Boston Food Truck Festival, June 10, 2012 – Ticket Giveaway!

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Ah food trucks. I don’t think I need to express my  complete and utter glee at the fact that Boston has embraced this trend and is offering its residents a wide range of food truck options on a daily basis.

The only problem is, maybe you can never get to Government Center to try the Taco Truck, or to Prudential to try Go Fish. Well pay attention my roach coach challenged friends, because the Boston Foodtruck Festival is here to sooth your lunch location woes. That’s right, you can try ALL of the food trucks in one place, in one afternoon.

And better yet, I am giving away a pair of tickets to the event on June 10, 2012 at the UMass Boston Campus Center. Keep Reading after the press release about the event to find out how to enter….

FOOD TRUCK FESTIVALS OF NEW ENGLAND ANNOUNCE NEW DATES AND NEW LOCATIONS
Festivals in Newport, RI and Salem, NH Added and the Boston Food Truck Festival Moved to June 10th

 Boston, MA – The New England food festival scene is soon to be heating up just like the current weather! Food Truck Festivals of New England announce two new locations outside of the Bay State with the New Hampshire Food Truck Festival at Rockingham Park in Salem, NH on June 30th and the Newport Waterfront Food Truck Festival in Newport, RI on October 20th. There are 11 festivals in total spanning from June through October launching on June 10th with the Boston Food Truck Festival at the UMass Boston Campus Center (rescheduled and now in a new location within UMass Boston). All festivals will take place from noon to 4 pm, with a special VIP Preview hour from 11am – noon. 

Tickets for the festivals are currently on sale and can be found at www.foodtruckfestivalsofne.com.  Over 50 trucks from all over New England will be participating on a rotating basis; some will be at all, others in select communities. Participating trucks include Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Bon Me, Staff Meal, Woodman’s of Essex, and Kickass Cupcakes.  A complete list of up-to-date participating trucks can be found online at www.foodtruckfestivalsofne.com/the-trucks.

TICKET PRICES:

  • VIP Tickets                 $40/each  (limited quantity)
  • General Admission     $30/each ($35 day-of)
  • Foodie Four Pack        $25/each with the purchase of four tickets ($100 for four pack)
  • Children 6 -12              $10/each
  • Children 5 and under  FREE

Each ticket allows one serving from each of the 20 to 30 participating food trucks and does not include beverages. NOTE: There are a limited number of tickets for each festival, based on the capacity of the venue.   We will post on the festival site as to availability of tickets the day of the festival.

2012 Festival Schedule

  • June 10 – The Boston Food Truck Festival at the UMass Boston Campus Center, Boston, MA (Please Note: This date has been changed from May 26th, all original tickets will be honored)
  • June 16 – The Charlestown Food Truck Festival at Pier 4, Charlestown, MA 
  • June 30 – The New Hampshire Food Truck Festival at Rockingham Park, Salem, NH
  • July 14 – The Worcester Food Truck Festival at Elm Park, Worcester, MA
  • July 28 – The Charles River Food Truck Festival at DCR’s Artesani Herter Park, Brighton, MA 
  • August 25 – The Cape Cod Food Truck Festival at Barnstable Fairgrounds, Falmouth, MA
  • September 8 – The Lowell Food Truck Festival at the Tsongas Center, Lowell, MA
  • September 22 – The Suffolk Downs Food Truck Festival, East Boston, MA
  • September 29 – The Shipyard Food Truck Festival, Hingham (Shipyard), MA
  • October 6 – The Framingham Food Truck Festival at Shoppers World, Framingham, MA
  • October 20 – The Newport Food Truck Festival at the Newport Yachting Center, Newport, RI*

For the very latest news on the 2012 Food Truck Festival Season, the most up-to-date list of participating trucks and news on the availability of tickets, please follow @foodtruckfestofne on twitter and “like” us on facebook.com/foodtruckfestivalsofne.

