Bloggers’ Reveal their Most Popular Healthy Recipes from 2016

A few days ago I shared what was most popular on Happy Healthy Mama in the last year. Now it’s time to look beyond this space and see what healthy recipes were popular all over the Interwebs in 2016. I reached out to some of the best healthy recipe bloggers and they were each kind enough to share the #1 recipe from their own blogs from 2016. Are you ready to dive in and find some new healthy recipes?! You’ll find everything from savory soups to healthy desserts to easy dinners. Let’s do it!

Guacamole Burrito with Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes and Black Beans

Hello, baaaaby! I can’t wait to try this healthy burrito from Savory Tooth.

Green Chia Pudding

This recipe from Veggies Save the Day is made without sugar and features the powerful chia seed!

One Pan Cranberry Balsamic Roasted Chicken

This recipe from Cotter Crunch is gluten-free dinner perfection!

Flourless Peanut Butter Zucchini Brownies

Just LOOK at how ooey and gooey these healthy brownies are from Hummusapien!

Easy Egg Wraps

These easy egg wraps from The Lean Green Bean are genius!

Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread

Who else is drooling over this quick bread recipe from Danielle’s Kitchen?

Blueberry Broccoli Spinach Salad 

It’s all about the salad to ring in the new year! Who’s gonna try this one from Peas and Crayons?

Quick and Easy Pad Thai

I love easy and healthy dinner like this one from Swiss Eats!

Tofu Steaks with Miso Pecan Sauce

If you struggle to find vegan main course ideas, try these Tofu Steaks from Contemplating Sweets.

Vegan Cheese Sauce

 

Sophia from Veggies Don’t Bite spent two years perfecting this creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce!

Pumpkin Spice Walnut Cake 

Can you believe this cake from Healthy Helper is made with whole grains and is refined sugar free?

White Bean Veggie Burger

I am loving the looks of this hearty veggie burg from spabettie!

Cassava Flour Tortillas

These tortillas from Downshiftology are grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, and Paleo friendly.

Sweet Tangy Thai Salad Dressing or Dipping Sauce

You can make this healthy sauce from Posh Journal in your blender!

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Kids begging for macaroni and cheese? Healthify it with some butternut squash with this recipe from So Very Blessed.

Smothered Creamy Chicken Skillet

Cook your entire dinner in one skillet with this delicious recipe from  The Fit Blog.

Fall Lentil Salad with a Lemon Shallot Dressing 

There is so much goodness in this bowl from My Kitchen Love!

Avocado Bomb Sauce

This might sound trite, but this sauce from Simply Made Recipes looks bomb!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

Chocolate+Peanut Butter=No Brainer. This smoothie from What the Fork is a must-make.

Healthy Barley Soup

The soup is always on at my house. I’ve got to try this healthy soup from Watch What U Eat.

Vegetarian Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna

I can’t think of a tastier way to eat your veggies! Put this recipe from Living Lou on your meal plan immediately.

Sweet Potato Toast

Ditch the bread and get your toast fix from sweet potatoes! Get some unique ideas on what to top it with from Family Food on the Table.

Vegetarian Pasta Fagioli

Not only does this recipe from Cilantro and Citronella look UH-mazing, it’s ready in 25 minutes!

Caprese Salad Avocado Toast

It’s recipes like this from All Things Mamma that make me wish it was summer all year long!

Veggie Hummus Flatbread

This Veggie Hummus Flatbread from Toaster Love Oven would be the hit of any party!

Baked Buffalo Chickpea and Artichoke Vegan Taquitos

Ummmm….I have died on gone to vegan heaven with this recipe from Veggie Inspired.

Cauliflower Tikka Masala

Cauliflower’s moment lives on with this recipe from Vegetarian Gastronomy.

Beef Tacos with Spicy Avocado Sauce

Robyn from simply fresh dinners created a meal that everyone will agree on with this one!

Veggie Pot Pies with Crispy Potatoes

If I could eat these veggie pot pies from Natural Girl Modern World everyday, I’d be a happy girl!

Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti Squash

You don’t want to miss this low-carb option from It’s Cheat Day Day Everyday.

