Bite of Seattle

I took my friend that was visiting 2 weekends ago to the Bite of Seattle foodie festival for lunch. It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon and we walked through the grounds admiring all the choices. We decided on purchasing a $10 ticket for The Alley sponsored by Tom Douglas where 95% of proceeds benefited Food Lifeline, a local hunger relief organization in Western Washington.

The menu was stellar as seven local restaurants showcased a bite of their delicious food. Here is my plate of goodness:

The menu included:

Etta's - Rub with Love salmon with cucumber slaw.

Purple Café - Gorgonzola stuffed dates with pine nuts. Al Boccalino, Seattle’s Little Italy - A cold soup with oven toasted beets, balsamic vinegar, orange juice scented with thyme. John Howie Steakhouse - Sliced filet mignon (I didn't get the description on this one, but it was fabulous!) Roxy’s Diner - Hot pastrami on rye with mustard. BARRIO - Achiote rubbed prawns with spicy red sangrita. Sand Point Grill - Peach Shortcake - Washington peaches, gluten-free nutmeg cake, honey yogurt whip and tart berry syrup. I couldn't believe how much food we got for $10...I definitely did not expect it! They had this going on all weekend and I may have had dreams about that salmon and pastrami sandwich! I thought about going back, but the crowd was pretty intense! As we meandered the rows of vendors, we each picked up a mango lemonade...YUM! I also got a nutella crepe and it was just meh, ok...

I was glad that I did not get the strawberry shortcake like this lady below. Now that is some SERIOUS food coma!!!

Have you been to any good festivals lately? What is your favorite festival food?

Rack of Lamb Feast

During weekends we like to cook a more time-consuming meal with fresh meat from either Whole Foods or Pike's Place Market. One last weekend's menu was rack of lamb. We haven't cooked this in a long time and I don't have a recipe to give because the bf knows the recipe by heart and cooked the whole meal himself (I opened the bottle of wine!) We went shopping at Whole Foods and picked up all the ingredients we needed.The lamb was seasoned with salt and pepper and coated in dijon mustard, then bread crumbs and wrapped in aluminum foil before baking.

We steamed asparagus and boiled/mashed some gold potatoes to serve alongside the lamb.The sauce was made from stock, port, raspberry and mint sauce.

The rack came out of the oven perfect...I took 3 bones, he took 5:)

We garnished the plate with fresh raspberries and a glob of mint jelly. I wasn't a fan of the mint jelly because it overpowered the taste of the lamb. This meal was fantastic...so delicious!

We drank a bottle of Cuvee Rutherford from my favorite winery in Napa - Rubicon Estate.

Have you made any good weekend dinner's lately?

Food Blogger Goodies!

After reading so many blogs that feature a various array of nut butters and other healthful goodies, I decided to stock up and try out some new things in my meals! I came home a couple weekends ago with 5 nut butters (fresh ground almond, coconut, cashew, maple almond and chocolate peanut butter), chia seeds, nutritional yeast, raw crackers, raw food bars and shredded coconut. I haven't tried all of the nut butters or bars yet...too many new things at once!

I do have to say that coconut butter and chia seeds will become a staple in my home moving forward! I love adding the seeds to my oats and plan to play around with more recipes I have been seeing on other blogs. The coconut butter is also SO good on oats, but also on fruit, pancakes, muffins, straight out of the jar...the list goes on! I may also try to make my own once I get a food processor (also seems to be the new rave!!)

The shredded coconut has been going into my oats and I used the nutritional yeast in a salad dressing and topped some eggs and kale chips with it. I may try adding to pasta next time. Its not bad, but I don't see go thru large quantities at a time like the coconut butter...

I have been adding the Dark Choclate Dreams to fresh sliced fruit for dessert, but I could also eat that on anything (or just straight from the jar!) It is so delicious! I don't think that tub will make another week:)

What is your favorite nut butter??? I have yet to try the cashew butter, but my altime favorite is fresh ground almond because it still has littel chunks of almond in it (and its fun to grind at the store!)

Glazed Chicken Heaven

I've posted before that we tried this recipe by Rachel Ray: Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken and I'm not kidding that this is probably my new favorite chicken recipe! It is really not that difficult to prepare and it is so tasty! She suggests serving over a lemon risotto (which is what we made last time-great, but a little labor intensive) or you could serve over rice or pasta. We went with pasta:) You basically cook the chicken, add liquids and reduce to a glaze. We wanted to amp up our egg noodle pasta a bit so we chopped up some Italian flat leaf parsley and tossed the pasta with a little melted butter and parsley until coated. We don't go crazy on the butter, just used a pat.

