped it up while I was up with the baby last night. It’s waiting for him in the fridge 😀

    I am homeschooling mom to 4 boys, 9, 6, 2 and 11 months. I do some work from home making baby carriers, but mainly, my focus is on my kids.

    • Samantha says

      I hope your son likes the oatmeal! I also tried it last night (sort of became my dinner). For someone who eats a lot some form of oatmeal daily (so that was my second oatmeal event) it was stunningly filling. I swirled in some peanut butter by the way. 🙂

  76. The Mrs @ Success Along the Weigh says

    Yup, that about sums up my day as well except I don’t get up that early and I’m not cooking *every* day. But yeah, I have PLENTY of family who don’t know ‘what I do’ and like to think that I am apparently someone to take them to their doctors appts, wait for their cable guy or deliveries or their “so you’re ‘unemployed’ too let’s gripe about our lives together” person. The Mr told me to make it very clear I am none of those things. I didn’t quit my job of 12 years to be a place holder or eat bon bons while watching Y&R. Blogging is hard work to upkeep and it’s nice to know there are people who understand that! 🙂

    Thank you SO much for posting this!

  77. Mary says

    Katie, thank you so much for fully demonstrating how difficult “working from home” can be! I also work from home as a research analyst. While I have the envy of most of my friends for being able to work in t-shirts and sweat pants (most days), it is very easy to be ALWAYS working. Working from home gives an illusion of more free time, but really it just means more work time. I love what I do…but eating more chocolate would definitely make it better! And, I have to tear myself away sometimes (by, like you, running, running errands, doing housework, visiting friends) just to keep things fresh and not get stir crazy from being home all day.
    Thanks for sharing!

  78. Brooke says

    I’m a Microsoft SQL Server database administrator at my company in central Illinois. I have a B.S. in Computer Science, but I hope someday (soon!) to quit my office job and have a local, organic, sustainable farm business. I loved this post because it shows that when you are doing what you love, you don’t mind “working” ALL day. Work becomes something you want to do and a natural part of your lifestyle/routine instead of something you need to do for money. Your blog is awesome – must be all the work you put into it 🙂 – and I look forward to the next blog post about this topic.

  79. Illegal Blonde says

    I am a full time lawyer, part time blogger… I love your blog and have shared it with my co-workers often. We have tried and enjoyed many of your recipes. Keep blogging on, and would love to know more about places you eat in DFW as that is where I am.

  80. Jessica says

    I am a nurse and for the most part, I enjoy it. But I wish people would treat healthcare professionals a little nicer. I go above and beyond every 12 hour shift and sometimes go an entire 12 hour shift without ever hearing a ‘thank you’ from patients or families.
    I especially love bloggers who are very active in the comments, like you. There are a few blogs I read where the blogger literally never pops in to reply to questions in the comments. It is awesome to see how active you are in the comments, always willing to answer any questions your readers have.

  81. Andrea says

    Wow, loved reading this! I think it’s so interesting to hear about what people do for a living. I work for Whole Foods Market in the bakery, and I absolutely love it.

  82. Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Pepper says

    Wow! My day in the life is work Mon – Fri as an office manager, than come home and think food! I exercise for about 30 minutes, than start dinner, take pictures if it’s blog worthy, down load pictures, edit ect… Write my post for the next day, answer e-mails than I go tot bed! Geez! It’s a lot of work blogging, but so rewarding!

  83. Carrie says

    Thanks for sharing your day with us, Katie! You are lucky to have a job you truly enjoy doing. I consider myself one of the lucky ones, too. I’m a collections manager for a natural history museum. I have the enviable job of taking care of over 100,000 objects ranging from taxidermy mounts to Catawba Indian pottery to butterfly specimens! It can be challenging but I learn something everyday!

  84. Samantha Bustillo says

    I would have never thought that “full-time blogging” would take the entire day. Of course, you have to eat, exercise, and socialize, so your schedule must be so rigid.

    Do you ever have “vacation” days where you don’t blog? What do you do?

    When you embark on new projects, do you think you will have someone help you manage your blog?

    Keep at it Katie, your work is amazing!

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      There are days I don’t post, but I’m still answering questions and emails. If I don’t stay on top of that, it’d pile up too much.

      I probably will need to get help at some point. I’m not sure how to go about that, but especially on the technical side I’m already getting close to the limit of how much I am able to manage with my limited knowledge in the area.

  85. Ashley says

    Hi Katie!

