October Foodie Penpals

It's October 31st! Happy Halloween!
Time for my October Foodie Penpal reveal!

This month's Foodie Penpals was such an adventure! I was paired up with the magnificent Miss Chelsie from Balance Not Scale. You'll never believe our luck! After contacting me and discovering that we both live in Ottawa (literally about 10 minutes away from each other), Chelsie suggested that we meet up.

Flash forward two weeks, Chelsie and I met at a local café where we sat and gossiped about other bloggers talked about school/work, food,/blogging, family/friends, books, and sports.

Plus, she presented me an extravagant surprise bag full of sweet goodness:


Inside my surprise bag I found:

Chelsie's Homemade Pumpkin Butter

Chelsie's Homemade Healthy Rice Pudding (dairy free, sugar-free, gluten free)

Chelsie's Humongous Homemade Salad

A Beautiful Wooden Salad Bowl

Chelsie's Homemade Salad Dressing 

Um, did you notice I mentioned that everything (but the salad bowl) was homemade??

Chelsie was so sweet and caring in the way that she went so far and beyond anything I ever expected from anyone in this program.  She took all my dietary needs/restrictions into full consideration (no dairy, no soy, no gluten, no peanuts, no sugars, no processed foods, no meat, no eggs, no corn) and she came up with something so fabulous - it's beyond words.

I have no doubt in my mind that Chelsie prepared everything with the most loving kindness and her purest intentions, and for that, I am forever grateful!

I loved everything in my surprise bag, though I must say admit that I absolutely fell head over heels in love with my salad and homemade salad dressing.



I sent a package to a sweet little baker named Joh from Toronto. Visit her blog at Sweet Spell Bakeshop to see her big reveal.

If you’re interested in participating in Foodie Penpals for November, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions. Open to residents of Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. Remember, you must submit your information by November 4th as pairings will be emailed on November 5th!

———————–

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Marvelous in My Monday #4 & September Foodie Penpals Reveal Day!

Hello friends! How are you feeling today? I trust you're all doing marvelous on this beautiful Monday morning :] I'm feeling quite marvelous myself because today is October 1st, which means that I officially completed my Be The Change: 30 Day Mind. Body & Soul Challenge yesterday!

During the month of September, I was fully committed to a 30 Day Health and Wellness Program that I believe helped transform my life while raising funds and awareness for the Global Seva Challenge India-Off The Mat and Into The World. Together, as a group of just over 40 participants, we collectively raised $10,297 in just 30 days. Amazing!

Last night. we all joined together for one final yoga class/KARMA Party.

Here's a photo that Manon took of some of the lovely ladies in our group:

After class, we enjoyed a celebratory dinner at The Table Restaurant, one of Ottawa's healthiest, vegetarian restaurants. I even snapped a photo of what was on my plate:

If you'd like to learn more, you can read more about my experience with the Be The Change Challenge here.

And that, my friends, is why I'm feeling so marvelous today in my Monday!
Super, big, warm hugs to the marvelous miss Katie, The Healthy Diva for this marvelous idea! xo

Something else I'm feeling quite marvelous about is that today is the day for me to reveal my September Foodie Penpals package to all of you. Yay!

The very first month I participated in the Foodie Penpals program, I sent a box full of goodies to the lovely miss Michelle, a beautiful blogger over at Push.Pump.Progress. Well, guess what?? This month, Michelle picked my name out of the hat and returned the favor and sent me this glamorous box:

When I picked up my box at the post office, I immediately fell in love with it <3 I mean, what girl doesn't love something flashy and pink? AND, there were glittery stickers too!

That's not all!! Check out the surprise I found underneath all that good stuff:

Disney Princesses! That's right!

Now...The moment you've all been waiting for:

The Big Reveal...

Feeling like a little girl again on my birthday, I carefully unwrapped my present to discover this elegant photo memory box:

After untying the pretty little bow, this is what I found inside:

A nice handwritten note from Michelle. I love getting little notes and letters with my package. I truly believe that this makes everything come together perfectly.

Organic Dijon Style Mustard-Wheat and Gluten Free: I haven't opened this yet but I've found a few recipes online that I'd like to try. Secret ingredient style.

Sharkies Organic Sports Chews: these are tasty little fishies which were the first item I opened. I've actually bought these a few times before ("The Taste Tester remembered them) so, naturally we munched on them together. Sooooo much better (and healthier) than your average Gummi Bear!

