Archive for Eating

I Have #SunRype Fruit Bars In My Big Girl Lunch Box

I have been saying it for many months now…it is time for me to start eating healthy (again).

But my life is more hectic than ever, yesterday I didn’t eat lunch…or get to go to the bathroom until late in the afternoon. But whatever.

Every since SheSpeaks sent me a big box of SunRype Fruit Strips, Just Fruit and Grain, and Fruit Source 100% Fruit Bars that don’t contain any artificial ingredients…I have been SNACKING IT UP!

Full disclosure: they have all been eaten at this point. Sad face.

I supportively (and reluctantly) shared some with my boyfriend so that he could experience the magic of having a healthy fruit snack in the daily brown bag (note: Brown Bag in this case is metaphorical because we completely use reusable lunch bags.)

I loved the taste of all of the SunRype fruit snacks (they come in cool flavors like Blueberry Pomegranate , but my favorite was the Just Fruit and Grain, because I felt that the grains gave me the extra UMPH to stay satiated for longer.

The taste is A+, and the convenience factor is perfect!

SunRype has a sweet offer on Facebook to help convert you into a healthy snacker! Visit http://www.facebook.com/SunRypeUsa/app_448589555162496 and sign up to receive a free SunRype product after you purchase one.

Learn more about SunRype on their website at http://www.sunrypeusa.com/ and on their
Facebook page!

 

Honey Nut Cheerios #Giveaway from #MyBlogSpark

Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal is America´s #1 choice, and to celebrate, they are providing free samples of Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal to fans beginning July 4, 2011, available while supplies last. Visit www.FavCereal.com for your sweet sample!

You also might want to form an allegiance with the Honey Nut Cheerios Facebook Page.

Look what Honey Nut Cheerios sent me! Are you so jealous? It looks good on me, doesn’t it?

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Well, don’t be jealous, you have a chance to win your own!

Enter to win a prize pack that contains: 1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal, 2 cereal bowls, 1 Honey Nut Cheerios® t-shirt, and 1 bee antenna headband.

Honey Nut Cheerios prize pack

I think the cereal tastes better if consumed while wearing the headband. I’m not a doctor though, so I can’t say.

1.) To enter, tell me about your cereal eating habits. You know you have a special bowl and spoon that make it taste better!

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

Already a subscriber? Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe to Mom Most Traveled by Email (Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Twitter about this giveaway (include a link to this post, #MyBlogSpark and @MomMostTraveled) and comment here with your Twitter name. (once daily)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Contest will close on July 20, 2011, midnight EST

Giveaways open to US Mailing Addresses Only.

“Disclosure: Honey Nut Cheerios® cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”

Pura Stainless Steel Bottles-No Funky Tasting Water

Snapshot_20110620_1 I am really excited about the Pura Stainless Steel bottles; they are 100% BPA-free, nor do they require questionable chemical linings like aluminum bottles.

I got a Pura 0.8L Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Stainless Loop Cap and I really love it.

I always feel like the aluminum bottles make the water have a funky taste and I don’t enjoy drinking out of them. Bleh! But my Pura 0.8L Stainless Steel Water Bottle didn’t change the taste of the water at all. I love the wide-mouth, AND these are dishwasher safe. Woohoo!

Snapshot_20110620_3 The Pura Stainless Steel  adult bottles range in size from 0.6 liters to 2 liters.

The new Kiki line has baby bottles that can grow with baby and turns into a sippy cup.

We got a Pura Stainless Kiki Sippy Bottle Stainless Steel, 11 Ounce, Aqua Blue with a 100% silicone sippy spout.

I love that there are internal volume markings, which would be handy to use as a reference if you were mixing up a drink or if you want to keep tabs on the amount of liquid your child is consuming in a day.

I give these bottles an A+ for durability, sexy look, no funky water taste, eco-friendliness, and safety!

Learn more at www.purastainless.com.

Tropical Traditions Gluten Free Organic Coconut Flour #Giveaway

In January I went gluten free. And dairy free. Oh and I’m already a vegetarian for the past 16 years.

I haven’t tackled gluten free baking. I have tried pancakes with rice flour, and that was a fail.

Tropical Traditions is one of my favorite companies; I use their Virgin Coconut Oil EVERYDAY as both a food product and a body product. I use it for moisturizer and even put it in my hair.

Tropical Tradions has an array of gluten free products!

 

Organic coconut flour nutritional panel

While some of these don’t meet my needs as a vegetarian (lamb…is made of lamb meat), I am really excited about the Organic Coconut Flour!

It tastes yummy and healthy, smells delicious, and is safe for a gluten free diet or a paleo diet.