    Thanks so much for this post 🙂 I love reading your blog, making your tasty recipes, tricking BF into thinking they are the ‘real deal’ ;), and changing them up to give it a twist of my own! I am currently in the works of starting my own blog (have been for years but finally decided to buckle down, stop worrying about it being PERFECT and in the words of Nike…JUST DO IT!)– I am a witer at heart, but sometimes to pay the bills you have to start working somewhere just to make ends meet. JUST freelancing for a newspaper wasn’t and option for me. While I do love my busy, busy corporate office job, I felt like I was losing a part of myself by not doing what I love every day. You are truly an inspiration my dear! I know you are super busy, but I would LOVE to get your advice sometime once my blog is ready to be published 🙂

    Best,

    Ashley

  86. Lisa says

    Congratulations on all of your success! I discovered your site through the skinnytaste post a while back…I think it was brownie batter pancakes? I love sending friends to your site as I have several that are on gluten free diets and many of your recipes fit that. And I love making treats for my kids (I have a 18 month old and 3 year old) that are not so full of sugar and artificial ingredients…they don’t know the difference. 😉

  87. Lynette says

    By day, I’m a full-time computer programmer at a small college. By night, I’m a reluctant grad student and single mother of two pre-teen daughters (which means I’m also the chef, the maid, the tutor, the chauffeur, the carpenter, the plumber, the electrician, the coach, the cheerleader, and the money tree. Every day is an adventure! Whee!

  88. Nicole says

    I really enjoyed this post. I recently started working from home and have been having trouble adjusting so it was very interesting to see how you schedule your day. For me, it can be tempting to never leave the house, especially if the weather is bad! I like how you go for a lunchtime walk with or without the dogs. I may try something similar. I also think it’s important to have an active social life when you are working from home since you don’t interact with coworkers. Having friends over every night seems perfect!

  89. Bec fagsn says

    Wow that sounds busy… I am a mum of 3 (4, 2 yrs & 3 months old). I have a keen interest for creating recipes & wanted to start a blog but my goodness I don’t have too much time with my little family just 5-10 min here and there, & before and after there asleep. Do you have any tips or advice on starting out, or am I crazy to consider embarking on such a time consuming thing at this time in my life. I know your busy but your comments would be invaluable.
    Thankyou so very much from all the way over here in Queensland Australia.

  90. Vanessa says

    Oh my. Peach Cinnamon Coffee Cake? I hope that was a success and will be posted soon. 🙂 I’m not vegan or even vegetarian, but love trying your recipes. This weekend I’m planning on surprising my family with Banana Bread Doughnuts. 🙂

    My job is a stay-at-home mom. Not an easy job, but very rewarding.

  91. Sara Dane says

    I am so thrilled that blogging is your full-time job….that means lots of posts and you do such an amazing job commenting! I agree with a lot of the comments, we love hearing about you, but what first attracted me to your blog (reading the entries and not just skipping to the recipes) is that you don’t come off too narcissistic like a lot of bloggers do!

    My job is a high school teacher for students with learning disabilities and behavior problems. Hard and not often as rewards as I like, but I love my kids. They love hearing about veganism!

    In 2 years, I’ll plan to quit and focus on starting a family. I’d also really like to use my Certified Personal Trainer license and start my own fitness / nutrition business….just dreams for now!

  92. Katie Henderson says

    I work at a department of defense run military clothing store. It’s not a dream job, but the company is decent enough and I’m in management training. Still, I miss my barn manager days.

  93. Sarah Fit says

    Ugh, I love that you did this post but I hate that you might have felt the need to write this post… If you know what I mean. My boyfriend doesn’t understand how busy I usually am during the day. It’s so frustrating, let alone having to explain it to hate-readers. I love that you make recipes a few times before publishing them and I love making them 🙂 I also appreciate how you include versions your readers tried. Keep up the awesome work! Honestly, in regards to the income, I think that is something you should keep to yourself more or less 🙂 There has to be some mystery in it right? Lastly, I couldn’t stand working from home so much, although like you, you kinda need to sometimes especially when you are in the kitchen so much! I now rent space at a shared office space type place and LOVE it. If you get sick of being at home all the time, consider it! It was life changing.

