Category Archives: Giveaway

Ribbon Giveaway Cancelled

Hello all,

I wanted to explain what happened to the post and giveaway I did earlier about Ribbon Gift Cards. I honestly thought the product idea sounded cool and I linked to my friend’s page where one can purchase these gift cards, on a site called Amway.

A reader pointed out to me in the comments that Amway has been involved in class action lawsuits, FTC investigations, and more since as early as the 1970s. I looked more into it and while nothing has ever been proven and lawsuits have only been settled, I do not feel comfortable promoting a website like this on my blog. I certainly do not stand for any of the shady business practices Amway has been accused of, even if they are unproven at this time.

Continue reading →

Another Sprigs Review and Giveaway: Banjees!

I recently (as in last week!) posted a review and giveaway for Earbags, AKA bandless earmuffs, by Sprigs. This company creates original, often fitness-focused products based on currently unfulfilled needs. That fact was demonstrated to me clearly when I received another of their products to test out and review, the Big Banjees Wrist Wallet.

I have seriously been looking for an effective arm iPhone holder to use at the gym for a few years now. I have tried adjustable arm bands before, but they simply never stay in place, even at their tightest adjustment. The Banjees running wallet interested me because of the availability of a design big enough to hold an iPhone that is still in its case. Other running wallets I’ve tried that claim to fit an iPhone have not fit the phone with the case still on. Taking the case on and off is, though minor, an inconvenience. Sprigs promised me the Big model of Banjees would indeed meet my need for a running wallet that would hold my iPhone, case in all, and stay in place.

Just like Earbags, Banjees come in a variety of designs and fabrics. Of course I had to choose a print! Also available are reversible, fleece, organic cotton, and recyclable versions!

Oh you fancy huh?

I’ve never been shy about the fact that I don’t really like running, so you guys might be confused as to why I’ve been in the market for an effective running wallet. Well, you don’t’ have to be running to use one! I actually wanted to try the Banjees because tucking my iPhone into my waistband or sports bra while lifting weights to music (gotta have the music factor) has been super annoying. What better way to test out the Banjees than by using it during one of my fave fitness activities – arm day!

Taking a photo with a phone of a product that is holding your phone is quite difficult!

The verdict is two dumbbells up for the Big Banjees Wrist Wallet! After I took the above photo, I ended up sliding it all the way up to my bicep; this is where I’ve been wearing it since. I honestly use it every time I strength train now. The Banjees doesn’t budge from its perch on my arm and the wallet portion is the perfect size for my phone in my case. I wiggle it into the slot and it stays firmly secure there until I take it out.

The only annoying part of using it is having to take it out of the slot to change the song/check my phone/adjust volume/etc. #fitnessproblems – certainly not a dealbreaker and I’d rather have a convenient place to hold my strength training music than keep putting my phone in my waistband or sports bra. Though the latter place leaves it more easily accessible for music adjustments, it means more to me to have a way to get the iPhone out of my way so that it doesn’t interfere with my weights sessions.

This is where I wear the Banjees  on my arm when I lift weights – you’re looking at a satisfied blogger!

Promo Code

Just like with Earbags, Sprigs is offering Cait Plus Ate readers a promo code to use when purchasing Banjees! The code is “CaitBanjees” and will get you 10% off a purchase up to $29.99 or 20% off a purchase $30 and up. The code expires 12/31/12 – perfect for Christmas shopping for others OR yourself 😉 – and the Earbags promo code is good until 12/17/12 too!

Giveaway

Sprigs is doing another giveaway for you guys – one lucky Cait Plus Ate reader will win a Banjees of his or her choice! Ways to enter are similar to the Earbags giveaway, and the entries close at 11:59PM EST this Thursday 11:59PM. Continental US only please! Leave a separate comment for each form of entry or multiple entries won’t count!

  1. Check out the Banjees selection on Sprigs.com and comment on this post telling me which Banjees you’d want most! (mandatory)
  2. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  3. Follow @Sprigsville on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  4. Tweet “I entered to win a @Sprigsville Banjees running wallet from @CaitPlusAte! #fitfluential #fitgear http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1HN” and comment here with the link to the tweet.

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder.

I received a complimentary Big Banjees Wrist Wallet from Sprigs for this review. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post.

Todd English’s Tuscany at Mohegan Sun

I’m so glad you guys liked my Sprigs Earbags giveaway! Thank you to all who participated. I’m excited to announce that the winner is…

…Ali of Miles With Style!

Thank you for entering Ali – now you can seriously get your style on while piling on those miles. I will contact you for shipping info!

I know that the big Thanksgiving holiday was this past weekend and everyone is back to work and “real life” today. I also know that the blog world is going to be flooded with Thanksgiving food (in fact, it already is). I love reading about what everyone else did for Thanksgiving, but I also still need to finish my Mohegan Sun weekend recap. So my Turkey Day talk will come, but for now, we have some catching up to do!

Shoe shot – but you probably noticed our room’s bathroom’s pretty tile floor.

Now let’s see…where were we? Oh right! Maria and I were in our hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mohegan Sun Casino hotel, pampering ourselves and prepping for an epic tasting dinner with other bloggers at Todd English’s Tuscany!

Got to wear a Forever 21 dress I hadn’t worn in forever!

I could not believe that my hair worked out on my first try!

We went downstairs a little early for craps and Christmas. Yes, Christmas.

