Fair Trade Mother’s Day Brunch and giveaway
Hi friends! Happy humpday! Hope you had some fun Cinco de Mayo adventures. I’ll be back later today with a recap of ours, but in the meantime, how about a little brunch date??
When my friends at Fair Trade asked me to participate in their virtual Mother’s Day brunch, I definitely wanted to join in the fun. I picked a recipe that’s quick to put together yet special enough for holiday. This one includes two of my savory favorites: California toast and sweet potato hash.
Sometimes the most delicious breakfasts are the simplest. The best part: the company surrounding you at the table. <3
For the California toast, I grabbed some brown rice bread to put in the toaster, pico de gallo, goat cheese and avocado. Next, I chopped two small red bell peppers, 1/2 a sweet onion, and 8 very small sweet potatoes.
(You can find Fair Trade avocados and bell peppers at Whole Foods)
I boiled the potatoes for about 5 minutes to soften them, then drained.
Next, I added them back to the same pot with 1 heaping tablespoon of coconut oil, the onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, the chopped bell pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt and pepper. I cooked these on medium while the Pilot made perfect poached eggs.
To get each toast ready, I topped with sliced avocado, salt and pepper,
added the poached egg, then pico, crumbled goat cheese, and cilantro.
It’s my dream perfect savory brunch: something I’d happily order at a restaurant, but simple enough to make for a weekday quick breakfast.
My friends at Fair Trade kindly sent me a box of goodies, packed with treats from some of my favorite brands.
Here’s some more info on the Fair Trade mission, which has a significant positive impact on fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmental sustainability across the world.
Similar to my last post, they paired me up with a Fair Trade mom so I could learn more about her story and experience with Fair Trade. This is Basingwa Maria, an inspirational coffee farmer & member of the Dukunde Kawa Cooperative in Rwanda.
(doesn’t her beautiful spirit just radiate from her smile?)
Basingwa Maria started farming in 1974. She says that after her husband died in the war she poured her heart into her coffee trees. Coffee was her family’s sole source of income, and she had to make it profitable. She joined the cooperative in 2000, and with the increased income she has received from her fair trade coffee over the years, she has been able to bring running water to her home and invest in solar panels on her roof. She hopes to bring electricity to her house soon.She has also been able to diversify her family’s nutrition. They used to eat potatoes and beans everyday with no change, and they could not afford food at the market or oil for cooking. Now her family is able to buy food from the market and do not have to soly rely on growing everything they eat.
While she never attended school, she says that because of the cooperative all of her children were able to attend school and two of them are currently in university.
“After the war I never believed we could get this kind of life. Having this beautiful house, sitting with my children having discussions of how to improve our lives.”
She has twice won the cup of excellence award from her cooperative, and she says that her high quality coffee is due to following the agronomist’s advice and also from investing in cows which provide organic fertilizer.
My friends at Fair Trade offered to send one lucky reader the same package they sent me, filled with these awesome treats:
(Thank you to Simple Truth, Vosges, Cascadian Farm, Near East, Arrowhead Mills, Prana, Unreal, Eco Lips, Numi Organic Tea, Nutiva, Wholesome!, Lake Champlain, Bark Thins, Just Love Coffee Roasters and Whole Foods!)
Here’s how to enter:
Leave a comment below with your all-time favorite brunch spot or order
Pin an image from this post, and leave an extra comment with the link to your pin
I’ll pick a lucky winner this Sunday (5/10) at midnight (EST) and will announce the winner Monday morning.
Ready, set, go!
xoxo
Gina
This post is not sponsored. I’m just excited to spread the word about fair Trade and share some fabulous goodies with a lucky winner. xo
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I’ve never actually been out to brunch! But pancakes….
My faveee brunch is Canyon Ranch Spa Club in Las Vegas – it’s just so good and you’re IN VEGAS 😉
My go-to order of poached eggs + lox + avo + fruit is a brunch staple pretty much anywhere, though!
Favorite brunch is a veggie/tofu scramble. Or pancakes with fresh fruit if I’m feeling something sweet!
SNOOZE!!! The fluffiest and most indulgent pancakes I’ve ever had 🙂
My favorite brunch spot is The Cup Cafe in Tucson, though Prep and Pastry is also amazing! All those goodies look wonderful.
My favorite brunch spot is Manatee Cafe in St. Augustine. I almost always get the breakfast burrito which has all kinds of good stuff: scrambled eggs/tofu, sweet potato, avocado, broccoli, onion, tomato, sprouts and hummus. So so good and great value! Who doesn’t love clean food that also feels like an indulgence! haha
My favorite brunch order is banana nut pancakes 🙂
Pinned: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/246079567115994636/
Looks so delicious!
We have a few amazing brunch spots that we go on rotation, but my favorite has to be Gaia Bistro located in a little cottage. They serve pumpkin bread when you are waiting for your meal and the bloody mary’s are amazing!
The fat hen in charleston sc! They have the best brunch menu in town and make amazing omelettes! Hope to win 🙂
Sunday brunch dates seem to be one of the only ways to catch up with all the busy ladies in my life, so when we brunch we like to treat ourselves! I usually always order some version of GF waffles or pancakes and a huge mug of hot cocoa or baileys coffee!!
http://pinterest.com/pin/197665871122292137/
My favorite brunch spot was my house growing up when my grandma who raised me would make me and my cousins home made waffles and pancakes. This was a tradition on days we didn’t go out for brunch after church.