Jasmine Tea: is the bomb! I've never had jasmine tea before this but I totally understand why this is Michelle's favorite. Soooo good! "The Taste Tester" even had a few sips, which is rare because he never wants any other tea I've offered him before.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts: I love hemp hearts! They are a staple in my pantry. I've never had this brand before because I usually buy them in bulk from Bulk Barn. As soon as I opened the package I could tell that these hemp hearts are of a much higher quality than the ones I buy. I put them in my breakfast smoothie and they blended just perfectly.

COCO Coconut Water: I love coconut water (and all other things coconut) but there are so many different brands I've tried and I really don't like any of them. Coco is one of the better ones I've tried and if I see it in stores I will definitely be buying it again!

Taste of Nature Organic Nut Bar: "The Taste Tester" looooves any healthier-than-your-average-granola bar that I give him and this bar was the perfect afternoon snack for him to eat while we were out shopping one day. I forgot to mention that peanuts are the only nut that I stay away from (oops!), but "The Taste Tester" was perfectly fine devouring this bar all on his own. He loved it!

Pure & Natural Soap: not technically a food item but what a wonderful addition to add in to the mix. These bars happen to be the ONLY soap I buy. "The Taste Tester" and I both have extremely sensitive skin and this is the only brand of soap I can use. Ha!

This was such a MARVELOUS Foodie Penpals experience. MARVELOUS treats, MARVELOUS eats! Thank you so much Michelle! xo

If you'd like to join Foodie Penpals next month, and whether you're a blogger or a reader, CLICK HERE to sign up.

Share something that you're feeling marvelous about today :]

august two thousand and twelve foodie penpal reveal day

I LOVE Foodie Penpals. It feels like I get to celebrate Christmas every month. If you're interested in learning more about this exchange, please see below for details.

This month, fellow Canadian gal and blog reader, Chloé, sent me some delicious treats from a health food store in Sudbury that she visited for the very first time.  

I was so excited to try everything! (some of the items here are partially eaten because I picked up the package on the way to the movie theater, opened it, and snacked on a few things while "The Taste Tester" and I were watching The Odd Life Of Timothy Green. That's right, instead of snacking on popcorn and chocolate, we had something even better:

 My package contained:

Precision All Natural Fruit, Nuts & Whey Banana Nut bar-This bar had a delicious, wholesome flavor. 100% all natural + 16 grams of protein. It definitely satisfied my craving for something tasty, yet healthy. My taste buds loved the banana nut flavor too. So Good!

Ruth's hemp power Peanut Butter Banana bar-Loaded with protein and EFA's, this bar was delicious! I haven't eaten anything with peanut butter for a long time so it kind of made me feel like a kid again, eating a peanut butter sandwich :) It was chewy too, not crunchy. YUM!

Blueberry LÄRABAR-Larabars are the first bar I ever tried after I started eating gluten free (way back in 2004).  Such a great snack! I've never tried this blueberry flavor before though.  It was pretty good but the banana one is still my favorite :)

 earthling ORGANICS Matcha bar-This raw, organic snack bar gave me the perfect matcha taste. It has a delicious coconut flavor and is sweetened with raw agave nectar. There's almonds, pumpkin seeds, figs, agave nectar, matcha (green tea), sea salt, chlorella, and lemon.  "The Taste Tester" loved this sweet snack most of all, and I approved.

vega Whole Food Vibrancy Bar-I have officially decided that Vega is one of my favorite health food brands. Everything I've tried from them has been incredibly fantastic. This bar is no different. Listen to the ingredients in the “Green Synergy” flavor: “sprouted buckwheat, dates, hemp seed, sprouted almonds, agave nectar, brown rice protein, pea protein, Vega EFA Oil Blend, Vega Green Food Blend, sorghum puffs,” and almost all organic.  Any chance these babies aren’t good for you?  Doubt it.

The entire package was great! Thanks again Chloé for all the delicious treats! xo

I sent a package full of goodies to a sweet little lady named Charlotte, a blog reader from B.C. She's a busy little bee with a super busy lifestyle, attending University and Circus School. 

She sent me this awesome message when she received her box in the mail:

I'm extremely pleased to have had such wonderful women to share my Foodie Penpal experience with this month. Thanks Chloé & Charlotte!! 

xo Maria

If you live in Canada or the U.S. and you'd like to participate  in Foodie Penpals, please visit Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean to sign up.

It's becoming so popular these days that The Gazette even wrote an article about it. Check it out!

July Foodie Penpals Reveal Day!

Hello Everyone & Happy Tuesday! 
Welcome to my 3rd Foodie Penpals Reveal Day!

