March Foodie Penpals- Reveal Day

**Unfortunately, I lost all of my photos for this post. Please continue reading to find out more about the program!**

I hope everyone enjoyed a healthy, happy and relaxing Easter weekend. I spent my weekend snowboarding, eating and playing with my new camera! That’s right, I got my new camera last week! I am having a great time learning to use it and one day I will understand it!

Today is Foodie Penpals Reveal Day for March! Usually we post on the last day of the month but since it fell on a Sunday this year, we are posting today instead.

This month I received my package from Erin. Erin is a blog reader from Arizona. This was also her first month participating in the Foodie Penpals program! I actually love getting and sending package to first time participants because they are always so excited to be a part of the program.

Erin sent me a bunch of goodies from World Market, which is one of my favorite stores! Here is a list of the goodies I received:

Blood Orange Soda

Carrot Cake Cupcake Kit

Sweet and Tangy BBQ Almonds

Mushroom Quinoa

Sea Salt Roasted Chickpeas

Red Velvet Chocolate

Fig Bar

Tulip baking cup

That Green Sauce

Erin told me “That Green Sauce” is found in pretty much every restaurant in Arizona, so I was really excited to try it. I am a huge fan of salsa and always looking for a good one.

I was really excited about the Carrot Cake Cupcake mix because it is a small batch and makes only 8 cupcakes. Sometimes you just don’t need all 24!

Thanks Erin for the awesome package and the reusable bag!

I sent my box to Katie who also lives in Arizona. Katie is a blog reader who love to cook and bake. Bonus, she loves cupcakes too! I sent Katie of box of packed full of organic and healthy snacks, with a little bit of chocolate mixed in of course!

Wanna know more about Foodie Pen Pals? Foodie Pen Pals is organized by Lindsay from The Lean Green Bean. Each month, you sign up and get paired with another blogger or reader. Once the pairings go out, your pen pal emails you to find out what food you like or dislike. Based on yours answers, they prepare a box of goodies to send out to you. You do the same with your match. I mean really, who doesn’t love getting surprise packages in the mail! For more information about FPP, click the button below.

February Foodie Penpals Reveal Day!

**Unfortunately, I lost all of my photos for this post. Please continue reading to find out more about the program!**

Hi everyone! It’s Foodie Penpals Reveal Day again! This pen pal program is so much fun. Everyone loves getting mail, especially when it contains food!!

This month, my package came from Allyson in Minnesota, is a blogger at The Shrinking Knitter. This was her first month participating in Foodie Penpals, and I could tell how excited she was from our emails back and forth. It made me equally excited to receive my package!

We have tried to maintain healthier eating habit and tried to replace some of our staple items with a gluten-free version. I mentioned this to Allyson and it seemed to spark a fire in her! She put together a WONDERFUL box of gluten-free goodies for me to try; all of which are brand new product to me. I have seen some of these on the shelf before but I haven’t purchased yet.

Let’s start with the baking item! First of all, Trader Joe’s Vanilla Beans. I have never seen these at my local Trader Joes, but now I want to march in there and insist that my local store carry them! I always buy my vanilla beans at World Market, because they are $3 for two beans, which is 1/3 of the normal price!

January Foodie Penpals- Reveal Day!

**Unfortunately, I lost all of my photos for this post. Please continue reading to find out more about the program!**

Yeah! It’s Foodie PenPals (FPP) reveal day! I mean, most of the stuff I received is already gone. Let’s face it, my Foodie Penpal nailed it this month!

If you haven’t heard about this program, it is about connecting blog readers, writers and foodies alike! Foodie Pen Pals is organize by Lindsay from The Lean Green Bean. Each month, you sign up and get paired with another blogger or reader. Once the pairings go out, your pen pal emails you to find out what food you like or dislike. Based on their answers, you prepare a box of goodies to send out to them while a different pen pal sends a box of goodies to you. I mean really, who doesn’t love getting surprise packages in the mail! For more information about FPP, click the button below.

