The holidays are my favourite time of year. The season is cheerful, bright, and there's a real sense of giving - in the form of gifts, or giving back to the community - in the air.

I have more fun giving than receiving, so in the spirit of the season I've partnered with 12 local businesses and restaurants to bring you the 12 Days of Local Food Love! I'm sharing these 12 businesses that I frequent and support - I truly love what they are doing in the Edmonton food scene. It's so important to support the community by shopping and dining locally, so I hope you'll love and share these businesses that I'll be featuring. Over the next 12 days I hope you either discover a new business or learn something new about them!

Each day I'll be posting across my social media platforms (Instagram/Facebook/Twitter) about a different business, and lucky for my readers each business has generously provided items to give away. Entrants must be from Edmonton & surrounding area only. Entries for each giveaway will be accepted up until midnight on December 24th, and the winner for each giveaway will be chosen at random on the 25th from across my three platforms! 12 winners will be contacted on Christmas day - Merry Christmas!

I'll be updating this post daily with links to each giveaway, so check back frequently and enter often! As always, thank you for the love and support. Good luck and Happy Holidays!

--------------------------------------------------------------Local Food Love Day 1: Jacek Chocolate

Enter to win a Sipping Chocolate + Jackie Bar
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
Jacek Chocolate was born in 2009 out of a love for fashion & chocolate by owner Jacqueline Jacek. As a self proclaimed ‘Cocoanista’ she combines her two passions in creating artisan chocolate bars, seasonal chocolates, and even a bean-to-bar collection. I love the beautiful designs and flavour combinations, but what I always look forward to in the summer is the weekly collaborations made with City Market Downtown vendors. Jacek is so innovative and I truly admire their commitment to giving back to the community through various fundraising projects. What’s not to love?

Congratulations to @avaoxia on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 2: XIX Nineteen

Enter to win Sunday Brunch for Four People
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
Headed by Chef Andrew Fung, the kitchen at XIX Nineteen cooks up a delicious range of dishes using locally sourced ingredients at their two locations - Terwillegar & St. Albert. Nineteen is truly a great spot to celebrate any occasion, and I’ve celebrated two of my birthdays there with their famous Ahi tuna twists! The restaurant recently launched their new brunch menu and it’s worth checking out, as XIX is a solid choice for the weekend’s finest. The Five Spice Bao Benny is unique and I highly recommend the house-made cookie top cinnamon buns! Add a pear-jito and you’re set!

Congratulations to @jasonwoods780 on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 3: Apollo Donuts

Enter to win an Apollo 13 (Baker's Dozen of Donuts!)
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
Some people like their donuts cakey, others like them light and fluffy. Apollo Donuts likes them handmade in small batches with a light brioche-style dough. Made for preorders only, Apollo creates unique flavour combinations that pack a punch in each bite. Production occurs in the early hours of the morning with fresh ingredients, and the donuts are free of preservatives and artificial flavourings. Blackberry yuzu and passionfruit glaze are my two favourites, but the lime mango and Uncommon Cider Co. apple fritter are top contenders too. Flavours change weekly, but the production days are always Friday + Saturday with order pickup at Ritchie Market's Transcend Coffee or The Colombian Coffee & Roastery. These guys donut mess around.

Congratulations to @pika.bao on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 4: Meuwly's & Secret Meat Club

Enter to win a 3 Month Subscription to Secret Meat Club ($120 Value)
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
Meuwly's is an artisan marketplace in the heart of the 124 Street area known for their house-made charcuterie, sausages, pickles and preserves. All their products are made and cured on site, and a wide variety of their offerings can be found on menus of restaurants in and around Edmonton. Prior to opening, owners Will & Peter created Secret Meat Club – the city’s first monthly artisan food box subscription delivering sausages, charcuterie and condiments straight to your door. What started as a project to test products and gather feedback has become one of the best ways to sample local charcuterie in the city!

Congratulations to Kelty Coburn on Facebook!
Local Food Love Day 5: Rostizado

Enter to win a $80 Gift Card to Rostizado
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
Mexican food isn't just tacos and burritos, and Rostizado is a testament to that. Taking inspiration from the rosticerias in Mexico, Rostizado puts a modern twist on dishes made with old-world cooking techniques. Located in the heart of the Ice District, Rostizado is a great spot for lunch downtown, dinner prior to the game, or any sort of celebration. The atmosphere is fun and the food is delicious. The Rosti Burger and Mission-style burritos are my favourites off the lunch menu, but if you're heading there for dinner round out your meal with the charred carrots or roasted cauliflower, which are not to be missed. And don't forget to save room for churros!

