My Big Decision

Congrats on your decision 🙂 I am sure you will do amazing. I love your blogs and all of your recipes. I practically live off of the chocolate covered katie diet 🙂 It sounds like you made a very long and hard decision and am happy you have chosen to continue what you love doing most.

I don’t have a blog of my own, but I check yours every day, and I think I’ve probably made over two thirds of your recipes. And only once did one not work out perfectly for me, and it turned out that was because of a mistake I made in reading the directions!

You are so brave and so awesome. You have my best wishes for the future. And I am excited to hear about some of those new recipes!

Hi Katie,
I never comment, but I think your blog is incredible. You have nothing but support from me, a normally silent reader. Cheers to you. And get that cookbook out already! 😉

Awesome, Katie!! Congratulations! 🙂

Love it – congratulations, Katie! And sending you lots of love and good luck (though you don’t need the luck part). 🙂

I am SO excited–SO SO excited!–for you, Katie! It’s clear that this is where your talent lies and you should absolutely pursue this dream. Congratulations on your new career! I’m sure it will be a long and successful one! 🙂

Congratulations, Katie, on making a difficult decision! I know how scary making post-graduation decisions can be–which is probably why I am still in school…. From a completely selfish point of view, I am certainly glad that I will be able to come here to “see” you everyday as I toil away at my dissertation over the next few years. Reading your blog over the past year or so has been a great joy to me each day and getting to try your recipes has increased my confidence in the kitchen and increased my repetoire of recipes. Thanks!

Congratulations Katie! It is so hard to make big decisions like this one, but going with your gut feeling and your passion is always the right choice. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to reading your blog for a long time to come!

I’m so excited for you!

“To be honest with you, I am terrified. I’m scared of the uncertainty, and I’m especially scared of not knowing what the heck I’m doing in regards to the whole blogging process! I don’t have technological, culinary, nor photography training. In fact, I’ve never even taken a course in any of these areas. (So much for a college degree!) Everything I do is from experimentation– trial and error.

As I wrote in my post on Food Blogging Tips, I blog simply because I enjoy sharing my crazy ideas and getting inspired by others’ crazy ideas.”

This really struck me. I have something I feel I’m meant to do, but have been waiting until I have the money to do the website better, I know more, I know if it will be well received and so on. To read what you put, it just made sense! I want to share and connect and I should just get started. Terrifying! 🙂 Thanks for sharing yourself with all of us and Good luck to you!

Your blog wasn’t the first one I came across, but it certainly is the BEST one. I so look forward to clicking every day and seeing “What’s Katie up to? What amazing delicious yummy treat has she somehow healthified today?” Thanks for brightening my world. I know you’re going to succeed in your new job, and I am so happy you made the decision you did!

Katie,
You go, girl! I am so happy for you–and your readers that you have decided to continue to dream up and share the most amazing chocolate recipes in the world! I truly believe that all forms of success (satisfaction, fame, money) come naturally when you do what you love. I wish you all the best.
Chocolate XOs.

Thats so exciting and scary at the same time! But congratulations! I’m really glad that you said that you want to do something you enjoy instead of having a job that pays but you hate it. My parents have drilled this fact into my head because it’s so important to enjoy life. Who’s going to enjoy life when you have a job you hate, something you have to face every day? Not I. lol. Good luck with everything!
Best wishes,
Brittany

Good for you, Katie! I know this must be really scary, but you’re always making the right decision when you choose to do a job you love! Best of luck to you and keep right on blogging to your heart’s content! 😀

I’m glad you’re staying!

Yay! So glad you’re sticking around (though if you’d have decided to leave, we’d all have supported you as well). I check your blog nearly every day and have made quite a few of your recipes. I love being able to make tasty foods that are also good for me.

I think I first heard of you on the oxygen magazine forum (which no longer exists). I made your Fudge Babies, and it was love at first sight…err….taste. : )

Hard decision to make but if you put your mind to it..you really can do anything as my parents always tell me. Not to sound cliche but it’s true. 🙂

Katie!! I am so excited for you and so glad you broke the news to the blog world. You deserve all the support and encouragement in the world. You’ve worked so hared to make CCK a fantastic blog with the most amazing-looking recipes and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you.

It is so nice to hear that after having doubts and fears, you decided to follow your passion…and from a selfish point of view, I’m so happy you are going to keep blogging! I have been reading your blog for a while, and it has become one of my go-to sources for healthy treats and single serving recipes.

