Tag Archives: foodie pen pals

July Foodie Pen Pals, Flowers, and Vegan Cake

Huge thanks to Danielle of Clean Food, Creative Fitness for including me in her Marvelous in my Monday link roundup. I encourage every one of you to go to her list and check out the posts. They are awe-inspiring examples of strength from fellow bloggers!

I can’t believe it’s already the end of July, and time to reveal what I received from my foodie pen pal this month! Lindsay of The Lean Green Bean amazes me every single time she sends out her monthly spreadsheet of pen pal matches. I don’t know how the girl handles it all and keeps it so well-organized. Lindsay, you rock! Readers, if you want to participate make sure you click the image below for more details.

This month I sent a package to Mary of Healthy Lifestyle Ideas, and received a package from Shaunna of Mama’s 13 Minute Mile, who I found out (from her blog) happens to also be an outdoor yoga fan!

One of my favorite parts of Foodie Pen Pals (but probably not the most favorite…that’s gonna be the food #sorrynotsorry) is the requirement to send a handwritten note in the package. Just doesn’t happen enough nowadays!

First up, the goodies from Shaunna’s local farmers’ market!

I simply love getting local foodie treats in these packages. It makes it all the more special. I am a sucker for these Brandywine House herb and dip mixes (I’ve purchased a few before at the Glastonbury Apple Festival, still need to finish them all off) and especially can’t wait to try the spicy bleu variety. Maybe my Indian food fan blends Heather and Jenny can point me to a recipe that I could use the tandoori mix in?!

I keep forgetting that I received the Mad Mango Jalapeno Jelly by Terri’s Homegrown Heaven aka The Jelly Lady, and I kick myself each time I do. I have eaten so many good meats at home the last couple of weeks that would’ve paired great with it! MUST. REMEMBER. IT’S. IN. MY. PANTRY. I will be sure to Instagram whatever meal I use it on. The jelly seems ripe for a fish dish, yes?

I’m surprised my little brother hasn’t gobbled up all of the Planters Nut & Chocolate Trail Mix, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. Unfortunately the Blue Diamond Bold Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds were not my mom and I’s cup of tea, but I was super surprised that my mom was even willing to give them a shot! She’s a plain Jane almonds lover. Finally, I’m really excited to try the El Mexicano Pico de Gallo powder in one of my mom’s healthy Mexican dinner recipes. She does tacos…casseroles…quesadillas…I know it’ll be delish in any of those.

Thanks again to Shaunna for taking the time to put together  such a nice package for me!

I also want to send another thanks to the Marketing Team Leader from Whole Foods West Hartford in Blueback Square, Kristin. She was nice enough to take notice of the tweeting I like to do about their events (they even have a farmers’ market in their parking lot on Mondays) and left a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers from the Floral Department at the Customer Service desk for me to pick up last night before my event at Barcelona (which I am excited to blog about, by the way, but probably won’t be able to til next week). They certainly put a smile on my face!

I asked a poor unsuspecting employee to take an iPhone pic for Instagram, obviously.

Aaaand I found something pretty cool in the cafeteria at work today – my coworker’s daughter made a vegan cake and was selling slices to raise money for a local cat shelter. Not only did the cake look beautiful and contain unique ingredients like coffee, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, but I also felt that the type of cake was the perfect match for the type of charity she is looking to support. I’ve never thought of this before, but it makes perfect sense – selling a baked good or any food that contains no animal products is super appropriate when raising money to support an animal shelter. I know that the animals typically housed in animal shelters don’t often find their way into food Americans usually eat, but I just love the idea of raising money to help animals in a way that’s as kind as possible to them, whether those specific kinds of animals are going to be eaten/have their bi-products eaten or not.

Isn’t it beautiful? She’s a little foodie!

Not saying that eating animals and their bi-products isn’t kind per say. I am certainly a carnivore more days than not. But I also still think that being AWARE is key, and in my mind, raising money to support animals by selling or using products that could contain ingredients that may have been obtained in a way that harmed them just doesn’t make sense. That’s why this whole vegan cake struck me as a really great fundraising idea and a fine example of being aware of a time when going vegan is a more appropriate choice.

I feel like I have more to say but everything has kinda flown out of my head! And I also didn’t plan on making my post this long! It’s been a busy day and I need to get back to business. And write my last summer school paper. But that sentiment just flew out of my head too, and I don’t really feel like going to get it back 😛

Don’t forget that the Mikarose $50 gift certificate giveaway ends at 11:59PM EST tonight!

Did you do Foodie Pen Pals this month? What was the best part of your package? Leave a link to your reveal post in the comments so I can check it out!

