Sunday Funday: Fun with the Gluten Free Diva & Falafel Republic GIVEAWAY!

Happy Sunday!

I mean that in the loosest of ways, of course. I’m never so happy that it’s Sunday unless Monday is a holiday or I’m invited somewhere where I’ll get to eat cake. I can only imagine you feel true Sunday happiness if you absolutely love your job. Huh. I wonder what that’s like?

You see that stuff? You can have some. But first…

Happy Sunday. At least it’s not Monday.

Anyway, I had a really happy Saturday. You wanna hear a “small world” story? Well, it used to be might still be my favorite right at Disney World. Wait. Did I say that out loud? Back to my story. Last summer facebook suggested that I may know a woman named Ellen. Of course I didn’t, but we both knew some of the same people – a bunch of gluten-free bloggers from all over the country, and the local Jewish Community Center. Another blogger, in my city, involved in the Jewish community? My world just got really small.

Ellen and I finally got a chance to meet over coffee a few weeks ago and could have chatted all day if allowed. We both had a lot to teach each other and much we can learn. And we were both really happy to meet a new friend! Yesterday Ellen invited my husband and me to services at her temple, and lunch at her house. Ben was happy to hack away on her grand piano (yes, a grand! he was in heaven!) while I could have spent hours perusing her cookbooks. Let’s just say, Ben is no longer allowed to tell me I have too many cookbooks. Or flours. She has a whole separate fridge for them!

Speaking of cookbooks, we thought it would be fun to snag a pic with some of our friends’. Who knows, maybe we can join their ranks someday?!

Back Row: Ellen the Gluten Free Diva and me!
Front Row: Hallie, Amy, Carol & Alisa

My happy little Saturday continued with some PicsArt action. Android users, this one’s for us! With PicsArt you can add all kinds of drawings and clipart and text to your photos, but I’m having most fun playing around with the special effects. I embossed us. I threw us in some vintage effect. I comic-booked us. And I made us into some cool pop art.Β  I should have been doing a million other things, but you see where my priorities are.

PicsArt, Gluten Free Diva, Cara's Cravings

I wouldn’t have known about PicsArt had I not signed up for appSmitten. So glad I did! the appSmitten newsletter delivers the best apps in a once-a-week email. And the best part is they are actually apps I’ll use. See?

You know what else makes me happy? Falafel. That’s because I can’t eat falafel without thinking about Israel. Falafel is really freaking good. Not like most falafel here, which can be too greasy, too bland, too not-the-same-as-it-is-in-Israel.

Unless you happen to get paid a visit from Falafel Republic. And I’m so glad I did.

I have a couple rules when it comes to processed/packaged foods.

  1. I try not to eat too many of them.
  2. If they’re going to be part of a meal in our home, they have to have a small list of ingredients.
  3. I have to be able to read all of those ingredients.
  4. They have to be nutritionally comparable to what I’d make myself.
  5. They have to taste as good, if not better than what I’d make myself.

Falafel Republic fits the bill. Check this out:

Just so you know…. Falafel Republic falafel is labeled as gluten-free, soy-free, vegetarian and dairy-free. But as the nutrition label notes, it is made in facility that houses some of these allergens. Only you know your body best; if your allergies are very severe, you may want to abstain.

And by the way, this stuff is delicious! At the risk of sounding like a know-it-all (who am I kidding) I know my falafel. Falafel Republic delivers crisp, perfectly spiced and flavorful falafel straight from your oven. (Unless you want to fry it, but since it’s already cooked, why bother with that mess?) If I could perfect my own falafel, it would probably taste a lot like this.

When it comes to falafel, you can’t go wrong by piling it on top of a big salad full of chopped fresh tomatoes and cucumbers and drizzled with tahini kind of like I did here with my baked pumpkin falafel. But this time I tried something different. Basically I made Ben’s version of heaven on a plate by topping falafel with poached eggs and drizzling it all with our latke benny sauce.

If you haven’t tried that sauce, on eggs, make sure you do that very soon, mmmk?

Falafel RepublicIf you wonder why my eggs look funny, it’s because I’m obsessed with these!

Wanna try that sauce and those eggs on top of falafel?

Good news. You are just a couple of clicks away from FREE FALAFEL! That’s you and YOU and YOU.