Congratulations to @swooned on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 6: Syphay Restaurant

Enter to win a $75 Gift Card to Syphay Restaurant
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
When I have a hankering for Thai food Syphay Restaurant is one of my go-tos. Opened in 2004 by Sye and Phay Sayaphet, this family-owned restaurant truly is a local gem when it comes to Thai and Lao food. The restaurant has since been passed down to the Sayaphet's eldest daughter Katherine, but the dishes have remained as delicious as always at both the south and downtown locations. The dishes are authentic, the flavours are bold, and you can taste the fragrant herbs in every bite. You might be drawn to ordering pad thai, but I highly recommend the Pad Lao! Add a big bowl of Tohm Yum and you’re set.

Congratulations to @hammy.law on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 7: Caramunchies

Enter to win a Caramunchies Gift Pack! ($58 Value)
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
Buttery rich caramels are a decadent treat, but they’re even better when they don’t stick to your teeth! Meet Alysia Lok, the maker behind Edmonton’s tastiest caramel treats at Caramunchies. A blend of crispy cornflakes and salted caramel come together to make a sweet snack that hits all the right notes. They’re salty, sweet, crunchy and chewy! Another delightful treat are her individually wrapped caramels - they are buttery morsels that won’t stick to your teeth. You can pick up your Caramunchies on weekends at City Market Downtown, but if you run out (trust me, they’re addictive!) you can get your fix at Brown Butter Cafe, Golomein, Milk & Cookies Bakeshop, and Williams Sonoma (WEM) throughout the week.

Congratulations to @shevonlam on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 8: Gruger Family Fungi

Enter to win a gift from Gruger! ($58 Value)
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
My Saturday mornings are usually dedicated to visiting my favourite vendors at City Market Downtown, including Gruger Family Fungi! When I learned that a local Edmonton business was growing pink and blue oyster mushrooms I had to see them with my own eyes and let me tell you, these mushrooms are stunning! Sure, they’re beautiful to look at, but one taste and you’ll discover that they also have unique flavour profiles and lots of nutritional benefits as well. This small family farm grows a variety of mushrooms ethically and organically for purchase at farmers markets and you can also find their mushrooms on various menus throughout the city. My favourite variety is the pink oyster mushroom for it’s texture and smoky bacon flavour, but the meaty king oyster mushrooms are a close second!

Congratulations to @jessfc3 on Twitter!
Local Food Love Day 9: Yelo'd

Enter to win a platter of Yelostix! ($45 Value)
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
One of my favourite places for ice cream in Edmonton is Yelo’d for their perfectly swirled soft serve and charcoal waffle cones. The Filipino-inspired ice cream at Yelo'd is unique and taste true to their flavours. Their secret? Using real, fresh ingredients in their soft serve ice cream base - there’s nothing artificial here. The ice cream is incredibly smooth and creamy, just the way it should be. Better yet? They hand-make their waffle cookie cones in house, stuffing marshmallow in the bottom to prevent drips. Genius, if you ask me!

Congratulations to @wwnaut on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 10: Ono Poke Co.

Enter to win two $20 Gift Cards!
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
When I’m craving something healthy, fresh and filling, the poke bowls at Ono Poke Co. always come to mind. Chef Lawrence Hui is behind the menu, pulling inspiration from trips to Ka’anapali, Maui to bring an authentic taste of poke to the prairies. The chef-driven signature bowls are delicious (the Ono is my go-to!), but I also love having the option of building your own bowl. You can even turn your poke bowl into a burrito to eat on the go! The fish is fresh and well seasoned, and flavours are balanced. It’s the closest you’ll get to Hawaii without hopping on a plane, but when the poke is this good you can save yourself the trip.

Congratulations to @teegzmum & @cbuyze on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 11: Revolution Ice Cream

Enter to win three pints of ice cream!
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
Revolution Ice Cream Co. came about when owners Jess & John wanted to bring the ice cream flavours they fell in love with abroad back home to Edmonton. Their ice cream is handmade in small batches with local ingredients, then packed into pints and cups for purchase at various farmers markets around the city (like the City Market Downtown + 124 Street Grand Market) or delivered to your home via SPUD. The ice creams are creamy without being overly rich and some of their flavours also cater to dairy free and vegan diets. My favourite flavours are the Lavender Lemon, Key Lime Pie, and Vanilla + Tonka Bean, but their ice cream sandwiches (featuring Milk And Cookie Bakeshop cookies) are one of my bigger weaknesses.