Mohegan is already decked out for the holidays and Maria and I had to get a photo in front of the tree in our outfits.

We both planned outfits with a pop of color – love it! But I wish I’d taken off my purse for this photo.

I am a conservative craps player so I only ended up winning $10, but I also got a free Jack Daniel’s Manhattan while playing, so I consider this round of gambling a major win!

I love this glass structure in the center of the casino shops!

Our tasting dinner was set up in one of Tuscany’s private dining rooms. Maria and I both arrived hungry and ready to fill our bellies, but Tuscany was more ready than us. We were in for a seriously epic amount of food.

We bloggers also had the pleasure of dining with the woman who brought us all together for the weekend, PR Manager Michelle Williams. We have been working together on events and giveaways for more than half a year now and it was wonderful to finally get the chance to meet in person and talk food, marketing, family, romance…you know, the usual!

The epic menu!

We were first served crusty Italian bread with a seriously awe-inspiring white bean puree and olive tapenade. I’m not sure how I managed to hold off on having a piece until the first glass of wine was poured, but somehow I did.

Our first wine was a white blend of Riesling, Moscato, and Chardonnay. I normally am not a fan of anything Moscato-related but the Riesling and Chardonnay balanced it out. This glass sure went down easily.

The antipasto course of passed appetizers was easily enough food for my dinner. Maria and I looked at each other as the plates were being taken away and said, “How are we going to fit anything else?!”

Antipasta Della Casa

I legitimately would come back to Tuscany and just order this entire platter for myself. It was hard to save room and not kill it.

Calamari Fritti with a Chipotle Cream Sauce

Calamari is often all the same to me because it just all tastes fried. This calamari didn’t stand out too much (the best I’ve ever had is still at J. Gilbert’s because it includes the barely-fried octopus-looking calamari that I adore) but the chipotle sauce – man oh man! Pretty darn good.

Fig, prosciutto, and balsamic flatbread.

Though I prefer my flatbreads to be served on crispier, thinner crusts, the above flatbread’s flavor combo was hard not to love. I’m a prosciutto fanatic!

Tuscan Salad and Trefethen 2010 Chardonnay

I chose the Tuscan Salad of greens, roasted red peppers, artichokes, olives, onions, and lemon vinaigrette for my salad course. Very impressive! I like a restaurant starter salad that doesn’t slack on the ingredients. The Chardonnay went so well with the vinaigrette.

Double-fistin’ – it’s what I do.

Before I knew it I was being poured the next wine – Apothic Red – and hadn’t even finished my Chardonnay yet. Had to double up! The next course, pasta, featured choice of two dishes – clam linguine or ricotta gnocchi. The latter has been on my to-try list for eons, so it was a no-brainer.

Ummm…when can I eat gnocchi again?! The ricotta was to die for but those potato pillows, ahhh. Not surprised I loved this dish since I am a potato fanatic (as well as the previously mentioned prosciutto…me thinks I need to eat a pizza topped with both). That sauce was certainly fabulous and the homemade ricotta, don’t get me started. Wait, I already am.

Me and Anne!

My other seatmate Anne ordered the clam linguine, and she let me take a shot of her dish. I didn’t try any because I could barely fit my food as it was at this point (and we still had the entrees to come…) but I heard great things about it! I’m just not a plain pasta person – my palate craves too much excitement!

Major thanks to Tina for helping me learn more about my camera’s settings before I took this photo.

Then came the entrees. Yes, more food. I didn’t finish my gnocchi and knew I couldn’t finish this dish, but I want to come back to Tuscany so I can order it again and enjoy an entire portion during a normal-sized meal!

Crispy (seriously, so crispy) salmon with bacon Brussels sprouts, clams, and Parmesan polenta.

Maria and I couldn’t get over how crispy this fish was. I want to know Todd English’s secret! Yes obviously Maria and I ordered the same thing for the entire meal.

Insta-twins! Shared our meals one after the other.

The entree was served with DaVinci Chianti, which I’ve actually had before at Bertucci’s. I adore Chianti! It has such a robust flavor.

Maria, I, and the rest of the girls found our third/fourth/fifth stomachs the moment we caught glimpses of the desserts! First, each of us was served a mini fallen chocolate cake with a scoop of the most delicious, simple Tahitian vanilla ice cream and raspberry puree. It had been forever since I’d just enjoyed a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of a more “complex” flavor. Though I am all about the complex, it felt so nice to go back to the vanilla days of my childhood and mix the ice cream with the warm, molten syrup center of the chocolate cake. There was no way I wouldn’t finish every last bite.

Do you spy the green sprig below the ice cream? I am not sure what herb it was but it paired quite interestingly with this dish!

Did you really think we were done? NOT A CHANCE. I couldn’t pass up one each of the cannolis and another Italian pastry (I’d call it a croissant with cannoli filling – anyone know what that is called?) on the below tray. EDIT: Thanks to Sara for sharing that the pastry is called a “sfogliatelle”, which means many leaves in Italian. If you look at it you can see why it has that name! I packed up some more of both to bring home to the fam.

The sfogliatelle is next to the cannolis!

AND end meal. Finally, right?! Like I said before, I really want to go back to Tuscany now to enjoy a “normal” sized meal so that I can eat every last bite and not leave with a food baby. But believe me, this food baby was welcomed. I am honestly so proud of myself for enjoying every bite of this meal that I wanted to, knowing I don’t do it all the time, and sleeping quite peacefully that night.

