The internet is awash with food blogs; yet there are many aspiring food bloggers who feel too intimidated to start a food blog in the first place, or abandon their food blogging projects almost as quickly as they begin. When Ann Robejsek joined the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program, she knew she wanted to use the knowledge she’d gain to create a food blog that was more than just a flash in the pan: and she certainly did. Since establishing Life and Lemons in 2019, she has consistently posted weekly vegetarian-focused recipes alongside a companion e-newsletter with extra sneak peeks and goodies – all in addition to working a full-time corporate job.

“It takes a lot of work,” she says. “But I absolutely love doing it.”

From non-existent cooking skills to adept recipe development

Five-Minute Vegan Egg Scramble by Life and Lemons

Ann regularly invents mouth-watering recipes with colourful, vibrant plant-based foods, tests them vigorously and then sets up the scene for gorgeous food shots. It’s a far cry from her childhood in Germany, in which her mom hated to cook and Ann grew up eating a lot of ready-made meals, meat and potatoes, and overcooked vegetables. And cooking from scratch? Well, that was out of the question.

“I couldn’t cook for the life of me,” she says. “I couldn’t even boil pasta.”

Ann’s resistance to cooking was so fierce that one of her main priorities in evaluating a potential partner was whether they could cook for her. Her long-time boyfriend – who later became her husband – was the chef of the household. While he cooked well, they didn’t change their way of eating until Ann realized she was suffering from severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and anxiety, and knew she had to do something about it.

As they transitioned to a whole foods diet, Ann quickly realized the enormous impact food played in addressing and managing her symptoms – and, more importantly, that it could be delicious. 

“If you’ve lived with symptoms your entire life, you don’t really realize there’s a different way you could feel,” she points out. “When you cut out things that aren’t helping you, it’s an immediate shift. And you don’t really want to go back. Healthy eating doesn’t feel like a chore if you’re thriving on it.”

The vast improvement in her personal health sparked Ann’s motivation to cook, and she soon discovered a great joy in the process. Ann began taking some health-focused courses and cooking classes, even experimenting with re-creating traditional German favourites to fit in with her dietary needs.

But she still felt something was missing, and she craved the knowledge that would help her begin a food blog that would serve as a welcoming place for readers to learn about cooking and nutrition.

“When you cut out things that aren’t helping you, it’s an immediate shift. And you don’t really want to go back. Healthy eating doesn’t feel like a chore if you’re thriving on it.”

Taking her culinary knowledge to the next level

photo: @veronica_montesdeoca_photo

With a newfound passion for nutrition, Ann desired to expand and further her knowledge in a program that allowed her to simultaneously maintain her full-time work position. After attending a Program Information Session, Ann instantly knew the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program was the ideal fit for her needs.

Ann joined the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program in 2018 and leapt into the modules and assignments with enthusiasm.

“The program provided all of the things I felt were relevant to me, and more even, now that I look back on it,” she says. “It basically teaches you how to teach yourself, how to create your own recipes, how to learn, grow and research, which is a lot longer lasting than just learning something off the book.”

She loved the pacing of the assignments, which layered knowledge and skills in a tangible and practical way. While the assignments could feel daunting – especially the ones later in the program – she could always envision a clear path and felt fully guided along the way.

“You could always see where the assignments were going, and they build up really well. They really stretch you, and then you grow from week to week,” she says. “The learning curve was just amazing, especially in terms of your personal growth and how much confidence the program provides you.”

“You could always see where the assignments were going, and they build up really well. They really stretch you, and then you grow from week to week,” she says. “The learning curve was just amazing, especially in terms of your personal growth and how much confidence the program provides you.”

Starting a food blog

After completing the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program, Ann put plans in motion to start her food blog, Life and Lemons. She knew she wanted to develop an inclusive food blog that would welcome different perspectives, teach recipes that fit with a variety of dietary styles, and share nutrition information to support those dealing with various health conditions.

“Nutrition is so personal. I wanted my blog to be a place where people could feel comfortable and take away what they need to make the right decisions for themselves,” she said.            

The Culinary Nutrition Expert Program solidified Ann’s confidence with cooking and recipe development (she’s taken over the household chef duties almost entirely), yet she didn’t know a lot about the mechanics of food blogging. She joined Food Blogger Pro and with the additional help from friends, she learned the basics of developing a website, food photography, blog writing, social media management and more.

Life and Lemons officially launched in the summer of 2019 and quickly became a go-to place for simple recipes, stunning food photography and easy-to-digest health information. As a former novice cook, Ann understands how intimidating cooking can be, so she aims to take the overwhelm out of the process with plenty of step-by-step instructions and encourages people to transform their kitchen into a happy place.

“I want people who don’t really like to cook to have fun in the kitchen and develop that sense of fun,” she says. “And I’ve had people tell me that’s what the blog has done for them.”

Aside from teaching readers basic skills, Ann imparts a wealth of nutrition information to help people understand the ingredients in her recipes and empowers them to use culinary nutrition in their everyday lives. As the blog has grown, Ann’s incorporated personal content to share how she has handled digestive issues and published a detailed anxiety series to share how she supports her mental health with diet and lifestyle choices.

“I felt so vulnerable and raw about putting it out there, but the anxiety series has received a lot of amazing feedback,” she says. “It’s been humbling.”

Ann has also branched out to freelance photography and recipe development, and while she’s not sure she will ever leave her corporate position to become a full-time food blogger, the process of starting a food blog and growing her skills has brought her an immense amount of joy.

Get Cooking With Ann

Ann has curated some of her favourite recipes for you to try!

Frankfurt Green Sauce

Ann veganized ‘Frankfurt Green Sauce’, a popular German condiment recipe usually made with mayo, yogurt and/or sour cream.

Get the recipe for Frankfurt Green Sauce.

Tuscan-Style Tomato and Bread Salad 

A gluten-free bread salad that is loaded with flavour.

Get the recipe for Tuscan-Style Tomato and Bread Salad.

Chocolate Banana Pancakes

This is the recipe Ann’s husband recommends to everyone when he tells them about her blog.

Get the recipe for Chocolate Banana Pancakes.

Registration is open for the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program. Learn more about how you can join us, explore new career opportunities and support your personal health – and maybe start a food blog just like Ann has.

Header photo: @veronica_montesdeoca_photo