###

And now it is time to win a pair of tickets! This is what you have to do to be entered to win:

  • Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment on this post telling me about the best mobile food you have ever eaten
  • Bonus Entry: Tweet “I want to win a pair of tickets to @foodtruckfestne from @renh77!
    http://wp.me/pVsto-Iq
    “. After you have tweeted, come back and leave me a comment saying you did so.
  • Bonus Entry: Write something on your Facebook wall that links back to this post and tags Eat.Live.Blog’s Facebook page. Come back and leave a comment here saying you did so.
  • All entries must be received by Monday, June 7th at 10am.
  • One winner will be selected using Random.org
  • The winner will have 24 hours to respond to the notification email. If they do not respond, a new winner will be chosen.
  • Winner will receive 2 tickets to the June 10, 2012 Boston Foodtruck Festival. Prize has no cash value.
  • Good luck!

Filed under: Random | Tagged: , , , , , , | 36 Comments »

I Got a New Look!

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Some of you (those not reading this in Google Reader) have started to notice that Eat.Live.Blog got a mini-makeover! I am ecstatic to announce my new blog header as created by the fabulous Belen Z!

Eat.Live.Blog Avatar by Belen Zuniga

Eat.Live.Blog Avatar by Belen Z (www.belenz.com)

Not only did Belen design my header, but she has been working very hard on the design of the brand new Boston Brunchers logo:

Boston Brunchers Logo

Boston Brunchers logo designed by Belen Z (www.belenz.com)

AND the new Boston Brunchers Badge Icon!!! Brunchers, stay tuned, in the next few weeks you will get information on how to include the badge on your site!

Boston Brunchers Badge

Boston Brunchers Badge designed by Belen Z. (www.belenz.com)

How amazing are these? Belen is also a delight to work with, and could envision what I had in my head….which is not always easy or pretty…  But the amazingness does not stop there. Belen has agreed to give my readers a half price special on logo, header or avatar design! So you, lucky reader, may get a header design for only $35! Amazing, right?!

All you have to do is comment on this post with your blog address and the overall feel you would like for your new header, logo or avatar. I will forward your contact information to Belen, and then the fun will begin! So happy designing folks! 

Disclaimer: I have known Belen for a couple of years now, and she designed my logos and header free of charge, as a friend. She did not know, at design time, that we would do a blog tie-in. Only after I saw her work did I suggest this promotion. So, obviously the opinions expressed are my own….or I never would have suggested this!

Filed under: Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , | 11 Comments »

Busy Weeknight = Easy Dinner! …And a Contest from Cumberland Farms!

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

I have been apologizing a lot lately. Apologizing for not returning emails or phone calls right away. Apologizing for being too tired to cook dinner…again. The truth is, this is just a really busy time of year for me, and with it getting dark at 4pm…well, I don’t have to tell you!

This dinner is one of my very favorites for busy, tired nights. It is warm and comforting, and it has protein, grains and veggies. And you can cook it in one pot! It is exactly what the doctor ordered for nights when you are too tired to do more.

The base of the recipe (tomatoes, beans, rice) can really make this whole meal if you don’t have the other ingredients on hand. You can also beef it up if you like, adding additional chopped veggies, and even cooked chicken or sausage.

Recipe located at the bottom of this post.

You know what else can make a busy, tired gal happy….free coffee! For the next 2 Fridays (11/18 & 11/25), stop by any Cumberland Farms for a free iced or hot Farmhouse Blend coffee!

And even better than that…one lucky reader is going to win 1 lb of Farmhouse Blend Coffee, a reusable coffee cup, and 2 coupons for free hot or iced coffee for when the free Friday promotion ends!

All you have to do to enter is comment on this post with what is your favorite “busy day” treat. It can be a dinner, a snack, or even a pick-me-up coffee! All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Sunday, November 20, 2011. Winner will be selected using random.or and notified on Monday, November 21, 2011. You must have a mailing address within the continental US to win.

Good Luck! And now, the recipe!

Busy Night Beans and Rice

Ingredients

  • 14 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 14 oz can of any variety of beans (I use black beans)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup uncooked brown rice
  • Juice of 1 lime (optional)
  • Handful chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp Onion Powder (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder (optional)
  • Hot Sauce (optional)
  • Salt

Directions:

  • Add all ingredients, except hot sauce and salt, to a large pot, stir well
  • Add your desired amount of hot sauce (not gonna lie, I use about 1/4 cup…I like it spicy!)
  • Turn heat onto medium high
  • Bring pot to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover
  • Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Remove from heat, keeping covered
  • Let sit for 5 minutes
  • Stir and serve! If you have enough energy to get fancy, think about toppings like shredded cheese, diced onions, sour cream…and more hot sauce!