50 of YOU!

The first 50 people to “like” Falafel Republic on Facebook will receive a coupon good for FREE Falafel Republic products. (Please tell them Cara’s Cravings sent you!) After you like them on Facebook, send an email to mike@falafelrepublic.com with your shipping info.

And 3 of YOU will get even more lucky. After you’ve gone to get your free falafel coupon, come back and talk to me. You could tell me a small world story. Or what made your Sunday a Funday. Or all about the best falafel you’ve ever had. I just want to hear your happy thoughts. And then, I’ll randomly select three of you to win some serious falafel swag. Think a Falafel Republic tote bag with with a t shirt, stress balls, free coupons, $1 off coupons, etc. All worth about $70. But who’s counting?

Giveaway Rules:
No purchase necessary. The contest will close on Saturday, March 17th at 11:59pm EST, at which point three winners will be chosen via random number generator. Winner must reside in the continental United States and supply a valid email address in the commenting form. Winner will be contacted and have 4 days to respond, at which point s/he forfeits the prize and another winner will be chosen. Winner will provide name, email address, shipping address and phone number and give me permission to supply this information to the sponsor of the giveaway items. Please visit falafelrepublic.com to find stores where you can redeeem the coupons, subject to individual store rules.

Disclosuure: Falafel Republic provided product to me at no cost, but the opinions in this post and the recipe shared are my own.

Falafel Republic

  Pin It

29 Responses to “Sunday Funday: Fun with the Gluten Free Diva & Falafel Republic GIVEAWAY!”

  1. 1

    Bill — March 11, 2012 @ 10:48 am Reply

    I liked Falafel Republic on FB

  2. 2

    Stephanie S — March 11, 2012 @ 11:17 am Reply

    This Sunday Funday, it’s just the pup and I! We’re going to go on a hike in the woods and make a stop at the dog park on our way home. Since I work long hours during the week, my weekends are always dedicated to her! πŸ™‚

  3. 3

    Tanya — March 11, 2012 @ 11:37 am Reply

    I am sooooo excited to try Falafel Republic. My best falafel experience…soooo many, I mean I live in NYC!! But when we went GF I stopped just because I wasnt sure anymore and asking a street vendor for ingredients could result in a Soup Nazi reply…”No falafel for you!!” So my intentions was the then make my own…I’ll let you know how that’s going…when it goes πŸ™‚
    In any event…I liked Falafel Repubic and emailed for my coupon…CAN’T WAIT!! Thanks for the giveaway!!

  4. 4

    Heather — March 11, 2012 @ 11:41 am Reply

    Another great giveaway! πŸ™‚
    The time change combined with the gloomy weather has me a little out of sorts this Sunday! We were planning on taking my son to the Zoo but maybe next weekend. I hope you are having a great Sunday! πŸ™‚

  5. 5

    Sandra — March 11, 2012 @ 11:50 am Reply

    Today I will be spending most of my time studying for finals πŸ™ but what will make it fun is the cardio hip hop class I’m taking with my friends at night!

  6. 6

    Michelle @ Esculent Dreams — March 11, 2012 @ 11:57 am Reply

    I LOVE Falafels! But I hate all the oil that they come with… and my napkin de-oiling process doesn’t go very far with the judgmental stares of customers around me…. with eyes that say, “how DARE you defile our traditional dish like that???” hehe~

    Just liked Falafel Republic on facebook, so excited to try these out!! Thanks so much!

  7. 7

    Alisa — March 11, 2012 @ 1:06 pm Reply

    You two are amazing! How I wish I could have been in that kitchen with you, but at least my book got to enjoy it πŸ™‚

    I haven’t been able to find Falafel Republic anywhere! Hopefully it starts popping up more soon. I’d like to trial it.

  8. 8

    Debra Lee — March 11, 2012 @ 1:24 pm Reply

    Liked on facebook and emailed them! Funday is spending the whole day in my sewing room!

  9. 9

    erin — March 11, 2012 @ 1:37 pm Reply

    i have a great falafel memory to share! we tried out a new restaurant and the falafel came in orders of 10, it was super cheap too which was very exciting. we ordered delivery and when it arrived they had doubled our falafel order and we had 20! we ate delicious falafel all week long, with EVERYTHING. yum πŸ™‚

  10. 10

    Madeline — March 11, 2012 @ 1:49 pm Reply

    My Sunday is hopefully going to be a Funday because I finally have the day to myself to work on my writing!