The texture is way better than rice flour. I love that Organic Coconut Flour has so much protein, with 19.3 grams per serving! Awesome! I noticed that some people put it in their smoothies to get those extra nutrients. I haven’t done that, but I might try it for my kids.

On the Tropical Traditions website, they have all kinds of recipes that use Organic Coconut Flour, including (brace yourselves, my gluten free bretheren!) PIZZA CRUST!

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Here is a recipe that one of my “Paleo” diet friends sent me. Paleo is a good term to search if you are avoiding dairy and gluten.

Paleo Diet Coconut Cake Recipe

Ingredients

2 eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

1?2 cup honey

1cup coconut milk

1tsp 100% vanilla essence

1 cup almond meal

1?2 cup Organic Coconut Flour

1tsp baking powder (not paleo)

1?4 cup desiccated coconut


Instructions Pre-heat oven to 350 F/180 C.

Cream eggs, oil and honey in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Add coconut milk and vanilla essence.

Add almond meal, Organic Coconut Flour, baking powder and desiccated coconut, combine well.

Line a loaf tin with baking paper and pour in coconut mixture.

Place in oven for 50-60min or until cooked.

Test by inserting a knife into the middle of the loaf, if it comes out clean it is cooked through.


NOTE: If you would prefer not to use baking powder, separate 2 eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the coconut mixture. This will help in aerating the bread.


First time Tropical Traditions customers can use THIS Mom Most Traveled referral link to receive a free copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours!

1 Organic Coconut Flour – 2.2 lbs.

Enter to win your own bag of Organic Coconut Flour!

1.) To enter to win some Organic Coconut Flour visit Tropical Traditions and leave a comment here with another of their products you would like to try.

Try to show that you actually did visit the site.

One winner will be chosen at random.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

Already a subscriber? Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

Want to subscribe? Just click here:  Subscribe to Mom Most Traveled by Email (Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Twitter about this giveaway (include a link to this post,@TropTraditions and@MomMostTraveled ) and comment here with your Twitter name. (once daily)

4.) Blog about this giveaway, including a link to this post. Leave me a comment with the link so I can check your post!

This giveaway is open to those with a US or Canadian mailing address.

This contest will close on June 20, 2011, a midnight CST.

Winners will be notified by email and have 72 hours to respond.

Lets Get Cooking: New Cookery Books

9780778802525Like many people in the US these days, I packed up and moved into the Gluten Free camp shortly after Christmas.

I am not a celiac, but avoiding gluten has meant a positive change in my skin, hair, health, digestion, mental clarity, and energy level. Yee-haw!

I do wonder if this has to do with gluten or more with the ways grain products are processed and enhanced with additives in our modern society.

The Complete Gluten-Free Diet and Nutrition Guide: With a 30-Day Meal Plan and Over 100 Recipes provides a wealth of information about:

Celiac disease basics, from what causes celiac disease to how it is diagnosed to what effect the disease has on an individual’s quality of life.

Managing celiac disease, including dietary therapies, food guides, specific foods to avoid, foods to enjoy, nutritional supplements and living with celiac disease.

Gluten-free meal plans, including a 30-day meal plan that provides an entire month of meals and snacks in an easy-to-understand format.

Healthy gluten-free recipes, including breakfasts, breads and muffins, soups, salads, pasta, meat, poultry, vegetarian and vegan entrees and desserts .

Complete Gluten-Free Diet & Nutrition Guide provides dietary and nutritional guidelines along with 100 tantalizing recipes that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just those who are trying to manage celiac disease.

The recipes! With deliciousness like Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti, you don’t have to feel sorry for yourself!

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There are hippie vegetarians who live on organic farms, and then there are the rest of us.

The Best 30-Minute Vegetarian Recipes

is great for your “Meatless Mondays” or full time vegetarians.

Amongst the 150 recipes are plenty of low fat and low sugar options.

Pick from your category of need:

Starters

salads and snacks

Soups

Pasta and grains

Beans, lentils and tofu

Sides

Desserts

If you are vegan, or even if you are NOT vegan, but you want to eat things like:

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Spicy Black Bean Dip

Hot and Sour

Udon Noodle Soup

Corn Meal Waffles with Wild Blueberry Compote

Penne with Sauteed Mushroom

Marsala and Caramelized Onion

Spaghetti and Soy Meatballs

Pistachio Biscotti

Cranberry Orange Scones

Then you should check out the plethora of deliciousity within the binding of 125 Best Vegan Recipes.

