What a week I’ve had! Yesterday I made it to a quarter of a century and turned 25. Rest assured, I still look 16 and I’m forever being asked when I’m leaving school, so I think it’ll be a while before I worry about looking my age! Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, I spent the day watching Disney and eating Daim chocolate cake, which to me is a birthday well spent!

In even bigger news, last weekend I won the ‘Best Free-From and Allergy Free’ award at the HBC 2018 Blog Awards!! I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting to win at all, and when we were told that the winners were to prepare a speech, it didn’t even cross my mind to think of one (cue awkward thank you speech from me…)

I was shortlisted for the ‘Best New Blog’ at last years blog awards, and came runner up to the lovely girls at Brunch n Grind. Looking back at my old recipes and photo’s is proof of just how far I’ve come over the last year and how much I’ve developed my own sense of identity within the ginormous world of health blogging.

This is what I wrote about last years blog awards – little did I know I’d win it this year!

‘The Health Blog Awards was a great evening full of many inspiring and talented people, and a great way to appreciate the amazing work everyone has put into their blogs. Bring on next year!’

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for me, whether new or old followers, family or friend, you’ve made this possible and I couldn’t be more grateful. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in your own life dramas, but moments like these make you realise we’re in this blogging bubble together, and the amount of support available for health and wellness bloggers is incredible.

Whether you class yourself as a micro or macro influencer in terms of following, you can still put your all into doing something you love and be recognised for it. I have just over 2K followers on social media, which for some people is nothing to shout home about, and for others it’s incredible. Social media followers shouldn’t define you as a blogger or the quality of your content.

Engagement > followers any day – I could have 500 Instagram followers, but as long as people generally like my content and find it inspiring I couldn’t care less!

Image: Anna Rachel Photography

Big congratulations to all the winners and shortlisted bloggers in this years Health Blog Awards – it was great to see some familiar faces and also put new faces to Instagram handles. You can never really introduce yourself at these events with out saying your blog name/Insta handle…

Categories and Winners:

• Best Free From (me!) @oatsodelicious
• Best Yoga & Spirituality @alohaandcoffee
• Best Chronic Illness Recovery @thegrowingbutterfly
• Best European @_ahungryblonde_
• Best Fitness Blog @tamsynmsmith
• Best Vegan @romylondonuk
• Best Irish @soulful_and_healthy
• Best Recipe @fit.foodie.nutter
• Health Blogger of the Year @fitnessforster 
• Best Newcomer @amycousins1 

I’m looking forward to creating more delicious gluten free recipes in the coming months, of which pumpkin spice will defintely be making an appearance! For more food inspiration and daily ramblings, head on over to Instagram and give my account @oatsodelicious a follow.

Big shout out to Fab and the team at the Health Bloggers Community for running this event and championing small bloggers within the health and wellness industry!

Image: Anna Rachel Photography
Cover image: Anna Rachel Photography