Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Foodie Penpals: Hoosier Edition #2

I got to tell you guys, I’ve been so incredibly lucky here lately with the foodie pen pals I get. I just keep getting perfect packages. (I hope I just didn’t jinx myself.) Seriously though, I don’t just say a package is perfect unless I truly mean it. And this month’s package was indeed just that. Perfect-o.


This month’s package came from blog reader Christiana. She’s actually a fellow Hoosier, such as myself, and she put together a killer package.

She’s from Bloomington, Indiana and got all my goodies from a local co-op called Bloomingfoods. (She even got herself a little vegan treat while shopping for me. She got some vegan carrot cake that the co-op has and she informed me that it was “freaking delicious." It was her first deliberately vegan food she has ever tried and she thought it was great! Yay! That seriously puts a big smile on my face. I’m so happy to hear she enjoyed her first vegan experience!)

Now. Check out this awesomeness!

First up: Bloomingfoods* Coco-Nuts-0 Granola! Christiana warned me that this stuff is addicting, and she wasn’t lying. This granola is seriously da bom! It’s made with all things wonderful: Organic oats, coconut, cashews, almonds, safflower oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt. Love in a bag.

You can’t go wrong with Justin’s Nut Butter in my opinion.

Alternative Baking Co* Double Chocolate Decadence Cookie that I brought on the journey across the states in case I needed a special treat. Winky face.

Greek Seasoning, Applewood Smoked Sea Salt, and Vegetable Seasoning. I’m so excited to give these new spices a try when I get back from my trip across the west-side of the United States! (Should be back this Sunday or Monday!)

I saved the best for last! This Eat Me Fruit and Nut Bar. I love Alice and Wonderland! Heck, it’s one of my dreams to get a full tattoo sleeve going on my left arm that is Alice and Wonderland themed. Isn’t the packaging amazing? I absolutely adore it. I haven't eaten it yet because I'm still in awe about the packaging but I will get it too eventually. It sounds delicious!

Christiana.. all I can say is THANK YOU for such an amazing package this month.


Interested in becoming a Foodie Penpal yourself? Here’s the details:
  • On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
  • You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!
  • The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
  • You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
  • Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.
  • Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa.
If you’re interested in participating for August, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions. You must submit your information by August 4th as pairings will be emailed on August 5th!

Saturday, July 6, 2013

1st Farmer's Market!

 
 I was so excited this Saturday when I got to go to the Wabash Farmer’s Market for the first time. I missed going to it the first time it was open the week before due to feeling ill, so I was excited to go this weekend and get some local produce. Ryan and my grandmother went with me. It started at 8 in the morning but we didn’t make it there until around 9. Some stands had more than others but I dove right in! I love me some good deals.

First thing I did was tour around and see what everyone was selling. Lots of local produce, bird houses, plants, signs, soap, baked goods, and jelly.

First stand I walked over to was an Amish Bakery stand. I was looking at all the different kinds of jelly, and Ryan was intrigued with the baked goods. I told him that I knew for a fact Amish people know how to bake up some good stuff so Ryan insisted we get some. I got myself some homemade Wheat Bread and I got Ryan a couple things. He told me that the weirder they sound the better they taste so he insisted we get some Jalapeno Cheese Bread. (For him, of course, not I) Then we looked at the more desert type of breads and he wanted a small loaf of Pumpkin Nut and I also got a Zucchini Bread for him and his family since they tear up Zucchini Bread when it’s in the house. All that bread cost $14. Not too bad.



 I love how they use agave nectar in exchange for sugar. Way to go- for looking after the people who have high blood sugar.

Onto my produce. There was a good amount of it which I was thrilled about. All for reasonable prices. Honestly, I’ll probably continue going every Saturday just for the fresh local produce and only go to the grocery store if need be.


















The first produce stand was amazing. The man had so much and it was all at killer prices. I snagged up 3 Orange Bell Peppers,(he told me I could get as many as I wanted for $1!) 10 Red Baby Potatoes, 3 Golden Delicious Apples, 2 Containers of Blueberries, and a Pineapple. All for $9. Steal! (The snap peas that are pictured my lovely grandmother gave me for free)





 My hands were already full but I wasn’t done yet. I noticed a stand that was across the street from everything else and I saw a big line of people around it. My immediate thought was: “They have to have some awesome stuff." So I walked over there and I was dead on right. This stand carried the more “unique" items and herbs. First thing that caught my eye as I was just browsing around the people. Kale! I needed that so I immediately got in the back of the line and waited patiently. I did, however, shout at a few people(in my head of course) who looked like they may know what kale was. (I know, I know.. how judgmental of me.)


(That’s basically what was inside my head at that point. My inner Gollum was shrieking)

Fortunately, they did didn’t pick it up. (Common, it was the last one, and it had my name written ALL over it!) On my way over to my precious green beauty, I grabbed up some parsley. Then I moved a little more and grabbed up some radishes. Then there it was. My precious.

I picked it up and felt so relieved. The man asked me after I had picked it up if I was done shopping or if I was going to get anything else. I told him I was done with a big smile and he told my total after he bagged up my vegetables. $6.25 it all came out too. Not bad, not bad at all.

 For my first ever Farmer's Market experience in Indiana, I had a blast. I scored some awesome deals and got some amazing bakery goods for Ryan and his family.