You are also one of my main inspirations for finally starting my own food blog…even though I’m still very new at it, I already find the whole experience very fulfilling in a different way than my regular “job”!

I’ve been reading your blog for almost two years and have totally maintained my lurker-status until now, but I HAD to break my lurker-silence to congratulate you, lovely! You should be so incredibly proud & excited that you’re following your heart, and we all support you 100%! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you!

I think this is my first comment ever! I found your blog a few weeks ago, and it’s quickly become my favorite. So I’ve “known” you for such a long time and yet I feel like I know you so well, and I would be so disappointed to lose your cute, delicious posts. I am loving your recipes and your blog. If you ever do write a cookbook, sign me up for the first copy!

congrats girl!!! I’m so glad you choose to stay chocolatecoveredkatie because I am overallyobsessedwithyourbloggiraffelegs =)
Seriously, so happy for you!!!

Congrats, from one Katie to another :).

SO happy to hear this!!! Yay for CCK not disappearing. 🙂

I was getting worried there for second thinking you’d be going away, but I’m so glad you’re sticking around! You should be so proud for following your heart and doing what makes you happy. You deserve this! *big hug*

well, i’m glad you decided to stay; i would miss this too. of course, i also don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything, but i appreciate this, and it has been tough with the economy lately.

I. AM. SPEECHLESS. and that never happens. EVER. but this post did a pretty good job of shutting me up for a few minutes to reflect on what this world would look like without people who followed their hearts instead of their heads. it must have been reeeeaally hard not to choose making tons of dough over keeping up this blog ( forget the fact that hundreds of us love and live by it). But i can truly say that when i’m all grown up, i wanna be a big girl and follow what i know i love and want to do. Just like my big girl role models: you and Julie! I am so happy for you and can’t wait to see what else God has in store for you. You are in my prayers! BTW- my fave 6 letters: C, C, K, P, B, F ( ok make that 5 letters, used C 2x… darn!)

So cool!!! Congratulations to you! Your courage is so inspiring! I also want to say that I think you are doing great things for the animals. All these healthy little desserts add up to a lot of animals saved! Very smart.

Yeah!!!! Congrats, Katie!!!!

Decisions like these are hard to make, but nothing is permanent. The average person changes careers multiple times in a lifetime. I think it’s great that you’re doing what you love. Happiness comes first, in my book. Without it, you’ve got nothing! Life is too short to not do what we truly enjoy doing.

Congrats girl! You’ll never regret doing what you love!

You rock and I am so happy for you! I believe we should all follow our dreams and do what we love to do! Things always have a way of working out if we believe it! Just gotta stick to those positive affirmations! I can easily identify as I recently enrolled in IIN’s program and kept going back and forth…in the end, I believe it is going to up opportunities to grow my passion for healthy living!! “She believed so she did!”

Yay for you! Have a great day! 🙂

YES! I KNOW you can do this! And I know you can do it wonderfully. You’re such a gem and following your dreams and doing what makes you happy is SO important. Being able to know what you want and being able to have the freedom to make that decision is amazing, why let it pass by? I can’t wait to see what else you have in store now that you’ll be able to fully commit yourself to this, and I have no doubt it will be crazy, wonderful, upbeat, inspiring and delicious all rolled into one big dough ball of Katie goodness. Plus, I don’t know WHAT I would do without your mouthwatering desserts popping up in my google reader everyday. It would be sad times, that’s for sure.
Ps – Blog-based bakery? Blog morph into healthified bakery someday? You need to do it, you could start a bakery revolution! Or at least get started on that cookbook of yours, will you? 😉 xoxo

Congrats on being able to make your blog into your future – when something’s right, it’s just right (and your desserts, my friend, can’t get any more right!)

Woooooooop! Congratulations! So pleased for you and good for you for following the dream, if that doesn’t sound too (vegan) cheese-y 🙂
I think it’ll be a real success because of how good your blog is.
And I also promise to give you full support by making your chocolate-covered creations. It’s a hard life *sigh* 🙂

Wow, congratulations Katie!! That’s a big decision to make and I hope it proves to be a successful and happy one. Choosing the road less travelled is always a complicated decision, one that many people aren’t brave enough to do. Thank you for choosing to keep the blog, not only for the benefit of your readers (including me), but also for doing something you feel is ‘right’. Keep it up. There are many of us standing behind you, supporting you!

