Foodie Pen Pals: October 2012

Hello all! Yesterday was Foodie Pen Pal reveal day for October, I am a day late, my internet went down and I fell asleep mid-post last night. I was paired up with Serena from Utterly Sinful for October! First of all, she was awesome. She sent me an email right away and asked me a detailed list of questions about what I liked, did not like, if I had any allergies etc. She also made me laugh 107x in just a few emails. New best friend? I hope!

Serena lives in Massachusetts in Cape Cod and most of the stuff she sent me was local!

• Late July Sea Salt Tortilla Chips – Organic and Delicious. I opened the bag and ate most of them while going through the box of food!
• Green Mountain Gringo Salsa – I LOVE that she took not that chips and salsa were my favorite snack (and food). I plan on ordering a case of this.

She is AWESOME. so is salsa.

• Bear Naked Granola – simple and delicious. I use it with Chobani!
• The Accidental Vegetarian cookbook – I already love this cookbook because a lot of the recipes do not require a lot of ingredients and are relatively simple to prepare!
• Measuring Spoons (magnetic, awesome).
• Cheribundi juice! I have already had these and I love them so I was excited to get another.
• Cape Cod Mustard! I don’t usually eat mustard but she recommended using it with pretzels and I did just that! Thank you for the suggestion, it was delicious.

Thank you Serena! Everything was amazing!! Check out her blog Utterly Sinful, for delicious recipes (and unfiltered conversation)!

If you would like to be a part of Foodie Pen Pals, head on over to Lindsay’s blog to read the rules and sign-up!

Foodie Pen Pals: September 2012

It is Foodie Pen Pal reveal day for September! I was paired up with Sara from Milwaukee Kitchen. I actually sprinted upstairs with the box to open it because I was so excited!

Sara is clearly from Wisconsin and according to her card, (almost) everything in the box was from Wisconsin!

What I love about Foodie Pen Pals is that you always get to try new things! Everything in here was new to me!

• Doctor Kracker Pumpkin Seed Cheddar Crispbreads –  This was the first item I opened (I ate it as I was looking at the other items in the package)! I love pumpkin seeds and I love cheese  and I love crackers. Hello perfect snack.
• La Campagne Bakery Baked Granola- The granola was amazing. It had HUGE almonds baked into the granola with raisins and cranberries. Also baked in was flaxseeds, oats, honey, sunflower seeds peanuts and walnuts.
• Lars Own Crispy Onions – I wish I told Sara that the only thing in the world I don’t like is onions 😦 Fizz enjoyed them though!
• Quince & Apple Cherry Preserves – This was delicious! I used it for a spread on Ezekial english muffins!
• Susie’s Nature Bars – Cranberry Walnut (organic ingredients)!
• Hsu’s Root to Health Ginseng Root – I have not tried this yet, but Lora (also from Wisconsin) said Ginseng was very popular there so I will give it a shot!!

I want to say thank you to Sara for all of the delicious goods!! Check out her blog, Milwaukee Kitchen for delicious recipes!

If you would like to be a part of Foodie Pen Pals, head on over to Lindsay’s blog and you can read the rules and sign-up!

Foodie Pen Pals: August 2012

 

 

This was my first month participating in Foodie Pen Pals, Lindsey’s (from The Lean Green Bean) small town idea turned big city extremely well-organized food swap program. Each month bloggers and/or readers are brought together with one another through small boxes of delicious (and fun) items of food.

For my first ever Foodie Pen Pal, the lucky food-donator was Lindsey from Pas De Deux Blog! I’m joking, I was the lucky one. As soon as the August matches went out, Lindsey emailed me to check about any allergies or dietary restrictions (and had previously checked out my blog and saw I was vegetarian)! Kudos. Lindsey and her sister Casey both write for Pas de Deux and will be alternating months for sending and receiving pen pal goodies!

I was beyond excited I received the package from Lindsey!

Note: I only took one picture of the food. She sent me a ridiculously cute card with descriptions and why she sent each thing and I was using it as a bookmark for a couple of weeks and it is nowhere to be found (along with whatever book I was reading). Whoops. Sorry Lindsey, I really did love the card and I am sure when I find it in a 5 months I will be thrilled!

Anyway, everything in the box ‘o heaven was new to me, which made me very happy.

• Artisana Raw Cacao Bliss –  I ate this yum vegan spread right out of the package but civilized humans would have used it with fruit, bread or in smoothies or with anything really. Ingredients: Organic Raw Coconut Butter, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Cacao, Organic Cacao Butter
• Barre Bars (Pirouette Cinnamon Pecan)- I am so happy this was in here. Also a vegan treat, the bar is made solely with whole ingredients (dates, walnuts, pecans, agave nectar, hemp seed, rolled oats, hemp protein, ground flax seed,brown rice protein, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, peanuts). It tasted very similar to a LaraBar, which was a good thing, because I love them too. I will absolutely be purchasing more of these!
• Teas’ Tea (Green White Tea) –  I am definitely not a tea drinker (even though I do like it). Lindsey noted on the card that she drinks it throughout the day, so naturally I followed suit. I definitely enjoyed it but I probably won’t jump on the tea train. I am happier with water (and ahem, coffee).
• Cville Cluster Granola – Holy crap this stuff was amazing. The best way I can describe it is huge granola chunks with a break texture infused with nuts and flaxseeds (good huh). I sent Lindsey an email immediately after tasting it (and taking it to work so my boyfriend couldn’t have any) asking her where I can buy it, in bulk, right away. Ingredients: Rolled Oats, Honey, Sunflower Seeds, Canola Oil, Walnuts, Almonds, Coconut, Flax Seeds, Vanilla Extract, Salt.
• LINDSEY’S LOCAL TREAT! The Smart Kitchen Cookie Dough Nutty Butter – It literally tasted like cookie dough, but it was nut butter. I don’t get it and I don’t care, it was heaven (and it is gone).

THANK YOU LINDSEY for all of the amazing goodies. I enjoyed everything and my first month of Foodie Pen Pals made me really happy. You go girl! Everyone should check our her (and her sister Casey’s) blog, Pas de Deux Blog. The recipes are DIVINE 🙂

If you would like to be a part of Foodie Pen Pals, head on over to Lindsay’s blog and you can read the rules and sign-up! It’s a win-win, you get to try new foods and you make new (online) friends! I love online friends!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!