Pinned! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/267823509067135291/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/162903711498265205/
I pinned this:)
pinned it here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/66428163230713093/
My all time favorite brunch spot is Norma’s in NYC. Decadent meals and gargantuan proportions. Breakfast lovers will die and go to heaven there!!!
My favorite brunch spot is McKenzie’s (a small local chain). I love their chicken egg burrito! It comes with potatoes, fresh fruit, and a smoothie/cocktail/craft beer… for $8! You can’t beat that! And now I want it 🙂
Well, now I’m craving brunch!
It’s hard to pick one spot, but I’d probably say Cafe Brazil here in Dallas. Their veggie migas are my favorite thing to order: egg whites, tons of veggies, hot jalapenos with tortillas and rosemary potatoes on the side. Yum! They also have amazing coffees and it’s a serve-yourself coffee bar with tons of options.
Elvis French toast… French toasts stuffed with peanut butter and bananas. Definitely a treat!
Portland, OR is the best place for brunch! We take our brunching seriously ;0) Hands down my favorite brunch spot is either Genie’s cafe or Besaw’s. If you’re ever in Portland, I highly recommend both!
My favorite brunch spot is Lynn’s Paradise Cafe in my hometown, Louisville, KY. Sadly, they are no longer open, but I would splurge on the bourbon french toast after running the Kentucky Derby Festival half marathon. It was a quirky place with fun stuff hanging all over the walls and ceiling. I just ran the full marathon there less than two weeks ago and I was craving that french toast at the end!
I love to order something savory (strata is a fave!) and then split something sweet with someone (french toast, pancakes, cinnamon roll…yummmm).
Just discovered a new one: Madrona Tree in Arlington, MA, let’s just say french toast with banana, peanut butter, and chocolate is a weakness of mine.
I LOVE The Ruby Slipper in NOLA, especially if I’m there with my best girlfriend!
I always want a little bit of everything at brunch…salty, sweet, you name it, I want it! Lately, my favorite brunch meal has been the hopple popple from Blue’s Egg in Milwaukee, WI. It is essentially a giant egg scramble on top of hashbrowns. It has bacon, sausage, onion, spinach and hollandaise sauce. And if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll get the raspberry iced mocha, too! 🙂
My favourite breakfast/brunch spot is called Sirkel, and I may be boring but I always order the classic poached/scrambled egg + toast + bacon + fruit breakfast (or some variation). Also the statement by Basingwa made me all emotional – an amazing woman!
I usually order some sort of omelette with all the veggies, but the southerner in me loves some biscuits and gravy!!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/103934703877330302/
Anywhere that serves beignets is my favorite brunch spot!
Corned beef hash (homemade only, please!)… yum!
The Strawberry Place in Nyack, NY is my all-time favorite brunch spot. It has sentimental meaning to me, I would go with my Mom and G’ma when I was little, and their waffles are AMAZING.
I can never resist simple eggs and toast!
Here’s my pin 🙂
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/62628251044508685/
The best brunch meal of all time is crab cake benedict! Especially when it’s from Maryland 🙂
I am all about the French Toast at brunch.
Granola!!
Favorite brunch is definitely baked eggs, a few restaurants in my area do it well 😉
On another note, it’s nice to see a blogger discussing Fair Trade more. I hope it can seep into other aspects of your life and others’ lives – especially when it comes to clothing. I saw this the other day and thought I would share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdLf4fihP78.
Happy Mother’s Day!
My favorite is Lou Lou’s Griddle in the Middle in Monterey, Ca. It’s a teeny tiny place and you can watch every dish being cooked! 🙂
My favorite brunch is Eggs Marcos from South Side Walnut Cafe in Boulder: chopped veggie sausage in scrambled eggs with spinach, cream cheese (makes it!), and cheddar. I make it at home now that I’ve moved. I love that you’re working with this Fair Trade project!
I love eggs charles – it’s like eggs benedict but with avocado and artichoke hearts instead of canadian bacon. I also am super excited to see you promoting Fair Trade items. During undergrad, I did a lot of work with Fair Trade on our campus. I’ve lost touch a little because I spent several years living abroad and now am a Ph.D. student and a mom and don’t have time for that stuff currently.
Pancakes or waffles are hands down my favorite things to order at brunch!!
Brunch is one of my all-time favorite things on a Sunday. I love it so much that I can’t pick a favorite place, but I am a sucker for Eggs Benedict with mushrooms and arugula instead of ham (since I’m a vegetarian). Although after seeing the California toast in the post, I might just have to have a new favorite!
I love both Shades and Fig Tree for Brunch, Fig Tree for the food and Shades for the people watching!
Eggs Benedict always…because I never have the patience to make it myself!
Whenever I go to brunch, I ALWAYS get eggs benedict. But I live in Italy and they don’t do breakfast 🙁
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/271130840043685577/
Any sort of breakfast burrito is an automatic win in my book!
Pinned the toast! 🙂 http://pinterest.com/pin/51369251976401519
I love a good ol’ veggie omelet!