If you'd like to learn more or if you'd like to become a Foodie Penpal, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

This month I received a bag full of goodies from Erin, who promptly emailed me to tell me that she was my penpal :) I was super excited because this was Erin's first month participating in the program (I still remember the thrill of my first time!)

I let Erin know about my dietary restrictions (no dairy, meat, gluten, soy, or sugar) and my high raw vegan diet in advance. Erin said "It's going to be an adventure to come up with a package. I am excited to try shopping at a a health food store near my house that I have never been too before!" I just knew she’d find some good stuff to send me.

Take at look at what was inside my goodie bag:

Lots of delicious treats!!!

Erin sent me a cute little card and wrote a little something about each of the items she chose for me :)

First, a bag of Mum's Original Organic Culinary Coconut Cacao Nibs. Erin surely knows how much I loooooove coconut and this is a new product that I am  definitely in love with!!! The flavor was a delicious concoction of raw cacao and a perfect dusting of coconut sugar. I've been nibbling on them non-stop and adding them to a few of my favorite raw vegan recipes.

♥ Gluten-free, Vegan, Organic, Raw, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Kosher, non-GMO

I'd never heard of the Mum's Original brand before but it's always nice to find a brand that is 100% devoted to superfoods and organic living.

 "The Taste Tester" was in Cacao Coconut heaven when I presented him with these tasty treats for us to share:

I can't wait to find out if they carry Mum's Original at my favorite health food store.

There was even more chocolate-y goodness where that came from because Erin also sent me a Cocoa Cravings Square Snack, a delicious energy bar that fueled my body, was easily digestible, and was made with good wholesome ingredients like real cocoa, almond butter (YUM!) and honey.

"The Taste Tester" and I shared this snack and it was soooooo yummy!! Funny, we haven't seen these in the supermarket yet...trust me, we've looked :)

Next up came Quinoa North, a Canadian-grown quinoa that is pre-washed and only takes about 8 minutes to cook. Erin mentioned that this particular brand of quinoa is grown about 20 minutes away from where she lives.  I thought that was pretty cool!

So far, I made a Quinoa Cranberry Pecan Salad and it was simply divine!!

...and that's not all!!

Erin also sent me a few samples of her favorite tea: President's Choice Lemon Thriller herbal tea.  This is a wonderful caffeine-free herbal tea with lemongrass and citrus peel. I usually like to add add extra lemon and/or honey to my tea but this particular tea was perfect just the way it is.

I plan to make a nice refreshing iced tea with the samples I still have left. Mmm!!

Last, but certainly not least, Erin went far and beyond anything I ever expected and included something special for that special little someone in my life:

"The Taste Tester" was so surprised to see these really cool Spiderman stickers!!

It was the perfect thing for him because we'd just recently watched the new Spiderman movie in 3-D and he was still very much in a superhero mood :)

He gives Erin a thumbs up for thinking of him...

...and he wrote a special thank you note too :)
With lots and lots of love xoxo

From the both of us

June Foodie Penpals

This is my second time participating in the Foodie Penpals program.  If you'd like to participate, you can go here to sign up.

My June Foodie Penpal package was sent to me from shoe lover and cake baker Trina @ Will Cook For Shoes. I let Trina know in advance that I'm eating raw vegan so she took this into consideration and mailed me a package full of things that I've never tried before.

Here's a peek inside the box that I received from Trina:

The Taste Tester liked the Bubble Wrap best!

Trina's package included all things that I've never seen before, which I loved.

Fattoria Poggio Alloro Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I've never seen this brand of olive oil before so I was quite anxious to try it out.  I visited the Fattoria Poggio Alloro website and I noticed that the olives are obtained by manual harvesting from more than 1000 trees that grow in perfect symbiosis with other cultures. Trees of the most typically Tuscan tradition such as Frantoiano, Moraiolo and Leccino.

I cracked the bottle open immediately and licked some right off the spoon, my ideal way of consumption. With a low acidity, it's fragrant and fruity and has an intense olive green color.  I've enjoyed it so far with a fresh batch of chipotle hummus (recipe to follow) and fresh veggies.

Navitas Naturals Coconut Palm Sugar

This is another product I've never even heard of before so I'm quite interested in what I can do with it. After visiting Navitas Naturals, I noticed that it's Certified Organic, Raw, and Kosher which is right up my alley.  I also read that coconut palm sugar can be used as a 1:1 substitute for cane sugar. It rapidly dissolves into liquids and wet doughs making it perfect for just about any application. Whether adding it to coffee & tea, special desserts, or classic baking recipes, palm sugar easily earns its reputation of being a superfood. Offering a unique caramel sweetness on top of its ease of use and health benefits, palm sugar is one of the most exciting new sweeteners for both the everyday sweet tooth and health-seeker alike. Sure sounds great to me! 