One Pan Sesame Ginger Salmon and Broccoli

 

 

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Happy Healthy Mama 2016 Reflections and 2017 Goals

We are down to the last days of 2016. It’s the perfect time to take a moment and reflect on the past year. What did we do well? What could we have done better? Reflection is critical if we want to keep improving, so why not take this week to reflect?

I see so many people being cynical about this time of reflection and setting goals or resolutions for the New Year. I don’t really get it. Yes, many New Year’s resolutions are forgotten about by February. But sometimes, they can be just the catalyst we need to make postive changes in our lives. How can that be a bad thing?

I’d like to share my reflections and goals for Happy Healthy Mama. (I did this last year, too. You can read those here if you are interested.)Although I’ve been blogging since 2010, it wasn’t until the fall of 2014 that I decided I would shift my focus from hobby blog to making it a viable business. Although I don’t do it often, I love letting you in on the business side of things and sharing some of the goals and aspirations I have for Happy Healthy Mama.

2016 Reflections

Last year I published my goals for Happy Healthy Mama in 2016. Let’s take a look at each goal and see how I did.

2016 Goal #1: Refine my brand.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how niche-specific I wanted Happy Healthy Mama to be. In the end, I decided that my overall umbrella theme is healthy living, and I am happy to share ideas and inspirations beyond just recipes. It feels right to describe Happy Healthy Mama as a healthy living lifestyle blog. Yes, recipes is probably my main focus, but I like having the creative flexibility to allow my content to go beyond that boundary. Having a definite answer to what I wanted my brand to be was my goal, and I feel like I met that.

2016 Goal #2: Diversify traffic sources and revenue streams.

In 2015, Pinterest was 48% of my traffic. In 2016, it was 50% of my traffic. Ouch. If you look at just that, I didn’t diversify enough.

There were some bright areas, though. Direct traffic (people who type my blog address into their address bar and go directly to my site) remained my #2 source, but google traffic was a much closer third than in 2015. I focused on increasing my search engine traffic and as a result, my google search traffic increased 70% in 2016. That’s significant! I need it to grow even more so that if something happens to Pinterest, I have a sustainable amount of traffic from search. Other traffic sources grew in 2016 also, such as Yummly and a some big websites who sent referral traffic my way. While I improved slightly, I’d like to see this area get even better. If Pinterest goes away, I will lose half of my traffic and that’s scary.

In 2015, my revenue was 95% from display ads on my site. I focused on adding different streams of income and it worked. In 2016, display ads counted for 65% of my income, sponsored posts were 25%, and affiate sales were around 10%. Affiliate income increased 250% simply because I branched out and found more products I thought you would love. I also did a lot more sponsored posts. I tried to make sponsored posts a win-win situation for myself and my readers. I focused on working with solid brands that I felt great about promoting while creating useful and relevant content for you. At this point, I haven’t had to pitch brands; they come to me. I say no to as many opportunities that I say yes to. Overall, my income more than doubled from 2015 to 2016 so I am happy with the effort I put in this area and the results.

2016 Goal #3: Create a product.

Well, I did create a product in 2016. I just didn’t launch a product in 2016. I’m very close to launching my first product and am beyond excited to share it with you! It should be ready by the end of February (maaaybe earlier if I really hustle!) Yes, I wish I would have completed the whole project and launched it this year, but I’m okay with the progress I made in this area.

2016 Goal #4: Continue to grow.

2015 was such a big growth year for Happy Healthy Mama. In 2015, my pageviews increased 500% from the previous year. That’s a very tough act to follow and quite frankly not a normal rate of growth for most blogs. Even so, I naively expected and hoped for the same big growth in 2016.

Happy Healthy Mama did experience growth in 2016. In fact, my pageviews increased 30% from 2015. That’s a good thing. Yet, it felt like a let down at times. I set a goal to reach the milestone of 1,000,000 pageviews a month in 2016. Although I came close a few times, I didn’t reach that goal. There’s really nothing worse than the feeling of not hitting a goal, even though in my heart I know how hard and extremely rare it is to get to a million pageviews in one month.

