Simple Bites » Giveaways

Simple Living Block Party 2010 Winners

Aimee — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 11:53:49 +0000

What a fabulous group of readers we have here at Simple Bites, and indeed, all across Simple Living Media.

Thank you to all who participated in our giveaways and made our summer block party a rip roaring success!

An even bigger thanks to all of this year’s Block Party sponsors! Take some time this holiday weekend to check out their sites and see their terrific products:

Block Party 2010 Sponsors

Now, I’m thrilled to announce the winners of the four giveaways that Simple Bites featured over the past few days…

Breville Smart Grill

The winner of the Smart Grill from Breville is: Patience!

Patience commented:

“We don’t eat meat at home, only when out at restaurants. I’m not amazing at cooking it, that’s why! BUT if I won the Breville Smart Grill – the very first thing I’d cook on it would be a delicious piece of grain fed, roamed steak. And I wouldn’t stop there. Sausages. Grilled cheese sandwiches. Haloumi. Zucchini. And I wouldn’t stop eating.”

Enjoy your new grill, Patience!

Menu in a Box Meal Planning

The winner of a free one year membership to Menu In a Box Meal Planning is: Jessica Brammer!

Jessica commented:

“We are trying to plan out meals a month in advance, so this would be very helpful!”

Canterbury Naturals

The winner of the extra large gift basket from Canterbury Naturals is: Jen!

Jen commented:

Sweet! Coconut Macaroon Cookie Mix and Golden Carrot Cake Mix sound delicious!

Strawesome

The four winners of a Starter Set of Glass Straws from Strawesome are:

Terri F who said “I use straws for my children all the time. This would be such a great thing to have so that I would not have to throw them away! I was excited to see that they have the bent straw design on their website. I think the skinny bent straw would work perfectly in the type of cup I use for my son. So cool!”

Shellie who said “I like the bent straws!”

Rhonda who said “A great giveaway! I love the set of six different colors. That’s what I’d like to get for my family.”

Kara who said: “These are so cool! I really like blue, so the blue one…”

Winners have all been notified via email.

A big thank you to all who made our block party so much fun! Stay tuned for our Canning 101 series that starts this Friday!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

Simple Living Block Party 2010 Winners is a post from Simple Bites

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Block Party Giveaway: Strawesome

Aimee — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 04:02:45 +0000

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who participated! Check back on July 4 for the winner!
Welcome to the Simple Living Media Summer Block Party! We’ve got 20 giveaways across the entire network this week to give you plenty of chances to win.

There’s something new in my kitchen that I find myself reaching for several times a day….introducing our next great giveaway from Strawesome!

A few weeks ago, if you had told me I needed a reusable drinking straw -or six-, I might have told you to go fly a kite, but thanks to a Starter Set of glass straws from Strawesome, I can honestly say I am converted for life!

A Glass Straw? Isn’t that, like, dangerous?

I know, I said the same thing, but that was before I knew that these straws are made of borosilicate glass tubing (think Pyrex) and have a lifetime guarantee against breakage. I know!

You can toss these straws right into the dishwasher.

Strawesome also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you don’t love your straws, you can send them back. Believe me, though, these will be the coolest addition to your kitchen this year. I love showing mine off to friends and showing off their many virtues.

But why a reuseable straw and not a generic jumbo pack?

These days, concern about plastic usage is at a fever-pitch. Glass drinking straws are one way to limit your exposure to toxins. Plus, think of all the plastic straws getting tossed every summer (*ducks head in shame*).

Replacing ordinary plastic straws with a few reusable glass straws from Strawesome keeps all that plastic out of landfills – and makes me feel much better about our serious smoothie habit!

Have I mentioned that they are pretty?

Choose from a vast variety of colored or decorated straws to dress up your iced tea this summer. You can even personalize Strawesome for a very cool, modern and functional gift idea.

Hmm, I’m thinking Christmas stocking ideas, you?

Strawesome’s description of prize package

Our prize package includes what we like to refer to as the “Starter Set” which we think is a great combination for the average straw user.

It includes one of each –

8” regular,
8” smoothie
6” regular
6” smoothie straw

plus a handy cleaning brush.

Our 8” straws are the size of the average straw you might find in a restaurant or use in a average sized glass. Our 6” straws are great for use in a smaller juice glass or children’s cup. The smoothie straws are unique because plastic smoothie straws aren’t very easy to come by in retail locations. Our customers who regularly drink thicker beverages really get pleasure out of having a smoothie sized glass straw (i.e., no smoothie mustaches).

We’re also including one

8” regular decorative straw

Our decorative straws add a bit of artsy flair to an average drink, some even believe water tastes better with a beautiful glass straw!

Strawesome is giving away a total of FOUR prize packages, so I will be picking FOUR winners for this giveaway. Good luck!