Filed under: Recipes | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Healthy Snack Halloween!

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Did you know that Pink Panthers are addicted to Grapes? True story.

Today I have a very special Monday Halloween Edition of Healthy Snack Wednesday! Make sure to read all the way to the bottom for a chance to win your own trick-or-treat stash!

Here is the question. Why does candy rule Halloween? Sure, I love a few bars of chocolate to celebrate, but as a kid didn’t we almost always eat about a third of our stash, go into a sugar coma, and then forget about the rest of the candy until we find it petrified several months later?

Besides the time I was a shrub, this is my most embarrassing costume ever. At least I committed to the whole clown thing...

As an adult we have the chance, dare I say the responsibility, to make Halloween a little less glutinous, and a little more edible. So, I have a couple of suggestions of goodies you may want to opt for when distributing Halloween Booty this year. I would like to mention that the 3 snacks I have listed below were sponsors of the Boston Brunchers Bday Brunch. However, I love all of these products and what they stand for!

Biba

Biba is an all natural blend of essential vitamins, minerals and electrolytes with a crisp, refreshing lime taste. Caffeine free and low in sugar, Biba is a hybrid beverage; the great taste of a sparkling all natural soda loaded with electrolytes and vitamins to keep your body naturally hydrated.

I was super surprised when I tasted Biba. I am not a fan of “diet” drinks, and I am also not a fan of sports drinks. By reading about Biba, I somehow expected it to be in one of these categories. But it wasn’t. It was like a much more refreshing, less sweet lemon-lime soda. You really have to try it to understand. I promise the taste will happily surprise you too!

Why is this a good Halloween Treat? Hopping house to house with copious amounts of sugar can make a kid thirsty. Your trick-or-treaters will be excited to be able to quench their thirst without heading home. The cans are very light weight, and won’t weigh down their stash at all. Plus, you know you will be the only one on your street giving out beverages! Kind of like the one house in the neighborhood that gave away the full-sized candy bars. There was always a line to get to that guys doorbell!

Popchips

Have you tried popchips yet? If not, where the heck have you been?

think popped. never baked. never fried. when they said it couldn’t be done, we raised the snack bar. how do we do it? well, first let’s talk about how we didn’t do it. we never fry our chips. that just puts a lot of stuff in there that we could all do without. we never bake our chips either. that just takes a lot of flavor out, which, as snackers, we simply can’t so without. so we came out with a chip like no snack aisle has ever seen (or taste bud has tasted). thanks to the magic of popping, we found a way to pop all of the flavor in while keeping the fake stuff and more than half the fat of fried chips out.

Why is this a good Halloween Treat?  Handing out Popchips for Halloween will instantly up your street cred with the kids. You are giving them a snack that is unlike any other they have tried. Step it up by handing out the new Jalapeno flavor, and instantly your house will be the neighborhood trendsetter!

Pretzel Crisps

Pretzels that you can dip without stuff falling off, and they come in absolutely flavor-bud bursting flavors?! I’m in!

Pretzels Crisps® are a great alternative to potato chips and other snack foods. They contain 110 calories per serving and no fat (10-11 crisps) compared with 150 calories and 10 gram of fat (1 g saturated) per one ounce serving for potato chips.

Why is this a good Halloween Treat? I’m not going to lie, parents will probably steal the Pretzel Crisps out of their kids’ trick-or-treat bags before the last door bell has been rung! They are the perfect snack for entertaining, and the perfect substitute for greasy potato chips! But parents, you don’t have to steal the Pretzel Crisps from your kids, because I am about to make your Halloween!

Pretzel Crisps has generously offered one lucky Eat.Live.Blog reader a case of 150 Halloween sized (.5 oz) bags of Pretzel Crisps for their Halloween trick-or-treaters! All you have to do is comment below with a favorite Halloween memory or snack. If you would like an additional entry, and if you are on twitter, simply tweet “The perfect trick-or-treat snack thanks to @pretzelcrisps & @renh77
http://wp.me/pVsto-yA
“. Leave me a comment here to say that you tweeted.

