Other times, it’s a pain to catch up on ever-changing “trends”. For example, watermark on images. Which is extremely important to protect the copyright of our images.
But blogging sometimes demands a lot more from us. Like the trend these days is to incorporate title of the recipe onto the images itself, using creative fonts.
I love trends. No problemo whatsoever. But is it important to follow each and every trend out there?
Personally, I don’t think so.
Admittedly, blogging can get to a point where it feels almost like a competition. Everyone is racing to follow the “trend”, which in my opinion adds more work to my long list of “to-do” pile.
Am I just looking for excuse not to do it?
Nope.
I’m just looking for excuses not to be sucked into the “pressure” of blogging. And in no way I’m saying that my way is the best way or its wrong to follow blogging “trends”.
Everyone should be happy with what they are capable to do in 24 hours. Me on the other hand, is finding it very difficult to juggle everything.
So, I tend to prioritize and try not to let “trends” bog my creativity and most importantly, question the need for my blogging. I think many of us out there feel pressured to blog and that shouldn’t be the case.
Blogging should be an escape instead of obligation. So what if you can’t post on the days when you should. If you can’t, do it without feeling the guilt. And if you are feeling guilty, gush it all over this jam.
The process of cooking down mashed carrots into jammy consistency would make it all melt away. Trust me on this.
Ingredients:
- 1 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
- Water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 clementine, zested and juiced
- 1/4 tsp orange blossom water
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Garnish: ground nuts and edible flowers
Directions:
- Peel and chop carrots. Add it into a large saucepan. Fill with water and heat it over medium. Bring carrots to boil and cook for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain boiled carrots through a colander. Rinse with some cold water.
- Add boiled carrots into a food processor to puree or use a masher to mash.
- Heat saucepan on medium high. Add mashed carrots and stir every now and then to reduce moisture.
- Drizzle in clementine juice and sugar. Stir to combine and cook for 15 minutes or until it reaches some jammy or spreadable consistency.
- Add zest of clementine, orange blossom water & cardamom powder. Stir and remove from heat to completely cool.
- Refrigerate jam in an airtight jar or container.
- To serve it on a toast: spread a layer of butter & carrot clementine jam, sprinkle some chopped nuts and dig in!
I’ve even stir this jam into my morning oats. Literally mind-blowing 😀 Have a great weekend, my friends.
What is your take on blogging “trends”? Anything that I’m missing? Do you add fancy fonts on your images? How do you do it ALL? Help!!
Comments on this entry are closed.
What a different and inspiring combination of flavors for a jam!!! That combination of carrots and oranges are usual for fresh juices in Brazil– my home country, but not for jams. I’d love to try it…Gorgeous pictures!
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You recently posted..Grilled Corn on the Cob with Jalapeno-Lime Aioli and Parmesan Cheese…
Denise — i’m totally in love with the combo of carrot and oranges. can’t go wrong here!
Wow, this looks fantastic – almost like a halwa sans dairy! I’d love to make a test batch so I can try and sell it to my kids as a healthier alternative for sugary, fibre-less jams.
Needful Things recently posted..Watermelon Sorbetto
Hi! It’s not going to be very jammy but certainly one of the healthier jams out there. oh yes, its truly gajar ka halwa without all the dairy and fat 🙂
I didn’t know about this trend, but like you, I don’t really follow them 🙂 Great and original idea for jam.
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today recently posted..Granola with lemon yogurt and edible flowers
Marta — i’m glad you don’t put any fonts on your gorgeous photos 🙂
Fabulous! This jam is simply exceptional and your clicks are gorgeously cheery.
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa — thank you my dear 🙂
What a unique and inventive jam Kiran! I try not to let trends impact me too much either. I do put fonts on my main pictures, mostly so that it is easy to tell what the recipe is on Pinterest and so it’s harder to steal the images.
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) recently posted..{Paleo} Oven-Fried Chicken
Alyssa — thanks for sharing the tips for Pinterest. It makes much more sense in terms of recipe searching and content copyright 🙂
oh this is fun halwa spread
rebecca recently posted..Meyer Lemon Cake
i never follow trends. i don’t have any watermarks or creative fonts on any of my images. i would have them when i started blogging. then it become an add on work for me, and i stopped doing it. not that people don’t take your pics if they are not watermarked. there are softwares available that can remove the watermarks easily.
i think its important to let one’s creativity flow and that doesn’t happen everyday. one needs a break or a pause too, to refresh & rejuvenate one self. the jam is reminding me of our carrot halwa.
dassana recently posted..mango sherbet
Dassana — you are totally right about the amount of add-on work & time it takes for certain blogging trends. I’d still encourage you to watermark even-though there’s software to remove it. It’s a way to copyright your images.