A huge part of that was the fact that I felt so special, appreciated, and in my element during the meal and the entire weekend. I was in the company of good friends who are also bloggers I admire and have read for – in some cases – years! I was the guest of one of my favorite CT destinations and got the chance to try so many authentic Italian dishes at a new-to-me restaurant. And the best part? I didn’t have to do the 45 minute drive back home afterward! 😛

Julie, Me, Tina!

Some of the girls headed out for shopping after the meal wound down (and after we spent a bit more time sitting, digesting, and chatting), but Maria and I were so ready for bedtime.

Pretty sure about ten of these photos were taken.

When we got back to our room, Maria and I had a case of the wine sillies that was sparked by the donning of my matchy-matchy Victoria’s Secret flannel jammies.

Two thumbs up for fancy-pants pajamas!

We decided that the giant…things on our bed looked like foam rollers. Anyone know what they’re called?

What is this thing?!

Sadly, it didn’t function as a foam roller.

Boo!

Alas, we cheered up and settled in for TV, girl talk, and not too long after, bed. We awoke the next morning like the early birds we are, checked out of the hotel, and checked back into reality. And while reality is always nice to return to, I have to admit that I was texting Maria later that night saying, “I miss Mohegan!”

Thank you to Mohegan Sun, Tuscany, and Michelle for an enchanting evening and Saturday in general!

Though I received accommodations and this meal free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post.

Which dish would you have most liked to try?

Have you ever dined with other bloggers?

Have you ever done any gambling?

Sprigs Earbags: A Family Review and Giveaway!

Have you ever heard of Sprigs Earbags? Yes, Earbags. Don’t be alarmed. I’m not talking about hanging bags from your ears. I’m talking about bandless earmuffs that keep ears toasty and stay in place well enough to use during runs, hikes, or any outdoor activity in cold weather. For a better idea of what I’m talking about, check out this informative (albeit slightly cheesy) demo:

Sprigs is a customer-centric company that only sells products people have requested and have a need for. Once they establish the need for a product, if it doesn’t exist, they create it. You can read up on the backstory of the Earbags’ creation here. Sprigs was kind enough to offer me not only my own set of Earbags to review, but a set for my mom to try out too!

I feel like this family review is appropriately timed in light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday this Thursday! And I am thankful for my wonderful mother every single day, not just around Thanksgiving. She has always been a steady part of my life. As I have gotten older, we have only gotten closer. Well, maybe not when I was an angsty teen. So sue me! Anyway, I’m glad that I was able to include her in my Earbags trial because she works out outdoors way more frequently than me. Her number one love is running, something I have never been able to get really into. My mom also hates living in cold New England, and has the same problem I do – we are ALWAYS COLD. So a product that would stay in place and keep her ears warm during her run peaked her interest.

I’m a fan of the nifty bag they come in!

I picked out the pink fleece Earbags for my mom because she is a lover of all things pink, and I thought the fleece was perfect for keeping her ears at their warmest during long runs! Even the Earbags without fleece on the outside though are lined on the inside with Thinsulate. My mom embarked on her first Earbags run on a chilly weekend morning. About an hour or so after she left, I received the following text:

I nearly died. This blogger has trained her mother well. I did not even request this immediate post-run selfie/opinion. She just sent it! So cute. And she really did love the Earbags, and has continued to wear them on her runs! They stayed in place perfectly and kept her ears cold even through long 8 or 9 milers.

Better selfie view – good job Mom! She said this was one of several attempts…

Don’t they really look like earmuffs?! Just bandless! I tried mine out this past weekend during a special hike in Mystic, CT (more details to come on that this week…) with Maria. She thought they were earmuffs when she first saw me in them!

Smilin’ post-hike!

I went for a cute cable knit pair – black, so that they’d match everything! They’re pretty adorable.

One thumb up for each Earbag!

They also come in animal prints, mesh, and snowflake print. There’s even a pair designed specifically for use with headphones!

Promo Code

I definitely recommend Earbags for any runners out there, or even just those who spend a lot of time outdoors and don’t want to worry about having to constantly adjust their ear-warming method of choice. Sprigs is offering Cait Plus Ate readers a promo code to use if you are interested in ordering your own pair! Use the code CaitPlusAte20 up until 12/17/12 at 11:59PM EST. It will save you 10% off orders up to $29.99 and or 20% off $30 or more!

Giveaway

Or maybe you’ll be the lucky one Cait Plus Ate reader to win my GIVEAWAY for a pair of Earbags! Sprigs wants to share the Earbags love with a reader too, and you have until this Wednesday at 11:59PM EST to enter. Continental US only please! Here’s how to participate – be sure to leave a separate comment for each method of entry or additional entries don’t count!

  1. Head to the Sprigs Earbags page and tell me which pair you’d want most!
  2. Follow @SpriGsville on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  3. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  4. Tweet “I entered to win @SpriGsville Earbags from @CaitPlusAte! http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1H5 #fitfluential #fitgear” and comment here with the link to the tweet.

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder.

Good luck to all who enter! And be sure to let me know if you use the promo code CaitPlusAte20 to purchase your own pair of Earbags! Although I received these Earbags free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

SOYJOY Bar Review and Giveaway!