Contest open to residence of the continental US only. You must be at least 18 years old to win. Entries must be received by Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 11:59pm. Winner will have 24 hours to respond to the winner notification email.

So happy trick or treating readers! I look forward to reading what your favorite treat is!

Filed under: Random, Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , | 19 Comments »

Adventures in Boston – Boston Chocolate Tour of Faneuil Hall & The North End

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

In mid-August, my sister came to Boston for her birthday. By now my readers know that when my sister comes to town, we always have something fabulous planned, and it usually includes a lot of food, and discovering New England. This trip we decided to stay in Boston, but still include the “lot of food” part of our tradition.

For this special weekend, the people at Boston Chocolate Tours were fabulous enough to let us join their tour of Faneuil Hall and the North End. Here is a quick photo recap of where we went, and the fabulous things we ate, saw and learned:

We met the group at Godiva in Faneuil Hall. Did you know that this is the oldest Godiva storefront (and the only 2 level store) in the United States? Godiva rep Kyle educated us on all things Godiva, had us sample various deliciousness, and sent us home with a big dark chocolate bar and some truffles!

We crossed the busy pedestrian mall and headed into Cheers, my only “miss” of this tour. Apparently Cheers has a specially made Boston Cream Pie that is unlike any other. It was okay, it wasn’t chocolaty. This stop did not “do it” for me…Cheers on Urbanspoon
We then traveled to the other end of the mall for some chocolate cake from Wagamama. Chocolate cake from Wagamama?! Oh yeah! This could quite possibly (and surprisingly) be one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever eaten. Good on you Boston Chocolate Tours for finding a surprising chocolate delight in an unexpected venue!Wagamama on Urbanspoon

We prepared for the 5 minute walk to the North End with chocolate chip cookies from the Boston Chipyard, and we were on our way! Our first stop, Mike’s Pastry. If you visit Boston, if you eat dessert, it is kind of mandatory that you stop at Mike’s! Here they treated us with full-sized chocolate cannoli! This thing was huge! I was about to pop at this point, so I wrapped my cannoli to take as a treat for later.

Mike's Pastry on Urbanspoon

We continued our journey to the lesser traveled Salem Street in the North End. You may remember this street from such movies as The Town & trailers for I Don’t Know How She Does It. But we were on to better things! Things like Sapori di Napoli. A hidden gem where they take the term “authentic” seriously. We had a delicious chocolate drink that the owner mixed for us himself as he preached about the truth of an authentic cannoli. It was charming!

Unfortunately the lighting inside was NOT conducive to photos.

Yup, we’re still going! On to Lulu’s Sweet Shoppe which you may remember used to be at the top of Hanover Street. Welp, they outgrew their old digs and our now in a bigger shop on Salem Street. And their cupcakes are just as fabulous as I remember them. Honestly, these are some of my favorite cupcakes in Boston. They are always moist and taste like the flavor they are advertised to be.Lulu's Sweet Shoppe on Urbanspoon

With just 2 stops left, we trotted over to Maria’s Pastry, a charming family owned and family run bakery. Maria is the only one doing the baking here, as she is the only one who knows the traditional family recipes. But you will find her daughter, sister, niece and more working behind the counter and being…well, charming! We sampled some delicious traditional treats, and Debbie & I couldn’t leave without a piece of their beautiful marzapan!Maria's Pastry Shop on Urbanspoon

It was time, our last stop was looming. But lo and behold, it was one of my favorite sweet stops…Saus! Co-Owner Renee (the girl w/ the great name!) told us all about the restaurant as she handed out delicious bites of the UNBELIEVABLE Belgian Liege Waffles topped with Homemade Nutella, and one with their Salted Carmel. My opinion – these waffles are so damn good they need NO sauce. Debbie licked the sauce off the cup (not really, but she wanted to!)Saus on Urbanspoon

And that concluded our tour. We had a fabulous time, and enjoyed some delicious things. And our guides Miriam and Gabby made it even more fun, while imparting their chocolate wisdom, and lots of fun local chocolate history, upon us.