Katie, I’m sitting here nearly about to cry after reading this post. I am so proud of you – that is a remarkably tough decision. I’m going through something similar as well. My biggest passions are health, fitness, and helping others, and I’ve known for years that I need to combine these things to live my ultimate, most-fulfilling life. I’ve been working a desk job for almost four years and just recently started my own home business as a health and fitness coach. I’m trying to balance the two right now without getting too overwhelmed, but doing something that excites every fiber of my being feels so… *right* (as you said in your post :), regardless of the time commitment.

I really wish you all the best in your journey. You have many loving, loyal friends and supporters, which is a priceless gift at the start of your new adventure.

Aw, this couldn’t be a more relevant post, Katie! Way to speak straight from your heart and go for your dreams. You’re an inspiration to all of us of that example 🙂 I’m going through the same thing, except I haven’t finished college yet 🙂 I badly need a job during school, but don’t want to have to lessen my blogging time as I LOVE IT. So true- my brain flows with foodie ideas each day and had I not started a blog, I’d keep all the ideas to myself! Blogging is super fun in that way and many more. I wish I could turn my blog into more of a job, but I guess that’ll come with that- as it did with you.
Good luck Katie and you’re awesome!

I can so relate to this post! I don’t have a blog, but I am also just done with college, and I have two different paths I can choose. I’ve been leaning towards the more stable, money making path until today when I read your post. Really, what is stopping me from taking a risk and going for my dreams? Thanks for being brave. It makes me feel like I can be too!

Never ever leave!!! You have the best blog! What would I do without my daily dose of CCK???

Congrats, Katie! I know it’s a scary decision, but your love and perseverance will get you through. In the end, it’s all about having fun and making a difference—two things you definitely do. I’m sure you will only continue to grow the blog (and yourself!) from here—I’ll be here with you all steps of the way!

I’ve never commented before, but I just wanted to say thanks for staying! I love your blog! I’m not vegan, but am working towards a life with less preservatives and just healthier all around, and I rely on your blog a lot for getting there! I’ve made several of your recipes and have liked them all! Thank you for staying, and next, I think we need a CCK cookbook!!! I would totally buy it!!!!

Oh Katie, I’m so glad you are sticking around! I’ve just recently discovered your blog and I would hate to have you leave. I am passionate about creating healthy, delicious dishes and especially healthy baked goods, as well. Recently I have had a bit of a lull, but then I stumbled upon your blog. You have reinspired me to get back to what I love most! Thank you for that and everything else that you do!

hey girl, just wanted to let you know I love your blogs and recipes! Thanks for all the delicious suggestions, please don’t stop writing! 🙂

Yeaaaaaa! I am so happy the blog will carry on. Congratulations on making the hard choice. As an actress I know what it is like to realize that you really have no choice but the choose to follow your dream, no matter how difficult it may be.

I’m really, really glad you decided to stick with blogging! The blogosphere just wouldn’t be the same without you. I mean, who else would make delicious, chocolate-covered vegan treats all while being super duper cute?! Only you, that’s who. 🙂

Congrats on the big decision CCK!! You are adorable and your recipes are stunning. Can’t wait to try your new concoctions.

Congratulations on making such an awesome decision! I finished uni last June and I have been massively fretting about what to do and what direction to take. But I decided that as long as I was doing what made me happy at that moment (currently working in a cafe) then it didn’t matter.

I am so excited that we get to read your blog for longer (I was slightly worried at the beginning of the post you were leaving us) and I’m really looking forward to more of your recipes. Afterall if you’ve been creating all the recipes you have when at college full time, imagine the awesomeness that’ll be coming out of your kitchen when you’re doing it full time!

Elise x

Congrats, CCK. I adore your blog. It is my very favorite. Thanks for all you do. Your passion really shows through!

Wow! Congratulations on the brave decision! I wish I had the guts to follow my dreams like you do. I wish you lots of luck and success in your “new job” 🙂 .

Katie…I am so happy that you are following your dreams. Especially because your desserts are so dreamy! But seriously…besides the fact that I’ve made a dozen of your recipes (at least) and keep up every day with your blog and pass it along to all my health nuts and foodie friends, it makes me so happy that you get such joy out of it, too. It most definitely is important to follow your passion, because chocolate happiness is what matters most. And when you’re passionate about something, you do it well, and when you do it well, money follows! <3 Keep blogging 🙂

You have the BEST blog!!!!!

I’m so happy for you 🙂 I think it is a great decision and can’t wait to have more chocolate covered delicious recipes to try. Thanks for all of your time, devotion and committment to this blog. I LOVE reading your blog!!