I’m so humbled by the compliments you guys left on my review post about the Millwright’s Tavern in Simsbury, CT! I seriously can’t stop recommending this restaurant to anyone in the area. I’m glad that the passion I feel about dining out comes through so strongly to my readers in my reviews. Knowing that means the world to me!

I’ve got another review and giveaway today for a product I was lucky enough to sample! And of course I enjoyed it, because those are the only giveaways you guys are going to see on here!

Soy selfie! (Alliteration all the timeeeee).

I tasted my first SOYJOY bar after the Healthy Living Summit, where I received the Mango Coconut flavor in my swag bag. I am picky with my bars, but this one stuck out to me because it didn’t taste too sickly sweet and the soy provided me a #plantPOWER protein punch that kept me well-fueled and satisfied for a workout.

My mom has already gotten lots of use out of this bag!

SOYJOY offered to send me samples of their two newest flavors, Dark Chocolate Cherry and Cranberry, for review (along with that sweet bag). Once again, I was impressed by the nutrition stats and lack of that fake-sugar taste so common in other bars. This time I used my bars in after-dinner snacks!

Crumbled Cranberry SOYJOY bar mixed into a chocolate Jello pudding cup!

The soy used in these bars is non-GMO and the fruit flavoring comes from real, whole fruit. The bars are vegetarian (unfortunately not vegan) and gluten-free too! I could go on about the health benefits of soy, but I’ve already done that on this blog. 🙂

A total #jadorelavie moment – Dark Chocolate Cherry SOYJOY bar crumbled into the Jello chocolate pudding again, with a book and candle on the side!

Out of the two new flavors, Dark Chocolate Cherry is totally my favorite. but I’m not too surprised about that. I still really liked the Cranberry and appreciate that I received one chocolate bar to review and one more like a “blondie”, because my mood certainly changes and I never know what I’m going to want! I also gave a couple bars to my fellow health foodie friend Alexis, who eats gluten-free. She was a fan!

Giveaway:

Now it’s your turn to try SOYJOY bars! Two lucky Cait Plus Ate readers will receive their own set of samples. Continental US only – giveaway will be open until this Thursday 11/15 at 11:59PM EST.

There are several ways to enter (leave a comment for each or additional entries won’t count!):

  1. Check out the SOYJOY flavors on their website and comment here telling me which you’d want to try most (mandatory).
  2. Follow @SOYJOYUS on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  3. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  4. Tweet “I entered to win @SOYJOYUS bars from @CaitPlusAte! http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1F9 #plantPOWER #fitfluential #EAT” and comment here with the link to the tweet.

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winners and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winners will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder.

Good luck to all who enter! I received these SOYJOY bars complimentary to review. All opinions are my own.

Millwright’s Tavern: Cozy, Cocktails, Comfort Food

Thanks so much to all who entered my Clever Girls Collective giveaway for a Country Crock Thanksgiving Kit! I received 225 entries – WOW – and loved hearing what your fave dishes are to eat at Thanksgiving. The lucky winner is…

…Laura! Thank you for entering and I will be contacting you for shipping info so that you can get your prize!

You may recall my restaurant review post on Millwright’s, Simsbury’s (and one of Connecticut’s) newest restaurant. During my first visit, the establishment’s lower-key portion, the Tavern, had not yet opened and was actually still under construction. When it opened earlier this fall, I kept trying to make time to visit, but never had time in my busy schedule to stop in and have the Millwright’s Tavern dining experience. Finally the time came this past Friday night, with my foodie friend Kat (she is the one I, and my readers, can thank for fun blog posts like local giveaways and my review of Blo) of the Hartford Advocate.

How cute is she in her hat?!

I fell in love the moment I descended the stairs into the Millwright’s Tavern, which consists of wooden tables, stone walls, a fireplace with adjacent seating, and a bar with a speakeasy-feel. I adore dining at restaurant bars so that I can watch cocktails being made and observe the staff at work; thankfully Kat had the same line of thinking and already had a seat staked out for us!

The Aviation and Carrot Terrine.

I went with the head bartender Chris’s favorite drink on the creative cocktail menu, the Aviation (gin, creme de violette, citrus, and a beloved brandied cherry). The head chef and restaurant founder, Tyler Anderson (he won Chopped!), also was kind enough to send out the above Carrot Terrine! It was incredibly interesting and delicious.

View while sitting at the bar – isn’t the stone so perfect for a cozy fall or winter night?

The Aviation was incredible, as I knew it would be. Chris really knows his drinks (I met him and tried his take on the Hemingway during my first visit) and I love the unique floral test of creme de violette. I also am such a sucker for a brandied cherry. Or two. Or fifty.

Sweetbreads

Millwright’s continued to spoil us and sent out a couple more complimentary tastes. I got my first taste of sweetbreads during my last visit and was more than happy to try the above lightly fried version – flash-fried in fact! What are sweetbreads you ask? That’s the culinary name for thymus or pancreas of, in this case, veal. The aroma of this dish practically had me salivating before my first bite – is there anything more drool-inducing than the smell of fried food?

Tuna!!!

If it weren’t for the Carrot Terrine, I’d definitely be calling the above Tuna Belly with Shisho and Asian Pear the most unique dish of the evening. I think pear goes so well with Asian seafood and wish that more restaurants served that pairing! The only bad thing about this dish was that it was so small and therefore gone in the blink of an eye, or the chew of a mouth.

Spinach/Kale/Chard Gruyere Dip topped with Garlic Crumbs, served with Country Bread.