How to Win

Everyone has three chances to win. Choose one or all three!

1. Comment on this post, and answer this question: What product from Strawesome catches your eye?

2. “Like” Strawesome on Facebook. Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve done so.

3. Subscribe to Simple Bites by email or in your feed reader. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’re subscribed.

This giveaway will end on Saturday July 3 at 11:59PM and is open to commenters 18 years or older. We’ll use Random.org to choose winners on July 4th! I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

Block Party Giveaway: Strawesome is a post from Simple Bites

Block Party Giveaway: Canterbury Naturals

Aimee — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:02:39 +0000

Today’s giveaway is one that has been making my kitchen smell absolutely marvelous over the past few days as I’ve been simmering, stirring and baking up a storm with a selection of marvelous products from Canterbury Naturals.

This line of mixes and blends from specialty food company Confer have plenty of appeal with their non-GMO and all natural ingredients, plus they are entirely delectable to boot! You just know their tempting assortments of breakfast mixes such as Gourmet Chocolate Waffle Mix or Apple Cinnamon Pancake Mix are going to be popular with the family!

We all have our days where we are short on time, but don’t want to compromise on the flavor or quality of our meals; fortunately Canterbury Naturals offers an alternative to KD and generic boxed cake mix.

Canterbury Naturals products contain no trans fats, hydrogenated oils, artificial additives, preservatives or colorings.They are also committed to green business practices, with 100% recycled and 100% recyclable paperboard packaging, local and sustainable sourcing efforts, and a commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

Wait, you mean they taste fantastic, save me time AND love the earth?

Yep. Now we’re giving you a chance to stock up!!

Winner will receive one large gift basket of the most popular breakfast and beverage products from Canterbury Naturals worth well over $100!

The lucky winner will enjoy all of the products listed below, I just hope their pantry is ready to accommodate!

Classic Crepe Mix
Old Fashioned Pancake & Waffle Mix
Gourmet Chocolate Waffle & Pancake Mix
Fisher Fair Scone Mix
Snuggle Up Hot Cocoa Mix

Little Grandma’s Northwest Apple Cake Mix
Jenna Marie’s Golden Carrot Cake Mix
Sunshine Lemon Cake Mix
Coconut Macaroon Cookie Mix
Pumpkin Spice Cookie Mix

Savory Herb & Cheese Tortellini Soup Mix
Rustic Fireside Tortilla Soup Mix
Hearty Bistro Lentil Soup Mix

Country Style Cornbread Mix
Old World Sundried Tomato Flatbread Mix

Head to the Canterbury Naturals section on the Conifer site to read the descriptions of the product – and get mighty hungry.

(this is a sample basket and not representative of the grand prize)

How to Win

Everyone has three chances to win. Choose one or all three!

1. Comment on this post, and answer this question: Sweet or Savory? Which products from Canterbury Naturals appeal to you?

2. Follow @simplebites on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway using the hashtag #SLMBlockParty. Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment with the link to your tweet.

3. Subscribe to Simple Bites by email or in your feed reader. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’re subscribed.

This giveaway will end on Friday, July 2 at 11:59PM EST and is open to commenters 18 years or older. We’ll use Random.org to choose winners on July 4th! I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

Block Party Giveaway: Canterbury Naturals is a post from Simple Bites

Block Party Giveaway: Menu in a Box Meal Planning

Aimee — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:01:27 +0000

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who participated! Check back on July 4 for the winner.

Welcome to the Simple Living Media Summer Block Party! We’ve got 20 giveaways across the entire network this week to give you plenty of chances to win!

Simple Bites readers are in for a treat with this next giveaway from Menu In A Box Meal Planning. With the mission to simplify menu planning for all families, founder Ruthie Chant does just that and more with her gorgeous, comprehensive website.

Menu in a Box Online Meal Planning is a subscription membership site created by a Mom for busy families to make meal planning simple, and that’s why I love it so much.

Everything you need is right there, from meal planning tools, downloads, recipes, how-to tips, kids activities, birthday and lunchbox planning, nutrition tips and plenty of inspiration. No need for time-consuming Google searches!

**So, what does a $120 yearly subscription to Menu In A Box Meal Planing give you?**

For starters, there is access to hundreds of healthy budget friendly, family and kid favorite recipes including budget friendly, celebrations, dairy & egg free, for baby & toddler, freezer friendly, gluten free, kid friendly, low fat, lunchbox, no sugar, nut free, quick & easy, vegetarian and much more!
Instructions on how to create your own meal plans, plus print recipes & generate a shopping list in minutes.
Tutorials on cooking basics, time-saving techniques, entertaining tips, birthday parties ideas, baking methods and techniques, and kitchen safety guidelines.
An absolutely fantastic children section to inspire your kids to get in the kitchen and create, not to mention downloadable educational activities that help to teach your kids to meal plan and develop healthy habits from a young age. I LOVE this section; obviously Ruthie and I agree that, yes, pre-schoolers CAN cook too!
Everything you need to know about kitchen organizing that will save you time and money. With resources about food safety and storage tips (to keep your food tasting better longer), how to get the most out of your freezer, ways to save money and not skimp with your grocery budget.

