Regular readers will know that I generally steer clear of PR posts (and PRs generally steer clear of me).
I’ve discovered the hard way that, ‘we’ll pop some [insert product name] in the mail for you to review’ actually translates as ‘we’ll bribe you with free stuff in return for favourable comments’. So after initial gushing from PRs about the AWESOMENESS of my blog, the silence has been deathly once I’ve posted truthfully about the product they’ve been flogging.
I prefer to make a buck selling my own products and I’ve worked pretty hard to gain the trust of my readers. I don’t want to insult you all by PROSTITUTING myself for the sake of some free biscuits. (Although I must say, I was recently sent a bunch of dairy & gluten free biscuits from Eskal and they were FANTASTIC and definitely worth seeking out).
But sometimes the planets align and I get approached by people who are promoting brands or causes I support and who are happy to offer a giveaway. Then I find myself quite amiable. As Kerry Packer was reported to say, “There is a little bit of the whore in all of us, gentlemen. What is your price?”. Mine is apparently about $4.35 for a packet of Eskal chocolate wafers. So here we go…
See, I even popped the branded bag in the background!
Giveaway #1
Bakers Delight is launching their new Chia & Fruit bread. I’ve had a munch of it and it’s good. Less sweet than a supermarket fruit bread and much more substantial. I’ve compared the nutrition panels of the chia loaf vs. a regular raisin toast and the BD one wins in every single category (plus it packs in Omega 3s), which makes it a really good afternoon tea or lunchbox option. My preference was for the loaf covered with chia seeds rather than the sunflower kernels. Anyway – cut to the shizzle – Bakers Delight have given me 3x$10 vouchers to give away so that you can buy some a loaves of your own to try. To enter, leave a comment below about what your favourite BD product is and why. Just for the record, mine is definitely their MINCE TARTS. They are so good that I don’t even bother trying to make my own. Just buy theirs.
Giveaway #2
More altruistic, this giveaway is sponsored by Aussie Farmers Direct in collaboration with the GI Cancer institute to help promote their Gutsy Kids challenge. Note, gutsy kids, not gusty kids, which is the typo I keep making (this version would be for those on an all cabbage challenge). You can read all about the fabulous program here.
The challenge helps to encourage kids (adults, you’re welcome to join in) to eat 2 serves of fruit and 4 serves of vegies every day for a week. And while you’re getting healthier, you’re raising money for cancer research. Did you know that 26 Australians die each day from gastro intestinal cancers? I didn’t.
If you have Vegie Smugglers 2 then you can flip to the handy visual reference of serving sizes to see what 2/4 actually entails.
Here’s a suggestion of how to reach your daily quota: have a banana on your cereal, a carrot at recess, some spinach leaves on your sandwich, an apple for arvo tea, some cucumber & green beans for a pre-dinner snack (try serving them with beetroot dip for extra points). Then for dinner… well… welcome to Vegie Smugglers, pretty much any dinner you serve the kids will get you to your target.
To win the Aussie Farmer’s Direct fruit box, comment below about your favourite Vegie Smugglers recipe, including which vegies you can now sneak into your little lovelies thanks to this site or the cookbooks. And please do visit the Gutsy Challenge website.
Right then, tarting done. I’ll pop my bustier and feather boa away and see you all next week with a great end of winter dinner!
*Thanks all competition now closed. Congratulations to Kirsty for winning the Aussie Farmer’s Direct box, and to Claire, Rebecca and Laura for winning the Baker’s Delight vouchers.*
Mary Preston said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:30 pm
Giveaway #1
We have a fabulous local Baker’s Delight. When they see me coming they know I’m after an Apple Licious for morning tea. Pull apart, ‘numminess’ at it’s freshest best.
megan canfarini said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:30 pm
Giveaway #1 their cheesymite scrolls !!!! so yummy
Melissa o said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:31 pm
My favourite bakers delight product is their scones. I love the Berrry and white choc ones but my favourite was the passion fruit ones they had last year
shauna said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:32 pm
I pile heaps of fresh organic vegies into my vegetarian spag sauce, including carrot, beans, parsley, zucchini and onion. I blend it all up in the blender so the kids don’t ‘see’ anything that resembles vegies. I make enough sauce for the freezer and always use some for your eggplant lasagne. My kids both love it!
wendyblume said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:33 pm
sounds good. alot like my ‘magic pasta sauce’ from book 1. x
Melissa o said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:34 pm
I love the beet root meatloaf, my husband loves it. My daughter lives veggies and will a thing it’s my husband I have to sneak veggies into. This is a great recipe that I can sneak beet root in and he doesn’t mind.