Have you ever gotten a pleasantly surprising gift from someone who was thanking you for something you did? I didn’t even think that I was doing anything that deserved a “thank you” – just tweeting and spreading the word about local, good-for-you food!

What is your opinion on being aware of “matching” a method of fundraising to a charity of choice?

June Foodie Pen Pals

It’s very appropriate that today is the Foodie Pen Pals reveal day for June, since I arrived in MA last night to celebrate the 23rd birthday of my best blend and a fellow foodie (and Foodie Pen Pal participant), Heather! I have made so many wonderful connections through Foodie Pen Pals and blogging in general. Doing these reveal posts is always a reminder of how lucky I am to be part of this community!

And as usual, Lindsay deserves a huge thanks from all of us participants for managing the growing program every single month! Want to be a part of it? Click the image above to find out how to sign up!

The handwritten note is always fun!

This month I received a box from Lyndsay all the way from North Carolina (hello jealousy). I requested healthy eats with a bit of an indulgent spark, and that’s what I got! I have never had a bad Foodie Pen Pals experience…everyone seems to know exactly what I like 🙂

  • GoPicnic Ready-To-Eat Meals: Hummus & Crackers – Did somebody say HUMMUS?! I love mixed plates for dipping, especially when they come with a sweet ending in the form of a dark chocolate square. This will be perfect to pack for a beach day or summer road trip.
  • Tasty Bite Madras Lentils – I am often wary of heat-and-eat meals, but this looks unique and on the lighter side. I’m also an Indian food n00b, so what a perfect way to give it a shot in my own home! If I’m not a fan, I can just make something else. But I have a feeling I’ll enjoy this…I adore lentils.
  • Sensible Foods Apple Harvest Crunch Dried Fruit – I have to say I’m not really a fan of apples, but I’m excited to see if my sister wants to give these a try. She is always looking for on-the-go lighter snack options for her life at college.
  • Market Classics Spicy Tortilla Soup Mix – An original product from World Market, where Lyndsay purchased all my goodies! This soup sounds excellent and I love the way it’s packaged (see photo below) in the clear bag so that all the REAL ingredients are visible.

  • Manner Original Neapolitan Wafers – These are a total classic that I haven’t had in too long! My first candy bar ever was a Kit Kat, and that was actually because my mom told me they were like these wafers (which I already liked as a kid) except covered in chocolate. I used to eat all the chocolate off the Kit Kat first, then eat the wafer underneath. Did anyone else do this? How do you eat a Kit Kat?
  • Jo’s Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Grahams – I’ve had graham crackers in milk chocolate. OK, that’s a s’more. Dark chocolate though, sounds excellent. Then I saw the addition of sea salt. Um, SOLD! Unfortunately my box arrived in a heat wave and so these grahams got a bit melty, but they will still be fabulous. Melting doesn’t mean no taste, folks.

A special thanks again to both Lindsays/Lyndsays who’s made this month’s Foodie Pen Pals enjoyable for me!

I’ll be announcing the winners of the Mohegan Sun giveaway on Monday!

Have you ever tried any of these products? Which would you enjoy most?

May Foodie Pen Pals – What I Sent (Guest Post)

This month, I sent my May Foodie Pen Pals box to a blog reader, Renee. Since she doesn’t have a blog, I asked her if she’d be interested in guest posting for me on what I sent her, per Foodie Pen Pal Program originator Lindsay‘s suggestion. Thankfully, she agreed! Please enjoy this post about what I sent her way!

Hello everyone!! My name is Renee and I am so excited to be guest blogging on CaitPlusAte.

I am here to reveal the contents of my very first Foodie Pen Pal package.

I felt like a kid at Christmas waiting for the mail to come anticipating the arrival of this unknown package.

When it arrived I was so excited, since I didn’t get home until 10:00pm!

I opened the box very carefully, as not to harm the products inside.

This was my first peek!!

I was actually shocked at how much I had received. I loved the fact that there was more than just food!

I had told Cait I am trying to live a healthy lifestyle and she definitely helped contribute with the fantastic items in the box!

(This picture was actually taken the day after, so I have to tell you there is one item missing. A Think Thin snack bar. I ate it then remembered I had to take some photos. We will just pretend it is there.)

The only thing I have ever had in the box was the California Raisins; I love Raisins so I was very excited to receive them WITH a raisin cookbook!!!

I opened up the Fiber One 80 Calorie cereal and took a handful. SOLD!! So good. I could definitely see myself eating that with milk or mixed into yogurt.

Other items that I had to resist eating all at once were: Fiber One Brownie, Pure Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar and Snapea Crisps (very interesting can’t wait to try that).

