Winner Announced and Fun Facts Friday - I'm A Picky Eater

And the Winner Is...
I wanted to thank everyone for entering the Blooming Platter of Vegan Recipes Cookbook giveaway. I really wish I could be like Oprah or Ellen and tell you all to look under your chairs where you would gasp and clap after finding a copy of the cookbook.

But, I'm just me, and have no powers (or money) to make that happen. So, as promised, I have chosen 1 winner via random number generator.

Kristina @ Spabettie - you are the winner!
(I will contact you with Betsy's contact information)

Again, I appreciate that you all took the time to enter and to check out Betsy's blog. I think it's so important to try to help each other when we can. If you didn't win, hope you think about buying her cookbook or at least sharing her site with others. I know I'd certainly appreciate it if I had a published book ;-)

Fun Facts Friday - I'm A Picky Eater
Today is my rest day - and much needed after legs yesterday. Wowzers. They are definitely sore, but at least I can still move. Just need to remember to stretch, stretch, stretch.

Tonight we're going to our friends' house to help celebrate his 40th birthday. I look forward to visiting with him and his wife as it's been a while since we've been able to get together.

Since I won't have any awesome dinner recipe tonight, and since I just gave away a cookbook, Fun Facts Friday needs to be about food right? Ok, it doesn't "have" to be, but it sure makes it easier to come up with some fun facts ;-)

Let me just start by saying that both my mom and Jason will say that I am not really a vegetarian, I am just super picky. Growing up, I never wanted steaks, pork, burgers, anything like that because it was too chewy. Makes me screw my mouth into a weird snarl just thinking about it. Ick.

I guess I was just destined to be a vegetarian. I was the odd kid who loved my spinach, asked for Brussels sprouts, and wanted beans over any other protein offered (with the exception of baked beans, hate those).

I will say that since blogging, I have discovered that there are foods I thought I hated, but realized I actually like, beets or sweet potatoes (I always equated sweet potatoes to sweet potato pies, which I hated). But there are some things I still hate, absolutely cannot stand.

Will Not Eat:

• Meat - duh
• Cucumbers - cannot stand the smell
• Avocados - texture issues
• Watermelon - actually, all melons, won't even eat a fruit salad if they are in there
• Radishes - no words, just yuck
• Celery - smell and texture issues

Will Eat Under Certain Conditions:

• Tomatoes - but only small tomatoes and preferably cooked
• Green bell peppers - must be cooked unless salsa type situation
• Onions - must be cooked unless in a salsa type situation
• Eggs - but barely and pretty much only in baking but almost never eat any longer
• Carrots - must be thinly sliced or cooked

Will Eat Now, But Thought I Hated:

• Beets - maybe it was the color that scared me
• Kale - always heard it was bitter
• Sweet potatoes - equated with sweet potato pie
• Red, yellow, orange bell peppers - equated with green
• Blueberries - no idea why I thought I didn't like them

Are you a picky eater? What are some foods you refuse to touch or love now and thought you hated before?

Daily To-Enjoy List:

• The fact that it's Friday
• Being able to offer a giveaway
• Evening with friends