Thanks Rebecca!!
delicious…love it
Shama — thank you!
I agree with you. Blogging is a way for me to relax and i tend to do what i enjoy rather that what i see others doing. I am not really into adding titles in pictures. If i feel that it adds some extra beauty to my picture, then sure. Otherwise, i like clean pictures with not too much going on.
Cakewhiz — totally agree with you. i love clean pictures and feel that fonts might take away from the food itself.
I could not agree more with you sweet lady. You are an amazing blogger, and I respect your posts, photos, and style. I have never felt you were trendy and following the masses. I went to dinner with some great blogging women last night and we talked about his exactly. I think we just need to stick to being genuine and it shows through what you do. I love your photos, as always, and I am drooling over the the scoop/ladle thingy on the last photo holding the beautiful tasty jam. You rock!
fabiola@notjustbaked recently posted..Rhubarb Apple Crisp with Clementine Mint Cream
Fabiola — and you always rock my world with such sweet comments and compliments. Love you my sweet friend 🙂 xoxo
Love the colour of the jam! Looks so fresh. 🙂
Well, I also don’t believe in following all the trends but fancy fonts is something I love playing with. The trend says being consistent with fonts is the key.. and my mind goes with every new cute font I find.. still in two minds and asking myself “Am I looking for an excuse to use all the cute fonts of the world?” 😛
Charul @ Tadka Masala recently posted..Watermelon and Pomegranate Juice
Charul — lol, though i don’t use fonts on my photos i’m a HUGE font fanatic myself 😀 Though, there’s no rule of being consistent with font on images.
I really am not a trend follower. I tell myself it’s way cooler not to follow trends; it makes me feel waaay better about myself. Now about this lovely jam…the color is so vibrant & cheery, it puts me in a good mood just to look at it!
Kari@Loaves n Dishes recently posted..BANANA CREAM PIE, Reduced Fat
Kari — i love your analogy and totally agree with you. Blogging should be a representation of yourself, not necessarily of what’s in the trend.
I’m so with you on this, the trends can be overwhelming and nauseating, watching people try to out Nutella each other. I’m guilty as well, and sometimes I just have to turn it all off and re-center myself.
By the way, your photos are so gorgeous I want to cry. And this jam sounds epic.
Jackie @ The Beeroness recently posted..Drunken Chipotle Chicken Parmesan Sandwich
Jackie — haha, thanks for the compliment. And i truly agree with you about turning it all off and re-centering our thoughts and the reason why we blog at the first place 🙂
Blogging can certainly feel overwhelming when you have so much else on your plate. I agree that it shouldn’t feel like an obligation.
I love the bright, lovely jam!
Nisrine — thanks sweet friend 🙂
I love this springtime-style flavor for jam, it’s so creative! Thanks for sharing, Kiran. Have a great weekend!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking recently posted..Creamy Italian Chicken & Pasta Skillet
Georgia — thank you for the compliment and hope you had a great weekend too, sweet friend 🙂
Great post Kiran. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of blogging pressure. Whenever blogging becomes not fun, I take a step back and think about why I started to begin with, and what makes me happy. Your photography is always stunning and I love your honest voice. Stay true to yourself.
Jeanette recently posted..Florence Lin Wins IACP Milestone Award
Jeanette — thank you so so much for the kind words and reflective thoughts my friend 🙂
I love the idea of carrot sand clementine jam! It’s so creative and has such a vibrant color! Lovely post Kiran. 🙂
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker recently posted..Baked Rigatoni with Chicken Sausage
Anne — thank you so much 🙂
Wow that carrot jam looks AMAZING !
Carolyn Chan recently posted..Marinated tofu salad with ginger, soy and mirin dressing
Carolyn — thanks my dear 🙂
“Everyone should be happy with what they are capable to do in 24 hours.” Wise words and a great quote Kiran!
Many bloggers don’t consider the work behind fonts. I am pretty sure that most of them don’t buy fonts but rather use the free ones from google (which is alright since they are public domain but the choice is less) or they use the ones which are not suppose to be used for commercial use or of course they buy them (which 95% doesn’t). Creating fonts is hell lots of work so I don’t think any of them are making their own and they always use different ones. That is why I never even considered following the trend because of the copy rights involved.