Oh, obviously Kat and I ordered a bunch of small plates to make up our own mini Tavern menu tour. Would you expect anything else? It’s all about trying as many tastes as possible. Always. You folks were certainly freaking out when I Instagrammed the above above-average play on your average spinach & artichoke dip, but I cannot blame you. The country bread was so toasty it was like thick crackers and the garlic crumbs on top of that decadent cheese? HEAVEN. They didn’t skimp on the greens either!

Poutine a la Grecque

Many of Chef Tyler Anderson’s dishes have a Mediterannean influence, like the above Greek take on poutine with feta, olive crumbs, local tomatoes, and yogurt sauce! I’m a potato and Greek food freak so each bite of this dish had me moaning in a foodgasm. You know the feeling. I can’t recommend this dish enough to anyone who visits the Millwright’s Tavern.

Lamb Meatballs

We continued the Greek-style dining with the above lamb meatballs with polenta, tomato sauce, and fennel slaw. So amazing! I adore lamb more and more each time I eat it, which has been more and more often (makes sense). The red sauce was so very rich and flavorful. I wasn’t surprised that Millwright’s did a great job on this dish since the lamb I had last time I was there is still a dish I consider to be one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.

Duck Potato Skins. You heard me.

I was (obviously) menu stalking earlier in the day before I arrived at Millwright’s, and the moment I saw the above dish on the menu, I knew I HAD TO HAVE IT. Duck confit potato skins with sriracha creme and pickles…my only wish is that there had been less cheese so I could’ve tasted more of that fabulous fatty duck. Still, the potato addict in me was smiling.

FOOD PARTY!

We feasted, we Instagrammed, we laughed, and we most certainly did NOT cry. We also got to hang out with the wonderful maitre d’ and sommelier, Brent Bushong II, and the Director of Operations, AJ Aurrichio. Brent is incredible at what he does – he makes every Millwright’s patron feel special.

Millwright’s Old Fashioned – I knew I had to try this one.

I was unfortunately unable to finish my second cocktail, Millwright’s take on the Old Fashioned (bourbon, demerera, flamed orange peel). But the portion I did finish was so wonderful and smooth! In fact, next time I visit the Tavern (and there WILL be a next time), I plan to order it again so that I can enjoy a full glass. However, I think next time I may order it up – what do you guys think? I’m not an ice fan!

CHEESE PLATE. NOM.

Kat and I saw the above cheese plate from the regular menu (also available in the Tavern) get served to a fellow bar-diner and we both stopped our conversation and literally watched it go by. Probably was a hilarious image. We vowed to order it as our dessert, and even though we were both very full after our small plates, we threw caution to the wind and ordered the glorious plate of local cheeses, apple compote, HOMEMADE rye crackers, bread, and candied almonds. I am a cheese plate fiend. This guy was fabulous! The apples were so very fresh – I don’t really like apples that much but when so high quality like this compote, I am all over it. The crackers? I cannot believe they make their own! I would buy boxes of them! Kat and I could not finish all of our food so she took the rest home to her lucky husband.

I’m already dying to bring my parents to the Tavern so that we can feast on both the Tavern and Dinner Menus. Oh, and cocktails for my dad and I! Thank you to Tyler, AJ, Brent, Chris, and everyone else who made our evening at Millwright’s Tavern the perfect Friday night kickoff to our weekend!

Which of the menu items that I sampled would you most like to have tried?

Have you ever been to a restaurant with a speakeasy-feel to it?

Country Crock Broccoli Casserole and Giveaway!

Thank you to Country Crock for sponsoring this post. Visit and tell us your favorite Thanksgiving veggie for extra entries into this giveaway. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective.


My grandma sent my mom a recipe for a broccoli cheddar casserole side almost ten years ago, and as soon as fall hits, this warm, comforting dish starts appearing in our kitchen. It’s even man-approved – my dad LOVES it and usually requests that it make an appearance on Thanksgiving. The perfect delicious, healthy side dish!

I was invited, as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, to make a healthy Thanksgiving side dish using Country Crock as a substitute for butter. I’m already a big fan of their products, so the answer was a resounding, “YES!” Especially since it meant getting to eat this cheesy broccoli goodness several nights in a row (it makes great leftovers, as you can probably imagine). Country Crock has NO harmful trans fats (other types of fats are good for you in moderation, but let’s face it, trans fats are just a no-no!) and even this raw veggie lover can’t lie…veggies taste darn good with Country Crock added in!

I selected my classic favorite – Original – but they even have a Pumpkin flavor!

Cheesy Broccoli Goodness Casserole 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup of Country Crock Original
  • 2 packages of frozen chopped broccoli
  • 1 medium chopped onion
  • 1 cup of cooked brown rice
  • 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 a soup can of skim milk
  • 1 cup of reduced fat cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup of chopped mushrooms

Directions:

  1. Cook broccoli and drain.
  2. Cook brown rice (I used a boxed minute-cook version).
  3. Saute chopped onion and mushrooms in Country Crock on stovetop.
  4. Combine broccoli, onion, mushrooms, rice, coup, and milk with salt/pepper to taste.
  5. Pour into a casserole dish and top with cheese.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for approximately 20-25 minutes.

Could that be any easier? That’s why casseroles make excellent side dishes. You could even make this a meal by adding a protein like grilled chicken!

Sauteed mushrooms…they weren’t in my grandma’s original recipe but made an EXCELLENT addition and added that #plantPOWER!