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I really love that idea, and I’ve thought about it! I’m just wondering if they have offices with test kitchens 😕
      I should rent space next to you, and we could be coworkers! But then we’d probably never get anything done…

  94. Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning says

    I love your day! Thanks for breaking it down for us to see!
    SO COOL that you get to do what you love for a living. I love my part-time job, but NOT my full-time job. I’m working on a way to figure out how to make that part-time gig full time and ditch the other job. Life is too short to spend all day in a crappy job.

  95. Emily @ Glitz Glam Granola says

    What a great post! It’s so interesting to hear what full time bloggers days are like and I don’t know how anyone could say it’s not a real job. It totally is and you guys work your butts off- it just so happens that what you are doing is awesome and fun! (And delicious in your case!)

  96. Andrea Hood says

    Great post Katie!! I often wonder how you get a post out with a new recipe everyday – it’s because you never stop!

    I work full time in sales/project management for my family’s commercial flooring company, however, I recently enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition with hopes to be a health coach in the near future. I also blog (only about 3 times a week) and I find that it takes up a lot of time, so I’m hoping to get sponsored in the near future (since more and more people are reading it now!). My hopes are to be a health coach, recipe developer/blogger, and still work for the family business part time!

    I love your blog, your energy, your creativity. I find it very inspiring! Thank you for writing today’s post and for all of your delicious recipes. Keep up the great work!

  97. Kristen says

    Your schedule sounds really heavy! I really appreciate your efforts, though.. Even so, don’t wear yourself out. 🙂

    I am a CNA part time at an assisted living facility and a high school/college student. My job is tough- some days wayyy more than others- but I am growing to appreciate it for what it lets me do for others (though I can’t say I like it in a lot of ways).

  98. Samantha says

    Your job makes me smile every day…. you keep doing what your doing with your pretty little chin held high! 🙂
    I’m a full time mommy to the two cutest little kiddos around!!! 🙂 (people also say this is not a “real” job….. let them try it for a day…they’ll see! ha)
    I also do massage and babysit regularly…. blech, I always find time to make some of your scrumptious recipes tho!!!

  99. Alisha says

    Hey Katie! Thanks for sharing your day with us. I’m always curious what life is like for other professionals. To answer your question, do I enjoy what I do, I’ll say…sort of. Right now, I’m finishing my first year of vet school. It’s actually finals week…7 finals, 7 days! I most definitely do not enjoy finals week. However, even though vet school is quite challenging, espeically during times like now, for the most part, I like vet school. We do get to do a lot of cool stuff (one of my favorite things so far was surgery on a koi! How awesome is that? If you’re curious how we do surgery on fish, google the Nova Science Now segment on fish surgery, featuring one of my profs, Dr. Greg Lewbart). I know I’ll love being a vet, though, and that’s what keeps me going through the hard weeks. Oh by the way, I just want to say that I absolutely LOVE your blog. Seriously, I look forward to your posts, and experimenting in the kitchen is a wonderful study break. I have either oatmeal or a smoothie (or both!) every day, and that’s all thanks to your delicious recipe inspiration. Keep up the hard, tasty work! 😀

  100. Nancy says

    This was really interesting – it’s nice to see how the actual day to day life of a full time blogger works out 🙂
    I work in primate conservation and work with local people in Indonesia to conserve a monkey only found on one tiny island. I love my job – it’s hard but I love it. When I’m not in indonesia I am an Anthropology lecturer at a University and when I’m not doing that I bake and exercise! I just did a 53 mile charity cycle to raise money for my monkey project dressed in a furry monkey outfit! (http://nancypriston.com/2012/04/09/stop-press-monkey-seen-cycling-from-london-to-brighton/)

    I love your blog – I find it so inspiring! 🙂
    thanks
    Nancy 🙂

  101. Debbie says

    That chocolate oatmeal looks so good. I can’t wait to try it. I love how you respond to questions and in a timely manner. Your blog is by far my favorite. You do an excellent job with it, your hard work really shows.
    I’m a nurse. Usually I enjoy my job. Most days you are on your feet 12+ hours, sometimes with no lunch break and barely any time to use the bathroom. Patients and their families often do not understand that. Yesterday I had a family yell at me for being 4 minutes late with a medication; I had been across the hall with a patient that had coded. It is a much harder job than most people realize.

  102. bitt says

    Thanks for writing this Katie and I am sure people appreciate the time you put into everything especially answering questions and comments. I think it is good you wrote this, Happy Herbivore wrote that it was nearly impossible to make a living off blogging and her site is very popular. I guess people probably have different definitions of what a living is and an acceptable salary is, and different ad companies also give different amounts. More power to you, girl, doing what you love!