Anyway…
I think that mixing your carrot and clementine jam in oats is a brilliant idea Kiran! Now I just wished we could get clementines in this season. =) Have a nice weekend!
Helene — thanks for sharing such insightful thoughts. I would’ve never thought about the copyrighted use of fonts. Sounds like a delicate issue that many might overlook.
Must confess, I’m more in love with your beautiful photos than the jam!
Nash at Plateful recently posted..Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothie—a power-packed hearty drink
Nash — awww, thank you so so much my sweet friend 🙂 xoxo
Wow,this looks yummie! Thanks for sharing!
Carlos — you are welcome and thanks for the compliment 🙂
I blog totally for fun and as no-sort of “professional” in any way, I don’t feel any pressure. I think if I had to follow trends and all the latest, I wouldn’t enjoy blogging anymore. I suppose it depends on where you’re coming from. If you blog professionally and it’s a job, it’s a whole different ballgame. I just love learning about food and what everyone’s cooking up! Have a great weekend!
Monica recently posted..Nutella-banana stuffed French toast
Monica — thank you for sharing your thought process on blogging. I agree with you about having fun in what we do 🙂
Kiran, your jam looks fabulous. I totally agree with everything you say. I find it already incredibly difficult to be creative with photos themselves, so recipe names with fancy fonts don’t even cross my mind 😉
Sissi recently posted..Yogurt Strawberry Mousse with Strawberry Coulis
Sissi — lol, i totally agree with you on the pressure of being creative!
This looks amazing! Love the colours 🙂
xx gemma
Gemma @andgeesaid recently posted..Funfetti Cake with Dulce Du Leche and Dark Chocolate Caramel Marscapone Icing
Gemma — thank you!
I don’t follow trends! In fact, most of the time, I am way behind. I wasn’t putting text on my photos apart from my watermark but. Notice some thing the other day, when someone pinned one of my photos, they were writing the title. If you have it written on the photos, they don’t need to nor can they change it. So I am thinking maybe a couple of I will start adding text to, for Pinterest sake!
I love this beautiful jam, it reminds me a bit of gajar halwa but I never thought of putting it on toast! I like halwa with naan so I guess I wasn’t too way off!
I love the flavour combination Kiran, sounds and looks gorgeous.
Nazneen
Coffee and Crumpets recently posted..Soba Noodle Bowl
Nazneen — i agree with you on putting the font for gaining some advantage on Pinterest. And it’s equally important to title whenever someone pins the image. It has to work both ways 🙂
I’m so intrigued by these flavors, now I’m dreaming of this jam :).
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted..strawberry-basil popsicles
Laura — 🙂
I agree with you on that Kiran. One should not blindly follow trend of any sorts for that matter.
Loved the vibrant colours of the jam. And what gorgeous clicks!
easyfoodsmith recently posted..TROPICAL COCONUT LOAF
EasyFoodSmith — trends can be followed, if it serves the purpose of what you are doing 🙂
and thanks for the sweet comment!
Very creative and innovative Carrot Clementine Jam! Gorgeous clicks as usual.
I do feel pressure sometimes. It’s hard to maintain be active on blog everyday when I got two toddler to look after 24/7. My son Archie, he goes to preschool for 3 hours and youngest son Soham hasn’t got place in nearest private preschool either. I’m just waiting them to go full time school then I can spend more time in blogging and other social stuff (mainly charity). Not having relatives in same town is really difficult to manage the things though. Hopefully, everything will be sorted in an year or two 🙂
Your Cookery Book recently posted..Maru Bhajia Chutney Recipe
YCB — thank you so much!
About the pressure of blogging — don’t be too hard on yourself, set realistic goals and most importantly, enjoy what you are doing 🙂
I follow the rule of what I can fit into my life without letting something else spill out. I just enjoy playing around when I have a free minute, which like most people seems to shrink by the day. It is such a shame that we feel like we have to mark them, but I actually had someone use one of my photos (unmarked) to sell their marinara sauce, because it just takes time away from reading or something else. I make a ton of fruit jam but have never tried one with carrots, will have to soon.
-Gina-
Gina recently posted..Cherry-Balsamic Cheesecake Bars and Speed Blogging
Gina — so sorry about your photo copyright issues. I hope they compensated you for the image.
I love your post. I agree with you, it’s okay to follow the trend but it shouldn’t becomes a burden or pressure to blog. I once feel a bit pressured to blog and it took the best of me. Anyway…it’s a nice post to remind all of us to re-think our priorities and why we blog at the first place. (and obviously, I don’t really follow the trend!) hahaha….