This combo really amps up the flavor of plain egg noodle pasta. It is creamy and delicious with a little herb tang from the parsley.

The pasta paired really well with the chicken and we steamed some broccolini on the side. This was a pretty big serving...I actually only ate about half (and all the broccolini) and took the rest for lunch the next day:)

I started today off with a Green/Purple Monster (Tbs ground flax, 2 cups spinach, 1/2 banana, 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries) and a 45 minute spin class at 6 am. This early rising thing is getting a lot easier:) Breakfast part 2 was coconut oats (1/3 cup old fashioned oats, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup milk, dash of sea salt, dash of vanilla, 1/2 banana). I cooked the oats on the stove until thick and creamy, then topped with a tablespoon of chia seeds, tablespoon of shredded coconut and a drizzle of coconut butter. This is definitely my new favorite!

I packed a salad with green leaf, sliced strawberries, walnuts and poppyseed dressing and a whole grain sandwich (that I will panini cook on the foreman at work) with goat cheddar and sundried tomatoes. Snack will be yogurt and a small pink lady apple from the CSA box.

Tonight we have tickets to Alice in Wonderland in 3D with the bf's family and may do a little happy hour beforehand. We also get to cat-sit his bro's 2 adorable cats for the next 2-3 weeks because he is going on a business trip...so excited to have the furballs for a bit!

Saturday (if my wrist feels better) I am going to my favorite yoga class and will probably make an appearance at the gym for some cardio and strength training. We have plans to try the Dahlia Bakery for breakfast/brunch, but I'm not sure which day we are going to go. I am hoping to get some reading in on Saturday as well.

Sunday I have plans to go wine tasting with the girls! A friend of mine has a membership at Columbia Winery in Woodinville, and they are having an event called the Tastes of White. We went to the Taste of Red a few months ago and had so much fun. There were local food vendors including, bakeries, chocolatiers, BBQ, dips and cheese.

Do you enjoy going out to breakfast or brunch on the weekends? What's your favorite thing to order? My favorite thing to order is a veggie omelet and I love places that serve complimentary muffins or scones:)

Seafood

Last Sunday, I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up some dinner ingredients and other goodies. We decided to see what types of fish they had fresh that day and find a recipe from Rick Stein's Seafood book to use it in. They had fresh Alaskan king salmon and cod and we decided on the cod...it just looked to good to pass up! We chose a recipe that included grilled cod served over a bed of mashed spring onion potatoes with a soy-butter sauce. I also picked up some asparagus to serve on the side. We pan fried the cod because we like it cooked that way better. The potatoes were very easy...we boiled 4 small-medium potatoes until tender and sauteed the spring onions in a little butter. The onions were added to the mashed potatoes along with a little milk to make them creamy. We sauteed the asparagus until tender then added some balsamic and sauteed another minute or so. The sauce was a reduction of chicken stock and soy sauce..once it had reduced by half, we added butter and diced tomatoes. The dish was excellent! The cod was very tender and cooked perfectly and the sauce mixed with the potato and cod was the perfect combination of salty and creamy, but was not too heavy.

I am always so impressed by the selection of fresh fish in this area...it is one of my favorite things about living in the Pacific Northwest! Next up...salmon:)

We ended up going out to sushi last night at Shiro's in Belltown and it was the best we've had yet in Seattle. A lot of the fish was local and fresh and it was melt in your mouth good! My favorite was this thinly sliced red snapper from Oregon...it was amazing! The salmon from Canada was really good too, very tender, almost creamy. I could become a regular there!

I got my organic produce delivery from New Roots Organics today, so I am looking forward to using some of the ingredients tonight in a meal! I will post pics of what was included tomorrow:) I also have plans to workout tonight...I signed up for a yoga class, but I hurt my wrist yesterday (I have no idea how!) and I think it would hurt to much to put pressure while in downdog and other various poses:( I am icing it today and hopefully it feels better tomorrow...there is this little hard lump on the top of my wrist...and its so painful! So it will probably be a cardio night...maybe a little strength training as long as I'm careful!

What is your favorite type of fish or sushi? I'm a sucker for salmon!

Liberte Yogurt

I've found a new yogurt....Liberte...it is SO GOOD! I noticed this stuff at my local market and the "Goat Fresh Cheese" caught my eye. I picked up a container of the raspberry and tried during my lunch the next day. It was thin, fruit at the bottom type of yogurt...it reminded me of a raspberry blizzard I used to get as a kid from Dairy Queen! This yogurt is made with goats milk, so it's easier on digestion and the tast is fabulous! The only problem I have is that it's always the first flavor gone from the shelves...I have to get 5 at a time whenever I see it stocked!