Melissa o said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:35 pm
Sorry I’m on an iPad, I need to proof read what it changes before I send.
wendyblume said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:36 pm
i have the same problem on mine. We got the gist😉
littleblossomquilts said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:37 pm
we love the pikelets, kids adore them! I usually put in banana and sultanas rather than apple but they are a HUGE hit! x
Laura said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:38 pm
So far my favourite recipe is for your sausage rolls, purely for the reason that it is stacked with vegies, and my daughter actually ate it! It had chicken mince, onion, carrot, zucchini, lentils, mushrooms, herbs! I was so ridiculously excited that she ate it (we have a very fussy eater, especially in regards to fruit and veg!) that i rang my husband just so i can tell someone and share my excitement!🙂
Mandy seeger said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:44 pm
My favourite BD product would have to be the Coffee & Date Log, toasted & served with cream cheese, yummo!
Caroline said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:53 pm
Our family favourite from all of your recipes is the ‘lamb & bean rissoles’. Everyone loves them and it’s great seeing my own M&P kid eat them up and not realise they are packed with healthy beans and carrot.
Shane Kennedy said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:53 pm
Definitely the scones..or maybe cheesy mite scrolls, or custard almond scroll, or chai loaf
Ok definitely the scones love them heated up in the microwave with a cuppa…hmmm my 5 mins of bliss
Sarah said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:53 pm
I have just finished chowing down on a BD finger bun topped with mini M & Ms, they are truly wicked!!! Alas until they bring back their divine cheese and chive scones I shall eat the finger buns!!!
Lisa Cook said,
August 24, 2012 @ 1:58 pm
Giveaway #2 We love the beetroot dip (pink dip for my girl!) and I put almost anything into our bolognese now, and tell the kids at the end. They then think they are so much stronger because I tricked them into eating LOTS of veggies.
Carrie Eckersley said,
August 24, 2012 @ 2:08 pm
I love the pizza bases so do my kiddies.
Michelle K said,
August 24, 2012 @ 2:09 pm
Giveaway 1 – Fruit Hot Cross Buns!… they are divine! Always buy a couple of dozen some for Easter and some for the freezer for later. 🙂
Carrie Eckersley said,
August 24, 2012 @ 2:12 pm
The pizza bases are the best.
Nikki Dures said,
August 24, 2012 @ 2:27 pm
Giveaway 2: I love the sausage rolls as I can hide lots of healthy stuff in them & the kids will still eat them & ask for more (so I make an extra batch so we can have them for lunch the next day as well). I add heaps of vegies into all of my meals now, so that I know that we are all getting the correct amount of serves each day.
Lindy said,
August 24, 2012 @ 2:30 pm
Giveaway 1 – I LOVE Bakers Delight and all their products but if i had to pick one, I’d pick the Authentic SOURDOUGH. I love that Bakers Delight use a proper starter culture for their sourdough breads, not just a sourdough fake “flavour”. I love getting sourdough for entertaining as it goes with so much. If there is any left, I love to toast a slice and spread on fresh ricotta and beautiful raspberry jam, yum!
Chris Davies said,
August 24, 2012 @ 2:35 pm
BD is my pick for ‘store-bought’ bread when I run out of time to make my own. I usually buy the low GI white loaf for the kids as a treat. Personally I love the pane di casa and their hot cross buns come in a close second to mine!
Amy said,
August 24, 2012 @ 3:00 pm
My favourite BD purchase is the cape seed loaves, even though they are smaller than a normal loaf you need less to fill you up, they are thicker but also healthier and I had to have it everyday through my pregnancy🙂
Claire Bailey said,
August 24, 2012 @ 3:54 pm
From BD I love croissants, the flakey buttery goodness, especially warmed up, peeled apart and spread with vegemite.
Of your recipes I love the vegenaise sauce because it is so versatile, good with pasta, lasagne or pasta bake or in a jaffle or under the grill for an open toastie. Because of vegiesmugglers I can now get my littlies to eat onion, celery, zucchini and capsicum.
But it has been as much the idea of blitzing things up and mixing it with things they do like and then gradually making it more familiar for them so that they will still eat it when identifiable as the individual recipes which has helped me.
A great example of this is that my littlies helped me make some chocolate cupcakes which also had 1C of Broccoli and 1/2C of zucchini which they were happy to grate and mix in and then eat the finished product. Of course it was not my own recipe but without VS I doubt I would have been brave enough to try it. So thank you VS for making me more brave in my cooking and letting me get my littlies to eat their baby trees with enjoyment🙂
Penny said,
August 24, 2012 @ 4:32 pm
Giveaway #1 – Apple & walnut loaf is a favourite of mine. Perfect for afternoon tea with friends.
Penny said,
August 24, 2012 @ 4:34 pm
Giveaway #2 – Sausage & tomato hotpot. Sooooo tasty. Perfect for a winters meal. Yum! All my boys gobbled it up.