MacroLife Naturals Miracle Reds bar

I'm a big fan of bars. I like to take them with me when I'm on-the-go and I'm always on the lookout for a new bar that I've never tried before. Everything about this bar was fantastic! I loved the flavor, the texture, and the fact that all of the ingredients are Certified Organic: Brazil Nuts, Dates, Agave, Cranberries, Raspberries, and more. 

I've never seen this bar before but now that I've tried it, I'll have to keep a good lookout for them.  I even emailed the company directly to ask if they know where I can find them in Ottawa :)

The Taste Tester 's opinion? Thumb Up!

Sending big hugs to Trina :) Thank you soooo much!! xo

April Foodie Penpals Reveal Day!

This month, I participated in Foodie Penpals. Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean started Foodie Penpals with about 30 participants in September 2011. Now, there are over 600 participants in the US, Canada, and the UK.

I am a lover of all things food so when I read about this program, I had to sign up...and I'm so happy I did!

Suzi at Confessions of a Fitness Instructor sent me a box full of goodies and I sent Michelle at Push. Pump. Progress a box in return. If you're curious, head on over to Michelle's blog to see what I put in her package.

I asked Suzi to send me a few of her favorite things...and she certainly did!

Here's a peek inside:

Fundy Dulse: Suzi mentioned that she "actually doesn't like dulse very much but thought she should send some since it's a very Maritime kind of snack." 

I never tried dulse before so I was curious. When I tasted it, I immediately wished I hadn't. I didn't like it all all! I wish I had captured my facial expression on camera.

I'm a big believer in second chances though so I decided to give it another try, just to be sure. Dulse is not as bad the second time around, but still intolerable.  

It's funny though because as I sit here, I am currently snacking on dulse. I don't know what happened but I wanted something salty (and fishy apparently). It's the perfect thing for me at this moment in time. 

Just Us! Midnight Mint Fine Chocolate: I'm not a fan of mint and chocolate but "My Little Taste Tester" is. Suzi wrote that "this chocolate is made just 20 minutes from where I live!" in Nova Scotia.

I'll bet their coffee is amazing?!

SunRype Fruit To Go: are fruit snacks that I've actually bought before. These were different from the ones I'm used to though. These had groovy strips on them instead of the typical smooth, flat texture I'm used to.  They're bursting with great flavor!

I shared them with The Taste Tester.  He loves them.

Covered Bridge Old Fashioned Kettle Cooked Potato Chips: these babies are all natural, no artificial colors or preservatives, no trans fats, and they're certified gluten free and cholesterol free.

I loooooove these chips. The first time I tried these chips was when I was with my Mom. I think the only reason she bought them was because my Dad built this bridge on our property when I was a little girl. I think they reminded  her of where home used to be. Now that my parents live in the city, we're no longer able to enjoy the bridge like we used to.

Our Little Old Covered Bridge

Suzi's Homemade Granola: Suzi thought it might not make the trip without being "smashed up into granola bits", but let me tell you, even though there were a few crumblies at the bottom of the bag, but it didn't matter. I ate those for breakfast, topped with banana, coconut, and almond milk. Yum!

Suzi gladly shared this recipe Tropical Granola Clusters with Brazil Nuts but also mentioned that "I normally put more oatmeal in than they call for, and use whatever I have laying around.  In this case I think I used pecans, sliced almonds and full almonds, sunflower seeds and shelled flax seed.  Along with the coconut of course." Thanks for sharing Suzi!

Fuze Shape Drink: I've never had one of these drinks before. 

I'm a water girl but I just had to give this drink a try. Sooooo tasty! Suzi was right when she said that "it's much less chemical-filled than other flavored water or juices." I've tried some other flavored drinks that don't sit so well in my tummy, but this one didn't upset my tummy one bit. Win!

Suzi also sent along this cute little card with a nice, long hand-written note which made everything just right:

I'm so happy I signed up to Foodie Penpals.

Thank you Suzi and Michelle for sharing my first Foodie Penpal experience with me.

 

Want to become a FOODIE PENPAL??

Click Here to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.
If you’re in the UK, please contact  Carol Anne @ This Is Rock Salt.

I highly recommend Foodie Penpals to anyone who likes food :)  

It is all that and a spoonful of nut butter! YUM!