I also experienced growth across all social media channels. Here’s a look at my numbers since 2014. Even though I’m happy that I did grow my presence in 2016, I know I could have done better. One mistake I made was thinking that doing the same things that brought me the growth in 2015 would bring me the same rate of growth in 2016. Here’s the thing. The things I did to grow in 2015 are things I should have been doing since day one. That’s why I experienced such explosive growth that year.

Breaking through to the next level is a whole different ball game. I’m learning.

One struggle for me in 2016 was time management and over committing to other things. I taught part time two days a week. When I committed to it, it didn’t seem like it would be too much. It ultimately took away from time I needed to keep working towards my goals here, though.

I also struggled in the summer. Having the kids home with me all day made it really difficult for me to get my blog work done. I struggled to find a work-life balance. It’s tough trying to be a stay-at-home mom who has a full-time blogging job “on the side.” When I was working I felt guilty for not engaging with the kids. When I was doing things with the kids, I was thinking about what work I needed to get done. It was not a winning situation.

These may sound like excuses, but they aren’t. I’m just reflecting on things that may have contributed to me falling short of some of my goals. I set goals that required time. When other commitments got in the way, I didn’t stop working on my goals, but the rate of growth was bound to be affected. 

Goals for 2017

During 2016 I really shifted my mindset from that of a blogger to a business owner. If I want to serve you and do great things with Happy Healthy Mama, I have to treat it like a business. It’s with that mindset that I set my 2017 goals. Ultimately, I want to create the most useful blog I can for YOU. If I entertain you along the way, that’s great, but first and foremost I want to serve you by giving you content that can be supremely helpful. Whether it’s a recipe that gets your kids to eat a new healthy food, nutritional information, or a tip about natural living, I want everything I write to be useful and helpful for my readers. I want to connect with you and figure out what makes you tick. The question I ask myself everyday when I’m planning content is: What do my readers NEED from me? (Pssstt…it’s really helpful when you tell me! I’m working on the whole mind-reading thing, but, you know, the most direct way is a simple email or comment on a post. ;-)) With these things in mind, I created my goals for 2017. 

Okay, goal time!

2017 Goal #1: Successfully launch my product

What is successful? I guess that’s relative. I want this product to reach as many people as it can, but it’s about so much more than the revenue. If you haven’t read about it, my product is a system that will help you conquer dinner time. It’ll help you get healthy dinners on the table fast, even the busiest of families. I know that product can be a blessing for so many families, so my goal is to get it into as many hands as possible. That means this Elementary Education major has to put on her marketing hat and do this right. It will be my first launch so I’m not even putting numbers out there into the universe because I’m not sure what to expect. 

2017 Goal #2: Conquer Time Management

I spent a lot of time working on the wrong things in 2016. In 2017, my goal is to have laser-focus, use my time more efficiently, and focus on what’s most important for my business. The rest of it? Outsource. Anyone looking to be a virtual assistant? I’m hiring.

2017 Goal #3 Focus on 1-2 Core Affiliates

I would like to find 1-2 core affiliates that are a perfect fit for my readers. I increased my affiliate income a lot in 2016, but I feel like I barely got through the tip of the iceberg. I want to show you other people’s products that you need and love and, circling back to my ultimate goal, are super helpful! 

Goal #4 Break Through to the Next Level (income and/or traffic)

The last half of the year I felt like Happy Healthy Mama plateaued. I need to figure out how to break through the plateau in order to continue to grow. I could totally stay where I’m at and that wouldn’t be terrible. Many blogs don’t ever reach the level I’m at and I’m grateful to be here. My personality, however, is one that requires me to continually improve. I want to challenge myself to break through to the next level. 

Notice I put a and/or in between the income and traffic. I’ve recently learned that up to a certain point more traffic=more income. But it’s also important to optimize the traffic you’re already getting. If I can keep my traffic the same, but increase my income, that would be great. I’ve read plenty of blogging income reports where bloggers have similar traffic to me but are making much more.

It’s not all about chasing traffic. Even so, last year I set a goal of reaching one million pageviews in a month. That goal will remain until I hit it! I can’t just drop a goal because I didn’t get it. 