This tour is a perfect way for visitors to get a “sweet” inside look at Boston, or for locals to be a tourist for the day! The only thing I would question is the choice of including Cheers…but hey, that’s a small hiccup.

In addition to this tour, Boston Chocolate Tours also provides tours of Boston’s Back Bay, South End and Harvard Square. They also host chocolate school!

Disclaimer: This Chocolate Tour was provided free of charge for me and my guest. All opinions and descriptions above are my own statements and thoughts.

And now a contest from our friends at Eversave!

My good friends at Eversave Boston have offered my Boston area readers another contest! You will win the  60 minute Massage currently offered by Eversave Boston!! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite chocolate experience. Entries must be received by Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 10am.

Have a happy & safe Labor Day weekend!

Filed under: Reviews | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Eversave does it again! Everyone gets $10….and Some One Wins $20 more!

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

My good friends over at Eversave, my favorite discount site for all things food and shopping, are doing it again! Today Eversave is kicking off a three-day $10 Giveaway Member Appreciation Event!  They’ll be giving every Eversaver a $10 credit to use toward any deal Tuesday, August 23rd through midnight on August 25th.  This is a huge bonus, whether you’re already a member or just hearing about Eversave for the first time. Millions of dollars in Save Reward credits are being given away as part of this promotion!

I think I am going to use my $10 reward towards this awesome Jeans.com Save! Or maybe towards this vacation retreat….or a massage!! Yeah, I have my work cut out for me! The best part, I can buy things for myself here in Boston, for my family in Tampa, or in any other part of the US that I will be heading to!

But wait! Eversave has been nice enough to offer one of my readers an additional $20 in Eversave Rewards! All you have to do is comment on  this post telling me about the best deal you have ever gotten. Make sure to post your comment by 10am on Thursday, August 25th. I will announce the winner that afternoon. The winner will be chosen using Random.Org. Good luck, and happy shopping!

PS- Don’t forget to “Like” Eversave on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter for contests, trivia, and giveaways!

Filed under: Random | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 14 Comments »

Win Tickets to The Rock & Blues Concert Cruise, Boston!

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Congratulations to Donna Sargent! You won the pair of tickets for the cruise on 8/14!

OK folks, you have to be 21+ to win this one. Now that I have your attention….I introduce you to – The Rock & Blues Concert Cruise! How awesome does that sound!

This incarnation of the cruise has been active since 2005. But new for the 2011 season, the Rock & Blues Concert Cruises has moved onboard the Provincetown II operated by Bay Sate Cruise Company. The new boat offers a top outdoor deck (weather permitting) for the concert area!

This creates an extremely unique concert experience and is enhanced by a full concert sound system provided by one of the area’s top sound companies – Myrna Johnston Audio. Imagine, cruising the beautiful Boston harbor, the fresh sea air, the amazing, unbeatable views, and seriously fantastic live music. It may just be Utopia!

The staff on the Provincetown 2 is amazing and the boat is perfect– large open decks, plenty of bars to choose from, food available for purchase, large bathrooms, picturesque views, what more could you ask for!

The cruises sail on Sunday afternoons at 3pm, which is really quite perfect – it really is the crown jewel on a fabulous Boston weekend! The 3pm cruise time is also  late enough that you can do whatever you have planned on the weekend, but it’s not too late that you have to worry about work the next day!

But wait, there’s more…the music! There are 2 cruises left for this summer. On August 14th Beetlejuice will be performing with Air Traffic Controller, and on August 21st Entrain will be performing with Sun Jones! If you would like to purchase tickets, I have a promo code for you! For the 8/14 show use the code “Ringo” and for 8/21 use “Drums” to purchase tickets for only $18!

Or you could win a pair….

