Friday Foodie – Liz of The Lemon Bowl

I am so pleased to introduce you to another amazing food blogger. I just began reading The Lemon Bowl, written by Liz Della Croce, and it is so inspiring. I am a bit of a glutton and my current job has me sitting a lot so I have picked up extra pounds that I am not too happy about. Blogs like The Lemon Bowl keep me tantalized by amazing food, that as Liz says it, just happens to be delicious!

Liz is kind of famous! She has been on the TODAY show, her local TV affiliates and has had food photos in all kinds of (giant) sites and magazines! She has a beautiful site to match her beautiful smile!

Let's meet Liz!

[1] Have you always been a foodie, or is that something you grew into?

I’ve been a foodie for as long as I can remember. At a very young age, my parents exposed me to cuisines from around the world including authentic Mexican food, dim sum, Vietnamese food and more. As an adult raising kids of her own, I am so grateful that my parents never served “kids food” at the table and I plan to continue the tradition with my kids.

[2] How and why did you begin your blog?

After losing the first 35 pounds or so in my weight loss journey, friends and family started asking me for recipes and meal ideas on a daily basis. Since everyone knew I was a foodie and loved to cook, they knew I wasn’t simply reheating a Lean Cuisine at lunch of eating chicken salad every day. The Lemon Bowl became the obvious solution for sharing the healthy yet delicious foods that I eat on a daily basis with my friends, family and now readers around the world.

[3] What’s your favorite thing to make/cook?

Lebanese Food is my favorite food to cook because it reminds me of my aunts who taught me how to prepare Middle Eastern specialties. A few of my favorites are Cucumber Laban, Traditional Hummus with Pine Nuts and Slow-Cooked Green Beans and Beef.

[4] What is your favorite thing to eat?

I am addicted to Vietnamese food! I could eat pho every day of my life and love fresh rolls, rice noodle dishes, etc. Vietnamese food uses a ton of fresh herbs like cilantro, Thai basil, and mint which really makes the cuisine stand out in my mind.

[5] What is your comfort food?

Lebanese food is, hands down, my comfort food. I love my Aunt Paula’s Lebanese Stuffed Kousa Squash and Lebanese Meat Pies (Sfeehas) the most.

[6] Describe your perfect food day?

My perfect food day would begin with a visit to a farmers market to grab fresh veggies and fruit. Breakfast would be a gingery fruit smoothie of some sort. Lunch would be a visit to the downtown market for authentic Mexican tacos and a visit to the fishmonger to grab seafood for dinner. If I’m in the mood to cook, we would have salmon or scallops. If not, we would head out for dinner to enjoy Vietnamese food or sushi. I always crave Asian food!

[7] What are three other blogs that inspire you?

Gimme Some Oven inspires me because Ali has mastered the art of beautiful, colorful, bold photography that matches her incredibly delicious and flavorful recipes. A Thought For Food inspires me because all of the recipes are made with seasonal, fresh ingredients made with simple, unique twists. Climbing Grier Mountain inspires me because Lauren is an expert in pushing the limits and taking food to the next level in a very delicious way.

[8] Do you have advice for bloggers just starting out

Spend 90% of your time promoting other people's content and 10% promoting your own. Doing this has helped me build a strong, tight-knit community of bloggers who I now consider my dear friends. I am so grateful for the friendships I have built over the years.

Thanks Liz!

Keep up with Liz’s tasty tidbits on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest and of course by visiting The Lemon Bowl.