If you are new to being vegan and need guidance, there is nutritional information and advice for stocking a vegan pantry and a vegan freezer. You will be in the club in no time!

Visit the publisher: www.RobertRose.ca Twitter: @RobertRoseBooks Facebook: Robert Rose Inc.

….

Cooking stuff. It is important for reducing your food budget, and for making sure your family has healthy meals.

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But seriously who has the time, and the grated nutmeg, to make elaborate recipes?

4 Ingredients: More Than 400 Quick, Easy, and Delicious Recipes Using 4 or Fewer Ingredients by Aussie mommies Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham has simple ideas for appetizers, breakfasts, lunches, side dishes, vegetarian entrees, dinners, desserts, and even things with special appeal to children!

And? Taking it the extra simple mile…the only measuring utensils required to make the recipes in 4 Ingredients: More Than 400 Quick, Easy, and Delicious Recipes Using 4 or Fewer Ingredients are 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon, and 1 cup.

Four ingredient might sound unglamorous, but look at some of the dishes: Antipasto Tarts, Carrot & Coriander soup, Apricot Chicken, to Tandoori Lamb, and Orange & Almond Cake…hot diggity simple cookin’ dog!

To learn more about Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham, visit www.4ingredients.com.au/.

..

We knew and loved him as the athletic A.C. Slater on Saved By The Bell.

But now he is actually some real person named Mario Lopez who grew up and became a dad? Weird.

Also he wrote a cookbook called Extra Lean Family: Get Lean and Achieve Your Family’s Best Health Ever. Mr. Belding is going to FLIP OUT!

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Extra Lean Family: Get Lean and Achieve Your Family’s Best Health Ever endeavors to broaden the spectrum of foods your family eats and teach how to enjoy food and maintain your best health by cooking healthy, quick, and delicious meals.

• Detailed food planning tools-including weekly grocery lists-to ensure efficient food prep to jumpstart the week and keep your health on track

• More than 40 appetizing and exciting recipes that can all be prepared in 20 minutes or less

• Dozens of simple and satiating snack options that can combat hunger between meals and keep your metabolism moving fast

• Food journal and nutritional guidelines for different body types and ages.

Extra Lean Family: Get Lean and Achieve Your Family’s Best Health Ever is a game plan to allow everyone in the family to enjoy good food, without the guilt, for life.

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Cupcakes are the new donuts.

No, for real.

Maybe 5 years ago, donut shops were popping up all over the place, now we have zaniness like “boutique cupcake bakeries” (say what?!).

Presented by Southern Living Big Book of Cupcakes: 150 Brilliantly Delicious Dreamcakes gives you the tools to make your own cutie pie cupcakes. Why pay $4.95 for one at some hoity-toity bakery when you can make a bunch and possibly eat them all by yourself?

Image003Or you could share. Lets be open-minded about this.

This book has all of your old favorite cupcake options like carrot cake, and new awesome combinations like Carmel Sea Salt Mocha. I just drooled a little bit when I typed that.

The book has basic cupcake making advice (Cupcake 101) and cupcake ideas for every season and special occasion.

Cup those cakes, sister!

Lao Experiences Cooking School, Vientiane, Laos

Laos is a fantastic place to visit. Places like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, Thailand, Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam have their charms but are undeniably saturated with western influence.

Even after 9 years in Laos, I can still say that it is relatively “off the map”. In Luang Prabang, in Pakse, and yes, even in Vientiane, you can still experience true Laos.

Lao people are the true treasure of Laos, but when I am hosting guests, I still want to show them sights and get out and do stuff.

In Vientiane, sightseeing takes only about 3 days and you are pretty much finished.

So I was THRILLED to see that a new Lao Cooking School had opened offering one day classes (in English) to tourists.

The Lao Experiences cooking class is $35 a person, and it includes transportation to and from the school, originating in the downtown area, and of course you get to eat the food you make, and take home a little mini recipe book.

We made steamed fish wrapped in banana leaves, Lao tomato salsa, Lao egglant dip, sticky rice, grilled veggie kabobs, and mango with sticky rice dessert. We saw demonstrations on making Lao green papaya salad, grilled chicken, and grilled fish.

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Jojo and I went together and I let him help me when it was safe and appropriate.

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Lao Papaya Salad

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Quickly grilling the banana leaf. I forget why. Maybe to make it more pliable? It got shinier.

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Watching sticky rice cook in the steam basket. That is my boss holding him. I think they bonded!IMG 0775

Carefully filling palm leaves with fish for steaming.

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He loves cooking!

Mango and sticky rice with coconut milkIMG 0830

Look Mama, a mango on a tree!

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Eating the “fruits” of our labor.