Oh…and I can’t wait to try your carrot jam, sounds intriguing and delicious. Wish you a lovely weekend.
Amy Tong recently posted..Jasmine Tea Jelly 茉莉花茶果凍
Amy — i’m so so glad i’m not alone in this pressure of blogging. Always best to rethink the priorities and remind ourselves to have fun along the way!
Hope you had a great weekend 🙂
Kiran, that pressure is well paid off. Look at your blog, your photos and the quality of your posts. You’re definitely one of the best out there 🙂
Raymund recently posted..Bouillabaisse
Raymund — awww, thanks a lot for the sweet words. i consider myself as an amateur and have a lot more to learn 🙂
Great jam! Love the combo of flavors. I really don’t pay a lot of attention to blogging trends, although if I see an idea that appeals to me, I’ll certainly use it (putting the title of the post on the pictures is one that doesn’t appeal). I’m doing this for fun, so I definitely try to not put any pressure on myself (one reason I don’t run ads – that’d turn blogging into a business, and I’d start thinking of it differently, and some of the fun would be gone). I currently post twice a week, which is right for me at this point. I’ll never post more than that (unless it’s a special occasion) and I could see myself at some point doing only one post a week, and that one quite different from the sort of posts I’m doing now. That’s what’s fun about it – I get to invent all of the rules! Anyway, thoughtful post – thanks so much.
john@kitchenriffs recently posted..Tangy KC-Style Barbecue Sauce
John — i agree about “being able to invent all of the rules!”. I also post twice a week and can’t imagine doing more than that 🙂
What a delicious and unusual jam. I really love the sound of this.
Jennifer (Delicieux) recently posted..Chocolate Roulade with Burnt Sugar Italian Meringue Buttercream
Jennifer — thank you, friend 🙂
Kiran, this is such a beautiful post. The jam looks deliciously comforting and fragrant, and… I absolutely respect and appreciate your words about the blogging world. It’s easy to feel pressurised to keep up with weekly (or daily!) posts, responses to comments, ‘hits’ and trends… and to feel like we need to compete with each other. I consciously make a decision NOT to give in to these things. I started blogging for me, as a creative outlet and a way to archive my recipes. Although I love networking and being inspired by others, I want to appreciate diversity rather than to try and mimic other people’s ideas and talents. A big cheer for working to grow individually, rather than to be better than others. You’re awesome. You’re unique, talented, beautiful and wise. I’m glad that you feel okay to NOT post or respond to messages if you have other pressures or passions. There’s freedom in that. Sending you love (I’ll be making this jam and taking plenty of time to savour it without guilt!!) xx
laurasmess recently posted..Happy Blogiversary (to me!)
Laura — thank you so so much for a very thoughtful response to my post. It’s nice to know we share the same creative process and outcomes that we want out of blogging instead of sheer competition.
I hope you’ll enjoy this jam! Let me know how it tastes 🙂
Oh i feel the pressure heat every time I blog hop and just like you, i cant fit it all in! And to make matters worse, I never have the creative hands in school let alone now when I am ancient, hehe! despite that, I love your blog tremendously, and the photos are breathtaking each time !
jehanne@thecookingdoctor recently posted..A brief note on food styling and photography
Jehanne — awww, thanks a lot sweet friend. i’m glad we share the same passion for food photography. Blogging should always be fun and not an obligation 🙂
What a delicious and beautiful recipe Kiran! Glad you brought it up, and we have to agree with you that blogging should be without pressure and from the heart.
Cheers:)
J+C
Judit + Corina @WineDineDaily recently posted..Wine Country Roast Chicken
Winedaily — thank you so much & cheers!!
Kiran, that jam looks incredible! What a beautiful orange color!
Viviane Bauquet Farre- Food and Style recently posted..Strawberry-rhubarb crisp with macadamia nut streusel
Viviane — thank you so much!
With 3 kids at home, blogging has become a tremendous pressure for me! But I’ve learned to scale back and not be so stressed about coming up with new posts and new recipes. I’ve had to teach myself to balance things. So far, I think I am doing OK…right? LOL.
This carrot clementine jam is very interesting…will have to try this soon!
Jen — you are doing great! Blogging should be fun, not about numbers and certainly not an obligation 🙂
I love this recipe Kiran. I don’t think I have changed much about my blog in the way of trends. Honestly, I don’t know if I would know what was in trend.
