September's Snackbox

Yes, folks it's true, I was treated to yet another month of Snackbox's yummy goodness!  And let me tell you, it was just as fun and exciting to get it this month as it was last month.  I couldn't resist sharing some photos and details on the products that my taste buds got to enjoy this month, so here you go...
 
Things to note: (1) Snackbox's $15 savings for first-time customers is still in effect until October 31, 2013.  Simply enter the coupon code "LOVEOFFOOD" when checking out.  (2) For further details on Snackbox, please see my post on August's Snackbox (http://myloveoffood-shayne.blogspot.ca/2013/09/snackbox.html).

 

https://getsnackbox.com/

@GetSnackbox

The official opening of September's Snackbox!

Discovering my plunder...

 

Snack 1 - Kind Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew & Antioxidants bar.  Very yummy folks!  Definitely a hunger-curbing and sweet-tooth satisfying snack.

http://www.kindsnacks.com/products/kind-store/buy-kind-bars/kind-plus/darkchocolate-cherry-cashew-antioxidants.html

@KINDSnacks

 

 

Snack 2 -  Gimme Organic Seaweed Snack.  I'm not going to lie.  I thoroughly enjoy seaweed on my sushi and in my miso soup, but I was having a hard time wrapping my head around eating it as a snack on its own.  When I finally worked up the courage to open the package, I was pleasantly surprised.  The seaweed was dry roasted and lightly flavoured with sea salt.  It was enjoyable and light.  I wouldn't say it would curb your hunger on its own, but it would be a nice accompaniment with a snack.  Plus, according to my boss, kids love it!

http://www.gimmehealth.com/collections/all

@gimMeSeaweed

 

 

Snack 3 - Mary's Gone Crackers Chocolate Chip Cookie.  These were nice.  Personally I'm a fan of soft, gooey cookies straight out of the oven, but for store bought cookies these were enjoyable.  Plus, I would have had no idea that they were gluten-free. 

http://www.marysgonecrackers.com/your-products/cookies

@GoneCrackers

 

 

Snack 4 - Home Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I found these to be very similar to Snack 3's cookies: good store-bought cookies, that I would have had no idea were gluten-free.  I liked the fact that these cookies were bite-size. 

http://www.homefreetreats.com/c-14-chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookies.aspx?c=o

@HomeFreeTreats

 

Snack 5 - Brothers All Natural Pear Fruit Crisps.  After last month's apple fruit crisps, I knew what texture to expect for the pear fruit crisps, and enjoyed them that much more as a result.  Nice pear flavour, and a good light snack.

http://www.brothersallnatural.com/fruit-crisps/

@BAN_News

 

Snack 6 - Nature's Path Q'ia Superfood Cereal (Cranberry Vanilla).  I quite enjoyed this cereal.  It was very similar to Feed Your Life's homemade holy crap cereal (http://myloveoffood-shayne.blogspot.ca/2013/02/homemade-holy-crap-cereal-feed-life.html) but it became a bit more porridgy and had a really nice cranberry vanilla flavour to it.  I'd definitely recommend mixing this cereal with milk or almond milk and not citrus water. 

http://us.naturespath.com/our-products?field_product_type_tid=5&field_special_diet_tid=All&field_superfood_ingredient_tid=All&field_new_value=All 

@NaturesPath 

 

 

Snack 7  - Brookside Dark Chocolate Fruit.  These acai and blueblerry flavoured nuggets of goodness completely rocked my world this month!  Hands down the highlight of the month.  I will most definitely be picking up some of these at the grocery store in the very near future.  

http://www.brooksidechocolate.com/usa/products/dark-chocolate-acai-blueberry

@Brookside_Choc  

 

 

 

Snack 8 -  Rocketfood Apple Berry Oatmeal.  I loved this snack as much this month as I did last month!  Easy to transport, easy to make and fills my belly...definitely no complaints here.  I did prefer last month's classic flavours to this month's but, that being said, I enjoyed both.  This will definitely will be making it onto my grocery list sometime soon!

http://rocket-foods.com/

@RocketFoodsInc

 

Snack 9 - Mediterranean Snacks Tapaz 2 Go.  Lentil crackers, classic hummus, all in an easy to carry box that turns into a serving tray?  Sold!  Definitely a great snack to carry along for a hike or trip to the beach.  Only word to the wise?  You may want to bring a few more crackers to ensure you're able to use up all of that yummy hummus!

http://www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com/products/tapaz2go-classic-hummus/

@medsnax

  

 Snack 10 - Dan-D Pak Maca'damia nuts!!!  I can't even tell you how excited I was to discover an entire container of macadamia nuts in September's Snackbox.  Talk about a score!  >ne of my favourite nuts of all time.  Plus, who knew that they came in handy dandy individual containers like these?  You go Dan-D Pak!

http://www.dan-d-pak.com/products/macadamia-nuts-natural-jar/

@DanDFoods  

Snack 11 - Angie's Boom Chicka Pop.  Literally the night before I received my Snackbox, I was over at a friend's for dinner and she was raving about this popcorn she'd just bought.  Turns out it is all the rage right now.  I thoroughly enjoyed it so, needless to say, I was a wee bit excited to discover an individual package in my Snackbox the next day!  Definitely worth a try if you're in the market for some pre-made popcorn.  And word on the street is that you can buy big bags at Costco for a fraction of the price!

http://angiespopcorn.com/project/sea-salt-popcorn/

@AngiesKettle  

SMAK

A couple of months ago when I was walking down Burrard Street, I was offered a free SMAK sample.  At first I was so confused...what is a SMAK?  But, seeing as though I could never rationalize turning down free food, I took the sample.  I can't remember what it was, but I remember it was very yummy and actually enticed me to check them out online.  What I discovered intrigued me.  A healthy fast-food restaurant right around the corner from my office.  I figured it was definitely worth a try for lunch...which led to the yummy pictures below!

