2008 Food Blog Awards: Nomination Period Open
Now is the time to nominate your favorite food or drink blog for the 2008 Food Blog Awards. All the details can be found on our main site.
Chappaqua Crunch Granolas
I was hanging out in the kitchen section of HomeGoods while a friend filled her cart with items to redo her bathrooms. Meeting her at the store was supposed to be simple - to hang out and support her in her home improvements. Yeah, right. Don’t put me in a kitchen section anywhere because I will walk away with at least one thing. This trip? Well, there were actually a few things that I ended up in the cashier line with, but the fabulous find? Chappaqua Crunch Granola’s Simply Granola with Cranberries.
Seventy-eight percent organic and certified organic by Baystate Organic Certifiers, this granola as unique, yet enjoyable flavor. According to the website, “Chappaqua Crunch Granolas provide long lasting energy in the form of complex carbohydrates, containing over 20 grams of whole grains and three grams of fiber per serving.” In addition to being wheat-free, several other things are left out of these Chappaqua Crunch’s granolas. “You will never find trans fats, preservatives, artificial flavors, cholesterol, high fructose corn syrup or other corn sweeteners, genetically modified ingredients.”
Holiday Break
Thank you so much for making our site a part of your regular routine. Without you, we wouldn’t be here. We will be taking a short break to celebrate the holidays with our family and friends, and will resume regular postings on Monday, January 5th (the official kick-off of the annual Food Blog Awards!).
Happy holidays!
Biodegradable Trash Bags
Sometimes it seems a little countrproductive to spend our time sorting recyclables, only to put our garbage into a trash bag that doesn’t break down. Ah, but now there’s an alternative.
Perf Go Green bags are made from recycled plastic and have an additive that allows them to break down within two years, which is way better than the few hundred years it takes for regular trash bags.
They retail for $5 for a dozen 13-gallon bags and can be purchased at Walgreens or on Perf Go Green’s own site.
Five Grocery Store Gifts Under $15
Christmas is very, very close, but chances are you have someone who loves food left on your shopping list. Shopping for food lovers can be a challenge because most of them buy all the food tools and many of the cookbooks they need. Gift certificate time? Maybe, but wait.
Perhaps this year a new strategy is in order. Instead of buying a gadget or chancing a cookbook they may already own, use the grocery store as your guide for all your foodie shopping needs. As long as you stay away from fresh meat and produce (no one really wants a nice thick steak under their tree for the week leading up to Christmas), there are plenty of gifts to be found which are non-perishable and will cost $15 or less.
Saffron
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world because it is the fronds (tiny flower threads) of a particular species of plant. The relative rarity of the plant would make saffron expensive on its own, but to make matters worse, the fronds have to be hand harvested. They are too delicate to leave up to a machine to extract. Still, a little bit goes a long way in Spanish, Mediterranean, and decadently extravagant home dishes. A bottle of saffron which contains one one-thousandanth of an ounce can be as much as $26 dollars on Amazon, but I found it for $14.84 at Wal-Mart in Kansas City or for less than $10 at Amazon.
Robin Williams Cuts to the Chase
In a recent clip, comedian/actor Robin Williams said, “People are upset about gas, but how much do you pay for water? It used to be free!” Whether he’s joking or not, there is certainly more than a ring of truth that that statement.
The average cost of bottled water is $8 a gallon. Ouch. And then add to that the fact that the Container Recycling Institute says that eight out of 10 bottles are not recycled, that hurts even more. Remember, folks, tap water is way better than its rep, and if you’re going to go the bottled water route, at least recycle it.
Photo courtesy of RobinWilliams.com.
2008 Food Blog Awards Kick-Off
On Monday, January 5th, we will put out our call for nominations in fourteen different categories, and this is your chance to nominate the food and drink blogs that you think are the best of the best. The nominations period will close on Friday, January 9th, 11:59 pm, EST, giving you five full days to nominate your favorite blogs. Any nominations after that period will not be considered.
On January 19th, we will post the Top 5 nominations in each of the fourteen categories. These spots are decided by our judging panel, and only blogs nominated the week before will be considered. The amount of times a site is nominated does not have any bearing on its placement, it only puts it in the running.
Once the top 5 sites are announced for each category, the voting begins. Voting will be open from Monday, January 19th until 11:59 pm EST on Friday, January 23rd. You will have five full days to vote for your favorite site, determining the winners. The winners will be announced on Monday, January 26th.
During the rest of this pre-Food Blog Awards time, we will be unveiling our distinguished panel of judges, the official rules of the Food Blog Awards, and the list of prizes donated for the winners from our very generous sponsors.
Go on and spread the word … and let the fun begin!
Alanis Morissette is Green?
Yup, she sure is. One of Canada’s favorite imports, singer Alanis Morissette shared why she went green with Us magazine readers recently:
“My ‘aha!’ moment about being green came after I traveled to certain cities where the pollution - particularly from diesel - was so tangible, I couldn’t breathe. That’s why I say no to plastic bags, buy natural products made of hemp (not the same as cannabis!) and use recyclable batteries at home and on tour. All life is inextricably linked, so how I treat the planet is the message I send about how I treat myself.”
Learning with Laughter
While visiting family in Kentucky for Thanksgiving, I found out that my parents and my husband’s mom are ever so lucky because they have the Planet Green channel. I’m very jealous!
So while I was digesting the very yummy Thanksgiving dinners, I caught my very first episode of Living with Ed.
And you know what? I was immediatly hooked!
There is something so charming about Ed’s obsessive planet-saving and Rachelle’s complete exhaustion with her husband over said planet-saving. Plus I love that I’m picking up new Green Tips while laughing at their witty banter.
And now I’m a little obsessed with getting a white picket fence made from recycled milk jugs, too!
Catch a Living with Ed marathon on Planet Green on December 11th! Or watch Seasons 1 & 2 on DVD…
Save Money with Organic Grocery Coupons
With food prices rising, you can pick up some of the slack with coupons. There may not be as many coupons for organics, but they are out there. You just have to do some leg work.
Make sure to look where you shop. At your local co-op and/or Whole Foods stores you’ll find some coupons right in the stores. Since they focus on organic and natural foods, you can usually find coupons for the products you really use. Whole Foods usually has some store-only coupons in their brochures that advertise the specials of the month.
Don’t forget the free magazines at the registers either. Mambo Sprouts and Delicious Living often have great coupons in them that you can use at any store that accepts coupons. Sometimes you can find the product on sale and many regular grocery chains double coupons for an added bonus. Delicious Living also has a page on their website that links to printable coupons, so make sure to check there before you take your trip to the store.
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