For more ideas for healthy Thanksgiving side dishes that can be made with Country Crock, check out their Chronicle in the Kitchen!

The crispy cheesy top is the BEST part.

Country Crock Thanksgiving Kit Giveaway

One lucky Cait Plus Ate reader (continental US only, sorry!) will win a Country Crock Thanksgiving Kit with the following:

The giveaway will run until this Friday (11/9) at 11:59PM EST and the winner will be announced early next week. To enter, you can do the following (and leave a comment for each or additional entries don’t count):

  1. Comment here and tell me your favorite food to eat on Thanksgiving. (mandatory)
  2. Visit the Crock Country Chronicle and comment on an article. Comment with the link to the article.
  3. Follow @CountryCrock on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  4. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter and comment here saying you did.
  5. Tweet “I entered to win a @CountryCrock Thanksgiving kit from @CaitPlusAte! #HolidayVeggies http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1DP” and comment here with the link to the tweet.

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder. Good luck to all who enter!

Thank you to Country Crock for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions expressed here are my own.

My First Naturopathic Physician Visit

I’m so excited about all of the entries I received in the giveaway for two Anchor Bay Entertainment cardio dance workout DVDs! The winner is…

Kristy of Kristy’s Health Revolution!

Thank you to all who entered! I will be contacting Kristy to arrange delivery of her prize!

On Friday I promised you guys an update on the on-and-off nausea I’ve been experiencing for the past month, so I’m here to give you that today. Mostly, I want to focus on my first ever visit to a naturopathic physician. After finding out that the abdominal ultrasound I had done last Saturday morning showed no issues, I visited my regular doctor Thursday morning. She stated that she really think this is a stomach virus I caught that my body is taking a long time to shake, and told me that no doctor would order an endoscopy on me (the next step in testing) until at least a couple more weeks had passed with me having symptoms, especially since I have been “functioning” and it is considered a “procedure”. Yes, I’m functioning, but I have also been very physically and mentally uncomfortable!

Luckily I had my naturopathic physician appointment later that afternoon, so I left the doctor still feeling like I had options I was pursuing. I started out by giving the doctor (also the clinic director) my background, both my recent nausea issues and my mental/physical medical history. She was not very happy about the fact that my doctors had put me on Omeprazole (an antacid), nor did she approve of any other medications and probiotics I have been taking. It was a bit off-putting – she never told me to go off what my doctors had put me on, which I appreciated, but also made me feel like it’s possible that what I’m already taking has been hurting me. I still took it all with a grain of salt, though. I know that her way of approaching medicine is completely different from the traditional approach, which looks primarily for something functionally wrong.

Source

Next, she had me lie down on her massage table (holy crap it was comfy!) and she felt all over my abdomen. Not just feeling – pushing! Really trying to get a handle on where exactly everything was. She pushed on an area up toward my chest, and it was hard for her to do so. She said that the reason for that was because my stomach was actually higher up than it should be – usually brought on by an acute incident, like straining to lift something. But sometimes, it can happen over time due to high anxiety – more likely in my case. Whatever the cause, she had me take a DEEP breath in and then breathe out very slowly. As I did so, she actually pushed REALLY hard down on that area toward my chest I mentioned before, to push my stomach back down where it “should” be. After this was complete, I took a deep breath in. I actually felt like my lungs had more room to expand! Perhaps it’s all or partially in my head. I acknowledge that. And she did not say that it was going to cure me. Quite the opposite – she said it probably wasn’t even the sole cause of my nausea, but a contributing factor, and that her “fix” also did not usually stay in place after just one session. Still, I felt pretty strange afterward – in a good way! Something definitely felt different.

Source

I also left her office with a “prescription” for three things – a digestive enzyme, a probiotic (one of the few on the market she likes), and an herbal remedy called Pulsatilla (which is available at Whole Foods). It’s pretty fascinating that she picked Pulsatilla out for me, because as she described the kind of people it’s meant for, I kept nodding my head and saying, “Yup, that’s me.” She cited inner mental battles, too much rigidity, and love of white foods (gimme dem carbs). Pulsatilla comes from a flower found in meadows. The flower itself however is toxic when ingested in its pure flower form. There also isn’t much medical evidence about its efficacy – or even the safe levels of the dried form that are OK to take.

Source

I am fine with taking digestive enzymes and a probiotic…many people take these without harm. However, I’m nervous about taking the Pulsatilla after reading up more about it online. I’m sure nothing that could really hurt me would be sold at Whole Foods, and I’m trying to keep an open mind, but I don’t really feel comfortable taking it (it comes in the form of a bead that is placed under the tongue). Therefore even though I purchased it, I’ve decided to hold off. And there’s another reason for that too.

Dare I say the last several days I’ve felt…completely normal? I don’t want to jinx myself. And on Friday, I still had a “nervous” stomach that felt nauseous in the morning and made some weird noises anytime I ate. But Saturday and Sunday, I felt fine. No weird noises, no nausea. Nothing that even made me feel like it might “come on” if I drank coffee or ate fibrous food.

Welcome back, my beautiful salad!

I am not saying that I feel better because of what the naturopathic physician did when she “moved” my stomach back to its rightful place. It could very well be the Omeprazole finally taking effect. Or maybe this is a virus that finally has gotten its ugly self out of my body, once and for all. Or maybe five minutes from hitting “Publish” on this post, I’ll feel nauseous again.