Congratulations to @vandamadventures on Instagram!
Local Food Love Day 12: Canova Pasticceria

Enter to win a Chocolate Panettone & Caffe Umbria Coffee Beans!
(Facebook/Instagram/Twitter)
For the final day of the 12 Days of Local Food Love I’m sharing with you one of my favourite holiday treats. Panettone (literally translated to 'big bread' in Italian) is a traditional holiday sweet bread made with candied oranges, raisins, and citrus zest, and the one produced by Canova Pasticceria is the best I’ve ever tasted. Owners Carla and Kris produce their panettone using old world methods with a sweet dough starter. This is no easy feat, as the dough requires multiple feedings, additions, and time to rise. It takes 36 hours to produce a batch of Panettone, and the results show that the time commitment is well worth it. My favourite panettone is the chocolate variation, which is also amazing as French toast! Brew up a fresh cup of coffee to pair with it and it’s the perfect holiday treat.

Congratulations to Violet Poon on Facebook!

If you've followed my blog for long enough you'll know that there is one type of food I love more than anything else. Morning, night, and any time in between I'm always on board to enjoy a bowl of noodles.

Meals in a bowl are picking up in popularity - they're quick to prepare, delicious, and usually nutritionally complete. Last month, Edo Japan rolled out some new bowl-centric menu items as their interpretation of the trend and they asked if I would be willing to host a party to learn about and taste some of the new items. One of the items was a noodle bowl, so of course I couldn't say no.


Shrimp Tempura Chop Chop Bowl
I gathered a bunch of friends together for a fun evening at Edo Japan's Windermere location. We've all had Edo Japan at some point or another (hello post-secondary years!), so we were all curious to see what the bowls would be like. Edo's two new items include the Noodlefull Bowl and Chop Chop Bowl. The Noodlefull bowls feature a bed of thin ramen-style noodles topped with a stir fry of fresh snow peas, broccoli, carrots, and red peppers. Each bowl is made to order with Edo's signature Teriyaki sauce and served with your choice of grilled chicken, beef, shrimp, or additional vegetables for a vegetarian option. The bowls were generously portioned, and the chewy egg noodles were a nice change from the usual yakisoba noodles Edo Japan is known for.


Beef Chop Chop Bowl
The Chop Chop Bowls on the other hand offer a choice of beef, chicken, or tempura shrimp layered on top white or brown rice and fresh raw vegetables. Each bowl is finished with their new savoury bulgogi sauce and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. We all agreed that the name was a bit misleading as we all imagined seeing raw scallops in a rice bowl, but the Chop Chop Bowl was a great fresh option with the raw cucumber, carrots, and red peppers. The Chop Chop bowl is only around for a limited time, but I would actually love if it became a permanent menu item - it's healthy and the raw vegetables make the bowl feel light and fresh.


Beef Noodlefull Bowl
Of the two bowls we tried there was no real consensus of whether we enjoyed one bowl more than the other, but I personally feel that the Chop Chop bowl is a fresh, tasty option for when you don't feel like eating anything heavy on hot summer days. This is probably the only time I'll prefer rice over noodles, so you'll want to try the Chop Chop Bowl while it's still around! A big thank you to Edo Japan for helping me host an #Unforgettabowl party!

But of course I didn't forget about my readers - Edo Japan has kindly offered a $40 gift card to one of my readers to have an #unforgettabowl meal of their own with a friend (or two!). Head on over to my Instagram for all the giveaway details. Good luck!

*Disclosure: I was asked to host a social media party in conjunction with Edo Japan's new menu items. Views expressed in this post are solely mine. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.

One bite of a fresh, European-style caramel on her honeymoon was all it took for Tammy to bring the sweet treat home to her best friend Alysia to try. After devouring the caramels much too quickly, their search for similar caramels locally yielded no results. The girls took matters into their own hands and decided to make their own.

Tammy and Alysia Lok have been best friends for years and recently became sisters, as Tammy married Alysia's brother. Since January of this year Tammy and Alysia have worked tirelessly to perfect their caramel recipe and make their caramel dreams a reality.

