GLOW

Well, friends, it was to your advantage (and honestly, my dismay) that I only had 5 entries into my very first giveaway! The winners of my humble little contest are sisters Jennifer and Jaclyn of Sketch-Free Vegan Eating, (which is, by the way, one of my new favorite food blogs) who said, "The quinoa burgers look awesome! I would definitely use the salt with that :)", and Shannon, who said, "I would definitely use the salt to make the salmon cakes :)". Since the quinoa burgers use the Mexican Smoked Sea Salt, and the salmon cakes use the Applewood Smoked Sea  Salt, I will send the salts according to your selections. I can't wait to hear about their meals, and to see what else they cook up with these salts! Be sure to keep an eye out on my blog for future giveaways of harder to find ingredients. Thanks everyone!

Since so much mainstream American food is off of my shopping list for health reasons, it becomes necessary to soothe my creativity (and ensure my sanity) by finding that new spice, exotic vegetable or ingredient that will help me to feel excited about cooking again. I recognize, though, that as a reader it can be difficult to keep up with all of the unique and sometimes hard-to-find ingredients that make their way into my and many others' recipes. It's such a tease when you start drooling over a meal that someone created, only to find that you have to hunt online or all around town in order to recreate it in your own kitchen. The last thing that I want to do is to intimidate you!

And so, for that reason, I have procured two of my favorite ingredients from two of my favorite local markets* so that you can perfectly recreate some of my recipes. I'm happy to offer a bottle of Applewood Smoked Sea Salt, and Mexican Smoked Sea Salt, two flavors that make their way into a great deal of my recipes. I adore these salts, especially in vegetarian dishes, as they add a full smokey flavor without the nasty ingredients of most bottled liquid smoke. Here are just a few of the recipes that you could try:

I will randomly select two winners, each winning one bottle of salt, on Wednesday, March 30th via Random.org. In order to enter, leave a comment on this entry by midnight on Tuesday the 29th, telling me what recipe you're most excited to try them with. (Doesn't have to be mine.) If you would like, feel free to mention the giveaway on your various online haunts (even an e-mail to a friend will do!), and leave an additional comment letting me know in order to increase your odds. If you officially follow my blog for the first time, or link to it on your site, you may also comment again. Sadly, because I am unfamiliar with most customs restrictions abroad, this will only be offered to readers in the United States. (I'm sorry!)

Best of luck to you, friends.

*Applewood Smoked Sea Salt is sold in the bulk section of Harvest Co-op in Central Square, Cambridge. Mexican Smoked Sea Salt can be found at Christina's Spice & Specialty Foods in Inman Square, Cambridge.