These are just a few of the benefits of being a member to Menu In A Box Meal Planning offers.

Head here to see a short video on how the site works. Head to the Menu In A Box Blog to benefit from an exclusive 50% offer to the site for new blog subscribers!

Giveaway winner will receive a One Year Membership to Menu In A Box, valued at $120!

How to Win

Everyone has three chances to win. Choose one or all three!

1. Comment on this post, and answer this question: What is the next event you are planning a menu for? Sunday Dinner? A Birthday?

2. “Like” Menu In A Box Meal Planning on Facebook. Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve done so.

3. Subscribe to Simple Bites by email or in your feed reader. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’re subscribed.

This giveaway will end on Thursday, July 1 at 11:59PM EST and is open to commenters 18 years or older. We’ll use Random.org to choose winners on July 4th! I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

Block Party Giveaway: Menu in a Box Meal Planning is a post from Simple Bites

Block Party Giveaway: Breville Smart Grill

Aimee — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:01:36 +0000

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who participated! Check back on July 4 for the winner!

Welcome to the Simple Living Media Summer Block Party! We’ve got 20 giveaways across the entire network this week to give you plenty of chances to win!

Now, what would a sizzling block party be without some grilling? I’m elated to kick off this series of giveaways with this sleek, modern Smart Grill from Breville.

It has certainly simplified my life when it comes to feeding my family. Whether it’s been pancakes for breakfast – cooked efficiently on the flat griddle, perfect panini for lunch, or grilled beef and pineapple kebabs on the ribbed grill for dinner, I’m finding the Smart Grill to be my new best friend in the kitchen.

No more barbecuing in the rain AND now I can grill year round!

The technology and features of the Breville Smart Grill are sharp! Some of my favorite features are the way it opens flat, thus doubling the cooking surface, its removable, dishwasher safe sole plates, and the fact that the plates (the cooking area) contain smart heating elements that compensate for a temperature drop when cold food is placed onto the pre-heated surface.

My barbecue doesn’t do that!

Other fantastic features are its many adjustable height settings (no more squished fish fillets!), accurate temperature gauges and settings (with no ‘hot spots’), and a super practical timer and auto shut-off for those of us with ‘baby brain’. Yep, we’ve all been there.

There is no doubt that this compact, multi-faceted grill is convenient; the question is, who is going to take one home?

Winner will receive one Breville Smart Grill, valued at $300!

How to Win

Everyone has three chances to win. Choose one or all three!

1. Comment on this post, and answer this question: What would be the first ingredient you would cook up on the Breville Smart Grill?

2. Follow@simplebites and @BrevilleUSA on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway. Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment with the link to your tweet.

3. Subscribe to Simple Bites by email or in your feed reader. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’re subscribed.

This giveaway will end today June 30, at 11:59 EST and is open to commenters 18 years or older. We’ll use Random.org to choose winners on July 4th! I hope you win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

Block Party Giveaway: Breville Smart Grill is a post from Simple Bites

Simple Bites Basket Giveaway!

Aimee — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:00:23 +0000

*This giveaway is now closed. A big thank you to all who participated. Check back later today for the winners!*

Have I got a sweet giveaway for you today! Let me tell you, my kitchen counters are looking a whole lot snazzier adorned with these products.

In fact, you may need to clear off your counters and make some room as well, because ONE reader is going to win everything you see here! For real. One lucky reader is going to win all of it – yes, I’m talking about all 5 gift items in the basket - because it’s our first Simple Bites basket giveaway!

We’re not the only ones having a giveaway today, though. Yessiree, all the other channels on the Simple Living Media community are hosting their own giveaways to celebrate our network launch. So head on over and don’t miss out on your chance to win exceptional products from Simple Mom, Simple Kids, Simple Homeschool and Simple Organic.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

1. I Heart Vanilla

You’ve heard of a Mom ‘n Pop Shop? Well, I’m delighted to introduce I Heart Vanilla, a Pop ‘n Daughter team committed to deliver only the best quality vanilla beans to kitchens around the world. Their vanilla beans are handpicked from the pristine soils of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and are sorted for quality so as to deliver only the very best. Their stellar products include plump and aromatic vanilla beans and vanilla powder, a brand new product. The vanilla powder is just that; pure vanilla beans ground to a powder with no additives like sugar or fillers! Based in both Montreal and Kuala Lumpur, you’ll be happy to know that I Heart Vanilla ships their exceptional products worldwide.