"Cara Mia" means 'my beloved' in Italian, and this duo's creamy Caramia Caramels are meant to be shared with the ones you love. After indulging in an assortment of their timeless flavours I can certainly say they are the best caramels I've ever had. The caramels have a soft bite and instantly melt in your mouth. They're smooth, buttery, and best of all they don't stick to your teeth or the roof of your mouth!


Sriracha Almond, Original, Smoked Maple Bacon
Caramia uses only high quality, natural ingredients in their caramels, and you really can taste the difference. Without artificial flavours or preservatives, the caramels are best eaten within 14 days, but I guarantee they will not last that long once you take a bite.

Tammy and Alysia opened their stall at the Edmonton City Market Downtown in May and haven't looked back since. They spend Monday thru Wednesday cooking their caramels one batch at a time on the stovetop, and Thursday and Friday cutting and wrapping each individual caramel by hand for the market on Saturday. Each batch takes four hours from start to finish, yielding about 10-12 bags of product.



These girls dedicate an incredible amount of time to their caramels, and both girls have since taken the risk of leaving their full-time jobs to pursue their dream of sharing their caramels with the world. They currently have the resources to make and package caramels for one farmers market, but hope to purchase a candy making machine (Prince Charming Mix-A-Lot) to expand further and offer their product online. Through Kickstarter, Caramia Caramels has exceeded their $13000 goal to raise money for their machine, and hope to reach $28000 in the next three days to release a new collection of tea flavoured caramels with your support.

This holiday season you will be able to find Tammy and Alysia at the St. Albert Indoor Christmas Market and the City Market Downtown on Saturdays. Their caramels are a great treat for anyone on your Christmas list, and their Holiday Collection is sure to please. The Holiday Collection includes hot chocolate, gingerbread, and candy cane flavours, which you don't want to miss. Tammy and Alysia have kindly offered up an 8-piece box of their Holiday Collection caramels to one of my readers to share the Caramia love! Find all the details below.

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

One 8-piece box of the Caramia Caramels Holiday Collection
To Enter: Visit the Caramia Caramels website and tell me which caramel flavour is your favourite, or which you would like to try. Note: leaving a comment is mandatory to enter this giveaway - additional entries will improve your chances of winning, but will not count unless you leave a comment

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

• Follow me via Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
• Follow Caramia Caramels via Twitter (@caramiacaramels) (+1)
• Tweet about the giveaway: "I want to try the @caramiacaramels Holiday Collection! I hope I win @littlmissandrea's giveaway! #yegfood #yeg" and link back to this post (+2)
• Follow me via Instagram (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
• Follow Caramia Caramels via Instagram (@caramiacaramels) (+1)
• Visit my Facebook page, and share the giveaway post! Gain 1 more additional entry by tagging a friend in the comments (+2/3)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to anyone 18+ years of age in Edmonton. You have until December 1st to enter and the winner will be selected by random and be contacted via email. Good luck!
*Disclosure: I was sent a bag of Caramia Caramels to try for potential review on my blog. Views expressed in this post are solely mine. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.

Do you ever have those days when you come home from work and you're just too tired to even think about prepping dinner? Yeah, I have those too. I'm thankful for the evenings that my boyfriend cooks dinner for us and has it ready when I come home, but there's also those days where we both aren't home until late and we just don't have the energy.

While it would be amazing to have a personal chef cook for us on those days, that just isn't attainable. But there's an alternative that's almost as good. Say hello to Chefs Plate, a Toronto-based company that recently made it's way to Alberta.

The concept behind Chefs Plate is simple and is done in three steps:

• You choose the food you want to eat and specify the number of people you need to feed
• Chefs Plate packages up the ingredients in the exact amounts you need and sends it right to your door in a refrigerated box
• Each box comes with the recipes you need, so you can cook and eat in record time

Each week there are a handful of recipes that cater to a variety of diets with land, sea, and veggie options. The dishes are globally-inspired, balanced, nutritious, and feature locally sourced farm fresh ingredients.

Chefs Plate operates as a weekly subscription service that can accommodate meals for two or families of four. Delivery is available Monday thru Friday and you can manage your deliveries easily through their website. What's even better is that you don't need to be home for delivery - ingredients are sent using insulated, refrigerated boxes, and all packaging is 100% recyclable. Pricing is dependent on the number of recipes you require each week.

Chefs Plate set me up with a trial of two meals from their 2-person plan, so I went with the Shrimp Linguine and Korean Steak Stir Fry. The ingredients arrived at my door while I was at work, but the insulated, refrigerated box kept everything cool as it waited for me at my front door. The contents of the box were separated by recipe, and each included a card with step by step instructions illustrated with photos.

