June Paleo Pen Pals: Reveal Day!

A while back, I was a part of the awesome Foodie Pen Pals, run by superwoman Lindsay, over at the Lean Green Bean (follow her today if you do not already). I loved being a part of the monthly food exchange, but since starting my stricter “paleo-ish” lifestyle, I always felt as if I was being difficult having to explain the restrictions to anyone who wasn’t aware; and even those who understood, it just seemed a bit inconvenient.

But then when I saw a fellow Crossfitter at my box post on Facebook about Paleo Pen Pals, it was like finding a new family! I signed up right away! (I still love you, Lindsay! ;))

My Paleo Pen Pal

I was matched up with Mandy, a wife and mother of two, who blogs at We Eat Fat, Not That. Her and her family follow the paleo diet (of course), but her husband is taking it a step further following the auto-immune protocol, eliminating eggs, nuts, seeds, and nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, and peppers (I would starve!).

After many long emails back and forth, she put together what she thought would be perfect for me. I received my package right on time and it was wrapped in a Brooks running shoe box, secured by purple duct tape. Apparently the post office gave her hassle about this, but it made it safely to Detroit!

It took me forever to open up this package!! I am not one to carry a knife or proper box cutter around, so I tried my teeth. Then a key. Then a pen. Eventually I grabbed the scissors, but still you would think Mandy did not want me to get inside!

I mean, I get she wanted it to get here safe and sound.. but I wanted to get to the goodies ASAP! 😉

After much struggle, I was eventually able to break open the box (and sorry, cannot ever reuse it due to my destructive behaviour trying to open it).

I laughed when I read the card and it had confirmed my suspicion that the color scheme was chosen on purpose. Mandy had previously mentioned she listened to my vlog and noted my favorite color was purple!

One of the first things I opened was a goodie bag for my puppy! In our conversations, I had mentioned that my dog loves veggies, especially carrots.

Ripley waited patiently then cautiously took a biscuit. The little baggie did not last too long!

The next super thoughtful item was a picture from her daughter. Seriously, how cute is that!!? She nailed that outfit down perfectly. 😉

Finally.. it was more goodies for me!

Mandy had included some homemade soap! It smelled so soothing! I have become a fan of the foam store-bought soaps, but something about using homemade soap that wasn’t full of chemicals just made so much sense since this was a paleo box.

Next up was the prize gem of the package, a strawberry balsamic vinegar from a local oil and vinegar shop in her hometown. I had honestly never used anything other than regular olive oil and either white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar, and never had I used any flavored vinegars in cooking.

Mandy often cooks with various oil and vinegars for a wide variety of recipes! She provided a few recipes to try, one with hamburgers. I eat ground beef quite often, so thought her recipe would be perfect to try for my pre-workout treat or for lunches. I will admit I was extremely hesitant about trying these burgers. I am a quite picky eater, but trying to expand my taste buds! Strawberry and beef do not sound like they go together at all, but I put my trust in the expert!

I was quite surprised, yet pleased, by the taste of these! I am used to just using garlic, salt, and pepper in just about every dish I cook, so this was quite a bit more sophisticated taste, which I enjoyed quite a bit.

I cannot wait to make her recipe for the paleo breakfast clafouti, which is like a quiche with berries!

Overall, I was extremely pleased with my very first paleo pen pal experience and cannot wait to do this again, even though I am not sure if I will have another penpal as thoughtful and sweet as my very first!

To check out more about Mandy, her blog, and the goodies I sent over to her, you can visit We Eat Fat, Not That.

To find out more about Paleo Pen Pals or to sign up, visit them on Facebook!

Your turn..
Have you ever done a pen-pal program?
Do you ever cook with fancy oils or vinegars?
Did you ever hear of the word clafouti?