There you have it! My long-winded look at the last year and what I’m focused on for 2017. I hope you enjoy this small peek into the other side of Happy Healthy Mama. I’m still loving this blogging thing and will be here as long as you keep on reading. I don’t tell you this enough, but THANK YOU. Without you, I couldn’t possibly keep this thing going.

Cheers to a happy and healthy 2017!

The post Happy Healthy Mama 2016 Reflections and 2017 Goals appeared first on Happy Healthy Mama.

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I’ve been producing content for Happy Healthy Mama for six years now. It’s hard to believe I’ve stuck with it that long!  Did you know that average lifespan of a blog is under 4 months? You need a lot of sticktoitiveness to hang in there through the lonely days when you feel like nobody is reading (and they probably aren’t).  This blog baby has grown into something that gives me an awesome outlet to be creative and share my passion for healthy living. Without you, readers, I would not still be here. You complete me. (I know! So cheesy!)

It’s true. I do this for you. Seeing the numbers and that people are, indeed, reading what I’m putting out there, fuels my motivation to continue. So thank you. Thank you for being here and reading/looking at/engaging with what I’m creating. Here’s what you loved the most this year.

Most Popular in 2016

These are the posts that were most visited in 2016, no matter what year they were published. Often older posts top the list because they’ve had more time to gain traction on Pinterest, get linked to from other websites and gain credibility with Google, and get shared more on all social media. Scroll down if you want to see what posts published in 2016 was most popular. Here’s a look at what was popular from all posts on Happy Healthy Mama in 2016!

#10 Pumpkin Muffin Oatmeal Cups (2015)

Down from #9 in 2015.

This is a recipe that I published in 2015 and took off again this fall. That often happens with seasonal recipes. This one definitely deserves to be in the top 10 as it’s fantastic. It doesn’t have to be fall to make these; please break out a can of pumpkin and try this one if you haven’t!

#9 5 Simple Steps to Transition to a Paperless Kitchen (2015)

Down from #3 in 2015.

This is the only non-recipe post to make it into the top 10, but I can see why. It’s an interesting post that is very useful for anyone interested in ditching paper towels and paper products in the kitchen. These tips really work as we’ve been paperless in our kitchen for almost two years now.

#8 Golden Milk Turmeric Tea (2015)

Did not make the list in 2015.

This was a late 2015 recipe and it did very well in 2016. It makes me really happy when one of my favorites does well, and this recipe is soooo delicious and healthful, I’m glad so many people like it, too.

#7 Baked Banana Oatmeal (2011)

Did not make the list in 2015.

This is a great recipe that saw zero traffic until I redid the photographs this year. Once I redid the photos, it became an instant success. It made me happy and sad at the same time. Happy because more people were seeing a great recipe. Sad because I know I have so many terrific recipes that don’t get seen because of their photos. The lesson for bloggers is this: photography matters. If you have fantastic recipes, it doesn’t matter unless you have excellent photos. Work on your photography if you want to grow your blog.

#6 30 Healthy Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes (2015)

Down from #4 in 2015.

Useful posts do well, and this post is massively useful for busy families who want to be healthy. Do you like round-up posts?

#5 High Protein Energy Balls (2011)

Up from #10 in 2015.

I will say it: the photographs for this post are terrible. Two years ago, however, I used them to create this Pinterest image and it’s driven a lot of traffic ever since. The recipe is solid and one that my regular readers tell me is a staple in their home just like it is in our home. I know this recipe by heart and it’s one the kids make with me all the time.

#4 Avocado Tuna Salad  (2016)

Created in 2016, so not on the list in 2015.

I remember being unhappy with how these photographs turned out, so I was pleasantly surprised when this recipe took off. This is definitely a staple recipe for me that I make often for lunch. The message here is that people love a good staple recipe using simple, healthy ingredients.

 

#3 Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cups (2012)

Was also #3 in 2015.

I’ve made many variations on these oatmeal cups, but these continue to be the most popular. Pinterest is a big part of that, as this recipe has been repinned over 230,000 times! These are the original photos and it just keeps going strong. I can see why these are popular because it’s such a quick and easy recipe, made in one bowl, and there’s no added sugar. These are perfect for toddlers, kids, and adults.

#2 2-ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes (2013)

Was also #2 in 2015.