Cooking the meals couldn't be easier. With some washing and chopping, we spent about 30 minutes per recipe and enjoyed the results. The ingredients were very fresh and we appreciated that the proteins were locally sourced and Oceanwise certified! The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the amount of packaging, but all of it was recyclable which made me feel a little less guilty.

Two meals from the 2-person plan comes out to the price of $50 per week, which is a bit on the pricy side, but you're paying for pre-portioned quality ingredients that are locally sourced and delivered right to your doorstep. We found that each recipe gave us more than enough for two people (roughly 3 portions), so being able to pull an extra portion out of your ingredients can also be considered when it comes to the price.

I appreciated that each recipe listed the amount of ingredients so we could recreate the dish in the future. Another great feature was the nutritional information thlisted with each dish, which is great for those who are health conscious. While we won't be ordering from Chefs Plate on a weekly basis, I'll be keeping them in mind because I think this would be awesome for having a date night at home!

Are you curious and want to give Chefs Plate a try? Chefs Plate has offered to give one of my readers a free trial of Chefs Plate with two meals from their 2-person plan - details listed below! If you can't wait and want to try them out right away, use my referral tag #LITTLEMISSANDREA for 3 free plate credits with your first order. Have fun and enjoy!

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

Two Meals from Chefs Plate for Two People
($50 Value)

To Enter: Visit the Chefs Plate website and tell me which dish you would like to cook!
Note: leaving a comment is mandatory to enter this giveaway - additional entries will improve your chances of winning, but will not count unless you leave a comment

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

• Follow me via Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
• Tweet about the giveaway: "Home cooked meals can be made easy with @ChefsPlateCA - Enter to win two gourmet meals from @littlmissandrea!" and link back to this post (+2)
• Follow me via Instagram (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
• Visit my Facebook page, and share the giveaway post by liking the post and tagging a friend in the comments! (+3)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to anyone 18+ years of age in Western Canada. You have until November 20th to enter and the winner will be selected by random and be contacted via email. Good luck!

You may have noticed it's been a little quiet around here for the past few months, but there's good reason for it. I purchased my first home in March and it's been non-stop busy ever since! Between work, furniture shopping, and spending time with family, it feels like I haven't had much time for anything else. It's been a great learning experience and I wouldn't change a thing. My boyfriend and I are happy with where we are, but the one thing I would love to change is the amount of cleaning I do!

Shortly after I moved into my home Mad Maids got in touch with me to schedule a deep cleaning of my house. The timing could not have been more perfect - the house was dusty from renovations and despite all the wiping and cleaning I had already done, I kept finding dirty spots here and there.

Mad Maids is a home cleaning company based out of Calgary, which recently expanded their services to Edmonton. Their company operates by a flat-rate basis which is determined by the number of rooms in your home. Using their system, the number of rooms correlates with the amount of living space in your home which needs to be cleaned.

Three different cleaning services (Routine/Deep Clean/Move in & Move Out) are offered by the teams at Mad Maids, where the deep clean (+$50) and Move In/Move Out (+$60) have an additional cost. If you don't need your whole house cleaned, there is the option for cleaning at an hourly rate of $45.

For each scheduled cleaning a team of two maids comes to your home. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical letting strangers into my home to clean, but Mad Maids employs people who pass a thorough background check, and the company is fully bonded and insured to protect customers in the case of accidental damages or theft. The two people on the team work well together, with the advantage that the job done quickly and efficiently.

I scheduled my cleaning on a Saturday afternoon while I was home as I was curious and wanted to see how my home would be cleaned. The great thing about Mad Maids is that scheduling is done easily online, so their hours can accommodate your schedule. Whether you want cleaning done during the day, evening, or on the weekend, they will find a team that can work for you.


My stove top is SPOTLESS!
I live in a bungalow so there's a ton of living space that needs to be cleaned. For a deep clean of my four bedroom house, it took Mad Maids 3.5 hours, which would technically equate to 7 hours of cleaning for one person! My team didn't take any breaks and worked straight through to clean my house from top to bottom. That's the beauty of the flat rate pricing - you don't pay any additional fees no matter how long the cleaning takes. I was impressed with the cleaning done by Mad Maids. Their extensive cleaning checklist ensured that no spots were left dirty, and no fine details were missed. I was actually surprised about some of the spots they cleaned (the exterior of my front door, the cracks under my sliding windows) and appreciated their attention to detail.

