Packages= happy Emma : )

I was absolutely thrilled to receive an amazing package from Vaaala (http://goddessvaala.blogspot.com/) in the post today. She kindly sent me loads of amazing goodies:

The goodies consist of: 3 Clif bars, a Clif Nectar bar, 2 Luna bars, 3 Jocalat bars and VEGAN WHITE CHOCOLATE (especially exciting!!!!)

I cannot wait to try all these amazing treats, they all look so scrummy! Thank you so much Vaaala!

Packages!

I love getting packages!

I recently did a package exchange with the lovely Agnes (http://agnesworldofveganpleasures.blogspot.com/) who sent me these amazing raw goodies:

Above are raw food energy bars, raw snacks (in flax, hazelnut and date flavours), dried banana, dried pineapple (my fave- and a real treat because I can never find it unsweetened!) and a coconut and orange juice. Everything is currently being enjoyed by me and my family!

Agnes also sent two adorable cards with the treats- they can be seen on either side of the picture above!

I was also really excited to receive a package from the lovely people at Clif! I have tried Clif builder bars in the past and have been anxious to try some of their other stuff ever since. However, the products are not sold in the UK so the only option is ordering them online, which I have been a little hesistant to do, having never tried them before! Generously, the company offered to send me a box of Luna goodies to try (info about them here: http://lunabar.com/).

My thoughts on what I have tried so far:

1. Luna Cookie- A nice texture but I wasn't quite sold on the minty flavour with the chocolate. am strange about other flavours with chocolate but I would definitely try this again because I think it would definitely grow on me!

2. Chai Tea- An unusual flavour and hard to describe! It was covered in white chocolate, which was nice and sweet but the bar itself had quite a strong cinnamon taste. I wasn't quite sure about it but after one bite I definitely started enjoying it! I think it was hard to tell whether I liked it at first because the flavour combination was unfamiliar to me.

3. Chocolate Peppermint stick- Another bar I was not so sure about because of the chocolate and mint combination but I definitely enjoyed the strong chocolate taste. It was quite rich but really hit the spot!

4. Chocolate raspberry- definitely my favourite flavour that I have tried so far. Chocolate with fruit is a flavour combination that I really like. The texture of the raspberries, which were nice and chewy, really made the bar satisfying to eat!

I have yet to try the Berry Almond flavour and the Luna Sunrise bar but I will definitely be munching them soon!

Current faves...

Recently I have really been enjoying butternut squash!

I sometimes have it plain (seasoned with a little salt) as a side dish:

Or sometimes it gets incorporated into my all time fave meal:

I am also really into refried beans at the moment, I particularly like this brand:

These are 'Mexican style' refried beans and consist of whole and mashed pinto beans, onions, peppers and jalapenos- nice and spicy!

I also like the 'La Preferida' brand of refried beans (available from wholefoods). They do lots of different flavours of these but I like the plain ones best.

I actually quite like eating refried beans on their own as a snack (occasionally even cold- I know I have strange tastes!!)

Another favourite snack of mine is hot cereal mixed with protein powder. I have always used a plain flavour of soya protein powder, but I recently decided to try a chocolate flavour:

I highly recommend this flavour. It is so yummy, there is no way I can go back to the plain flavour!

I love it mixed up with some 'wheat biscuits' and microwaved until nice and mushy (kind of like porridge in texture- sounds and looks gross but tastes really good!). I use this cereal to make my choccie cereal combo:

Before I go, is anyone out there interested in doing a snack bar package exchange? I really love swapping goodies with other bloggers! If anyone is up for it, please let me know by leaving me a comment or sending me an email!

I hope everyone is having a nice Easter weekend!

Freebies!

I was lucky enough to receive another package of freebies from the lovely people at Natural Balance Foods! (check them out here: http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/)

This company is so generous!

Here are the goodies they sent me:

In the box is: 3 nakd bars (cocoa loco, berry cheeky and apple pie flavours), 3 mini nakd bars (same flavours as well as banana bread flavour), 3 trek bars (peanut and oat, mixed berry and cocoa brownie flavours), 4 packets of flavoured raisins (orange, cherry, pineapple and lemon flavours) and most exciting of all the brand new trek flapjacks (oat crunch and cherry crunch flavours)

The company even sent a sweet handwritten note along with the package:

The postcard reads: 'Eddie's cow disguise hadn't fooled the vegetarian for one minute...'