I am giving away a pair of tickets to the August 14th cruise. Here is what you have to do to enter:

  • You may enter all 3 times listed below, but MUST do the mandatory entry
  • Contest is open only to those 21 years of age and older, with proof of age
  • Winner will receive a pair of tickets to the August 14, 2011 cruise. Prize does not include transportation to and from the boat dock, nor does it include any expenses incurred aboard the cruise.
  • Mandatory Entry: Leave me a comment assuring me that you are 21+ (they will check ID at the ticket pick-up) and why you rock!
  • Bonus Entry: Follow me on Twitter and tweet “I want to Rock the Cruise thanks to @renh77
    http://wp.me/pVsto-sV
    “. Leave me a comment letting me know you did so.
  • Bonus Entry: Like Rock & Blues Concert Cruise on Facebook. Leave me a comment letting me know you did so.
  • Entry must be received by Sunday, August 7, 2011 at midnight.
  • Winner will be announced Monday, August 8, 2011. If winner does not respond within 24 hours of notification, they forfeit their prize and a new winner will be selected.

All photos in this post, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of the Rock & Blues Concert Cruise.

Filed under: Random | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments »

Win $30 at Tommy Doyle’s Thanks to Eversave Boston!

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

Congratulations to commenter #26, Adam Lipkin! You won the $30 save to Tommy Doyles in Harvard Square!

You all know I have an infinite love for Eversave. Since the outbreak of 5 million “deal sites” hit the internet, Eversave has been the only one that I have stuck with. For some reason they hit the perfect mix of businesses for me.

So, I am very to happy to tell you  that today, Eversave has partnered with one of my very favorite watering holes, Tommy Doyle’s, to offer you $30 worth of fare for only $15! You can head on over to Eversave to purchase this awesome deal…but I am also giving you a chance to win it! Here is the scoop:

To Enter:

  • Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment on this post stating if you would like your prize to be for Tommy Doyle’s in Harvard Square, Kendall Square, or Hyannis
  • Bonus Entry: Follow me and EversaveBos on Twitter and tweet: “I want to win a free save to Tommy Doyle’s from @renh77 & @eversaveBos
    http://wp.me/pVsto-sg
    ” Come back here to leave me a comment saying you did this
  • Entries must be in by midnight, Thursday, July 28, 2011.
  • Winner will be selected using random.org from the comments submitted on this blog post
  • Eversave is fully responsible for the delivery of the prize to the winner.

Remember, you can sign up to get Eversave’s amazing daily deal here, or you can follow them on Twitter, or like them on Facebook.

Disclaimer: I was compensated by Eversave for posting this contest, however, the opinions expressed, as always, are wholly my own.

Filed under: Random | Tagged: , , , , | 30 Comments »

Happy Father’s Day Pops! And Hey New Englanders…Win Some Free Meals!

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

You all read about my amazing mom back in May. Well, July is here and it is the perfect time to celebrate the other half of who made me…me! My pops!

It is impossible to be around my pops and not crack a smile. Seriously, try it next time you are in a grumpy mood (shameless plug…you can visit him here!). I dare you to hear his hearty belly laugh and not break into fits of laughter yourself. Fair warning, it is not at all uncommon for him to break into one of these fits…

Hungry? My pops will cook you one heck of a meal…but be sure to keep your plate away from him, he isn’t scared to reach over and grab a little of that meal back. I guess the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree!

I am so incredibly lucky to have this man as my father.  People meet him, and they remember him, period. People WANT to be in his life. And I was rewarded with having him as a father. Wow.

Seriously, anyone who toted the wife and kids AND in-laws cross-country for 3 weeks in this wagon is truly someone special!

So, to the man with the most contagious laugh you have ever heard, Happy Father’s Day Pops! I love you with all my heart, and am giggling just thinking about you watching Jumping Jack Flash!

 And Now its Contest Time!

Now, for everyone in the New England area, I have one more giveaway for you this week thanks to Eversave. Today’s giveaway is for the $30 at Ristorante Pavarotti in Reading, MA. If you don’t win today’s giveaway, you can always head over to Eversave to buy it for only $15!

To Enter:

  • Follow Eversave on Twitter or Facebook and comeback here to comment you did so. Also include what your plans for this weekend are.
  • For an additional entry, tweet:  “I want to win Friday’s Father’s Day Restaurant Save from @renh77 and @EversaveBOS! http://www.eatliveblog.com!”

All winners will be randomly selected and announced Friday afternoon (6pm) at which point Eversave will email you your prize. Make sure to come back tomorrow and Friday to enter to win some more great prizes from Eversave!