Jessica Fuller said,
August 24, 2012 @ 5:23 pm
1) You have not LIVED until you try the chocolate croissants! Just ask those gorgeous little precious’ to pop it into the microwave for a few seconds and it’s a warm parcel of deliciousness, just for you. (as long as the kids are at school!)
2) I adored the chicken sausage rolls. I loved that I could serve them at a little kids party and they gobbled up exactly the same as the “regular” ones would have been however I knew that they were 17 bagzilliondillions times healthier than the shoe tread filled supermarket freezer specials.
Danelle said,
August 24, 2012 @ 5:23 pm
Naughty I know but the berry and white choc scones get me every time🙂 Thank you for the info about the new chia loaf
Wendy S said,
August 24, 2012 @ 5:34 pm
Giveaway #2
We love the Quick Pasta Bake, the kids don’t even realise now that there’s beans and an added grated zucchini and no meat!
womblywoo said,
August 24, 2012 @ 5:35 pm
Giveaway #1
We love the Quick Pasta Bake, the kids don’t even seem to notice the beans and an added zucchini in there instead of meat.
womblywoo said,
August 24, 2012 @ 5:35 pm
Hmm that should have been Giveaway #2 sorry!
Sandra said,
August 24, 2012 @ 7:56 pm
I can’t go past BD’s scones. I’m quite partial to the spinach and feta ones or the white choc and berry.
meganthorleymegan said,
August 24, 2012 @ 8:17 pm
giveaway #2, our favourite vegie smugglers meals is the sausauge and tomato hotpot, which has carrots, fennel, beans, tomato, capsicum and onion. Whenever I cook it I always make double as it freezes well and I don’t have a lot of other uses for fennel so it saves the leftovers going to waste. Everyone in my family LOVES this meal🙂
Teneale said,
August 24, 2012 @ 8:45 pm
Giveaway #1: I absolutely love the Baker’s Delight date scones – warmed up with butter of course!
wendyblume said,
August 24, 2012 @ 9:02 pm
I MUST agree. they’re a particular weakness of mine too.
Jen said,
August 24, 2012 @ 9:34 pm
BD giveaway: best item is their mini pink finger bun. Perfect bribe to keep my daughter happy and at half the size of a normal finger bun, I don’t have to feel so guilty!
Lisa said,
August 24, 2012 @ 9:48 pm
BD Giveaway: Definitely the white choc & berry scones because they are divine warmed up with a cuppa. The cheesymite scrolls are a close second because they always keep my kids quiet while I do my shopping!
Laura said,
August 24, 2012 @ 10:20 pm
Easy – Cape Seed Loaf. (1) Because I love it – especially toasted, (2) It is preservative free, and (3) because it is full of seeds and grains which we all need to eat more of.
I would quiet happily live on bread if I could…….
Amy said,
August 24, 2012 @ 10:31 pm
Giveaway #2: would have to be the potato and spinach gnocchi with that gorgeous sauce from book 2. My daughter inhales it when I make it!
Barbara Good said,
August 25, 2012 @ 12:38 am
Give Away # 1 – fruit hot cross buns and Wendy I want to send you some of the fruit mince pies I make (that my mother taught me, that her mother taught her etc), is that blowing my own horn a bit too much.. Anyway, they are better than any store bought ones I’ve tried in my humble (or not so humble apparently) opinion.
As for #2 I vote for the feta and lamb meatballs with pasta salad. But I have to say I’m yet to find a recipe on your site that I haven’t enjoyed and have had at least some success getting Miss Three to eat. Now that I’ve read the other comments it looks like I have some new ones to try.
wendyblume said,
August 25, 2012 @ 7:36 am
I’ll take you up on the mince pie offer! or at least you’ll have to email me the recipe! I”m up for a challenge this year.
Lisel17 (@Lisel17) said,
August 26, 2012 @ 1:31 am
#1 White choc and berry scones with the cape seed loaf a close 2nd!
Lisel17 (@Lisel17) said,
August 26, 2012 @ 1:36 am
#2 Everyone loves your fish pie, so tasty. But for vegie smuggling goodness it must be quesadillas. My kids are good vegie eaters except for when it comes to capsicum, but smuggle some into a quesadilla and they’ll happily eat it!
kerrie said,
August 26, 2012 @ 12:36 pm
i like the caramel scrolls from bakers delight and i would say the sausage rolls are my favorite recipe
robert said,
August 26, 2012 @ 12:41 pm
Choc chip, almond & banana muffins are fantastic, I’ve made a batch with paw paw instead of banana and are great too. Love grated carrot and zucchini into rissoles or sausage rolls as well.