Love Grown Granola is AMAZING. As I read the label I noticed there are no strange additives. I don’t think I have ever had something that unprocessed aside from fresh fruit and vegetables. Super tasty, I’ll have to look for it in my area!

An Herbal Tea Blend from New York City. I love tea so much!!! I even have a fancy tea ball!!!

The leaves definitely give off a sweet aroma of Chocolate and Coconut.

Judy’s Best Garlic Butter contains dried herbs, spices and butter that you can mix with olive oil and toss with pasta and chicken, or pretty much whatever. Garlic pretty much runs through my veins so I’m VERY excited to try this.

Cait also included some cute pink straws that I definitely put to good use on one of the 80 Degree days we had this past weekend!

A SELF magazine with Bethany Frankle on the cover, I know her Skinny Girl products quite well.

An awesome Oakley water bottle that is flexible and foldable, you could definitely bring it ANYWHERE! All in all I was SUPER pleased and so excited about my Foodie Pen Pal gift, it has been so great to chat and follow Cait on her blog!

THANKS SO MUCH!!  HAPPY EATING!!! RENEE

And thank YOU Renee for posting! Happy eating indeed 🙂 Have you ever tried any of the products I sent Renee? I know they may be familiar to some of you – some are from my adventures in NYC earlier this month!

May Foodie Pen Pals (The Best Ever)

Did you miss yesterday’s preview of my next big foodie event, Mohegan Sun BBQ Fest? Head here to check it out!

I am so excited to write about what I got from my Foodie Pen Pal this month…you’ll see why. But first, a quick explanation of what this is about – Lindsay‘s Foodie Pen Pals program is a great way to meet fellow bloggers and try new foodie treats, whether they are local or just something your grocery store doesn’t happen to carry. Don’t forget to go here to find out how you can join this amazing program. It’s completely worth the ~$25/month (food + shipping) that it costs to participate!

Previous Foodie Pen Pals posts:

No offense at ALL to the other foodie pen pals I’ve had…you’ve all been wonderful. However, I have to call May the BEST month of the Foodie Pen Pals program I’ve ever experienced. That’s because, ironically enough, no pen was required for me to receive my package. The pen pal assigned to mail me a box of foodie treats happened to live a few towns away! How often does a picture like the one below get to accompany a Foodie Pen Pal reveal?

Two foodies and their tea!

Yeah, that’s what I thought! When my pen pal Michelle emailed me to ask for my preferences, she mentioned she lived nearby. I immediately suggested we meet up in person, and was glad that she was into the idea too. We made plans to meet in West Hartford’s picturesque Blueback Square at The Green Teahouse, a special loose-leaf tea shop that I’ve visited a couple of times in the past.

Our loose leaf tea blend.

It’s pretty funny how alike Michelle and I are! We both showed up in workout gear and sunglasses, as you can see from our photo together. We both have a Whole Foods addiction, and love to work out. And best of all, we both are daily deal addicts! When she pulled out a Living Social deal to Green Teahouse as we walked into the shop, I could’ve kissed her. I have never found another Coupon Caitlin – finally, someone who wouldn’t be looking at me saying, “You have a Groupon for that?!”

Monkey’s Chocolate and Banana Split, a match made in iced tea heaven.

We also share similar taste in teas, because it was easy for us to quickly select a blend that the friendly employee promised would make the world implode. He was right! We ordered two iced tea blends of Monkey’s Chocolate and Banana Split, lightly sweetened with honey.

Check out those fantastic whole ingredients!

As part of my pen pal package, Michelle was a total sweetheart and contributed her Living Social deal to purchase our iced teas, as well as an ounce each of the blend for us to make at home. I’ve already made one attempt to re-create the tea (again, as an iced drink) on my won, and I definitely didn’t make it strong enough. Now I know for next time! I need a LOT of this yummy flavor.

Our friendly sales associate measures out our blends to take home.

The guy who helped us also shared that for groups of four to ten people, at $30/person, the Green Teahouse will do Chinese tea ceremonies! Sounds like such a fun girl’s day.

We took our iced teas outside because it was such a gorgeous day. I loved that Michelle could watch my reaction as I opened the package, which came in a Whole Foods bag and was tied with an adorable ribbon. I have since transferred the ribbon to my Reebok backpack!

I spotted something QUITE incredible with my first glance into the bag.

Yes, that’s Lilly Pulitzer! What I really loved about Michelle’s package for me was the fact that she really read my blog to help her determine what goodies I’d enjoy most. She just put so much effort into it! I was touched.

