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Mother’s Day Menu: Brunch and a Fair Trade Giveaway

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Ideas for your Mother’s Day brunch, plus a fun Fair Trade Certified giveaway and a few gift ideas for Mom.

I am guilty of ruminating. I spend a lot of time inside my own head weighing words and thoughts and ideas, forming opinions. Sometimes I get lost in there with all of those bits and baubles. Today, however, I am just going to share them. (Truth: There is a list of things that I wrote out sitting on the floor next to my bed so that I would remember to share, so this is not spontaneous in the least. //confession)

First, Mother’s Day is on the horizon. I am terrible at Mother’s Day. (Hi, Mom!) I don’t really want anything special like gifts, or a table adorned with flowers. Special would be someone else picking up and deep cleaning my house. I’m not joking in the slightest. This is the only thing I want: Mother’s Day, birthday, anniversary, Christmas, whatever. If you aren’t getting someone to do that, just don’t bother. Still, it seems customary to offer some sort of brunch-like fare for mom. Traditional.

If I were planning a brunch for Mother’s Day, which I am not, I would go this route, serving up a bit of sweet, plenty of savory, a massive bowl of fruit right in between, with a side of espresso. There is never enough espresso, nor enough fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice.


Savory Dishes – Creamy Cheesy Grits Casserole, Baked Pesto and Prosciutto Egg Crepes

Sweet Treats – Basic Cinnamon Rolls or Brioche Apple Cinnamon Rolls

On the Side – Strawberry-Arugula Salad with Ricotta Topping

*Looking for a do-ahead? I am a big fan of French toast casseroles like this apple pie French toast bake.

When I am dreaming up gifts for giving to the mothers in my life, I tend to look for gifts with a purpose. I’m practical, so purpose can mean something I know will be used and appreciated, but it can also mean that it in some way benefits others. Here are three gift ideas that range from practical to purposeful for Mother’s Day.

For the gardening mom, I had the pleasure of trying out these wellies from Kaufmann Merchantile, which are durable and extremely lightweight, making them perfect for summer gardening projects. You can get a $7 gift card when you sign up for their newsletter, and they have a great selection of gardening tools, fun outdoor gear (perfect for summer or for Father’s Day if we’re thinking ahead), and specialty products like small batch tonic or a triangle dinner bell.

While I was at Big Traveling Potluck I had the pleasure of meeting Jeannine Harvey with ONE Campaign (remember the sweet potato biscuits I did to raise awareness for ONE?) and Barrett Ward with FashionABLE. FashionABLE has several different scarf styles, including lightweight that are perfect for cool summer nights. Together they have partnered to bring the Genet scarf to the market, helping Ethiopian women get off the street and into a trade to support themselves. Both are wonderful and worth supporting.

If you’re looking to shower your mom by feeding her more than just brunch, consider seeking out a few of these Fair Trade Certified products to show her how “Moms Make a World of Difference” by celebrating her and moms across the globe. The Fair Trade Certified label signifies that these products are not just quality products, but ones that make a difference by improving the lives of the people that create them and help to protect the environment. The money we all spend on day-to-day goods can make a big difference in the lives of Fair Trade women around the world, such as providing education for their children, keeping food on their tables, and healthcare for their families.

I’m giving away a box of treats, too, that includes:

  • Jasmine Tea from Choice Tea: Choice Tea was the first tea crafter to offer Fair Trade Certified tea in the U.S. in 2000.
  • Allegro Coffee: Café La Duena is a blend from small-holder women farmers in Oaxaca, Mexico and San Ignacio, Peru. Organic, Fair Trade Certified Café La Duena gives focus and celebrates women coffee farmers.
  • Alter Eco Cane Sugar: This sugar has all the versatility of everyday granulated sugar, plus an amazing depth of flavor that makes it the ultimate secret ingredient.
  • Alter Eco Rainbow Quinoa: A colorful blend of nutty, protein packed quinoa. Choosing Fair Trade Certified quinoa is one of the best ways to support quinoa farming communities and support it for the years to come.
  • LARABAR: The cocoa and coffee used in LARABAR is Fair Trade Certified, and each bar uses no more than 9 ingredients.
  • Bhakti Chai: A brew of Fair Trade Certified black tea, fresh-pressed organic ginger, fiery spices and non-GMO soy milk.


To enter, simply leave a comment below. I’ll use Random.org to pick a winner Wednesday, May 8th, 2013 after 11:59 p.m. and will email the winner for their information. Have a happy Mother’s Day!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  9. I love all these Mother’s Day gift ideas. I try to buy Fair Trade products as much as possible. This is my firtst Mother’s Day as a mother and am very excited to be celebrating 🙂

  11. The recipes sound delicious and the giveaway is a great idea. I love the sound of all of it. I am going to have to look it up and search some of it out 🙂 Thanks!!!

  17. I totally agree with you on the housecleaning gift. I would LOVE to be relieved of chores for even one day. If my son or husband really deep-cleaned my tile floors, I would be SO happy.

  18. Oh I am the same…..someone please come and dig me out of my spring cleaning and get rid of all the muck!! We used to take our moms out to eat for mother’s day but it seems such a production cuz everything so very crowded!! It is almost easier when the three of…my sisters and I just cook for our mom and then we go visit my mom in law! We are all the same….we just want homemade cards and hugs and kisses!!!

  20. Lol! I thought I was the only crazy mama that would trade all the dorky gifts I usually get for one amazing day of someone else cleaning my house (has to include the carpets!!)

  26. I agree with you – please clean the house! My family never seems to believe that is the gift I want. Silly pickles! Nothing says “I love you!” like having zero dirty dishes in the sink. 🙂 Though they could weed the garden for me, too… Hmmm…

    Thanks for the great gift suggestions! Gifting mom with a gift that supports other moms is a beautiful gesture.

  27. The sweet potato muffins are the perfect “bread” dish I will be taking to a friend’s house for dinner. Thanks for solving my dilemma.

  36. I certainly agree, mom’s are very important…mom’s all across the world! My mom has become a gem to me and I hope I don’t have to give her up too soon in this world. The package giveaway would be extra nice to make up something for her for Mother’s Day. This would just make her day that more special! Thank you so much for the chance to win your giveaway.

  50. I second the deep house cleaning, I’m only a dog-mommy but that would be hands down my favorite gift ever and I’m pretty sure my mom would love something like that too. Thanks for the idea!

  52. I’m so glad you’re doing this to bring awareness to Fair Trade!
    After the Bangladesh fires and deaths we need to have more exposure concerning the international ramification of trade.

  67. My wife would love this for Mother’s day… Thank you for spreading awareness for Fair Trade. My belief is not that people do not care, it is that they do not know. Be Blessed.

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