Me Olrich said,
August 26, 2012 @ 12:46 pm
I have a few…. carrot, beetroot and chocolate patty cakes, cannelloni (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and zucchini added to the the spinach, ricotta/feta mix), spaghetti bolognaise (contains, finely grated broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower and carrot) and or lasagne special (also contains finely grated broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower and carrot). My kids eat potato, pumpkin, carrot, beans & peas, corn and celery no problem, just adding a few extras to their diet is piece of mind
Me Olrich said,
August 26, 2012 @ 12:48 pm
giveaway number 1:- apricot delight loaf, my kids and I totally love it, but also their pizza bases, cheap and delicious!
Nicole said,
August 26, 2012 @ 12:53 pm
Baker’s Delight… My favourite product has to be their lemon tarts. Only made at Christmas time thank goodness, or my thighs and hips would hate me!
Rebecca Askin said,
August 26, 2012 @ 1:13 pm
Giveaway #1 – I love the Bakers Delight pizza bases – they are just plain delicious! So light and fluffy – not dry and crusty like the frozen ones – blergh! I make Healthy pizzas using home made tomato base, then plie them wth all sorts of goodies like spinach/silverbeet, tomato, capsicum, mushrooms, pineapple, olives, grated carrot, red onion, scrambled egg (yes it is yummo), with a smattering of ham & lite cheese. The 3 & 4yo’s love them!!
Giveaway#2 – I always make the Vegie Smugglers ‘Magic Vegetable Pasta Sauce’ as it is full of good stuff & the kids chow it down. I always make extra to freeze when I cook it, as it is a great base for such things like Cottage pie, then I add bite sized bits of vege for colour OR Lasagne OR then I also add some mince and a pinch of curry powder for a curry pie. I love this recipe because it is so versitile and you can use it for anything! You know I love your books Wendy!!
corrie said,
August 26, 2012 @ 2:08 pm
I love the veggie pasta sauce, I pile as many veggies in that I can getaway with!! I can make so many dishes with it, that even when she is sick she will still eat the sauce! Thanks so much for your great recipes!
Chris Gates said,
August 26, 2012 @ 2:18 pm
Our fav Bakers Delight product is the High fibre – Low GI rolls. My daughter likes to snack on one whilst we shop. The ladies at our local Tamworth store are so friendly and it’s great to have a quick chat when I go to buy her roll.
Vanessa said,
August 26, 2012 @ 2:51 pm
To pick my favourite bakers delight product is quite difficult. If i had my way i would leave there with more than just the usual one or two items. But if i was only allowed one thing, i would have to say its the choc chip scones (or the date ones… see i cant pick just one :)). Mmmm might need to make a trip out to get some now….
Julie Thurston said,
August 26, 2012 @ 2:53 pm
Give Away # 1 My six year old son loves Bakers Delight finger buns. He used to choose hundreds and thousands sprinkled on top and now loves the mini m n m’s.
Alissa said,
August 26, 2012 @ 3:17 pm
I love the spinach and feta pull aparts. But I’m a total sucker for an apple scroll. Mmmmm
Alissa said,
August 26, 2012 @ 3:21 pm
And #2.
The quick pasta bake is a real hit here. Although I do love hiding veges in sweets, it’s becoming a bit of a personal mission at the moment. I’m all set to try beetroot choc cakes this week.🙂
Melissa said,
August 26, 2012 @ 3:47 pm
Giveaway 1 – I love the Cape Seed loaf and rolls. I could eat them all day! The sweet chilli twists are pretty good too.
Kirsty Cassell said,
August 27, 2012 @ 1:42 pm
I, my 16 month old daughter, and my Husband (who is more difficult to feed veggies to than my daughter!) absolutely LOVE your cheesypots. I made them the other day from your sample collection from your website, and they were a big hit! The great thing is, you can add any veggies in them that you want! And they were so easy to make. With your directions, that has to be the best cheese sauce I have made from scratch. Ah-mazing!! I told hubby about all the veggies that were in it, and he didn’t believe me! It was a great sample to have available, and I will now, most definately, be buying your books!
Silvana Geldenhuys said,
August 27, 2012 @ 2:17 pm
Ok not very healthy, but I love their apple and custard teatime treat. Its my favorite to get for me and my boys to share🙂
Kath said,
August 28, 2012 @ 12:10 am
Giveaway 1 – the new chia fruit loaf is my absolute favorite. I’ve been searching for a healthy fruit loaf for my kids and this one is perfect and they love it.
Anita said,
August 28, 2012 @ 3:38 pm
Giveaway #1
Although it may sound boring my kids love them and actually will eat anything you put inside them, unlike normal sandwiches. They would be the ‘Bap Roll’ with its lightly dusted flour exterior
Jacqui said,
September 16, 2012 @ 10:57 pm
I live th chia loaves of bread, ESP the crusts because the seeds get a yummy nutty flavour