Way to go Katie! I am surprised and happy that you made this choice. You are definately and excellent blogger and I hope you go far with your blog. Who nows maybe one day you’ll publish your own book! (in which case I will definately buy it)

CCK healthy desserts are the best! Finally I’ve found recipes where it doesn’t feel like I’m eating healthy, and that is exactly how I like my healthy desserts to be! Excited for the chocolate lava post!!!!

I’m late to the party, but I just wanted to wish you well. I’m so glad you’ll be sticking around, because you are without a doubt my favorite blog :). I don’t know anyone else who can make healthy food taste so delicious!

Thanks for everything you do, Katie. Your blog is amazing and one of the biggest reasons I’ve decided to go vegan!!!! Wish me luck! 🙂 🙂

Hey Katie,
Well i am so glad that you have decided to continue writing your blog. I love trying all your chocolate related recipes.
You know what you should think about doing is putting together a cookbook of all your yummy creations, then you could sell it on your blog. I know i would love to have your recipes at my fingertips when i didn’t have access to the internet.
Good luck
Jamie

I’ve never commented on your blog even though I LOVE all of your posts! (I do eat the cookie dough dip by the bowl =P). I was just so happy to hear you won’t be quitting what you love for the 9-5 slog so many of us give in to. Keep going and know that you have tons of readers who appreciate this blog even if they hardly ever comment!

~K

Hey Katie!
I’m so glad you’ve decided to keep up the blog. I have a list of about 5 blogs that I need to look at every day, otherwise I feel deprived, and yours is definitely one of the top! The recipes are always delicious, not to mention healthy (and they really appeal to my inner chocoholic) and you have a great, bubbly personality. I should say thank you for your decision, because CCK makes my day. Good luck with everything!

I have always loved your blog, so I wish you the best of luck with your future!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! 😀

Seriously there is so much I want to say!!!!!!

I’M FREAKING PROUD OF YOUUU.

You go girl!!! You are going for your dreams, you are doing what you love, and ignoring some of the common ignorant social stigmas etc along the way!!!! I am SO excited and happy for you and I know it’s going to work out for the best. I’m constantly recommending your blog because I love it so much!!!!

I just…AHH!! Okay I’m done. Yayyy!!! 🙂 Take care.

GOOD FOR YOU! I can’t imagine the blogosphere without your amazing recipes, sweet and sincere comments/posts and lovely photos – you have a gift and I am glad you are following your heart!!! Best of luck to you, you will be AWESOME!
hugs,
Nora

So glad you’ve decided to keep going! I have only recently discovered your blog but it has become part of my morning routine to read your latest post! You’ve totally inspired me to take up running again too! xx

My dad always liked to quote the old saying “Find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life.” When I made the decision to quit nursing school and pursue my love of literature and writing with an English degree, I was certain I’d be a broke writer forever. But so many opportunities have opened up for me, things I never dreamed in a million years would happen.

You’ve found something you love to do and even though it’s scary, I have every confidence that you will succeed because you are GOOD at this. You know you’re good at it and when YOU know it’s in your blood, you’ll do well.

Congratulations on pursuing what you love! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for you!

Oh, thank goodness!! When I started reading this post, I thought you were going to say you won’t be blogging anymore! Your blog is my favorite, and I have a TON of blogs (vegan and otherwise) in my Google Reader. Every time I’m craving something for dessert or I have a dessert to bring to a family get together, I turn to your blog for ideas. You are incredibly talented at creating amazing recipes, your photography is beautiful, your posts are fun to read… I believe you have an incredible future ahead of you, and I love that you are going after your dreams!

I forgot to commen ton this the other day, but I just wanted to say I am so incredibly happy for you that you decided to follow your dreams. I know your leap of faith will pay off. I don’t know what I’d do without my daily dose of CCK 🙂

I’m a little late on this one but am just catching up on my weekly blog reading. CONGRATS on your decision–I think it is a great one and am so glad that you are going to be continuing to blog. I love your blog and all of your recipes that I have tried and I know that this was probably a tough decision but, usually the best decisions are! I’m sure it is going to pay off and be a great one!

Wow, I can’t believe how many people have commented on this post. I was going to say that I am your BIGGEST fan and am so happy you’re going to continue blogging! But it seems there are a LOT of people who are in contention for the title of your biggest fan ;).
Write that cookbook already!!!

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!

I recently found your blog and LOVE it. I’m amazed you can do this much while a student, I thought you were a full-timer already. I’m relieved you aren’t going away and look forward to trying all your recipes. I’ve already recommended this blog a couple times, so I’m sure your readership will only grow!

