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
494 Comments
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That toast looks pretty freaking awesome. I’ll definitely be trying that soon!
My favorite brunch is a chicken fajita omelette (eggs, chicken, bell pepper, onion, cheese, covered in salsa, with a bit of sour cream). So good!
I pretty much always get pancakes/waffles since I never get sick of them!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/568227677961779342/
The homemade cafe in Berkeley, CA! It’s been a favorite brunch spot since I was little!
My favorite brunch food (well breakfast in general) is an egg scramble or omelet. My favorite spot is Jelly in denver but I recently moved to Tucson and need to find myself a brunch spot (although I work weekends so just a general breakfast spot).
I love Snooze and Scramble!
Eggs always end up being my choice for brunch food.. omelette, home fries, toast and fruit. I could eat breakfast all meals of the day 🙂
I’m also on the Snooze bandwagon in Denver! That, or City o City.
Eggs benedict, but i’m a sucker for anything with a runny egg!
My favorite brunch place is actually my home! My husband males a mean brunch, especially omelle
My favorite brunch spot is my back porch and my favorite brunch foods are homemade scones with butter and jam surrounded by my favorite husband and kiddos!
mmm brunch! My favorite thing to order at one of our local restaurants is veggie fried rice with a fried egg on top! soooo good!
pinned!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/175429347961138777/
My favorite brunch spot is an Ecuadorian restaurant called Chimborazo in Minneapolis. I actually took my mom there for mother’s day last year and she loved it!
Veggie omelet with home fries!
Yumm! that looks delicious! My favorite brunch dish is anything with a runny egg. If you add some avocado….even better! 🙂
Absolutely love greek omelette with biscuit and fresh fruit on the side. It just taste better at a restaurant!
Pinned!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/72198400253239444/
it alternates between amazing pancakes or an omelet! And always coffee. ALWAYS. 😉
Devil’s Food in Denver, CO and The Fly Trap in Ferndale (Detroit), MI are my favorites from my 2 sides of the world. Mmmmmmmmm brunch
My favorite brunch is a make your own omelette. I like to add tomato, spinach, and feta. And I love when they give you the option for a light salad in the side instead of hash browns. Perfection!
Beachbreak Cafe in Oceanside was my favorite spot…I haven’t found a new brunch spot here in Texas though.
I LOVE eggs Florentine for brunch!
A place called Sylvester’s in western Massachusetts is my favorite. They too have gluten free toast and very good omelettes!
Anywhere vegan…seriously. I love breakfast and if I could find an amazing place that would serve up the best vegan breaky, I’m there!! Or heck, just give me a cupcake haha
billy’s downtown diner in bethlehem, pa…amaaaazing!! http://www.billysdiner.com/
It is such a great cause!
Best brunch is waffles and fresh fruit!
My favorite brunch food is a fritatta!
Mad Martha’s on Plum Island in Newburyport, MA. Had amazing huevos rancheros last weekend!
Love french toast for brunch!
Buckwheat pancakes with eggs!
Right now I’m loving the lemony benendict (w/o the ham) at Fleur de Lis in PDX.
Gorgonzola, caramelized onion and walnut omelette at Morning Glory in Ashland, Oregon. Wish I could have it right now!
My favorite brunch spot was a little local diner that I used to visit with my dad. I have good memories there.
My favorite brunch spot is Sideboard in the Bay Area! Seriously amazing. 🙂
My favorite brunch order is smoked salmon and avocado with a side of fruit, or an egg white (I hate scrambled yolks, blegh! They need to be runny!) omelet stuffed with a variety of veggies and topped with plenty of pepper and sriracha. Another hot sauce will do, but sriracha is my absolute favorite. Now I want to go out for brunch haha
Favorite brunch food is definitely eggs and sweet potatoes. What am I saying, those are my favorite foods any and every time of the day!
I just love brunch anywhere. Add a mimosa and I’m even happier!
brunch order usually involves eggs and is not complete without a bloody mary!!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/41728734024447836/
pinned!
I love french toast for breakfast. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Avocado eggs benedict, every time!
A few blocks from our house is a restaurant called Shakabrah. They have the best breakfast potatoes. There is just something about potatoes and onions cooked up in oil with their own seasoning blend, YUM!
My favorite brunch food is a veggie omelette with goat cheese!
This little place in town makes a delicious dish of diced potatoes topped w/ spinach, tofu scramble, and enchilada sauce. SO good!
Fresh smoothies!! Or anything with avocado.
My favorite brunch spot is a restaurant called Town here in Honolulu. 🙂
My favorite brunch spot is right here at home where I make waffles and eggs benedict for my hubby.
My favorite brunch spot is The Green Bean in Northampton, Mass. OMG, yum!!
My absolute favourite brunch order is poached eggs on toast… or waffles. Both I can easily make at home but it’s just SO much nicer to have someone make them for you. 🙂