I looked at their website for more information on the product and I was pretty excited to see that they promote sustainable practices. I get really excited everytime I find a new product with those types of core values!



I read about their other products and thought I would give a few other yogurts a try. The market near me only has the goat fresh cheese and the mediterranee (more milk fat). I tried the lemon, coconut and plum walnut flavors of the mediterranee and the honey fresh goat cheese. All were equally tasty! I would have to say that the coconut had these flakes at the bottom and when you mix it all together it tastes like coconut cream pie....SO delicious!






The mediterranee products are higher in fat and calories, but make for a great dessert substitute as they taste just like desert! I am hoping the market restocked today because they were all out last night!

New Roots Organics

After watching Food, Inc. a week ago, I immediately went online to seek out a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I had been pondering the idea for about a year, but never acted on it because I enjoy picking out my produce at Farmer's Markets. However, I do not make it to the FM every week like I used to back in California.

I found New Roots Organics and the fresh display of tomatoes on their website caught my eye (I'm a sucker for marketing!) I emailed the owner Carolyn asking about delivery options and she responded within minutes (got to love that!) I am set up to get one box every other Wednesday delivered to my office. I like the every other week option because it allows me the opportunity (if I choose) to hit up the FM.

The box was filled with a variety of organic fruits and veggies from local farms and two wholesalers that have networks of local farms in WA and OR. I am looking forward to this spring and summer when more of the produce will be direct from local Washington farms. I am also looking forward to trying to grow some of my own stuff this spring...more on that later!

Last night we roasted half of the carrots with a honey/olive oil mix and boiled/mashed 3 of the purple potatoes with some of the parsley (and butter!) I've never had purple mashed potatoes before, but they were pretty amazing...the carrots too, I wish I had made the whole bunch! We paired this with pork chops and it was a very satisfying and tasty meal!

Jacques Torres Chocolate

I have many words to describe the drinks at Jacques Torres...this was the most amazing, thick, creamy, chocolaty, rich, delicious mocha I have ever had! The menu includes classic hot chocolate, mocha, and varieties of hot chocolate including peanut butter and a spicy chili mix. I was in need of warmth and caffeine, so I went with the mocha...and it did not disappoint! My friend also ordered a chocolate chip cookie and let me try a piece...I will say she only offered a small piece and I totally understood why...it was heaven! I wouldn't want to part with anymore...wish I would have gone back up to order another:)







Thick chocolaty goodness...note the chocolate is forming a nice skin on top...a sign of true yuminess! I savored every sip!







I just love the little chocolatier sign outside the shop!



The inside was pretty tiny and all decorated for Valentines Day. We managed to score a little table by the window with these charming little painting of birds! I really loved the decor, it was very warm and inviting...we could have sat there for hours!!

If you ever have the chance to visit one of Jacques' shops, I highly recommend ordering a drink and taking home some truffles or baked goods for later!

Boot Camp Day 2 and Lululemon Review

Boot camp was much more intense today...less running and more strength training. We started by running 2 laps around the block, then we broke up into teams of 5. While one person did a sprint the rest of the team did continuous reps until each person had their turn at a sprint. Here are the moves we did:

Push ups

lunges

planks

squats

crunches

Holy crap the push ups and plank holds were tough...my arms are so sore! Next we ran a lap around the block and moved into stength training stations. Each team spent a minute at each station doing the move and then we would rotate (2 times through). Here are the moves for this set:

Plank jacks

Step ups

Burpees

Sumo squat with side kick

The only move I didn't have to stop for a little break were the squats:( Finally we lined up to do jumping jacks...the person in the back sprinted to the front and so on until each person sprinted twice...this was pretty rough...calves were burning!

We got homework to do over the weekend...30 min jog/30 min strength on Friday, 20 min core with 15 min stretching on Saturday, and 30-60 min cardio on Sunday. I should have no problem incorporating these workouts this weekend with what I've already planned.

Lululemon review:

I wore my new gear this morning and i have to say they were GREAT for running in the rain, however not so much for crazy boot camp moves like burpees! The pants didn't have as much stretch as the groove pants, so it made it hard to do some of the moves. I expected this...and the tag even says for warmups and light activity! But based on Monday's class, I figured we would be doing a lot of running in the rain again. I think I will continue wearing groove pants to class with the jacket that I just bought. I will save the pants for running in the rain on my own...will probably need them this weekend!