My Mango SMAK box: a mango nori wrap (red cabbage, rice vermicelli, almond, edamame, herbs, spinach and carrot), mango, half an avocado, spinach, seeds mix, kelp noodle and pickle mix, beansprout salad and Thai dressing.  This meal was full of variety in terms of flavour, colour and texture.  I loved it!  The only thing I wish is that there was a bit more of it.  I was not hungry at the end of the meal, but I wasn't fully satisfied either.  Granted, I eat more than the average person.  So, I'd say this is a great option for a light lunch, but if you're hungry maybe opt for a large hot bowl and small salad (that seemed to be what the majority of people were ordering).  I was also very impressed by the fact that every ounce of packaging that you see above was fully compostable.  ($11.85)

My view during lunch.  Sitting at a picnic table underneath a tree...nice touch SMAK!

The X that marks the spot.

http://smakfastfood.com/

@smakfood

The Bench Market

If you haven't guessed yet, this week's posts are dedicated to the fabulous city of Penticton.  Not only do they have gorgeous weather, amazing scenery, and taste bud tantalizing wine, but they also have some amazing restaurants!  My favourite discovery so far?  The Bench Market.

Homemade yummy goodness to eat in or take-out, indoor seating, outdoor seating, gluten-free options, sunshine and they cater to the bike community (bike racks galore)...what more could you ask for?  We enjoyed breakfast there on two occasions and I've included the yummy photos from both below.  Definitely a must visit if you're ever in Penticton.  Thanks for the good eats Bench Market!

The Breakfast Plate: 1.5 hardboiled eggs, amazing brie cheese, 2 slices of bacon, homemade cranberry bread and a bowl of fruit.  ($10.95)  The cheese sold me on this meal initially and then it melted me into putty while eating it.  Amazing!

 

 Homemade granola with yogurt and a side of fruit.  (Approximately $9)  This was just what the doctor ordered.  So fresh and flavourful!  I loved that they had mint in the fruit salad.

 

My freshly pressed apple juice!  Being an Okanagan girl, my heart skipped a beat when I noticed this on the menu during our second visit.  Lots of apple goodness in this glass!  ($2.50) 

The outdoor patio.

Our view during breakfast.

 http://www.thebenchmarket.com/

Twitter: @TheBenchMarket

Wicked Café - Best Cafés in Vancouver (3 of 48)

A while back, a dear friend of mine sent me a list of the best coffee shops in Vancouver that she found (included below for your viewing pleasure).  I was super excited...even more options for my Chai Latté and Scrabble challenge!  So, when I was meeting up with a friend for coffee recently, I decided it was time to start putting this list to use and check out Wicked Café.  I had heard fabulous things about this cute coffee shop for years and was thrilled to see they were all true!

The space is great and welcoming, the artwork on the walls is gorgeous, the baked goods are out of control and all looked home-made, the service was friendly and easy-going, the prices were normal, and my matcha latté was delicious.  There was no chai latté or Scrabble this time...just wasn't that kind of day...but I have no doubt my scrabble board will be making an appearance there in the future!

Only 45 more to go!

My delicious matcha latté.  (approximately $4.25)

The unbelievable selection of baked goods.  Talk about heaven!  And for you gluten-free folks out there, I was impressed with the number of gluten-free options available.

My Orange-cranberry Muffin.  (approximately $2.75).  Definitely hit the spot!

My coffee shop partner in crime's chocolate croissant.  (price unknown)  Looked very yummy!

The view from our seats.

The other view from our seats.

 

The X that marks the spot.

http://itstodiefor.ca/best-coffee-in-vancouver/

The Edge Café

I went to an absolutely lovely café for lunch the other day with a fabulous lady.  The food was yummy, very fresh and homemade, the service was good, there was plenty of natural sunlight, and the prices were great!  Plus they had something for everyone: gluten-free, vegan, meat-eaters, you name it.  Definitely a great place to add to your lunch repertoire.  Personally, I'm looking forward to trying their brunch now!

The Spinach salad with Chicken: a full chicken breast, spinach, red onion, walnuts, mandarin oranges and goat cheese.  ($15)  This looked delicious and the lovely lady I dined with thoroughly enjoyed it.   

 My Wild Sockeye Salmon sandwich: wild sockeye salmon, asian slaw, pea shoots, lettuce, tomato and wasabi mayo on a warm ciabatta bun with carrot ginger soup.  ($13)  Delicious!  Solid chunk of salmon, great flavours, a super fresh bun and very filling.  Full warning, though, this is a messy sandwich...which, in my opinion, made it taste even better!

http://edgecatering.ca/the-edge-cafe/

Twitter: @EdgeCatererCafe