This month, I received a package from Jacquie. She runs the blog Bee Morse Farm. Jacquie is a mother of two boys and lives way up in Northern Maine. When I first read her email, I immediately could relate when she was telling me about the wild weather they were having. I love when I get paired with Penpals from the east coast!

When I was unpacking the box I got from Jacquie, I knew she had spent some time looking at my blog and tapping into my interests and I always appreciate that!

Let’s start with the popcorn, Jacquie said that this was one of her favorite, well it is one of mine too!!! We eat this by the bag full at our house, so I am sure it won’t last long! She also sent me a bag of Chia seeds. I am not totally familiar with how to use these for cooking, but as we are trying to eat healthier, my boyfriend and I have looked at adding Chia seeds into our diet, so I am excited to use these!

Early Christmas for Beyond Frosting! Silhouette Cameo

This year, I took advantage of one black Friday deal, and got myself (and by myself, I mean I picked it out and my boyfriend got it for me for Christmas! Isn’t he the best?) a Silhoutte Cameo cutting for cutting paper, die cuts, fabrics and all sorts of awesome things! Silhouette must have partnered with a few top food bloggers to offer a week long deal, I purchased mine through Kristan of Confession of a Cookbook Queen, I have a total foodie crush on her and her talents!  If anyone else has one of these, please share your thoughts or tips in the comments section. I can’t wait to set this up and start making custom cupcake wrappers and toppers!  

November Foodie Pen Pals- Reveal Day!

**Unfortunately, I lost all of my photos for this post. Please continue reading to find out more about the program!**

Wow, sorry for my blatant lack of posting! I was on vacation with my family in Colorado over Thanksgiving and have been stuck at work all week! I have some exciting stuff coming up in December and I can’t wait to do some baking this weekend!

This was my second month participating in the Foodie Pen Pals (FPP) program. This program is about connecting blog readers, writers and foodies! Foodie Pen Pals is organize by Lindsay from The Lean Green Bean. Each month, you sign up and get paired with another blogger or reader. Once the pairings go out, your pen pal emails you to find out what food you like or dislike. Based on their answers, you prepare a box of goodies to send out to them while a different pen pal sends a box of goodies to you. I mean really, who doesn’t love getting surprise packages in the mail! For more information about FPP, click the button below.

I got a package from Andrea, she is a blog reader from Missouri. She wanted to make sure that I got lots of goodies I would enjoy, so she asked me questions about the foods I like and dislike. I replied with a long and random list of all sorts of stuff, and I couldn’t wait to see what Andrea picked out.

Included in my package was a wonderful hand written note from Andrea explaining her reasons for choosing each item in the box. I think this is one of my favorite parts of the FPP, because I love picking out each item for my pen pal. So I am always curious about why each item was chosen for me.

Andrea sent me Lentil chips. They are so different from anything I have ever tried. Light, crisp and savory with a salty twist.They are all natural with not artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives and no trans fat. If you are looking for a new healthy snack, give these a whirl!

My other favorite items I got this month was Moose munch! This stuff is so addicting! Lastly, a special thank you for sending me some local honey! I will surely enjoy this. Andrea suggested I try a honey buttercream, and I just might take her up on that!

This month, I sent a box to Debbie in Arizona. Debbie is a blogger of Accidentally Delicious.

Debbie enjoys natural and wholesome foods. She is also a big fan of jams! My Foodie Pen Pal did such an awesome job last month that I actually went out and bought some of those same things I got for Debbie! The individual hummus packets are now a staple in my house. I hope you liked the items I picked out Debbie!

Next month, Foodie Pen Pals is raising money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy #FPP4Sandy. Instead of sending a box to another participant, we will be donating the money we would have spent on our packages to a relief fund. If you don’t feel like donating money, there will also be a place where you can send a holiday care package to those who may not be able to celebrate this year. I think this is a fantastic idea and encourage you to get involved! Send me a message or visit Lindsay from The Lean Green Bean.