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A butterfly landed on his head and stayed there for ages!

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For more fabulous photos, go look at my friend Sharon’s blog about her Lao Experiences cooking experience.

Jojo and I had a really good time together at Lao Experiences. It was fun to do something that we were both interested in, and I really am confident that I can make this stuff at home now!

The food was good and the instructors were sweet and patient. Class size is really small so you feel free to ask for help and as a bonus, you get to conversate with the Lao instructors.

Visit www.Lao-Experiences.com for more info about taking the class.

Cheerios New Author Prize Pack #Giveaway

Today I read a story to my 3K class called The Big Bad Bunny. It is really funny and I enjoy reading it. The liner notes say that the story was made up between the author and his young preschool aged daughter over the course of a conversation.

What makes a good children’s book? How do you know when your story has “it”?

The Cheerios New Author Contest is in full swing, encouraging ambitious authors to write and submit an original story, in either English or Spanish, suitable for children ages three to eight.

Laurie Isop, of Renton, Wash., won the literary lottery when she was named Grand Prize Winner of the 2009 Cheerios New Author Contest. Laurie, a small business owner, mother of two boys, and aspiring author since the age of 12, can now add “published author” to her resume. This spring, Laurie’s book How Do You Hug a Porcupine? will be featured in more than three million specially-marked boxes of Cheerios and will also be available in bookstores nationwide beginning this July.

Those who want to follow in Laurie’s footsteps and think they have the “write” stuff can visit www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com from March 22 through July 15, 2011 to find out more.

Cheerios spoonfule logoCreate Your Own Book Kit

Enter to win a Cheerios New Author Prize Pack that includes a box of Cheerios with Laurie Isop’s book inside, as well as a “create-your-own” book kit for kids that contains two hard cover books and all the necessary materials to creatively fill the pages inside, including story starter ideas and colored pencils.

1.) To enter, leave me a comment telling me the answer to one of these questions:

*If you wrote a children’s book, what would it be about?

-or-

*What makes a children’s book timeless?



Cheerios New Author

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

Already a subscriber? Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.


Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe to Mom Most Traveled by Email (Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Twitter about this giveaway (include a link to this post, #MyBlogSpark and @MomMostTraveled) and comment here with your Twitter name. (once daily)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Contest will close on May 18, 201, midnight EST.

Prizes and samples provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

Healthy Eats And Treats

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SmartyPants Gummy Multi-Vitamin with Omega 3 & Vitamin D are pediatrician-approved gummy with ecofriendly omega-3s, 100 percent daily value of flu-fighting vitamin D, choline, and ten more key nutrients.

SmartyPants Gummy Multi-Vitamin with Omega 3 & Vitamin D are made in California and do NOT contain high-fructose corn syrup. They are all natural.

SmartyPants Gummy Multi-Vitamin with Omega 3 & Vitamin D are a good solution for kids who will not eat three servings of fish a week or drink 32 ounces of milk every day.

HINT flavored water has no calories, sweeteners or preservatives and is a great alternative to juice and soda or sugary sport drinks.

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You can get HINT at Whole Foods and Starbucks in Blackberry, Mango-Grapefruit, Pomegranate-

Tangerine, Raspberry-Lime, and Strawberry Kiwi flavors.

Smart for Life (http://www.smartforlife.com/) has a range of protein filled Chocolate Chip cookies, Cranberry Granola Squares, and Protein Bars, including a gluten free variety (Chocolate Chip Granola Squares!)

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I like red licorice! I was surprised and delighted to learn that the makers of delicious Red Vines now also make a natural licorice called Natural Vines.

Natural Vines (www.naturalvineslicorice.com) are made with natural ingredients, which means not artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives, no trans fat, no high-fructose corn syrup. They are sweetened with molasses and cane syrup.

They are low fat, low sodium, and cholesterol free.

I mean, I know they are still candy, but it just makes me feel less guilty when I indulge. Each bite-sized twist has only 17 calories.

Natural Vines are available in black licorice and strawberry flavors.

One day in the yogurt section, I had an epiphany: not all of the choices out there are healthy! I felt bamboozled!

Have you heard of Greek yogurt? It is totally all the rage, even my dad eats it.

This is because my dad is watching his weight, but wants to eat stuff that tastes good.

Voskos Greek Yogurt helps you get extra protein and calcium, and it contains no artificial colorings, binders, fillers, hydrogenated oils or thickeners.

Voskos greek yogurt organic plain5oz

A rich, creamy texture and no fat? Awesome!

