Giveaway Winner!

With the help of good ol’ Random.org, we have a winner for my cookbook giveaway!

The winning comment is #10, from Dalores! I asked what you’re looking forward to in the new year, and Dalores said:

I have How it All Vegan and love it! I’m sure the others would be just as good or better. I’m excited about cooking new recipes!

Congratulations, Dalores! I’ve sent you an email, and your books will be on their way once I get your mailing address. I hope they provide lots of fun new recipes to try!

Thanks, everyone, for your comments! I quite enjoyed reading what everyone’s excited about. Lots of you are feelin’ good about delicious vegan eating – I can definitely get behind that! One commenter said she’s excited because her sister is having a baby in 2013. I’m excited for that too! (My sister’s baby, not the commenter’s sister’s baby. Although I bet that baby will be pretty cool too.) Anyway, thanks again, and happy 2013! I’ll be back soon with a post from a super special guest. Any guesses?

Welcoming 2013 with a Giveaway!

Happy 2013! Even though my tummy issues prevented S and I from having a very exciting New Year’s Eve, we still enjoyed our quiet evening at home with the pup. So far, 2013 has been just fine, with lots of good food and good company.

On Friday, I skipped out of work a little early to drive up to Wisconsin Rapids to visit one of my best friends, who lives in Italy but was home for the holidays. We had a fun night playing games with her family and watching various shows on DVD, and her mum fed us a delicious tofu stir fry with brown rice and homemade bread. It was a quick visit, but totally worth it.

I drove back to Madison in the early afternoon on Saturday, and then S and I had a dinner date with the friend whose New Year’s Eve party we missed. She’s also vegan, and she served us a delicious gluten-free dinner. We started with crudités and a fantastic Brazil nut spread, then moved on to a blended parsnip soup flavored with Chinese five-spice. The main course was rolled eggplant slices stuffed with tofu ricotta and tomato sauce, and then we rounded out our meal with Coconut Bliss chocolate-hazelnut ice cream topped with chocolate-hazelnut cookies and homemade fudge sauce. Oh, and of course we drank lots of wine and a homemade orangecello (like limoncello… but with oranges). Much of our conversation centered around vegan food and restaurants, which is always fun – it’s wonderful to have someone who gets it and will happily gush about vegan eateries! She also sent us home with a bag of extra cookies.

And now it’s Sunday and we’re getting back into our normal routine – we’ve planned our meals for the week, I’ve gone grocery shopping, and tonight we’ll finish watching the Two Towers extended edition. Life is good.

To help you have a delicious 2013, I’d like to give away three cookbooks! I’ve been feeling a pull towards minimalism lately, and because I received three new vegan cookbooks for Christmas, I feel compelled to get rid of three that I don’t use all that often.

One winner will receive the following [gently used] cookbooks:

• How it All Vegan, Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard
• La Dolce Vegan, Sarah Kramer
• The Garden of Vegan, Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard

I inherited these cookbooks from a friend of a friend, but I just don’t use them that often, for a variety of reasons. But maybe you will! If you’d like a chance to win, just leave a comment telling me what you’re excited about in 2013. I’ll choose a winner next Sunday, January 13th, around 7:00 PM CST. (If you already own one or more of the books, enter anyway – I’ll split ‘em up if need be!)

Good luck, and happy 2013!

The Cute and/or Delicious Giveaway

It’s that time of year again! Not back-to-school time or autumn-is-upon-us time… it’s Vegan MoFo time! After switching to November last year, MoFo is returning to October for its fifth season (!). I’m not slacking off this year; I’m planning a bunch of themed posts and topics. And I want y’all to read them! To shamelessly win your loyalty, I’m hosting another giveaway! Last October I offered up autumnal-themed goods, but this year’s gifts are more varied. However, they all fall into one of two (if not both!) categories: cute and/or delicious. (No affiliation with the similarly titled (and delightful-to-read!) Cute and Delicious blog.) Up for grabs is the following collection o’ swag:

One lucky winner will receive:

• A set of cute, anthropomorphic-veggie-featurin’ recipe cards made by the wonderfully talented Michelle of My Zoetrope, who creates eye-poppingly bright and cheerful artwork. These are so darn cute that it hurts me to give them away.
• All four delicious flavors of J.J.’s Cocomels. Words cannot describe how ecstatic I was when I discovered that my beloved co-op carries Cocomels. They’re strategically placed right by the register, ensuring that I nearly always fall into the spontaneous-purchase trap and impulsively buy one (or more…) of these sweet, sticky, melt-in-your-mouth-amazing morsels of chewy deliciousness when I do my weekly shopping. My favorite flavor is Fleur de Sel, but you’ll also get to taste Original, Vanilla, and Java.
• A delicious and cutely packaged organic, fair-trade dark chocolate bar. I can’t speak to this specific flavor, but rarely does the combination of dark chocolate and orange disappoint.
• Three undeniably delicious Larabars. As a nod to last year’s giveaway, these are vaguely autumn-themed – I’m including Ginger Snap, Apple Pie, and Chocolate Coconut Chew. Okay, maybe the last one is more of a salute to the end of summer than the beginning of autumn.
• One cute little vegan-themed pin from Herbivore. This one features a sweet little elephant using her trunk to hold up an umbrella.