For example, Michelle could tell from my constant posting about Daybreak that I am a coffee-lover, so she selected a coffee thermos for me. And I think she could also tell that I’m a Lilly girl 😉 The borghum gum sea salt air popcorn sounds SO interesting to me! Michelle says it’s great and I can’t wait to dig in some evening when I need a snack for a movie night. I love salty, savory food!

The savory snack and coffee theme continued. How adorable are those printed notes?! What’s even MORE awesome is that Michelle designed them! She does printing and design on the side – another touching part of the package, and I also was in desperate need of new cards to use for future Foodie Pen Pal mailings. The non-GMO soy and mushroom jerky was right up my alley – healthy, unique, and savory. I’ve already had the hickory BBQ soy flavor and can’t wait to try the spicier mushroom one next – but will have to follow Michelle’s recommendation and have a glass of milk ready nearby.

I was so very excited to see the Z Bars in the package because I have seen them ALL over the blog world but have never picked any up because I tend to have a steady supply of bars at my house from samples, giveaways, and other Foodie Pen Pal months. The nutrition stats are quite impressive and I had the honey graham version before Step class one day, and had a GREAT class full of energy! Michelle studied in England for awhile and wanted to give me some international brands of food, so she chose low-calorie hot chocolate packets. I’m so excited to try them, especially the Caribbean coconut flavor – oh man.

Cue the angel chorus!

I got pretty damn excited when the last thing I pulled out of the bag was a Tupperware container. Michelle is just so cute and perky and I could totally see her being an excellent baker and cook. Yup, that was confirmed when I opened the container and caught a glance of the above: Michelle’s Kick A** Cookies with oats, flax seed, dried figs, walnuts, and both dark and white chocolate chips!

I think I’m in love!

I brought them to a grad party I attended later that day and had two myself. They didn’t last long among my friends! So hearty, satisfying, and yet also indulgent-tasting. Props, Michelle!

I’m so thankful to have been matched up with a Foodie Pen Pal in May who has ALSO become a “real life” friend! Michelle and I plan to hang out again…and, hint hint, I wouldn’t mind sampling some more baked goods!

And don’t forget to check out The Green Teahouse’s tea blog – an interesting read even for those who aren’t from CT!

Stay tuned – this afternoon I’ll be publishing a guest post by the reader I sent goodies to this month!

Have you ever visited a loose leaf tea café/shop?

Have you ever been matched up with a Foodie Pen Pal who you were able to meet with in person?

Have you ever tried any of the treats I received?

April Foodie Pen Pals!

I can’t BELIEVE it’s already the last day of April. AKA Foodie Pen Pal reveal day!!!

Lindsay‘s Foodie Pen Pals program is a great way to meet fellow bloggers and try new foodie treats, whether they are local or just something your grocery store doesn’t happen to carry. This month I ended up being assigned to send a package to someone I already knew, the wonderful Diana of Veggie Next Door. I’ve never gotten a pen pal match-up before who is already a friend, and it was really fun because I felt more motivated to share certain “treasures” with her like locally made CT food and coffee from my favorite cafe ever. Check out what I got Diana!

Previous Foodie Pen Pals posts:

I was sent a package by the gorgeous Annica Russo! I’m so glad to have found her blog, AnnicaNicole, about the healthy livings musings of a fellow Fitfluential Ambassador. She and I have a lot in common – social media addiction, communications education, advertising and PR career goals…I could go on forever! Probably explains why I enjoyed what she sent so much.

I was in love from the moment I laid eyes on this fabulous zebra tissue paper (fun fact: my bathroom my junior year of college was zebra themed).

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

Well that was a tangent. Do you like the row of tampon boxes in the above photo? Classic college dorm bathroom belonging to four girls.

Let’s get back to the goods, shall we?

I was even more impressed by the ADORABLE initialed card Annica used, especially since one of my favorite cards to use during any sort of blogger exchange ALSO has my first name initial on it!

From a package I sent Lynn for Christmas (source).

The similarities only continued to pile on as I got past the tissue paper and card and got to the FOOD!