I already use vanilla beans in cakes, custards, cookies, ice creams—and in pretty much any recipe that calls for vanilla and am looking forward to trying out the powder. I have a feeling that it will be very carefully guarded in my pantry as a great replacement for vanilla extract as it does not evaporate, does not contain alcohol and as a bonus, it’s gluten free!

The winner will receive a 25 bean bundle of Bourbon Vanilla beans PLUS a sample of pure vanilla powder.

2. Smith’s

As the leading creator of quality knife sharpeners, no company is more qualified in the area of edgeware than Smith’s . This is a company that started out small back in 1886 (!) but thanks to their consistent quality products they are now the market leader in the knife and scissor sharpening category.

Smith’s Diamond Edge Gourmet Electric Knife and Scissors Sharpener was elected as a finalist in the Food Preparation category of the 2009 Housewares Design Awards! This sharpener is for anyone who sets foot in the kitchen, be they novice or professional.

Ask anyone who knows me well what my pet peeve is and they will tell you “DULL KNIVES”. It’s true. A dull knife is unproductive and downright annoying. Fortunately, with this thoroughly modern and efficient electric sharpener, your knives can always be just as sharp as Jamie Oliver’s!

The winner will receive one Diamond Edge Gourmet Electric Knife and Scissors Sharpener.

3. Blog Aid: Recipes for Haiti Cookbook

Twenty-seven food bloggers from around the world responded quickly to the need for food and aid in Haiti following the January 12th earthquake by compiling a cookbook. This project, spearheaded by the talented and driven Julie Van Rosendaal, is quite possibly the fastest concept-to-publication book in history (3 weeks).

All the proceeds of book sales will support Haitian relief via the Red Cross and Doctors without Borders.

Each writer has contributed their own recipes and photos for a total of 72 recipes, and local graphic designer Cathryn Ironside has spent hundreds of hours putting the book together into a stunning layout. The book is 7”x7”, 110  pages and full color with a soft-cover ($25) as well as a hard-cover ($50) option.

Books are available for online purchase at www.blogaid.org and through each participating weblog.  You can read more about the cookbook and my humble participation with the project HERE.

The winner will receive one hardcover copy of Blog Aid: Recipes for Haiti.

4. Canterbury Naturals

The Canterbury Naturals line of specialty baking and soup mixes features all natural ingredients, and contains no trans fats, hydrogenated oils, colorings or preservatives. Their product lines offer home-style recipe tradition with products that are easy and fun to prepare, not to mention wholesome and delicious! The Canterbury brand has become known as a leader of simple, upscale and affordable gourmet foods for everyday cooking, special occasions and gift giving.

Not everyone likes to bake or cook, but we all love to eat. With Canterbury Naturals, family favorites such as Little Grandma’s Northwest Apple Cake or Sundried Tomato Flat Bread are so simple to prepare, they entice even the most reluctant individual into the kitchen. I’ll meet you there!

Winner will receive one of each of the following Canterbury Naturals products: Savory Herb & Cheese Tortellini Soup, Old World Sundried Tomato Flat Bread, and Northwest Apple Cake Mix.

5. Keurig

Keurig is the leading single-cup brewing system in North America. It was founded by coffee lovers who believed that coffee should always be served fresh, whether at home or at the office, just as in a gourmet coffee house. As a busy mom of two, I don’t get out to my favorite coffee shop (old stomping grounds) nearly often enough, but coffee at home is just as good now thanks to Keurig. Essential for young mothers!

Also ideal for entertaining, the Keurig Platinum Single Serve Brewer brews a fresh cup of gourmet coffee, tea, or cocoa in less than a minute. Its patented one-touch technology provides precise control over brewing, and there’s no messy grinding or clean up.

Forget hitting up the local drive-through café on your usual morning rush; now with one-touch technology, you can have your morning brew at the push of a button thanks to the Keurig Platinum Single Serve Brewer KUB70!

The winner will receive a Keurig Platinum Single Serve Brewer KUB70.

How to Win

Everyone has three chances to win. Choose one or all three!

1. Comment on this post, and answer this question: Which of the Simple Bites Topics are you most interested in learning more about? (Topics are located on the right hand sidebar)

2. Subscribe to Simple Bites by email or in your feed reader. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’re subscribed.

3. Blog about this giveaway. Leave a separate comment with your blog or post address.

This giveaway will end this Saturday, February 13 at 11:59 p.m. CST. I hope you win!

Be sure to check out the giveaway baskets on Simple Mom, Simple Kids, Simple Homeschool and Simple Organic for more chances to win!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Real Food on a Real Budget - how to eat healthy for less.
Eat Cleaner - all natural food wash.
The Soft Landing - feeding families safely.

Simple Bites Basket Giveaway! is a post from Simple Bites