I am one of your newest followers and I’m looking to see what you have in store for this endeavor 🙂

This post made me so happy, as I’ve been really debating what my future is going to hold once I graduate from university this coming May… should I pursue graduate studies? Or should I do what I really am passionate about, and attend yoga teacher training and nutrition school? Now I really feel like I should take control of my life, and do what I know will make me happy!

Blogging IS a job! Many people and companies earn their entire or a big portion of their income from blogging. There’s nothing wrong with being a professional blogger, especially if you run it as a business! So glad to see you make an awesome decision! 🙂 Good luck with it, but you’re already successful so I wish you continued luck and future prosperity!

With a face and bubbly personality like yours I wouldn’t be surprised someone scarfs you up for your own tv show someday.

How ’bout trying to get on the Martha Stewart show? Promotion, promotion … maybe we all here can bombard her with a request to have you on? Would you like that at some point?

It is a wonderful gift and opportunity for you that full-time blogging is an option. Many people would love to delve into the world of full-time blogging but are forced to work full-time jobs. As you know, there’s just not enough energy in life to give our full selves to both. So stay grateful for your option, and I hope that it does become a sufficient source of income for you. You’re at the beginning of a wonderful journey.

I’m pretty new to reading your blog but already I don’t know what I would do without it! You have completely opened up a whole new world of dessert to me!
You have beautiful way of writing, a really strong voice. I’m sure you will be a huge success.
I hope it’s all going well!

Guess I’m a little late reading this post. You are a lucky one that knows what it is that you have passion for. Even luckier, that you are GREAT at what you love to do. Those of us that have no idea which direction to go, and end up in a job that does not fulfill…know how lucky you are. Thank you for your blog. I have enjoyed it very much, and wish you all the success I know you will achieve. Happy, happy for you!

Katie my dear…gosh I was just lucky enough to have found you…..pleaseeeeeeeee do not go away….yikes!!! Your recipes are just the BEST!!! I have so many of them book-marked already…love today’s oatmeal… I actually just finished eating my daily oatmeal with nothing more than SILK soy and some cinnamon….yikes…where have I been…. Your recipe speaks to me girl!! Love, your newest fan, Valerie (up in snowey southern Manitoba xo)

Katie, I don’t know how I missed this post before, I was traveling on the road with 3 kids until the 5th of July and thought I caught up with all that I missed but I guess I didn’t. I can say that I am SOOO glad you decided to NOT give up the blog! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!

My next question… what cupcake is in that pic lol

Just curious, How does a blog such as this one make money? I noticed you call it your job (which I think is awesome by the way) – I know some people that have blogs and sell stuff to make money, but I was just wondering how one like this works. Don’t want to get into your business, just curious in general (I have a full time job – promise I’m not looking to still ideas!). I Googled it and saw some people let ads be posted but it doesn’t seem like yours if full of commercials. Just wondering 🙂

Wow, good for you!! I hope it turns out great for you, but even if it doesn’t, at least you got to do it for a little while! 😉

Dear Katie, I’m new to your blog, but WAY TO GO. My husband and I are dairy-free and mostly sugar-free, and it’s hard to come up with recipes, thanks for your creative suggestions! Are you (I hope) taking good steps for your blog, such as gaining healthy advertising (from healthy companies you pre-screen) if you want to put that on your blog, or are you going to do an ECookbook for Kindle through Amazon? There are good books on writing EBooks out there, check out worldwidefreelance.com, or email me, I have some emails on the subject that I could send to you if desired. Either way, make sure you are doing this in a smart way so that you can succeed in your dreams! Pitch how many hits you have from Google (get a company to track them for you, or automatic software to count your unrepeated visits and daily hit rate) and pitch those numbers to publishing companies or (as I suggested) get into the Kindle EBook route, or self-publish to all your bloggers. We would buy your book! GOOD LUCK, it’s wonderful you’re pursuing your dreams!

Katie, you are a shining example of what can happen when a person refuses to buy the ‘mainstream’ version of life–punching in at 9am and punching back out at 5pm–and decides to take a calculated risk and live the life he/she was truly meant to live. We all have different talents, abilities, and passions for a reason–our lives are most certainly not by accident and in my opinion serve more purpose than what science has otherwise tried to teach us. When you have a talent and you LOVE what you do so much that are you willing to do it all day long without earning a dime, there is ALWAYS someone willing to pay you for that talent. You HAVE what they NEED, and you are essentially ‘solving a problem’ for someone else. That’s why people pay for anything…to have their problems solved.
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog so much, and it inspires me to go in the direction of my OWN dreams that much more.
<3 <3 <3

I love your blog. Just wanted you to know. It’s amazing – I share it with everyone.

