sponsor spotlight – pure bliss eats

So as you all know because I’ve been forcing it down your throats, I’m hosting a Blogger’s Retreat this May. 

This is a huge thing in my life.

One of the bigger things that I’ve done, actually.  There’s SO much that goes into planning an event: location, price negotiations, securing sponsors, social media, setting up a website…yada yada yada.  It’s A LOT more work than I had anticipated. 

But it will be well worth it!  I get to meet and hang out with SO many people who I read about daily (go here for a list of attendees).  I get to lead a fitness bootcamp with Tina (is 2,000 burpees too many?).  And I finally get to meet Janetha and Katie, two ladies who I sort of definitely have a crush on and who’ve become my best friends throughout this venture.  Needless to say, I really excited! 

I touched on this briefly yesterday, but part of the reason our tickets are priced so low ($75) is due to the overwhelming support from our SPONSORS! 

One such sponsor is Nicole Culver and her blossoming bakery, Pure Bliss Eats!

If you’ll watch that little video, you see that Nicole has a passion for good, clean food!  She’s the blogger behind Making Good Choices and a fellow Fitfluential ambassador!  Having gotten to know her through those two outlets, I REALLY can’t wait to meet her in May – she’s down to earth, passionate about nutrition and fitness, and she likes chocolate (basically, we’re brunette twins.)

I did a little Q & A with Nicole – investigative journaling at it’s best:

1) How long has PBE been in business?

PBE has been in business just since July 2011. I opened the business after I was done with the school year ( I used to be a teacher). I started passing out samples to friends and family and with a lot of hard work my little business was born!

2) Where do you purchase your ingredients?

I purchase most of my ingredients from a couple of different distributors and even some ingredients from Trader Joe’s!

3) Why is it important to get clean foods into our bodies?

Clean foods are HEALTHY and make you feel great from the inside out. I believe that eating well helps the rest of life fall into place. Eat well and you will find your self less stressed, more rested, healthier AND even more confident!

4) What is YOUR personal favorite when it comes to your products?

My personal favorites are the chocolate chip cookie dough balls and the PB chocolate granola. Can you tell I love chocolate?

5) How long have you been working with food?

I’ve ALWAYS been a huge cook, baking came a little later for me. I was often found in the kitchen in high school and then later when I had a kitchen in college. I loved making dinner for my roommates. Eventually I became obsessed with making healthy, delicious snacks and treats…which is where PBE was born!

6) Why did you want to be a BLEND sponsor?

I have met so many amazingly, wonderful people through blogging. My online friends have been some of my biggest supporters…especially my FitFluential friends. I wanted to be a part of BLEND because of the support I’ve received from the healthy living community…AND to help spread the word about PBE!

Since she’s a BLEND sponsor, her products will be in the Attendee Swag Bags!!  I’m pretty sure she’s decided on one of her granolas to showcase during the retreat!!  She recently sent me some samples of her bakery fare – various granolas, chocolate chip balls, muffins, and cookies.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say she has an evil plan to fatten me up.  Except when you look at the ingredient list on her products, you’ll notice that there’s nothing “bad” in anything!!  It’s all natural and devoid of processed sugar!

My two favorites – the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls & the Chocolate Gingerbread Granola!!  Check out these ingredients:

I can spell and recognize everything!  Yep.  I like that.  So much so that the bag of Chocolate Gingerbread is GONE!  It’s been my afternoon pick-me-up for the past week.  Alongside some Green Mountain Coffee Gingerbread K-Cup, this stuff is too good to pass up!

GMC is also a BLEND sponsor!

The sticks and stones:  Nicole is pretty.  Her sweets are to die for!!  And we’re thankful that she believed in BLEND enough to give us some money.  Thank you, Nicole!

Go here for to get in on her Valentine’s Day specials!!  Which is in 11 days, Travis.  Hint X infinity.  Follow her on Twitter and Facebook – she posts specials all the time.

GUESS WHAT?  I’ve got a bag of her Apple Spice Granola that I’m GIVING AWAY! 

Just leave a comment below, telling me your favorite afternoon pick-me-up snack!  For an extra entry, tweet the following:

@PureBlissEats + @blendretreat = a great match!  Win some PBE granola today on @lindsays_list: http://wp.me/p1Mp21-1q5

I’ll randomly select a winner on Saturday night!  Good luck and happy weekend, friends!

splendid…lindsay