Voskos Greek Yogurt Cherry Chocolate “Pudding Cups”
Makes 4 – 3/4 Cup Servings

Ingredients
3 cups Voskos® Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
28 fresh or frozen dark cherries
4 tbs Torani® sugar-free Dark Cherry syrup
4 tbs Torani sugar-free Chocolate syrup
4 tsp sugar-free, fat-free vanilla pudding mix
Directions
1. Defrost and chop cherries to a small dice.
2. Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive mixing bowl and blend until well-mixed.
3. Spoon into four small resealable plastic food storage containers.
4. Refrigerate Voskos Greek Yogurt Cherry Chocolate “Pudding” Cups after mixing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 150, Total Fat 0g, Cholesterol 11.25mg, Sodium 245.4mg, Total Carbohydrate 17.63g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 11.99g. Protein 18.67g

Are you Gluten Free? Do you have a wheat sensitivity? Do you need to avoid corn? Do you need a snack, for crying out loud!?!

I know how you feel. C’mon, get happy!

Beanfields Chips image 1

Beanfields Chips are a brand-new, tasty bean and rice chip- a great alternative to corn or potato chips.
-made from black & navy beans and rice
-free of top 8 allergens
-4 grams of complete protein per serving
-4 grams of fiber per serving
-available in UNSALTED, SEA SALT, SEA SALT & PEPPER, and PICO DE GALLO. Yum, pass the salsa!
-You can get them delivered to your house. Yup!
Now go! Eat! EAT LIKE THE WIND!

Freschetta By The Slice Pizza Giveaway

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I like the convenience and relative cheapness of frozen pizza, but one major downside is that my kids only collectively eat about 1/8th of the pizza, leaving me confronted with 3 1/2 remaining servings, which is probably like 64 fat grams.

Well, if you are completely lacking in self control like I am, there is now FRESCHETTA® By the Slice.

FRESCHETTA® By the Slice is a single-serving-size pizza that heats up fast in the microwave and comes in four delicious flavors:

BBQ Recipe Chicken

Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom

Six Cheese Medley

Vegetable Medley

I’m pleased to see two vegetarian options, but I would love a spinach and mushroom without the chicken. Who is with me?!

FRESCHETTA® By the Slice is $1.99 and made with the usual FRESCHETTA ingredients. One thing I love about Freschetta is the crust, and this is the same yummy crust in a single serving portion. Convenience and control. Yeah!

This is totally worth standing in the microwave line in the break room at work.

You can fan Freschetta on Facebook, and follow @FreschettaPizza on Twitter!

1.) To enter, tell me what you eat for lunch on a typical weekday.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

Already a subscriber? Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe to Mom Most Traveled by Email (Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Fan Mom Most Traveled on FB and let me know you did in the comments on this post.

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Contest will close on April 30, 2011, midnight EST.

Prizing & samples courtesy of Social Spark and Freschetta.

Visit Sponsor's Site

*Comments Closed*

Gorton’s Dream Trip Giveaway

Gorton's Seafood Promotion Giveaway

I didn’t grow up eating fish, but Jojo and Deeds like fish and shrimp. It makes me feel proud when they eat something that looks scary to me, like a grilled prawn.

When I buy them fish sticks, I want it to be made of real, whole, healthy cuts of fish. Not a potpurri of digustingness.

Gorton’s brand has all kinds of frozen seafood dishes that make life easy, such as grilled salmon, tilapia, shrimp, and all kinds of breaded seafood items also.

Until April 12, you can visit the Gorton’s Facebook fan page. http://www.gortons.com/seafoodlovers/ for a chance to win all kinds of awesome prizes, AND they are giving away a DREAM TRIP worth $5,000. I think my Dream Trip would be to the Greek Isles or Italy. Or maybe the Caribbean? All of them are Dream Trip options!

You have to enter by April 12, don’t forget! That is next Tuesday!

It isn’t as exciting as a trip, but I have a little giveaway from Gorton’s as well.

1.) Comment on this blog post with your favorite Gorton’s recipe (view recipes at http://www.gortons.com/recipes.htm) for your chance to win 2 free product coupons.

There will be FIVE winners. US only, sorry Canadians, Gorton’s is not sold in your neck of the woods!

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

Already a subscriber? Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe to Mom Most Traveled by Email (Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Twitter about this giveaway (include a link to this post, @gortonsseafood and@MomMostTraveled) and comment here with your Twitter name. (once daily)

4.) Fan Gorton’s on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall that CanCan sent you! (comment here too to let me know you did)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Five winners will be chosen using a random integer generator. Contest will close on April 17, 2011, midnight EST.

Prizing & samples courtesy of Gorton’s