Black coffee – enjoyed while doing HW!

Frankly, I do not care. I had a really good weekend and I felt well. I’m going to keep taking the Omeprazole and also go see the naturopathic physician in a couple of weeks for a follow-up, and explain my hesitation about the Pulsatilla. If I don’t feel nauseous again, that’s awesome. If I do, I’ll keep trying to figure out what’s wrong. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go be thankful for feeling well. 🙂

Have you ever visited a naturopathic physician?

Have you ever decided not to take medical advice, be it from a traditional or alternative doctor?

Anchor Bay Fitness DVD Review and Giveaway!

You may recall that when I last reviewed two DVDs from Anchor Bay Fitness‘s Element Yoga collection, I did a giveaway for two new releases:

Anchor Bay was nice enough to also send me a copy of each of these two DVDs to try out and review. I have been working on doing decreasing the amount of high-intensity workouts in my week, and having a variety of workout videos has certainly helped me on that journey. My recent GI issues have also called for more low-intensity workouts. Heavy weights and cardio don’t feel great to my body when I’m feeling nauseous.

Yoga expert Tamal Dodge teaches both 30-minute workouts. As you can probably guess, one is for energy and includes poses that strengthen, tone, and stretch. The other relaxes the body through simple poses like downward dog, spinal twist, and crocodile (one of the easiest poses in yoga). I tried this DVD while I was feeling nauseous and it was nice and relaxing, though my stomach couldn’t handle poses that incorporated back bends, like camel or cobra. If you plan to do both programs, I recommend doing the energy first and the relax second. This is what I did and if I had flip-flopped, I think I would have been ready to take a nap or just meditate after the relax video and never would have made it to the energy! Tamal’s instructions are calming and the video would even be one I’d recommend to a beginning yogi. I can certainly see myself using this DVD again when I am craving some movement but not feeling 100%.

The talented and beautiful Lisa Hubbard (who sometimes likes my Instagram pics…I die) leads both workouts on this DVD – the 30-minute total body and 10-minute abs. The pink resistance band shown on the cover is indeed included inside and functions very well, although it does stick to itself (like tape) a bit! To be honest with you, I don’t know if I would call this an “accelerated” pilates routine. I was expecting something more advanced, but found the total body work to be not particularly challenging. The abs were a bit harder – a straight 10 minutes of abs usually is! But the video overall is still a good mix of total body moves that kept me interested thanks to all the variety and the use of the band, something I’m still inexperienced with. I have to admit that it pissed me off a few times when it came “unlooped” from around my foot, but I don’t think it’s anything practice won’t fix! I don’t want those not super-experienced with pilates to be discouraged by the classification of the DVD as “accelerated” because I really think a lot of folks can do this DVD and get in an enjoyable workout!

Dance Workout DVD Giveaway

I love dance workouts like Group Groove and Zumba. They’re both heart-pumping and brain-occupying, which makes the time fly! Anchor Bay has two dance workout DVDs to give away to one lucky Cait Plus Ate reader:

  • Dance Off the Inches Latin Cardio Dance Party: Three dance routines (samba, reggaeton, cumbia) broken down into steps, then combinations, to help you learn the routines! The workouts total 65 minutes, so each is about 20 minutes of cardio fun.
  • 10 Minute Solution Cardio Hip Hop: Five 10-minute dance routines – so easy to customize your cardio workout’s length! Even if you just have ten minutes, there’s a routine on here for you. And if you have almost an hour, do all five in a row!

Giveaway is open to continental US only and ends at 11:59PM EST on Sunday 11/4/12. To enter, you can do the following – and leave a separate comment for each:

  1. Comment on this post (mandatory) and tell me which you prefer – yoga or pilates?
  2. Follow @CaitPlusAte on Twitter, and comment with your Twitter handle saying you did.
  3. Follow @AnchorBayEntFit on Twitter, and comment with your Twitter handle saying you did.
  4. Tweet “I’m entered to win two @AnchorBayEntFit dance workout DVDs from @CaitPlusAte! #fitfluential http://wp.me/p1SfTW-1CH” and comment here with the link to the tweet.
  5. Repin something from Element on Pinterest and comment with the link to the repin.
  6. Follow CaitPlusAte on Pinterest and comment with your Pinterest name saying you did.

Though it’s not an option for giveaway entry, you can also like Anchor Bay Entertainment’s Fitness page on Facebook! 

General Giveaway Rules: No Purchase Necessary. This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental United States. The email addresses that are collected for this giveaway will only be used for the purpose of contacting the winner and will never be given out to anyone nor sold. The winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via email. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. Please make sure you check your junk mail folder.

Good luck to all who enter! I received both of these DVDs from Anchor Bay to review free of charge. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Getting Blown…At Blo West Hartford!

I’m glad that you all enjoyed the guest post from Amanda, founder of Grow Soul Beautiful. The winner of her giveaway for a set of Vision Quest Photo Assignment cards with exercises on self-love is Sarah!

Thank you to all who entered! I will be contacting Sarah for shipping information. And remember, you don’t need photo cards to practice self love!