  • Fresh Finds rice cracker mix: This snacky, healthier take on Chex Mix is low in calories (which to me translates into I’LL EAT MORE :-D) and I would love to mix it into plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese as a snack!
  • Fresh Finds banana chips: Ditto with these guys on the mix-in possibilities!
  • Antico Pastificio Umbro garlic & basil linguine: I never really eat pasta at home, or order it out, because it’s not interesting enough for me. So THIS pasta is right up my alley! I love garlic, I love basil, and it’s made with whole wheat flour. Score!
  • Tropical Foods yogurt pretzels: Oooh danger danger! I know that once I open this bag my mom and I will go through it VERY quickly, probably why we’ve delayed opening, but I can’t wait to dive in…

  • Balance Bar Cafe chocolate almond biscotti bar: I’m not a big bar person but do enjoy using them sometimes as yet another cottage cheese or plain Greek yogurt mix-in. I’m excited to try this one because based off the nutrition stats and ingredients list, it looks promising!
  • Moser Roth chili dark European chocolate: Chili chocolate, how unique!!! I ended up bringing this to a jewelry making party so that everyone could try it paired with red wine!

Thank you so much Annica for taking the time to put together a great box for me. Keep an eye out on my Twitter because whenever I snack, I’m usually tweeting it! That’s how you’ll all get the latest updates on how I like my goodies!

Don’t forget to go here to find out how you can join this amazing program. It’s completely worth the ~$25/month (food + shipping) that it costs to participate!

Do you do foodie pen pals? If so, how was your box this month?!

March Foodie Pen Pals!

Lindsay‘s Foodie Pen Pals program continues to impress me each month. Not only is she doing a great job running the growing exchange, but this month I was matched with someone much older than me, which I thought was fabulous because I am all about meeting new people of all ages, especially since I entered the working world and started this blog.

Previous Foodie Pen Pals posts:

My pen-pal was Loy of From Grandma Loy’s Kitchen. She is almost 70 and really is a grandmother! So I completely trusted her taste before I even opened the above box. After all, she’s got tons of food experience! The recipes on her blog look amazing.

What an amazing package! The pink notepad is my favorite color (Loy asked me what that was before she put my package together) and I can’t wait to use it at work to make lists (I’m a chronic list-maker). The yellow cloth towels that the goodies are resting on were another piece of the package that Loy picked out with a specific color in mind. She asked for the color of my kitchen wallpaper, and it’s yellow with flowers. Turns out she wanted the towels to match the kitchen – so sweet! My mom appreciated that too.

She also appreciated the sweet chili dipping sauce, savory roast rub, and garlic & herb mix. Why is that? Well, we are having an Easter party with our usual group of formerly-Florida-resident pals, and all three of these items are DEFINITELY going to be utilized in both appetizers (garlic & herb dip with crackers and veggies, along with the dipping sauce for shrimp cocktail) and dinner (the roast rub for our chicken and pork tenderloin). Can’t wait to share how it all turns out!

Heather was visiting the night I received and opened my box, and she squealed with delight when she saw the salted snapea crisps. Apparently they’re awesome – I can’t wait to break into them! Side note: the company that makes them, Calbee America, also makes baked shrimp-flavored chips. Um, baffling, and yet I REALLY want to try them?!

I’ve been dying to try the Thomas’ 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thins! I usually stick to their english muffins with my daily dose of Laughing Cow, but now I can try something new, ESPECIALLY since I discovered just yesterday that Laughing Cow now makes Light Cinnamon Cream Cheese wedges – um, yes please, thanks. The Cranberry Nut Goodness granola is honestly not my thing – I’m just not into cranberry, or granola for that matter. However, no food goes to waste! I passed it on to a good friend who loves granola!

Thank you again to Loy for putting together such a great package for me, and customizing it so well! If you want to sign up for Foodie Pen Pals, check out Lindsay’s info page on The Lean Green Bean to find out more!

Also check out what I got my pen pal Brittany of Go The Xtra Mile!

Have you ever tried any of these products? Which would you most want to try?

February Foodie Pen Pals

Don’t forget to read last night’s post about Daily Feats, a new social networking rewards site that helps you meet your goals AND earn bonus points to use towards rewards and/or charitable donations. The post contains a code good for 50 free bonus points at (also free) registration!

And you can find out what I got my foodie pen pal, Halley of Blunder Construction, here!

Not only do I get a Birchbox every month, but I also get an even better kind of box – from my Foodie Pen Pal! Lindsay of The Lean Green Bean has taken on QUITE the project – she now has over 200 participants! Bloggers and blog readers alike can participate (just last month, a reader without a blog did a guest post for me so that she had somewhere to share what I sent her).

This month, my pen pal was Julia of A Girl with a Stethoscope. She is a new graduate nurse with a love for running and eating. One of my favorite things about this program is the way it connects me with other bloggers and their blogs that I may never have found! I really like her blog AND her taste in food…check out all the goodies she sent me!