  103. Lady Jennie says

    Wow! That is so inspiring (that you fully support yourself) although I am really not surprised.

    I am a full-time blogger too, but I don’t support myself. I make peanuts. But I don’t care! I absolutely love my blog and writing and photographing and doing French recipes and all the blog friends I’ve made, etc. Of course, I also raise 3 children, tend to my garden and house, hold English classes in my home for kids, teach Bible studies, cook for our constant flow of guests and … okay. I’m a little exhausted now.

    So I made your coconut cake this morning and it was yummy. But I’m gluten intolerant and used rice flour and thought it would need a teaspoon of xanthum gum, but that turned out to be too much. It was gummy. It was gummy but yummy.

  104. Sarah says

    Gee, you’re quite the worker aren’t you? 🙂 Um, I don’t have a job. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. In one day I am a chemist, historian, algebra-ian, grammarian, essayist, and more. and I don’t even get paid for the whole shenanigans! Bummer for me. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal…right?

  105. MeLissa Rocco says

    Thanks for a peek into what you do! I always love to learn more about the people I follow!

    As for me, I’m a full-time at-home mom and I have a second career where I actually do chocolate tasting parties in people’s homes for Dove Chocolate Discoveries™ where I sample things like chocolate martinis, cocoa tequila lime brittle and other goodies made with Dove Chocolate. I also mentor a team of other Chocolatiers so they can be successful as well (most people get what I do best when I say it’s like pampered chef – only with chocolate). As part of that, I maintain a facebook page (www.facebook.com/chocorocco) where I share fun dessert recipes (many of which are, of course, chocolate) from blogs like yours and other dessert sources providing ideas as to how my clients can adapt your recipe to use DCD products. In my prior life I was a CPA preparing taxes so now I like to say that I cashed in my bean counting career and hit the jackpot counting cocoa beans instead. 😀

  106. Robyn Jones Calrk says

    I’m a graphic designer. I work for a college. It’s fun and I work too much for not much pay, but I enjoy the people I work with…

  107. Moni Meals says

    Great post Katie, I know how much work it is and I am so glad you showcased it too. You just have to have the passion to be a blogger!

    Have a great day!

  108. Liz says

    Katie, your blog is my absolute favorite. The recipes are wonderful of course, but what makes your blog stand out is the fact that you actually take time to answer your readers’ questions and emails. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve poured my heart and soul into a blog comment on a big blogger’s blog and received NO answer :(. Thank you thank you for caring about us little bloggers too!

  109. Lauren says

    Hi CCK!
    I have been reading your blog for a few months now, and I love it! I have two questions.
    One, are we going to see a CCK cookbook anytime soon? Please say yes!
    Also, I don’t have a blog yet, but I’d love to start one. Any tips on how to become a full time blogger?

  110. kate @eatrecyclerepeat says

    What an insightful post! It’s too bad that full-time bloggers have to “justify” themselves so often. It takes so much effort, and thank you for your dedication! I really enjoy reading your posts. And look how many comments this one got you!

  111. Sashiko Yuen says

    That sounds really hectic, but fun! I’m an artist and a blogger. My days are similar, but insert recipe making with countless hours drawing and painting.

    I do take the time to cook good meals during my break though.

  112. M says

    Just wondering, how does a person know when her blog is popular enough to take it full time? I’d love to blog full time, but I don’t know if I have enough readers to support it. How can you tell?
    Love your blog, btw!

  113. anon says

    is this a joke? this is your idea of a hard day of work? I hope for your sake that you never have to get a real job, because there is no way on Earth you could ever handle it.

    • Sarah says

      And I bet YOU couldn’t handle a day doing what Katie does!
      Because if you could, you’d do it! I sure would. Katie, you’re awesome for figuring out what you’re passionate about and then making your dreams come true. Kudos to you. Not many people are able to make that happen (as evidence by all the naysayers who wish they could figure out a way to blog for a living. If it was so easy, everyone would do it!)

  114. RC @ Just Add Cayenne says

    I work as an accountant because I found my passion for food as I was almost done with a finance degree. Now, I wish I had know earlier. I’ve been working hard trying to manage the blog and long hours at work with hopes to increase traffic and maybe one day be able to focus all on food and blogging.