Last night we had:

Turkey Pesto Pasta

1 lb ground turkey

1 package penne pasta

1 jar maranara

1-2 Tbs pesto

8 oz shredded mozzeralla

half an onion

Brown turkey with diced onion. Boil pasta according to directions on package. Combine pasta, turkey, tomato sauce, pesto and mozzerella in a baking dish and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

For dessert I had an sparkling orange juice. 2/3 sparkling water, 1/3 orange juice...super easy and tasty! I also like lime sparkiling with cranberry or Pom juice:)

We are skipping our menu tonight and goin gout to celebrate my boyfriend law school grades...dean's list baby!!!

Ready to Take on the Rain!

I shopped the sales at Lululemon yesterday and scored some track pants and matching track jacket. I am totally one of those girls who wears matching outfits to sweat in...:) If I am going to get myself motivated, its not going to be in a drabby outfit that makes me feel unattractive!

I can't wait to try my new gear out tomorrow morning...bring on the rain:) Onto my very delicious dinner last night that the boyfriend cooked me!

Flank Steak with Mexi-rice, Peppers & Onions

The steak was marinated in garlic, salt, pepper and lime juice, then pan fried in a cast iron skillet (until desired temp...we like medium-rare). Let rest and cut into strips.

Slice a red and orange pepper and a red onion. Sautee in extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, chili powder and a sprinkle of sugar. We don't usually measure...so we go on what looks/tastes right. Just add until it has the taste you like!

The mexi-rice is white rice cooked in half water/half stock, then mixed with diced plum tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and a little salt and pepper.

Complete meal:

I ate about half the steak on this plate;) I used the left-over steak and peppers and onions and topped a bed of spinach for my lunch...pretty tasty! I love using left-overs for lunch. Well I'm off to watch a little american idol and get to be early! Back tomorrow with bootcamp day 2!

No Doughnuts for Me!

FREE Top Pot Doughnuts today at work...YIKES!!!

Luckily I hadn't even eaten my lunch yet, so I was able to avoid the caloric devils...but at first it was still pretty tough warming up my veggie dish while watching co-workers and making a new pot of coffee while diving into the doughnut box. But then I felt sort of happy and excited that I was able to avoid the goodies and watch everyone else overeat...almost in a healthsnob kind of way. I try not to judge others' food choices, but something about those doughnuts today made me feel superior in my choices, not restricted! I'll take it!

Onto some good eats this week...

Pork Tenderloin with Steamed Asparagus and Roasted Red Pepper Mashed Potato

We seared the pork in a cast iron pan and baked in the oven to temp.

The potato recipe came from Clean Eating Mag...couldn't say I was a fan:(

They had garlic, peppers, feta and yogurt...they just didn't taste all that good. Maybe I should have paired with a different protein...but it wasn't working in this meal. Or maybe I should stick to a little milk and buttah in my potatoes;)

Asparagus was yummy though!

I didn't make it to my yoga session this morning...I totally overslept. I was pretty disappointed, but I think I will fit in a jog tonight instead and pick a couple yoga sessions up this weekend. It's been nice today, so I may take my jog to the pavement and complete my first nighttime run by myself. I plan to stick to well lit and busy areas...some parts around me are a bit sketchy...

Breakfast Routine

I've been playing around lately with what I eat for breakfast. For about 4 months, I was regularly eating about a cup of Fiber One mini wheats and milk or multigrain cheerios with a banana and milk for my breakfast. I got really sick of cereal and I would get hungry again a couple of hours later.

This month I've been experimenting with an oatmeal-based (which seems to be what a lot of you are eating out there!) or an egg/veggie/english muffin based breakfast. With both of these choices I've noticed that I stay full up until lunchtime (or approximately 4 hours after breakfast) and there is a lot less mindless snacking going on!

My normal routine calls for about a 400 cal breakfast, 300-400 calorie lunch, 200 calorie afternoon snack and a 500 calorie dinner (+/- 100-150 for a nighttime snack)

Yesterday, however, I was in a hurry and had a cup and a half of Kashi Honey Sunshine and milk, which only came to about 230 calories. I didn't last too long and by 10 I had an apple, 12:30 my lunch (which was lower-cal than I usually eat at 280 calories) and 2:30 my yogurt. While eating my yogurt I noticed it tasted a bit "off" and saw the expiration was 10 days ago...YUCK! So that gave me an excuse to get a nonfat cappucino and raspberry oat bar from the local coffee shop across from my office. Maybe not the best choice, but I had been ravenous all day and that really hit the spot and I only had half the bar (WAY to sugary!)

I really believe that having a satisfying breakfast really sets the tone for my day and today I was back on track with a half-cup of dry oats cooked in milk with a smashed banana, canned pumpkin, a drizzle of honey and cinnamon. It was delicious!