First glance inside…ooh…

  • Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile Herbal Tea: YES I am so excited to try this! I adore honey vanilla teas and the fact that this is decaf will make it perfect to enjoy in the evenings. I have loose leaf herbal tea but to be honest, have not made a single cup because I have been to lazy to prepare loose leaf! Maybe I’ll start drinking tea more often now that I have a bagged variety.
  • Rhythm Superfoods Sweet Potato Chips: I was super psyched to try these out, but they weren’t exactly my cup of tea (wrote that and then realized that phrase would fit better in the above bullet) because despite the fact that these are the Sea Salt variety, they weren’t salty enough! However I’m sure someone in my house who isn’t as hopelessly salt-addicted as me will end up polishing these off. The whole bag has just 100 calories!
  • Kaia Foods Sprouted Sunflower Seeds: I know many bloggers out there are addicted to sunflower seed butter, and sunflower seeds themselves. I honestly haven’t tried the butter and have not had plain sunflower seeds since I was a picky elementary school kid who only ate Wonder Bread and buttered pasta. SO, what I’m trying to say here is, I’m very excited to try these because a) I’m way more open-minded now and b) these are a Cocoa Mole flavor! I think that these sunflower seeds would go GREAT in a plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese snack.

  • Barbara’s Snackimals: Funny story, I remember seeing these in Whole Foods when I was shopping for my foodie pen pal this month, and being curious about them. How convenient that Julia got me a snack bag! Another great mix-in for Greek yogurt/cottage cheese messes, or something nifty to keep in my cubicle for those emergency hunger situations. The vanilla flavor is definitely what I would have chosen myself.
  • Nature’s Path Love Crunch Granola: And the snack ingredients keep on coming! Love the Dark Chocolate & Red Berry flavor…it reminds me of chocolate covered strawberries! I bet adding some chocolate syrup on top of this granola would be amaaaazing, maybe on top of a berry crisp…ooh, my recipe mind is churning!
  • Justin’s Nut Butters: I saved the BEST for last! I have always wanted to try Justin’s nut butters and finally can. Julia was kind enough to send me several varieties! Even though I’m more of a PB fan, I am pleased to announce that I have started with the Classic almond butter variety and have been enjoying it on bananas. I don’t think I’d ever have it on something like bread, but paired with a sweeter component like fruit, the roasty salted almond flavor is definitely better to me than the last time I tried almond butter.  I’m sooooo excited to try the chocolate hazelnut butter too. I think I’m going to save it for last!

This month’s foodie pen pal package was great, and I already can’t wait for March. I also can’t wait to find out how my pen pal, Halley of Blunder Construction, likes her package – I think it’s the best one I’ve ever put together. Thanks again to Julia for going above and beyond, and sending me some fab goodies!

A little blurb from Lindsay herself to get you motivated to sign up: If you’re interested in participating for March, please send  an email to Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:
-Your full name
-Your email address
-Your blog name/address
-Your twitter handle (if applicable)
–WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT.

Have you ever tried any of the products I received?

January Foodie Pen Pals – Guest Post!

Please enjoy a guest post from blog reader Rachel, describing what I sent her for January’s foodie pen pal exchange! 

Hi Cait Plus Ate Readers!

I am not a blogger, but I AM a blog stalker.  In the last year, I have begun reading a number of healthy living blogs in an effort to strengthen my own healthy living habits. So…I jumped at the chance to interact with some of my favorite bloggers and other foodie fanatics by participating as a Foodie Pen Pal.

I’m a vegetarian who lives in the Midwest, where veg-friendly fare is sparse. I’m always looking for ways to spruce up my menus so that I avoid my own fruit and vegetable overkill, which happens more than I care to admit.  The problem is, I never get tired of fruits and vegetables.  Finding a balance by incorporating sources of healthy protein and whole grains is my weakness.

I let Caitlin know ahead of time that I was a vegetarian but that I had virtually no other food aversions. She didn’t miss a beat and completely hit the nail on the head with my pen pal package.  Here’s a look at the wonderful foodie bliss as it arrived.

But don’t let the picture fool you – none of those items stayed in the box for moment longer than it took to say, “Cheese!”

The Chocolove Peppermint in Dark Chocolate bar was immediately deposited in my lunch box, and I have devoured a small piece (only with great restraint and in an effort to make it last longer) each day after my lunch at work.

Ahhh..peppermint and chocolate!

The Pumpkin Seed-Snack also went with me to work.  I’m keeping them in my snack drawer for when hunger pains strike mid-afternoon. They’re full of protein, iron, and other essentials that vegetarians often lack.

The lentil chips accompanied me to a Trivia Night fundraiser the following evening, and I have to agree with Caitlin. These may be a new “obsession” of mine as well. My fellow trivia team members agreed.