    Reading your posts have been a huge inspiration, so I thank you for your great work. I agree that it’s easily a full time job trying to create quality posts; and I have just the weekend to really work at it!
    My wife and I plan on have a kid in the near future, and I’d love to be able to have home-based job where I can watch our kid (no daycare!) and focus on food blogging!

    Keep up the great work, can’t wait to see your follow-up post on the income part!

  115. LizAshlee says

    It’s definitely a misconception that bloggers just eat fun stuff all day…it’s a lot of work…very admirable! 🙂 I am a pediatric occupational therapist working with children with autism and a certified health coach, plus blogger!!! 🙂

  116. Lori says

    I work at a wildlife refuge where we rehabilitate orphaned and injured wildlife and then release them to the wild when they are ready. I LOVE my job and wouldn’t want any other job in the world! It is amazingly fulfilling!

  117. ann-marie says

    They say that you should find what you love doing and make that your job and it will fulfill you, maybe even send more money your way than you’d expect it to.

    As for me, I’m a full time stay at home mom, I adore it and wouldn’t change it for the world and even though it sure doesn’t pay the bills, it pays big in many other ways! Before having my kids I thought that as soon as the youngest would be in first grade I’d go back to work but things didn’t work out that way. I find myself still needed on a regular basis and enjoy not running to get stuff done on week-ends and evenings, instead I get to spend quality time with my kids and my husband. and I have time to try many of your delicious recipes 😉 So that’s what I’m going to do for quite some time still!

    • Megan says

      Exactly! Katie, I think it’s so cool and inspiring that you took a risk and made blogging your full-time job. The best part is, you love what you do. So many people hate their jobs, and that’s a terrible thing because you have to do it almost every day! It seems like with you, while blogging is a lot of work, you enjoy it, which I’m sure takes away some of the “work” feel to it. Some people may call it crazy, but doesn’t that make it all the more tempting??? Thank you for your genuine posts. You speak from the heart and are so relatable. Keep up the great work! 🙂

  118. Karynjewels says

    I am a full time jewelry designer and am lucky enough to LOVE what I do everyday. I didn’t figure out what I wanted to do until I was 30 (after 8 years of flight attending which was pretty cool too!) Love your blog and am really looking forward to trying out the ultimate chocolate brownie recipe!

  119. Bee says

    This was a great post, and I LOVE those brownies! Really they might be my favorite of your recipes. Wait, no I take that back. I can’t pick just one favorite ;).
    Katie, I was wondering if you have a hard time meeting people outside of the blogworld? I just finished college and moved to a new town and I know no one! And I don’t live anywhere near my coworkers. Any tips for making friends if you don’t have coworkers?

  120. anon says

    hope this isn’t a rude question, but how many page views do you get per day? i am just curious because i want to know if i get a lot or a little, and i want to know how many other people get who are full time bloggers! hope its not rude!

  121. Paola says

    Hey, I’ve been reading your blog for a while, and I loveeeeee it! I love chocolate and sweets. I was wondering do you workout? Anyone would say if you eat lots of treats you’ll get extra weight but you look pretty thin 😉 Anyway, congrats your recipes are great!! 🙂

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I run around 4-5 times a week, not to race or anything… just for fun. I also force myself to lift weights 2-3 times a week, but it’s nothing strenuous and I’m pretty much just lifting dumbbells in between answering blog comments for like 20 minutes during those times. I hate weight lifting!

  122. Kristi says

    I’m a veterinarian but I don’t think too many people know what all that entails. Yes I get to play with cute puppies who come in for vaccination appointments but I also play the role of dentist, surgeon, grief counselor (for euthanasias 🙁 ) and even therapist at times – you’d be surprised how many clients talk to me about their personal problems! I love having variety in my job, it definitely keeps things interesting! 🙂

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I wouldn’t be surprised at all! We just had to put my dog to sleep, and the vet was so kind and caring… we probably did talk her ear off about our dog’s life. I’m so thankful there are strong people in the world like you, because someone needs to be there for people when they’re losing a pet. Obviously the caring vet didn’t make our sadness go away, but she knew the right things to say to make it just a little less awful. 🙁

  123. Andréann says

    My job is being a stay-at-home mom. Definitely the best job ever. Sometimes I have a request for a custom made waldorf doll which I love to make as well.

    This post was very interesting. I love all the recipe you propose, I’m happy I found your blog.

  124. Emma says

    I am a full time student, plus I work two jobs to support myself. Its horrible. You are very lucky to have a job you love and have time to enjoy your life haha.