Sweet selection, right? Well, I’m gonna make you do a little thinking if you want a chance to win. As I said before, I want to keep you reading my little old blog, so I’d like to know what makes you return to the blogs you love best. Is it witty writing? Photographs that make you drool on your keyboard? Recipes that inspire you to run to the kitchen immediately? Tips for vegan living? Product reviews? An indefinable je ne sais quoi?

So, to be considered for the giveaway, leave a comment letting me know what keeps you invested in the blogs you love best. For extra entries, feel free to do one or both of the following (and leave another comment letting me know you did!):

• Tweet about the giveaway
• Mention it on your blog

Anyone can enter; just be sure to leave an e-mail address so I can contact you. I’ll choose a winner on Wednesday, 6th October, around 7:00 PM CST. Good luck, dear readers!

Winny McWinnerpants!

The results are in! I used a random number generator to pick the winner of my MoFo giveaway, and here’s what I got:

A winner is you!

#17, Jill from Vegan Backpacker! Jill, send me an e-mail (girlinthegarden AT gmail DOT com) with your name & address, and I’ll ship your goodies out to you this weekend!

Thanks for playing, everybody! I love doing giveaways, so I’ll probably host another one before winter ends.

Note: Because the comments for my giveaway post included some of my own pingbacks and automated Twitter pingbacks, I made a separate list of all legitimate entries and used that numbering for the giveaway. Does that make sense? I just wanted to clarify my methodology.

Adios, MoFo: Thanks & a Giveaway

Hey, you. Yes, you, person reading this post, about to hit the Next button in your Google Reader because you see too many words and not enough food porn. Stay a minute, why don’t ya? I’ve got something to say to you.

Thank you.

Thanks for everything. Thank you for your comments. Thanks for your food porn. Thank you for finding my blog while searching for “silly pumpkin pie” and “im with stupid muffins” and “gryffindor is lead.” Thank you for lurking and never leaving comments but betraying your creeperness by upping my blog hits (it’s okay; I’m down with the creepers). Thank you for your blog posts, the heartwearming and the creative and the mouthwatering and the nerdy and the intrepid alike. Thanks for your food porn. Thank you for your healthy treats and your sinful sweets. Thanks for taking me to faraway places from the comfort of my computer. Thank you for your Tweets and your vlogs and your talent for filling my Google Reader to overflowing. Thanks for your cookbooks filled with endless possibilities for delicious eats. Thank you for your community and for giving me something to look forward to next summer. Thanks for your compassion and your generosity and your sweetness. Thanks for your friendship and your support and did I mention your food porn? Seriously. Thanks for all the fish.

You – all of you – have made this a wonderful month o’ MoFo. I was stressed out and anxiety-ridden through much of it, but knowing that I could look forward to a Google Reader full of energetic, exciting posts and cruelty-free compassion and delicious, delicious food made everything a little easier to bear. You’re all amazing, and I thank you from the bottom of my silly little vegan heart.

And because you might not believe me unless I offer more than words, how about a giveaway? I’ve compiled a trove of treasures for you.

First, five adorable pins. Kala, who blogs over at Vegan Craftastic, didn’t officially participate in MoFo but did post about two of my favorite things throughout November: vegan food and vegan crafts! She has an Etsy shop stocked with oodles of adorable pins, bags, and notebooks – an awesome resource if you’re in the market for handmade holiday gifts! I chose a set of cooking-related pins, a cupcake pin, and a squirrel pin just because it was too cute to leave out!

Next up, two sweet cards. Amy of Tahinitoo was a MoFo champ, tantalizing us with droolworthy photos of brownies from the brownie cookbook she’s creating. But did you know that she, too, is a vegan crafter? Her Etsy shop, Chirp Cards, offers colorful, handmade cards for your writing and mailing pleasure. I think they’re super creative and fun, so I chose two to share with you.

Finally, a cookbook! Kris from Nom! Nom! Nom! Blog rocked MoFo with delicious food and fun giveaways. She’s also published a cookbook, The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes. Although I don’t own this cookbook, I’m pretty sure it rocks, judging just from the amazing baked goods she shares on her blog. So I figured I’d include it in my giveaway in the interest of supporting fellow MoFoers.

Entering is simple. Just leave a comment telling me your favorite moment of this November. Easy peasy! For an extra entry (or two), blog and/or Tweet about this giveaway and then come back here and leave another comment for each of those actions. Yay! I’ll pick a winner on Wednesday, 8th December, around noon CST.

Also, if you already own Kris’ cookbook, I’d be happy to substitute another cookbook, so feel free to enter! I wouldn’t mind keeping the copy for myself or gifting it to someone for Christmas.

Good luck, and thanks again for the MoFo memories!

A winner is you!

Hi everyone! The results are in, and the big winner of my autumn-themed giveaway is…

Lucky comment number 7 – LIZ! Liz’s favorite thing about autumn is “Afternoon walks with my Greyhound, underneath the beautiful blazing trees in my neighborhood, when it’s sunny but cool…“

How lovely! Makes me want a doggie. Liz, I’ve e-mailed you with a request for your mailing address so I can send off your package. Congrats!

