When I Go Up....

When I grow up to be an experienced blogger, I want to participate in the Food Blogger's Bake Sale.

A few weeks ago, I was searching the Internet for baking related events that I could attend. I started reading a blog called Meandering Eats (http://www.meanderingeats.com/) and Marie, a local San Diego blogger, was promoting the bake sale being held at Great News Discount Cookware & Cooking School in Pacific Beach. Being slightly obsessed with the Food Network, I had seen the commercials for the Great American Bake Sale which promotes ending childhood hunger. Bake sales are held throughout the United States to raise money for hungry children right here in our country. According to http://gabs.strength.org/:

"Nearly one in four kids in America can’t count on having enough to eat. Their bodies may not be rail thin, nor their bellies bloated like their counterparts in other countries, but they’re at risk of hunger all the same. They lack the energy to learn, grow and thrive.

• • More than 17 million kids in America are at risk of hunger. That’s nearly 1 in 4.
  • 15.5 million kids in America live in poverty.
  • 20.1 million children benefit from SNAP (food stamps).
  • 19 million kids get a free or reduced-price school lunch on an average school day.
  • Only 9.4 million kids get a free or reduced-price school breakfast on an average school day.
  • Just 1 in 6 eligible kids get free summer meals.

  
  Even though I can't eat that much sugar, I wanted to do my part. I tried to stick to the "healthier" baked items (if there is such a thing). Here it what I purchased:



Gluten free strawberry vanilla cakepop by Heather Hughes
 (http://www.bakemydaygf.com/ The website is current down but you can find them on Facebook)
Had to buy a cakepop. I like looking at other people's cakepops because I haven't perfected mine yet. I'm always willing to learn.



Chocolate Pecan Bar by Stephanie Weaver (http://www.reciperenovator.com/)
It was the only sugar-free item I found at the bake sale so of course I bought it. It was gluten free, sugar free, and vegan....sweetened with agave. Who knew super healthy could taste pretty good.

Mini Mango Cardamom cupcake by Foodilicious (http://www.veggiemania.blogspot.com/)
I picked this out of curiosity and because it was small (I wouldn't feel as guilty afterwards). I've heard of cardamom but never knew what it was really. I had to Wikipedia it after I bit into it because it had a familiar flavor. Cardamom is a spice in the ginger family. No wonder it kinda tasted like spice cake :P



Gingerbread-Stout cupcake with lime buttercream by Marie (http://www.meanderingeats.com/)
I had to purchase something from the blog that brought me to the bake sale and let me tell you, this cupcake was OUT-STANDING. I love gingerbread so I really enjoyed this one (followed by an insulin chaser). That was my one indulgence for the weekend.....probably week.

I also got a raffle ticket for every baked item I bought. So fingers crossed that one of these yummy items won me a a Wilton gift basket or brownie pan (you know, one of those that makes all of them a corner piece!) I wish I thought to promote the bake sale on my blog earlier this week but it's not too late to help! You might not get to try the sweets but you can still help the San Diego Food Bloggers' team with their fundraising here.

"Every item sold and every dollar donated can make a huge impact.  Here are some examples:*$1 can help provide a hungry child with 10 healthy meals.$4 can help provide a child facing hunger with a backpack full of healthy food over a weekend when school meals are not available.$9 can help connect a child with healthy lunches during summer when school is out.$35 can help a child care center provide free after school snacks and suppers to at-risk children all year long.
$65 can provide a grab-n-go breakfast cart to an elementary school so that every student starts every school day with a healthy meal."

Thanks in advance if you decide to contribute. Hopefully they will keep this as an annual event and I can participate next year! Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!!