The coffee – oh, the coffee.  First, let me tell you that I am not a regular coffee drinker. I grab a cup at work only if I’m cold and need some warming up.  I might occasionally sneak in a pumpkin latte when out with my girlfriends.  It’s not that I don’t like the taste, obviously, it’s more that I’m afraid of establishing what so many people seem to refer to as “an addiction.”  I don’t want to start something I can’t stop.  Well, thanks to Caitlin, IT HAS BEGUN.

I borrowed a coffee-maker from my mom. She doesn’t drink coffee either but keeps it on hand for guests.  Even though it’s 30 degrees in the St. Louisarea at the moment, iced coffee sounded good. I used Tina’s tutorial, and this morning, I downed two glasses of  iced almond milk-stevia-coconut coffee goodness. Whoa.  This could be bad.  For someone who features virtually no caffeine in her diet, two glasses had my heart aflutter for the entire day. But it was totally worth it. I’ve just got to remember that whole moderation thing. 🙂

As for the chocolate-covered pretzels and coconut water – well, I have big plans for both of them.  The pretzels will either find their way into my belly as an after-dinner snack or possibly in some variation of Jessica’s Peanut Butter Fudge Pretzel Brownies.  Since summer can’t get here fast enough, the coconut water will make an appearance in a smoothie I’ve been lusting for over at Mama Pea‘s.

See…told you I was a blog stalker.

Thanks again to Caitlin for the delicious goodies and the opportunity to blab incessantly about food to people who might actually give a darn and appreciate my food-appreciative tangents (unlike the hubs – who tends to stare at me blankly, albeit lovingly during an episode).

And thank you to Rachel for being kind enough to put this guest post together for me! How cute is she?

January Foodie Pen Pals: What I Got!

Hey folks. I’m feeling quite blah this morning. Woke up at 4AM and couldn’t go back to sleep, and a round of P90X Yoga did nothing to improve my physical or mental state today. I’ve been feeling some effects from the many evenings out I’ve been partaking in over the last couple of weeks, some in my body, but mostly in my mind. I’ve just been wrestling with feeling guilty about any indulgences I’ve partaken in – and when I focus on that, it sometimes makes it seem like all I’ve been doing is indulging at every meal, though I know in reality that’s not true. I also am getting stressed about a lack of down time. Now that my semester has started back up I’ve got less time for the workouts and relaxing “me time” at home that tend to keep me “sane”. That is, I’ve got less time for it if I want to keep up my social schedule, which has done nothing but speed up since the holidays – I thought it’d be the opposite! I think something has to give here and I need to make myself stop making so many plans, but honestly, there is just so much fun stuff to do! Good problem to have, but I’m getting exhausted.

OK. Rant done. The real reason I’m posting today…

Lindsay has done it again! January’s Foodie Pen Pals has gone on without a hitch – with the exception of me mailing my package two days late (dammit, no mail on Sundays or MLK Day). I received my package from Francesca early, and was overwhelmed by how generous she was. Just like November’s pen pal, Tara, my January pen pal seemed to know me very well, even though the only guidance I gave her was “I like everything!” She sent me so much stuff, I had to take several photos.

The chocolate chip cookie looked amazing and felt so soft. The Saran wrap protected it well! My little brother has already stolen it. Continuing the chocolate trend, the Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds will be so good after I’m allowed to eat nuts again – a couple months post-wisdom-teeth! I’ll have to hold off til then! The pink bubble bath was food-related, though it may not seem so at first – doesn’t it look like a bottle of champagne? I think yes! It served me well when I accomplished one of my happiness goals of taking a bubble bath recently!. Finally, the Crystal Light Pure drink powders are going to come in handy for my mom. She really likes them for the afternoon. I myself don’t like flavored water, but this food will NOT go to waste!

Candy time! Raspberry Chocolate Covered Peeps are good any time of year, and my brother appreciated the Rainbow Berry Sour Candy. I plan to share the Pomegranate Fruit Strips with my friend Kim, but I won’t be sharing the Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Mousse. No, not at all. The chocolate all goes to me! The Skinny Cow Clusters look like the perfect post-lunch dessert to pack for work.

I saved the best for last – my two favorite items. I’m so psyched to mix the Archer Farms Banana Slices into my usual Chobani, cottage cheese, and pudding snacks. Those Iced Animal Cookies totally bring me back. I used to love them as a kid and they still serve as one of my very favorite fro-yo toppings.

Thank you to Francesca for taking the time to put together such a great package with a variety of goodies! If you’re interested in Foodie Pen Pals, here’s some info from Lindsay:

  • 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. *US Residents only please at this time- hopefully we can expand soon!*

If you’re interested in participating for February, please send an email to Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:

  • Your full name
  • Your email address
  • Your blog name/address
  • Your twitter handle (if applicable)

I highly encourage you all to sign up! Maybe we’ll get paired together!