Cass @foodmyfriend recently posted..Blueberry Pancakes
Cass — I think it’s OK to not know everything so long you keep enjoying what you are doing 🙂
This look very delicious and new and I love the vibrant color of the jam. I agree with you on getting caught up with trends, blogging should be all about whatever you want do and how you express yourself. Just do what you love to do and be happy!
Nik recently posted..indian-style sweet and sour pickled rhubarb
Nik — thank you!
Orange blossom, cardamom, carrots, clementines – what a flavor-packed lineup! I bet this is so richly deep with great, complementary flavors.
And blogging, a competition; yes, it sure feels that way sometimes! I try to take a deep breath when I find myself comparing and caught up in that mentality. We’ve all been there. It’s nice to take a step back and go smell the roses, literally, when those thoughts happen 🙂
Averie @ Averie Cooks recently posted..Twix Bar Chocolate Chip Cookies
Averie — thank you for the enriching thoughts on blogging 🙂
What a lovely idea for jam! I was known for being obsessed with anything and everything orange when I was younger, and this definitely fits the bill.
So true about the blogging pressures… I’ve just joined the blogosphere, so I’ve been wondering about this myself. I started blogging as a creative outlet for some personal hobbies and interests, and those trending pressures really go against the grain of that. Thanks for the reassurance!
Irina @ wandercrush recently posted..Asparagus Quiche with Mushrooms & Sun-dried Tomatoes
Irina — thank you for the compliments. And please stay true to what makes you happy in the blogging world. Don’t let the pressure get to you 🙂
It’s true my friend, blogging has become very demanding and sometimes soaks up all our free time. I only post once a week and even with this rhythm I feel exhausted. I liked the fancy background behind the blog’s name and so I decided to follow it. Of course I do it whenever I have the time and mood. I think the orange blossom water must give to this jam a very special touch!
Katerina recently posted..Mocha Whoopies
Katerina — I’m always in awe of your ability to make delish recipes with step-by-step photos. That takes a lot of commitment, passion and time. And you’ve always over-delivered it. Bravo my friend, just keep doing with you are doing with passion and happiness. Do not let the pressure get to you 🙂
WHat a great topic you touched upon. So funny, my blogging days are Monday, Wed, Fri, but sometimes I skip on Monday just because working full-time, I don’t have the bandwidth to blog. And I don’t wanna deliver halfass posts either. I do feel guilty, but then I’m like it’s a good thing it’s my own and I’m not answering to anyone. I try and do my blog cooking for the weekend, and the good thing is I really look forward to it and put my thinking cap on. I also try and blog as much as I can over the weekend, and it comes easily to me. I think I do push myself to do 3 posts, 2 posts feels comfortable though. I’ll do it while I can, and eventually drop to 2 posts.
What a great looking jam, I bet it would taste mindblowing on oats. NICE!
Honey, What’s Cooking recently posted..Cilantro Lime Avocado Rice
Nisha — enjoy what you are doing, do it with passion but don’t feel guilty about the timetable. sometimes, priorities gets in the way. there’s always tomorrow, and like you said, you are your own blogging boss. No one to answer too, that’s the best perk if you asked me 😉
ps: enjoy your time in Miami xoxo
I want to bake some muffins so I can spread this jam on them–delicious!
I don’t watermark my images because I’ve seen so many thieves simply crop out the watermark or put their own on top. As for the names of the recipes, no, I don’t do that either. I feel like it takes away from the pictures a little bit. The only time I add the name is if it’s a tutorial or a round-up. I have always done things my own way with my blog, even if it’s been against the grain a little bit, and it’s served me well. 🙂
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies recently posted..Garden Update | If all else fails, at least I’ll have blackberries and tomatoes!
Kiersten — you’ve summed it up pretty well, my friend! Love that you approach your space with a great sense of entitlement 🙂
I am totally not trendy. I always have a watermark on my images but that is it! I like how people do cool font things to their pictures but its not for me. I like my photos more rustic. I think you can pick and choose then recreate a trend to suit you.
lizzie – strayed from the table recently posted..Winter Lemon Cake Recipe
Lizzie — i totally agree with you 🙂
Look at those hard-core rustic dishes, accessories ! My eyes always pop out (no kidding!) when I browse through your pictures. (Oh and the Jam’s color and aroma asked me to bite my computer screen. Right now!)
Nusrat Azim recently posted..Shrimp Malaikari (Shrimp in Creamy Coconut Gravy)
Nusrat — lol, thanks a lot sweets 🙂
What a neat idea and perfect for summer! 🙂
melissa @ my whole food life recently posted..Super Easy Tacos
Melissa — thanks and ditto about summer 😀
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