I am so glad you didn’t give up, if you had, I wouldn’t of found your wonderful blog. I recommend it all the time, make desserts, feed them to children, friends, anyone willing, and then tell them what is in it (well I don’t tell the kids everything)! Everything is so fun to make and I enjoy adding and changing them up and seeing where I end up. I also am one of those who look forward to my daily e-mail with some cool new treat to try. Way to go – keep up the amazing work!

Just found your blog today and can’t wait to try your recipes!!!! Pumpkin Frappachino shall be my first. Just makes my mouth water to think about it. You definitely have a talent and a passion, and I’m glad I found you!!! I’m following all your boards on Pinterest too. Keep up the amazing recipes and funny comments. Good luck with your future which we all hope includes keeping the blog for a long, long time.

Well, it is now March 18th, 2014. This post is nearly 3 years old. And it is still so very relevant today. Your parting sentence is so filled with sage for one so young. I just turned 59, and sugar, the time does fly faster with each passing year, so take it from this ole prune and do the best you can to TRULY savor each and every single day in and of itself. Now I need to thank you for those parting words. I have not yet followed my dreams. Not really. So you see, even 3 years later, your words still have impact.

Katie, I love your site but I know I’d love you on YouTube even more! I think it’s the next step in Kate-volution. Also, I’m sure you’d get a large number of subscribers where you’d be making some nice cash.

I can totally see you standing in a sexy kitchen showing us how to make all your delicious recipes. The world is waiting . . .

Good for you, Katie!! Congratulations on your decision and all your success so far! I totally believe in following your dreams and living your passion. I just came across your site a few hours ago and have been captivated by your story and delicious-looking, healthy recipes ever since! You’ve inspired me to not only try the black bean brownies and no-bake chocolate peanut butter pie (both of which I am going to make today!), but I’ve also thought about starting a blog of my own but wasn’t sure of the subject matter. It just dawned on me…martinis!!! Making decadent, delicious, festive martinis has been a passion of mine for at least 10 years. Having made them for family and friends’ parties, I’m known as the mad mixologist, always being told I should bartend for a living or write a recipe book! I also love photographing them. After considering all my options, I thought a blog would be the perfect blend of all those things that I truly enjoy, which would incorporate posting my recipes and photographing them for my blog site! And if I can make a little money at the same time, that’s a plus! (I still have to research how to monetize a blog as I am brand new to it.) Someday, I hope to have even half the success that you’ve had! Thanks for the inspiration, I wish you all the best!! ?

Love your page so much! As a nutritionist who advocates healthy eating, rather than dieting, love being able to promote you and your site. Keep up the good work, Katie!! Thank you!

Hi Katie. You were one of the very first clean baking website/blog I came across years ago. I absolutely love making clean eats & treats & have thought about setting up a blog. Can you help me out as to where do I start? One day I’d like to do this full time & create my own cookbook. I just need some help from someone as successful as you point me in the right direction. ? Did you create a free blog or did you have someone create you a website? How did you gain such a large following & gain exposure to tv shows etc? Anything else you can help me with would be appreciated. Thanks so very much x

I know it is several years later that I am reading this—-and I go to your recipes and website often—-but GOOD FOR YOU for doing what makes you happy. I couldn’t have read this at a better time! I just did the same thing—-I took a leap of faith!
I quit my very nice salaried position and took a much lower paying job to do something that will make me much happier! And I couldn’t agree with you more about being scared—-I am really scared financially. But I am hoping that all will work out because I will be so much happier!
Thank you for sharing your story and your blog. You are an inspiration to all!!

Dear Katie,
I obviously don’t know you, yet a smile broadened across my face reading this post! I’m very happy for you and this leap you’re taking, and I’d be lying if it was for entirely altruistic reasons, but after having made your black bean brownies yesterday, using one of your recipes for the first time (even though my mother has been trying to get me to make your treats and has made them for me a couple of times), I can’t wait to see what else you will create and delight us with. Thank you for sharing your light. Sometimes all that can save a day is a rich decadent brownie. As someone with a myriad of food sensitivities that was out of my reach, until your black bean brownie recipe came along. Thank you so much and so much success for you, you seem to be a really beautiful person!