These little 2-ingredient pancakes I originally created when Luke was a baby continue to be wildly popular. They have over 203K repins on Pinterest and consistently bring in almost 25,000 pageviews each month. They are simple and unique and I’m sure that’s why they are so loved.

 

#1 The Anti-Bloat Smoothie (2015)

Up from #6 in 2015.

When I created this smoothie, I never thought it would be as popular as it is. It was popular when I created it in 2015, and it went viral in 2016. With over 203K pins, Pinterest loved this smoothie. I make it often and love it, so I’m glad it’s resonated with so many people.

Reflections

I think the list of what was popular in 2016 is a great representation of what Happy Healthy Mama is all about. My focus is on easy recipes with accessible ingredients that can help busy families be their healthiest. I found it interesting that my #1 post from 2014 and 2015 dropped to #11 this year. My 5-ingredient blender muffins are still popular and get a lot of traffic, but other posts gained enough to bump them out of the top 10. This is my list from 2015 if you’d like to see it. 

I would also like to share what posts from 2016 exclusively were the most popular in 2016. These are the posts published in 2016 that were popular in 2016:

#10

Healthy Fruit Dip–4 Ways

#9

DIY Body Spray with Essential Oils

#8

Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups

#7 

How to Sweeten Your Coffee without Sugar

#6

Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich

#5

Coconut Apricot Energy Balls

#4

Skinny Buffalo Chicken Dip

#3 

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger

#2

Husband Protein Smoothie 

#1

Avocado Tuna Salad 

Reader Feedback

I would love to hear if your favorite recipe made the list. How many of these recipes have you tried?

More than anything, I would love to hear what you want to see more of (or less of!) on Happy Healthy Mama in 2017. If you have a moment, please leave a comment and let me know!

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source http://happyhealthymama.com/most-popular-in-2016.html

Spiced Winter Fruit Salsa Recipe

On My Baby Boy Turning 5

My baby boy turned five years old yesterday! With every passing year, I get a better understanding of what my mom was feeling when I was growing up. She’d look at me on each birthday and say, “You’ll always be my baby.” Luke Dawson, YOU will always be my baby.

Even if you’re a big five-year-0ld now and nobody would mistake you for a baby.

At five, Luke is tall for his age, and still keeps me on my toes like he has since the day he was born.

He loves his big sister Meghan and wants to be just like her, and if often her little shadow, wanting to do whatever she is doing.He’s changed a lot in this past year. Last year, he cried almost every day when it was time to go to school. This year, he’s gotten more social and enjoys school much more.

He’s also become a big helper around the house. He does one chore almost everyday and is learning about saving, giving, and spending money.

When he’s happy, he’s very happy and extremely loving. He gives me BIG kisses and almost tackles me with his generous hugs.

Baby boy also has a temper and when he’s not happy, it’s best to stay out of his way. Even his mad face melts my heart, though, and that makes him even more angry!

Luke is so active, you can almost always find a bruise or scrape on his body. He’s always bouncing, jumping, and running somewhere. And if you hear a bloodcurdling scream, he probably fell, or stubbed his toe, and it’s not as bad as it sounds.

He tried a lot of sports this year: soccer, swimming, tennis, golf, and now basketball. At home he loves playing with his super heroes, dragon and dinosaur figures, and can be content playing by himself with Magna-Tiles for a very long time.

It’s a weird thing having my youngest be five. I know that the baby stage is long gone and I know it’s time to look forward, even though there are feelings of sadness when you know something has ended.

It’s such a blessing being a parent and watching our kids grow. Even if we lament the passing of each year because we know once it’s gone, we won’t get it back, it’s also such joy to see them experience each new age. I’m excited to watch Luke be five. God has big plans for this boy and I’m so glad He chose me to be his mom.

Want to look back at Luke through the years? Here are his other birthday updates:

Luke turns 4

Luke is 3 Years Old!

2 1/2 Years

The Baby Boy is 2

Thanks for reading and sharing the journey of our life. It’s hard to believe I was posting updates when I was pregnant with Luke on here! I’m happy to have you to share with.

Please note that links to products are affiliate links. Thank for supporting Happy Healthy Mama!

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