  125. Shelley says

    I don’t know how you get anything done working from home. Hat tip to you! I’m a physical therapy assistant at a sports rehab clinic. It’s exhausting, but I love it. Helping people recover from surgeries, accidents and injuries is so fulfilling. I used to work in the hospital with stroke patients (btw REALLY awesome to help someone go from not being able to stand up to being able to walk with only a cane for assistance). . I’m always learning something 🙂

  126. Amy-Nutrition by Nature says

    I am a stay at home mom to three and one on the way kids. It’s hard work but I would not trade it for anything.
    I don’t always comment due to time constraints, but I love your site and recipes. I have a folder with several of your recipes. Love all the ones I have tried so far and so do my kids!!
    Thanks for all your hard work!

  127. Ali says

    I hope you are around a long, long time ;)! My husband and I have enjoyed so many of your recipes. Thanks for the inspiration!

  128. Laura says

    Love your website! Are you working on a cookbook? I want to print like….every recipe but too much paper and ink are required…

    ahhh…for the love of chocolate….

  129. Carrie says

    Hi there!
    I love your website!! I am a major chocoholic, so finding your website was like stumbling upon the Holy Grail!! I did wonder how you stayed so fit, but I guess running for an hour a day will keep you in good shape 😉
    I am not a blogger, but have always wondered about it. I am an aspiring writer, so blogging seems to be a good stepping stone. How did you get started blogging? And how did you determine what you would blog about? I have so many interests, I don’t know what I would focus on! Also, is this your only source of income?
    I really enjoy your writing, by the way 😉
    Thanks! (And keep up the hard, albeit tasty, work!!)

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      I actually started because I was reading other vegan blogs and felt weird commenting on them when I didn’t have one of my own. So it really started out just as a vegan blog… it’s changed direction a few times, but finally I realized that the posts I have the most fun writing are always desserts! 🙂 You don’t have to figure it all out right away… it’s all part of the process.

      Yes, this is my only source of income at the moment.

  130. Lizzie says

    Dear Katie, you seem like you do think a lot about food, but I see that you have creative ideas that actually make food taste YUMMY. I do have a question, though: since I’m allergic to soy, do you have any tips for protein alternatives? Tofu’s kinda out of the question for me, sadly. I’m also a runner, and want to be completely vegan someday! My family doesn’t want me eating differently than them right now, though. It’s kind of difficult sometimes. Keep inventing yummy things!
    ~Lizzie

  131. Lauren says

    Love your site, as many others do! When you were first starting out, how did you increase traffic to your website? I’m like you and don’t care for self-promotion, so I’m having a difficult time growing followers and frequent viewers. Thanks for any advice you can give!
    Hope you’re having a great (though busy, it seems) day!! 🙂

  132. steph says

    Katie, I LOVE your blog. You are good at what you do and I wanted to say, thankyou! I’ve tried several of your recipes and I’ve been sharing your blog with my friends. I love that you wrote about what you do as a blogger. I also was wondering what “professional” bloggers days are like. It sounds like fun!
    I also wanted to tell you that I think your sugar-free powdered sugar is genius, btw 🙂

  133. Kitchen worktops guy says

    I sell kitchen worktops! (clue’s in the name I guess). Your day sounds great – a good combination of fun and busy! Never listen to those who might say “oh what do you DO all day, just COOK(?)” – they don’t know what the heck they’re talking about.

  134. Chelsy says

    I just discovered your blog yesterday and I’m so excited to try the recipes! Right now I have dough for the peanut butter cookies chilling in the fridge. I work part time as a Registered Dietitian (and full time as a mom of 3) and I love dessert, so I’m excited that are you are committed to making food that is healthier and tastes good. I also appreciate that give different options in each recipe (for sweeteners, flours, etc). I just use plain old sugar in my recipes and I don’t really like when recipes call for special sweeteners that I don’t have. I also agree with you about the fat content – I would rather have some fat in my baked goods than end up with a gummy product. I must say, I don’t follow blogs much (because I don’t want to spend so much time on the computer), so I never realized that blogging could be a full time job. Keep up the great work!

  135. Nakita says

    I love your blog! I’ve been trying to lose my last 20 pounds and found this blog very helpful! At those time when I want to “cheat” on my diet, these recipes help me feel not so guilty about it.. I’ve also recently started my own blog, so I love all your blogging tips. I started mine in order to help me keep track of my diet and Insanity workouts, and maybe someday someone will stumble upon it and find it as helpful as I have yours! http://clueless-shrinking-girl.blogspot.com/ <<here it is 😉 Thanks for being so open and honest with your posts!