Thanks for playing, everyone! What with VeganMoFo on the horizon, I intend to do another giveaway in the not-too-distant future.

A Very Autumnal Giveaway

Look, I’m only a couple of days late in getting this post up! I promised you a giveaway, and a giveaway you shall receive.

Because fall has undeniably arrived here in the Midwest, I went with an autumnal theme for this giveaway. Check it out:

 

This could be yours!

 

The goods:

* Stash’s Pumpkin Spice decaf tea. Normally I don’t do decaf, but this flavor called to me in the store, and I couldn’t resist! Although it’s more “spice” than “pumpkin,” it’s still really quite tasty and perfect for a chilly October morning; I enjoy dipping a Gingersnapper into it for maximum spice deliciousness (and I’m usually not a dipper – soggy crumbs in my tea?! Blech!).
* Organic & Pure Cinnamon Chai with Rooibus tea. I haven’t tried this one, but it looked so autumnal that I had to grab a box!
* Bayfield no-sugar-added apple butter. Yummy locally-made apple butter!
* A stash of Larabars. I went with vaguely fall-ish (or perhaps just holiday-ish) flavors: Pecan Pie, Apple Pie, Gingersnap, Carrot Cake, and Banana Bread.
* Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons. I wanted to include a cookbook, and Nava Atlas’ delightful collection of soups and stews seemed perfect! The section with recipes for fall are chock full of squash, lentils, taters, and all sorts of hearty, filling ingredients. Mmm!

The logistics:

To enter, simply comment and let me know your favorite thing about fall. If you don’t have a blog that’s linked in your comment, please leave an e-mail address so I can get in contact with you!

For an extra entry, mention the giveaway on your blog and then come back here and leave another comment.

I’ll randomly select a winner on Wednesday, 15th October at 7:00 PM CST.

As ever, thanks for reading! Good luck!

Alert, alert! Giveaway: your input needed!

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold the presses! It’s nearly October?! When did that happen? April may be the cruellest month (and that’s debatable), but September sure feels like the shortest. I know people (including me) say that all the time, but honestly? September flew by like a hummingbird on speed.

And that means that October fast approacheth. And that means that my one-year veganiversary fast approacheth!  I made the “official” switch to veganism on the first of October last year, just in time for VeganMoFo. I’d essentially been vegan for a while, but I came out of the closet, went public, and stopped with the very occasional consumption of eggs or dairy (which had mostly been to appease people and not make waves).

As I’ve said recently, making the official switch was by far one of my best decisions. So I’d like to celebrate! And what better way than by embracing my inner hobbit and giving away presents to all you wonderful folks? I haven’t yet decided what I should give away, so here’s the fun part – you can tell me! Do you like giveaways with food as the prize? A cookbook? An eclectic mix of fun ephemera? Let me know! I’ll take all your input into consideration and have the official giveaway post up in a week or so.

And just so this isn’t a text-only post, here’s a photo of some cookies.

Choco-chippers!

I’m pretty sure this was from a more successful attempt at making Dreena’s cookies than that last time I tried ‘em… hehe.

Cute&Crafty Alert: Chirp Cards!

Three things I love, in no particular order:

1. Veganism/being vegan/vegans in general
2. Craftiness and all things DIY
3. Giveaways (more specifically, winning giveaways)

With that in mind, I ask you this: what could possibly be more up my vegan alley than winning a giveaway of two adorable, crafty cards handmade by a fellow vegan? Yeah, that’s what I thought – nada! I was absolutely tickled pink when I won Celine‘s giveaway last weekend. She graciously purchased two cards of my choice from Amy‘s brand spankin’ new Etsy store, Chirp Cards. I chose the Little Pink Piggy and Night Owls cards, because really, who can resist pigs and owls?! Not this girl.

Just look at that adorable lil pig with his adorable lil apple core!

Amy sent the cards post-haste, all wrapped up in a cute little package with a handwritten note and two envelopes made from recycled paper. The cards are super sturdy, able to withstand a heavy dose of ink. I’ve already sent one off to my bestest friend, who recently moved to Syracuse.

Amy’s craftiness has inspired me to start including some of my own DIY endeavors on my blog. I have an Etsy shop, but it’s painfully empty at the moment. I think it’s time to fill ‘er up. In the meantime, go check out Amy’s shop and support a fellow vegan!

Thanks for hosting the giveaway, Celine!

 

Giveaway Winner Time!

Hey, everyone! I just got back from a wonderful – if chilly – bike ride with my mama, and now it’s time to announce the winner of my Papa Tofu giveaway! Although I considered using one of those random number generators, since I didn’t have that many entries I decided it’d be much more fun to physically pick the winning name out of a hat. So I grabbed a piece of scrap paper and got to work! I put all the names into my trusty hand-knitted Jayne hat, shook ‘em up, and drew a piece o’ paper…

A winner is you!

My first giveaway winner is Lindsay from Cooking for a Vegan Lover! Congrats! I’ll be emailing you soon for your mailing address.

Thanks to everyone who entered! I can’t wait to host another giveaway in the future.