I can’t thank you all enough for the supportive comments you left on Friday’s post about my GI stuff. After leaving about three messages and going by the GI doctor’s office in PERSON (and having to leave work due to more nausea…I hate all the work I’m missing), the doc called me on Friday night at about 6PM to tell me he was putting in an order for me to get an abdominal ultrasound. I went the very next morning (thank goodness for Saturday hours) hoping to make an appointment or walk-in right then…and I was able to do the latter! I got the ultrasound done and will get results back once the world comes out of Hurricane-Sandy-shut-down-mode.

(By the way, no work today due to Hurricane Sandy, and no class tomorrow night either…woo hoo!)

All day Friday and also Saturday morning I felt SO down. I literally have never felt that negative in my life, and it really scared me. I kept thinking about things I usually enjoy doing, and they didn’t seem pleasant to me. Nothing seemed appealing. But Saturday I awoke nausea-free. I went to the gym and did Group Power, because all I was in the mood to do was angrily lift heavy stuff. And it definitely helped. I walked out of the gym and had texts from four supportive friends and family members checking on me. I took a deep breath and told myself to shower, go home, and take advantage of a day of feeling well. So I did just that, and as I was putting on some makeup and packing up my homework for a Daybreak trip, I definitely felt like my mood was on the up-and-up. I kept remembering Tina’s post about her attitude when she first developed colitis and felt inspired to give myself “a kick in the ass”. Moping will not do anything. And stressing only makes me feel more sick – so what’s the point?!

Now, let’s get to the meat of today’s innuendo-titled post.

I was also lucky enough on Saturday afternoon to have my bad mood blown away thanks to Stacey Cohen, the owner of Blo West Hartford in Blueback Square. You may recall that I hosted a giveaway for a free blow dry last month. Well, I also received a free blow dry myself! I was saving it for something special, and had an Old-Hollywood themed Halloween party to attend Saturday night. I thought that a the Holly-Would style out of Blo’s Hair Menu would be the perfect choice!

The hair menu’s depiction of the style. Source

I was psyched to finally get to meet Stacey, who introduced me to my stylist, Allison. She was such a sweetheart and I enjoyed chatting with her! She and all the other employees of Blo are licensed hair stylists and can do everything (cuts, colors, etc), but Blo only does blow drys and up-dos.

My “before” shot – and that’s Allison on the right!

The decor of Blo is so stylish and glam. I love the white and pink color scheme…and check out the refreshments!

Yes, those are mini cupcakes!

Allison was sure to take into consideration my preferences, like where I wanted my part and how “big” I wanted the hairdo to turn out. However, I left most of the decisions up to her. Just ask my sister, who is always getting frustrated with my hair laziness…I do not have the patience to do anything like part my hair when I comb it. I’ve got places to be! And I’m certainly no expert, so I let the expert present (Allison) call most of the shots. I certainly don’t regret that decision. Just LOOK at the finished product!

Um, can I PLEASE get a blow dry every day of my life?! Now I know why my blend Maria is obsessed! The style did not take any time at all for Allison to complete and it turned out just as I had hoped! I walked out of Blo with bounce in my hair AND my step.

Bathroom selfie, when home alone gotta do what ya gotta do.

Unfortunately my party plans did not work out, but I rallied and went out to dinner with my friends Geno and Casey (who also happen to be the parents of a couple of my other friends) to one of my favorite places ever – Rooftop 120! I’d recently purchased their Groupon and also had to go somewhere fabulous to show off my glamorous look!

Wearing a pearl necklace my grandfather got me for high school graduation.

Myspace style.

I had an amazing drink (Knob Creek Manhattan) and meal (Moroccan-Glazed Chicken) and my stomach was well-behaved. I was so thankful for the great friends I was able to spend the evening with!

A trio made in heaven – meal, drink, me!

Moroccan-glazed chicken with green olive puree, Russian banana potatoes, and cherry bomb carrots.

Me, Casey, and Geno!

Andres, my favorite bartender ever, was working (thankfully) and dressed as a mad mixologist for Halloween! Perfect costume for a talented mixologist like himself.

Props and all!

Andres’s lab!

Even the next morning (Sunday) I tried to get as much out of my blow dry as possible. I carefully put my hair in a ponytail before going to the gym, and when I went to Daybreak after to do homework (and procrastinate), I just put on a Forever 21 beanie and rocked my loose waves that still remained!

My blow dry may be gone now, but my memory of my positive experience sure isn’t! I totally recommend heading over to Blo West Hartford to get blown, whether you’re experienced or a first-timer 😉 Call 860-231-0443 to make your appointment, and you can email them at blowesthartford@blomedry.com. Like Blo on FB and follow them on Twitter too!

I received my blow dry free courtesy of Blo West Hartford. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have you ever gotten a blow dry?

What was the best part of your weekend?

Meet Caitlin

I’m a 28 year old full-time working girl living in Boston (previously lived in Connecticut). I’m passionate about food/drink, restaurants, self-love, fitness, and the ever-present search for balance. I write about that journey on this blog – I hope you enjoy!

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Design Credit

My header was originally designed by Mai Le and later tweaked by Chris Roggi to match this theme, which he helped me customize. He also moved me over to self-hosting! Both can be contacted through their sites for design & development work!

Disclaimer

I am not an RD and do not have any official training, certifications, or degrees in nutrition or fitness. This blog is a way to write about my life. Any views I express are mine alone, based on what works for me, and should never be taken as medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a trained professional before starting a new diet or fitness plan. In addition, this blog and its content are in no way affiliated with Kate Gosselin, “Kate Plus 8”, TLC, or any related affiliates.

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