Stay tuned for a guest post later today from the reader who was the recipient of my pen pal package!

Which item that I received do you wish you could join me in sampling?

Rooftop 120

Hey guys! Hope your day is going well so far. I have to say that I’ve been MIA (or less active than usual) in commenting and tweeting, which bums me out. However I am in the home stretch of my first semester as a part-time MBA student, which means a huge group project with a presentation, a ten-page paper, and a final! I’m just thankful that one of my professors cancelled our final, so I only have one, for my other class. But I really can’t wait for a few weeks off between this semester and the next so that I can spend more free time blogging and less on homework! At least I can’t complain about spending time doing things with family and friends – I always make time for that 🙂 keeps me sane!

Or not sane…?

In fact, I had a pretty wonderful weekend. I started and ended Friday in a funk, so I didn’t have the highest hopes for the last couple of days. But Saturday I got a ton of homework and Christmas shopping done and had a delicious meal at Chili’s for dinner. Yesterday I PR’ed in a road race. I also explored a part of my town I’ve never seen before, which involved an art show with wine, crackers, and cheese, giving another local cafe a chance to inspire my homework/blogging-sessions, and a hike where I discovered a hidden treasure.

You’ll have to wait a bit longer to hear more about each of those things!

I also wanted to direct you guys to Sarah’s blog Sarah Snacks to check out the loot she received from her November Foodie Pen Pal – aka ME! I sent her the ingredients for a chocolate coma, plus a little mint thrown in. I’m bummed that I’m not doing Foodie Pen Pals this month (too many blogger cookie things going on instead!) but will be back for more in January.

The main purpose of today’s post is to share a fun Tuesday night outing I had last week with a fellow foodie and the namer of this blog, Rachel, at Glastonbury’s newest bar Rooftop 120. It’s the largest four-season rooftop in all of New England and is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been several times before and their drinks are fabulous and unique. I’m usually a wine girl, but at Rooftop I’ve gotta go with hard liquor-based beverages. In the summer, when glass doors are not enclosing the bar area, it feels like Vegas, my favorite place in the world.

Image courtesy of rooftop120.com

How cool is that wall? At night all those bottles are illuminated! Courtesty of rooftop120.com

My favorite area to sit when it's warm. Image courtesy of rooftop120.com

I arrived in the mood for red wine, and Rachel planned to order the Cucumber Martini that I had during my first Rooftop 120 visit over the summer. We were informed by our server, however, that the cucumber-infused tequila the martini was made with was a seasonal item, so the drink was off the menu. Rachel was bummed and I was about to order my wine when the bartender came over and started mixing us up his own cucumber martini creation!

He used organic Pearl cucumber vodka and a little Prosecco!

I took one sip of this drink and my desire for a glass of red went out the window. So much for Wine Tuesday – how about Martini Tuesday?

That cucumber at the very end was like a cherry on top of a sundae!

So then I started telling Rachel about the apple, peach, and cinnamon-infused whiskey I tried during my last visit to Rooftop…

…and the bartender must have overheard us again, because he brought over complimentary shots! Bottoms up!

I ended up with a headache the next morning thanks to my martini and shot, but the deliciousness wasn’t stopping there. Rachel got the Provence Flatbread: Spiced Belltown orchards apples, caramelized onions, truffle honey, pancetta, and brie. I forgot to take a picture of before she started enjoying it, but I did remember to finish off the last slice. We both agreed it was a little too sweet, but still pretty good. The winner was my flatbread selection, the Tombstone Flatbread: grilled chicken, pepperjack, roasted red peppers, and chipotle onion. The server had it made for us less spicy than usual, which was a good thing because Rachel thought it was spicy as is, but it was perfect for me!

At first I had no appetite after  my drinks, but by the time this flatbread came I was ready to chow down.

Rachel and I had a great night at Rooftop 120 – it was her first visit, and she was back two days later to pre-celebrate her birthday! And in case you’re wondering why she’s MIA in the photos, that was her doing, not mine. And in case you’re wondering why these are iPhone photos and not taken with my new cam – well, the cam was MIA, and that WAS my doing.

About to finish off my vodka-infused cucumber slice!

Thanks to Rooftop 120 for fabulous drinks, crispy and flavorful flatbread, and great deals in the form of free shots and free app coupons for our flatbreads!

What’s the coolest bar you’ve ever been to? Are there any “stylish” places in your area?

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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