Don’t forget that you can still enter the contests from Wednesday and Thursday as well!

Disclosure: I did receive compensation from Eversave.com in order to broadcast this week’s giveaways. I have not been to the Black Lobster, nor am I endorsing it. I do stand behind Eversave.com as my very favorite “deal site”, going back to way before any partnership I have with the site now. I have used Eversave as both an advertiser and as a consumer and have always been very happy.

Filed under: Random | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Healthy Snack Wednesday: Crispy Chickpeas and Dave Eats Giveaway!

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Renee {Eat.Live.Blog.}

 

The original goal of Healthy Snack Wednesdays was to create snacks that you could actually bring to work with you, or enjoy on the go. I don’t know about you, but around 10:30am and 2:30 pm, I always need a little something to revive me.

A few months back, recipes for baked chickpeas started flying all over the blogosphere, and I thought…wow, I should try that. But then I didn’t. A few weeks later I was searching for ways to make salt and vinegar potato chip seasoning, and came across salt and vinegar chickpeas. It was a sign from God. My time to bake some chickpeas had come!

Salt and vinegar chickpeas may have a white skin on some.

I wanted to try a regular batch before I dove into the likes of vinegar. So I pulled out my Dave Eats Hot Tabo Salt, some Habanero powder and my new favorite hot pepper sauce and got to mixing! The result was a perfect, crunchy, portable, slightly salty snack! I kept the jar on my desk for those emergency snack breaks, and it did the job for almost 2 weeks! Which not only makes it healthy, but very economical!

This snack has nutrition like you can’t believe! 1/2 cup of chickpeas packs 130 calories, 2 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein!! That’s what I call a power snack!

A few tips I learned along the way:

  • Make sure chickpeas cool ALL THE WAY before sealing them
  • Success is much more likely if you use dried chickpeas as opposed to canned chickpeas. Some times the canned beans are much thicker and have a chlorene-like taste
  • Experiment with seasoning! Curried chickpeas, sure! Cinnamon sugar chickpeas, why not? These can be great in any flavor you create!

With the hundreds of possible flavors you can create for the crispy chickpeas, I have to insist you try the one’s with Dave’s Tabo Salt. They were absolutely perfect! And I am going to help you do just that! Dave is sponsoring today’s HSW post with a little giveaway. One winner will be chosen at random to receive a sample pack of all Dave’s seasonings! You can thank me later…

To Enter:

  • Mandatory Entry: Head to DaveEats.com, peruse their products, and tell me which flavor seasoning you would most like to try by leaving a comment on this post!
  • Bonus Entry: Tweet about this contest – “I want to win @DaveEatsDotCom seasonings from @renh77
    http://wp.me/pVsto-my
    “
  • Bonus Entry: Follow @DaveEatsDotCom, leave me a comment saying you did so
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Crispy Chickpeas Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried chickpeas (soaked according to bag’s instructions)
  • Seasonings of your choice ( I used several dashes of hot sauce, Dave’s Hot Tabo Salt & Habanero powder)

Directions

  • Cover your pre-soaked chickpeas with water plus 2 inches (use distilled white vinegar if making salt & vinegar chickpeas) in a saucepan
  • Bring to boil, cover and reduce to a simmer
  • Simmer for 1.5 hours, until al dente (just a tad bit firm to the bite)
  • Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  • Drain chickpeas
  • Place chickpeas in a mixing bowl
  • Coat with your seasonings (just salt if making salt & vinegar chickpeas)
  • Place beans on your baking sheet in a single layer (you will probably have to bake in 2 batches)
  • Place on middle rack of the oven
  • Bake for 20 minutes and then stir beans. Make sure they go back into a single layer
  • Bake for 20 more minutes and stir again.
  • Bake for 10 more minutes, checking them every 3 minutes or so.
  • Chickpeas are ready when they are crispy all the way through. Not all of them will get there at the same time. When most of them are crispy through, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool (they taste REALLY good hot, so start snacking!). Once they have cooled completely, place them in an air-tight container. The beans that were not all the way crispy will become crispy after a few days in the jar….if they make it that long!

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