We had a great experience using Mad Maids and my boyfriend and I are considering getting regular cleanings done every few months to supplement what we do on a weekly basis. Mad Maids also offers the option of cleaning when you aren't home, and I think it would be amazing to go to work and come home to a clean house! Does your house need a little bit of help from Mad Maids? Use my code LMA20 for $20 off a house cleaning from Mad Maids, or enter to win a $200 gift card to use towards a cleaning! A second gift card of $50 is also up for grabs. Check out all the details below!

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

$200 Towards a Mad Maids Cleaning
($50 for the runner up)

Mandatory Entry: comment below telling me why you do/don't like to clean.
If you enjoy it, leave me some tips to help make my cleaning easier!
Note: leaving a comment is mandatory to enter this giveaway - additional entries
will improve your chances of winning, but will not count unless you leave a comment

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

• Follow me via Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
• Follow Mad Maids via Twitter (@MadMaids) (+1)
• Tweet about the giveaway: "Hey @MadMaids, my house needs a good cleaning! Hope I win the $200 GC from @littlmissandrea! #yeg" and link back to this post (+2)
• Follow me via Instagram (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
• Visit the Mad Maids Facebook page (+1)
• Visit my Facebook page, and share the giveaway post (+3)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to anyone 18+ years of age in Edmonton. You have until July 30th to enter and the winner will be selected by random and be contacted via email. Good luck!
*Disclosure: I was provided with a house cleaning from Mad Maids free of charge. Views expressed in this post are solely mine. This post is 100% my opinion, and as always, my priority is to you, the reader, to present an unbiased, thorough review.

What do beets, carrots and parsnips have in common? Sure, they're all root vegetables, but they're also part of the exotic line of root vegetable chips made by Hardbite!

You've probably seen Hardbite Chips in your local grocery stores. Their crunchy chips are found inside unique black bags decorated with images of distinct landmarks in British Columbia, Canada. Why BC? Because Hardbite is produced out of Maple Ridge, from potatoes and root vegetables sourced from local farmers in the area. Their snacks are a wonderful Canadian product, and even received support from some of the Dragons on Dragons' Den.

After a successful launch of their Parsnip Chips, Hardbite introduced their beet and carrot chips this fall. Drop'N Mad Beets beet chips are a beautiful crimson red colour, and being lightly salted they are a sweet and savoury chip. 18 Carrot Gold carrot chips are golden orange and have a distinct, slightly sweet carrot flavour.

So what exactly makes Hardbite Chips so great? The company takes pride in the fact that their products are

• Locally produced in Maple Ridge
• All natural - each chip bag has a short list of ingredients that you will recognize!
• Verified Non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project
• Trans Fat, cholesterol and gluten free

What I love about these chips is that you can taste the natural flavour of the vegetables in the chip. The chips are processed in small batches and hand-turned to ensure the highest quality. And given that the chips are made from root vegetables, they're a low carb, guilt-free snack! If you don't like vegetables, at least you can get some of your daily vegetable servings in chip form. Of the three flavours, Drop'N Mad Beets is my favourite - I love the earthy sweetness of the beets! Each bag of chips comes in a 150g size and can be found at many grocery stores across Canada and the US. To find these chips near you, you can use the store locator here.

In the spirit of the holiday season, Hardbite has offered one of my readers the opportunity to try these new root vegetable chips! Check out the full giveaway details below, this giveaway is open to all my Canadian readers. Happy holidays and happy snacking!

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

One Hardbite Prize Pack

Mandatory Entry: To enter, tell me what your favourite root vegetable is by commenting on this post! Please make sure you leave a valid email address in the giveaway widget as this is how I will be contacting you.


ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1. Follow me via Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
2. Follow Hardbite Chips on Twitter (@Hardbite) (+1)
3. Tweet about the giveaway: "Check out @Hardbite's new root vegetable chips! Win a prize pack from @littlmissandrea" and link back to this post (+2)
4. Follow me via Instagram (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
5. Visit my Facebook page, and share the giveaway post (+3)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to anyone 18+ years of age in Canada. You have until December 18th to enter and the winner will be selected by random and be contacted via email. Good luck!

The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is back in Edmonton for the 14th year for two days of indulgence on November 6th and 7th, offering a little something for everyone. The Festival offers the opportunity to sample an extensive variety of world-class wine, scotch, premium spirits, import and micro-brewed beer along with gourmet culinary creations from local restaurants, hotels and food purveyors.