  11. 11

    julie — March 11, 2012 @ 2:18 pm Reply

    My sunday is a funday because we are visiting my sister in Ohio!
    I liked falafel on facebook

  12. 12

    Carol — March 11, 2012 @ 5:47 pm Reply

    Liked them on FB, my Funday is playing with my kids

  13. 13

    Bonnie K — March 11, 2012 @ 5:48 pm Reply

    I’ve always loved Mediterranean food, with falafel being tops on the list. Today is a happy day for us for we’ll get to meet our niece’s daughter for the first time. They’re visiting from England and we haven’t seen our niece and her husband in over 4 years. Their baby is a year old.

  14. 14

    Renee — March 11, 2012 @ 5:53 pm Reply

    I am going to make my Sunday a “funday” (even if it is minus 1 hour) because I don’t have to go to work today! πŸ™‚ Thanks for the awesome giveaway Cara!

  15. 15

    Georgiana — March 11, 2012 @ 5:55 pm Reply

    These look so yummy! Sunday was a “funday” for me since I did “a walk for the animals” benefiting our local humane society! It’s their annual fundraiser and it was a ton of dog-wagging fun & full of smiles!

  16. 16

    Ray — March 11, 2012 @ 5:56 pm Reply

    I will have to check these out – such a healthy product when I looked at their website! Thank you for the giveaway and everyday is a funday for me because I love my family and I’m alive!

  17. 17

    Katie — March 11, 2012 @ 6:20 pm Reply

    I’m having a Sunday funday because it feels like spring here in metro Chicago! Does anything feel better than opening the windows in the house after being closed for the long winter?!? πŸ™‚

  18. 18

    Kate — March 11, 2012 @ 8:22 pm Reply

    It is really hard to find a good falafel mix.

  19. 19

    Marcie — March 12, 2012 @ 6:47 am Reply

    Sunday Funday means grilling outside with friends, would love to try these falafels!

  20. 20

    Nicole, RD — March 12, 2012 @ 11:29 am Reply

    A separate fridge for all her flours? ::jealous:: My pantry looks like a scene from WWIII!!

  21. 21

    foodwanderings — March 12, 2012 @ 12:21 pm Reply

    Just wanted to drop by ans say hi. I don’t know if you gave your space a facelift but I like it very much. We may be cming up to MA for Passover and I hope we can get together for coffee maybe even with Ellen?? Great giveaway I just made my green falafels recently. Have a great week. Shulie

  22. 22

    Robin — March 12, 2012 @ 12:30 pm Reply

    Would love to win this, I love falafel……My Monday has been fun because I tried my first spin class today and had a great time.

  23. 23

    Shannon — March 12, 2012 @ 2:10 pm Reply

    sounds like a wonderful sunday πŸ™‚ tried their falafal at boston veg fest, it was good! maybe this should be dinner tonight…

  24. 24

    Cara — March 12, 2012 @ 2:30 pm Reply

    I like Falafel on FB and I have yet to every try Falafel! πŸ™‚

  25. 25

    grace — March 12, 2012 @ 4:15 pm Reply

    my best falafel experience was on the streets of nyc. i’m sure it’s not surprising that i found a sensational sandwich there!

  26. 26

    Laura — March 12, 2012 @ 4:59 pm Reply

    the best falafel I have ever had was in Israel!! πŸ™‚

  27. 27

    Jessen — March 13, 2012 @ 8:02 am Reply

    The best falafel I ever had was from my Palestinian Grandmother, who was the best at traditional arabic food.

  28. 28

    Dawn — March 13, 2012 @ 4:46 pm Reply

    How fun! I should make falafel. Something I have yet to do.

  29. 29

    Ellen (Gluten Free Diva) — March 13, 2012 @ 8:45 pm Reply

    Cara!!!! Thank you for including me in this post. I was so tickled to read and see it. I had a blast when you and Ben joined me for lunch and can’t wait to invite you again. And I can’t wait to come to your house too! Ok, I’m ready!!!:).

    The felafel looks delish. Thanks for letting us know about it!

    ~Ellen

Leave a Reply to Kate