This package really made my day and I cannot wait to get munching!

Meals with buckwheat

So I tried the buckwheat and the sweet potato and buckwheat noodles and wasn't that bothered about them! They seemed to stick together when cooking even though I used lots of water and did not cook them for very long at all! The noodles did taste good though.

Here are my dinner pics using the noodles:

1: Using the 100% buckwheat noodles in a stir-fry meal with cabbage, carrots, beanshoots and soya chunks:

2: Using the sweet potato and buckwheat noodles with mixed green veggies, carrots and beanshoots:




I also tried buckwheat pasta:

As you can see, pretty mushy in texture but I actually preferred the pasta to the noodles.

Somehow the soft texture made it nice and comforting to eat. Also in this meal are peppers and peas. I would definitely buy this pasta again (shame it is so expensive!)

Also- just wanted to mention that Katie (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.wordpress.com/) is doing a fabulous giveaway at the moment, with all her fave goodies up for grabs for 2 lucky winners! The closing date is April 10th so if you want to enter, you don't have long!

The link to the contest is here:

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/life-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates/

Vegan goodies!

I have been lucky enough to get my hands on some yummy treats lately!

First up is a lovely package from the lovely Agnes of (http://agnesworldofveganpleasures.blogspot.com/).

Isn't the box so cute?

Here are the goodies:

raw chocolate truffles, raw chocolate (I had never tried raw chocolate before and can say that it is yummy!!)

2 mini loaves of sprouted spelt raisin bread and some nice face packs

I have not eaten the bread yet but look forward to doing so soon! Agnes has given me lots of great ways that I can try having it, which I am eager to try out!

I also made a trip to Wholefoods the other day and got this load of stuff:

Above is canned pumpkin (2 tins because it it sooooo difficult to buy here in the UK so I always buy lots when I get the chance!), 2 tins of refried beans (1 had jalapenos in and was extra scrummy) and I also bought 2 types of noodles to try in my stir-fries: 100% buckwheat ones and ones with buckwheat and sweet potato in.

I haven't tried the noodles yet but I cannot wait to see what the taste and texture will be like!

I am not working this weekend so I am looking forward to doing relaxing and trying some new foods!

Stir-fries and exciting links

So, stir-fries have been a regular on my menu, as usual. I have been working lots of evenings recently and I just can never think of anything that is quicker to cook that is still tasty and healthy. I think I should try having other grains with my stir-fries though, I tend to always have noodles but I will try to mix it up in the future and have cous-cous, bulgar wheat, quinoa etc.

Piccies:

Stir-fry with polenta, loads of different veggies and soya mince:

Bit of an odd one, a stir-fry with baked beans (I know weird- but tasty!!), noodles and veggies:

Animal-shaped pasta stir-fry with kidney beans:
This is my 'I will get my 5 a day quota of fruit and veggies even if it kills me' dish (I think I had prob not had mucho fruit and veg during the day so was getting major cravings- ha!):

This is made with wholewheat pasta shells, green beans and mushrooms:

In other news, Katie of (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.wordpress.com/) is generously doing a Jocalat bar giveaway! I have never tried these bars but they are made by the larabar company and involve chocolate so they have got to be good! Here is the link if you want to enter: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/so-what-about-this-chocolate-giveaway/

I also made one of Katie's yummy recipes! I think that all her recipes look relaly scrummy but I don't have access to a good blender, which unfortunately prevents me making many of them : (
However, I was especially excited by her butternut squash fries recipe (check it out here: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/the-butternut-tales-part-two-the-future-mrs-butternut-squash/).

I ate the fries for dinner last night, alongside those Grassington's 'chicken style' nuggets I bought recently. The meal was really scrummy and different from my usual pasta and noodle dishes that I eat so frequently!
Here are some piccies:

Bowl of nuggets:

I really enjoyed these. They had a nice chewy texture and were nice and moist. They tasted relaly yummy too and I will definitely be buying myself some more soon (especially as I ate the whole bag in one go ; ) )

Fries just after baking:
Fries just before being eaten : ) :

Also, I wanted to provide a link to my cousin's online jewelry gallery/shop. She is amazingly creative and handmakes her own fun 'food-themed' jewelery 'for anyone with a sweet tooth'. Here it is to check out: http://www.porgecreations.deviantart.com/

Back soon!

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