At the festival you can stop by the on-site Sobeys Liquor store to purchase some of your favourite sips to enjoy at home. Make sure to enter into the grand prize draw for an all-inclusive weekend getaway for two at the beautiful Sunshine Mountain Lodge!

I've attended the festival for the past three years and it is always a great experience! My favourite part is checking out what new dishes all the local restaurants have for sampling. Take a look at the list of food samples available this year - there is definitely something for everyone!

The event is a lot of fun, and I want to make sure you can get in on it too. I have one pair of entrance tickets for the Saturday afternoon tasting on November 7th from 12-4PM to give away to one lucky reader! The tickets will gain you entrance to the event, but tasting for the food and wine will cost coupons, priced at 50 cents each. Please note that this event will NOT allow minors - not even if you are bringing an infant along with you. Follow the simple rules below to enter.

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

ONE pair of tickets to the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival ($40 value)
(November 7, 2015: 12-4PM)

DETAILS

To enter you must leave a comment on this blog post answering this question: Which dish on the festival menu would you love to try? See the menu here. Please make sure you leave a valid email address in the giveaway widget as this is how I will be contacting you.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1. Follow me on Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
2. Tweet about the giveaway: "The @RockyWineFood festival is back Nov 6-7! Enter to win a pair of tickets from @littlmissandrea! #yegfood #RMWFF" and link back to this post (+2)
3. Visit my Facebook page, like and share the giveaway post (+3)
4. Follow me via Instagram (@littlmissandrea)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to everyone able to attend the tasting session on November 7, 2015. All entrants must be 18+ years of age. You have until October 31st to enter, and the winner will be selected by random and contacted via email. Good luck!

After The Burger's Priest showed up in Edmonton, another Canadian-based burger franchise has made it into our city! Located in the north end of Edmonton in the Oxford area, South Street Burger Co. is here to share their burgers with us beef-loving Albertans.

South Street Burger Co. - 15134 127 Street - Edmonton AB

South Street Burger Co. is owned by the popular french fry chain New York Fries. As fries are the best accompaniment to burgers, it makes sense that the company moved into this direction. All South St. locations are set in a contemporary, New York style loft-like environment, and the Edmonton location seats 45 and has additional seating on the patio in the summer time.

South St. Burger's menu features 4 oz. and 6 oz. patties made from 100% angus beef that is raised without hormones or antibiotics. Aside from beef patties, chicken breasts, veggie patties, and hot dogs are available too. Four signature burgers are available to choose from (see above), or you can even customize a burger the way you like it with gluten free and vegan options available.

To accompany the burgers, all locations feature the same fries you get at any New York Fries location. Milkshakes and ice cream can satiate your sweet tooth, so there's a little something for everyone on the menu. Want to give South St. Burger Co. a try? Check out the details below!

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

$20 to spend at South St. Burger Co.

Mandatory Entry: To enter, tell me which signature burger you would order at South St. Burger Co. Please make sure you leave a valid email address in the giveaway widget as this is how I will be contacting you.


ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1. Follow me on Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
2. Follow South St. Burger co on Twitter @southstburgerco (+1)
3. Tweet about the giveaway: "I want to try the new @southstburgerco! Enter to win a meal from @littlmissandrea #yegfood" and link back to this post (+2)
4. Visit my Facebook page, like and share the giveaway post (+3)
5. Visit and like the South St. Burger Co. Facebook Page (+2)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to anyone 18+ years of age. You have until October 26 to enter and the winner will be selected by random and be contacted via email. Good luck!
*Images in this post thanks to South St. Burger Co.

Spring is definitely here to stay, which means summer is just around the corner! Sunshine, 30 degree weather, and cocktails on the patio are just some of the things I'm looking forward to. What are you favourite things about summer?

To celebrate the coming of the warmer months and the launch of summer menus, Original Joe's wants to send one of my readers a $50 gift card to check out their new dishes this season.

Some of the new dishes include Shrimp Tacos ($14/3) featuring garlic cajun shrimp, cabbage, fresh pico de gallo, cilantro and lime crema on grilled flour tortillas. Served with a mixed green salad, this seems like a perfect pairing for a drink on the patio.

A hit from last year, steamed PEI Mussels ($14.50) are back on the menu. A full pound of mussels are steamed in a light beer cream sauce with garlic, onion, chilis, and lemon juice, and served with a side of bread.