  136. Angela says

    You are rubbish pretty. (I mean that in the best possible way).

    Also, I know with like, 8 million views in two months, you might not read this or have time to read it, But I want you to know that you are kinda of my new hero. Reading your stuff is intimidating, you are wholeheartedly devoted, and I really respect that. Good for you! Carry the flame, keep on baking, and I can’t wait to try some of your deliciousness. It is going to be fun times in the kitchen! xx

  137. Erin says

    Hi!!! I just made your cookie dough dip and ITS SO GOOD. I’m just sitting here eating it with a spoon. I was wondering if you knew any good places to get shoes and boots that aren’t made with animal products? There are lots of websites out there but it’s hard to find warm winter shoes that are cute, GOOD QUALITY, like ones that will last, and vegetarian friendly! What do you think?

    • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

      Honestly, I don’t have to worry much about winter boots around here ;). But I can actually find great shoes/boots at places like DSW. Just check the labels and you’ll probably be surprised at how many of them say “all man made materials” even if they look like they’re made with leather!

  138. Brian says

    This is very impressive. I like that you are taking these recipes and adding a healthy twist to it. I admire the creativity.

  139. carolyn says

    Hey Katie,
    I have just been wondering lately: in a typical day what do you eat? Can you name everything you’ve eaten in the past day???
    My mom and I were just discussing vegetarianism/veganism, so I’m just curious~!
    I appreciate if you take the time to answer this…
    and even if not, I still appreciate your delicious food 🙂

  140. Kat says

    I enjoyed this post as I am focusing on how to become a full-time blogger as well. Otherwise I am stay at home mom with two toddlers and I’m juggling the little time I have for myself with the website I started. But I am determined to make it work.
    “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe
    is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.
    Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just
    gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.” S.Jobs

  141. Yael says

    I discovered your blog a couple weeks ago, I LOVE IT and I LOVE YOU! 🙂
    I’m addicted – as my husband says! 🙂
    Keep on the great work..thanks so much!!! all the way from Italy 🙂

  142. Zahra says

    I live in the DFW area and wanted to know if you could suggest some healthy places to eat where I can take my vegan and vegetarian friends and family. Thanks in advance.

  143. sarah says

    Hi Katie,
    I just discovered your site and I’m so excited. You see I discovered that I have celiac about three years ago and since then as you can imagine I’m on a journey to find delicious satisfying foods that don’t make me sick. Well, lucky for me, chocolate is gluten free!!!! and that is what led me to your site. I shared your your chocolate chip cookie recipe (yum! having a slice now with my coffee :)) with two friends of mine that live overseas. One of them is in the midst of writing a recipe book for “healthy eating” and she asked me (since she does not have access to Internet) if I would ask you if it would be okay for her to print this recipe in her book of course she will include the source, where she got it from. I look forward to hearing back from you, and thank you so much for this amazing site. I can’t wait to try your recipes one, by one….

      • sarah says

        Thank you for responding so quickly Katie. Yes, she is planning to distribute the book. I have ask her if she will be selling or just distributing. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear back from her.

      • sarah says

        Hi Katie, I am pasting the e-mail my friend sent me about what she plans on doing with the book she is writing:

        I am putting this cookbook together to sell to under-privileged families, obviously not in flashy expensive format, who have to budget their food and the first thing that goes is the protein which is expensive. Think: chicken meat fish cheeses milk eggs. So this book will be with recipes which when combining legumes and starches make a complete protein.
        I thought it would be nice to include this recipe because it is a very nutritious treat which children of all ages can use sometimes.
        BTW I baked it for the weekend and it got rave reviews here.

  144. Becca says

    I am obsessed with your blog. I’m on summer break after my first year of college and just discovered this blog about 2 weeks ago and have already made upwards of 20 of your recipes. My family (lots of kids, very picky) has loved every single recipe. I don’t tell them about the secret healthy ingredients until after I get their rave reviews, of course. Thank you so much for all of these amazing recipes! Can’t wait to make my way through all of them!!

  145. Hallie says

    Hi Katie,
    I love your blog. So as of 2011 you became a full-time blogger? How long before that had you been blogging? Any advice for ‘fresh’ bloggers looking to make this into a career as well? I feel the learning curve is so steep.

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