Continuing with the seafood trend, the Miso Salmon Salad ($16.50) is what I'm looking forward to trying. Wild pacific salmon is baked in a miso-sake marinade. served with mixed greens, cucumber, pea shoots, matchstick carrots, sliced avocado and cilantro in a sesame vinaigrette.

Last winter Original Joe’s & Mealshare partnered up to turn dining out into helping out. An incredible 21,684 meals were raised for people in need, so Original Joe's is back at it again with the Summer Fresh menu. For every purchase of the Steamed Mussels or Miso Salmon Salad this summer, a meal will be provided to someone in need. How fantastic is that? You get to eat and someone else does too!

As as child I absolutely hated brussels sprouts. You couldn't get those things near me! But I'm slowly learning to enjoy them and the Baja Brussels Sprouts ($8) sound pretty appetizing. Brussels Sprouts are flash fried with red pepper and chopped bacon, tossed with fresh lime juice, parmesan and chilis, then garnished with lime crema and fresh cilantro.

Last but not least is the Mediterranean Chicken Wrap ($15.50) with shwarama style grilled chicken breast served in a garlic naan bread with lemon feta spread, shredded lettuce, onion, tomato, banana pepper, pickle, chopped parsley and topped with tzatziki. Want to try out the Summer Fresh menu? Check out the details below!

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

One $50 Gift Card to Original Joes

Mandatory Entry: To enter, tell me which summer fresh menu item you're most interested in by commenting on this post. Please make sure you leave a valid email address in the giveaway widget as this is how I will be contacting you.


ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1. Follow me via Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
2. Tweet about the giveaway: "The patio is calling! Enter to win a $50 GC from @littlmissandrea to try the @originaljoes summer menu! #yegfood" and link back to this post (+2/one tweet per day)
3. Follow me via Instagram (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
4. Visit my Facebook page, like and share the giveaway post (+3)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


This giveaway is open to anyone 18+ years of age. You have until May 29 to enter and the winner will be selected by random and be contacted via email. Good luck!

What if I told you that you could have restaurant-quality, Instagram-worthy meals in the comfort of your own home with little to no effort? You would think I was crazy. Maybe I am, but Sobeys is changing up the grocery shopping experience so that you can enjoy luxurious meals at home.

Last month Sobeys Newcastle (16943 127 Street) hosted a pop-up dining experience for community members in Northwest Edmonton. The guests had been invited to what they believed was a five course menu preview for "Fresh Market Bistro," an upcoming restaurant set to open in North Edmonton.

The 25 special guests got to enjoy charcuterie, butternut squash soup, salmon, prime rib, and a selection of fine Italian pastries. At the end of the event it was revealed that the food on the menu that evening was actually from the take-out kitchen and fresh market at Sobeys Newcastle, where everything is prepared fresh daily.

What a creative way to make an announcement to the community in Northwest Edmonton! Take a look at the recap video below.


Isn't that awesome? I think it is great that Sobeys is taking grocery shopping in a new direction, where fresh, high-quality gourmet food is available for take-out.

Sobeys Newcastle opened in June of 2014 as the first new concept Sobeys in Edmonton. Items are prepared fresh daily and sold for takeout, which would be perfect on evenings where you're heading home late from work or if you don't have time to prepare lunch for the next day.

To celebrate the launch of the new kitchen and market, Sobeys Newcastle has kindly offered to give one of my readers a $100 gift card to shop and check out all the ready-made meals! I'm so excited to check out the store for myself, and I'll be heading straight to the deli to see which cheeses they have brought in from around the world. See below for all the giveaway details!

------------------------------------------------

THE GIVEAWAY

$100 Gift Card to Sobeys Newcastle
(to be used by end of April 2015)

DETAILS
This giveaway is being held via Twitter. To enter, you must tweet the following: "See the #SobeysKitchenSurprise & enter to win a $100 GC to @Sobeys Newcastle from @littlmissandrea! #yegfood" Make sure to include a link back to this post.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1. Follow me via Twitter (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
2. Follow me via Instagram (@littlmissandrea) (+1)
3. Visit my Facebook page and share the contest post with your friends! (+2)

Please leave me a comment below letting me know which entries to count! :)

This giveaway is open to anyone 18+ years of age in Edmonton. You have until April 9 to enter and the winner will be selected by random and be contacted via email. Good luck!
*All photos thanks to Sobeys Newcastle