The Filling Station Cafe

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Last time I visited Old Towne Orange it was right after Bruxie had opened their first location, which meant it was high time for a return visit. The Englishman and I decided to head over to Old Towne for a birthday lunch and exploring. After looking at antiques, visiting a Huell Howser Spot and picking up craft beer at Provisions Market, we decided to have lunch at The Filling Station Cafe.

The Filling Station Cafe is a cute restaurant located just outside the Orange Circle. Since it was so nice out, the Englishman and I opted to sit on their patio and enjoy the sunshine. First thing we did as soon as we were seated is order obligatory birthday beers.

The menu at The Filling Station Cafe is pretty basic – breakfast served until 2pm, sandwiches, soups salads and burgers. This is definitely a no-frills place; just your basic cafe food with a nostalgic twist to it. I am all for trying new and innovative cuisine, but I really liked the homey feel of this place. Sometimes you just want a simple sandwich and fries you know?

For lunch I decided to order the Turkey and Cranberry Sandwich with a side salad and sweet potato fries (of course).

The sandwich was piled high with turkey, lettuce, tomato and Gouda cheese (I got the cranberry on the side) and was nice and flavorful. I ended up leaving the bread and eating the sandwich salad-style, and loved it! And then there were the sweet potato fries.

You all know about my love for good sweet potato fries and these were light and crisp, and perfectly salted. I seriously could not get enough. I’ve been to restaurants where the sweet potato fries come out a bit mushy, but these were crispy and on point.

The Englishman ordered the Biltmore Chicken Sandwich which came with grilled chicken, Pepperjack cheese, avocado, onion, tomato and lettuce in a cibatta roll. With a side of regular fries of course.

I tried a couple of bites of the chicken and it was juicy and perfectly cooked. The fries were also delicious but I thought the sweet potato ones were slightly better.

The Filling Station Cafe is a great spot in Orange if you want just classic American fare. There’s nothing fancy or pretentious about this place and I love that. I spent a lot of time eyeing the breakfast menu so I think a return trip is definitely in the cards.

Chocolate Coffee Cake

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When I think of coffee cake, I generally picture a sponge cake with a cinnamon streusel topping. The Englishman however, grew up with a coffee cake that had actual coffee in it. So when he asked that I create a cake with actual coffee in it for his birthday, I decided to take it up a notch and create a Chocolate Coffee Cake.

Since I had never made this cake before, I put a call out on twitter for the best coffee cake with actual coffee in it. The general consensus was that the Pioneer Woman’s cake was the best one hands down, but it was a little too sweet for the Englishman’s blood (he doesn’t have a sweet tooth) so I found a different recipe to base my cake off of, with a few modifications on my part.

The cake came out light and fluffy and had a nice coffee and chocolate flavor. And the Englishman loved it, which was the most important thing.

Chocolate Coffee Cake (makes 1 9×5 loaf)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp softened butter
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
4 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease a loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl add your coffee, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix well. In a smaller bowl add your butter, egg, vanilla and buttermilk. Beat until well blended.

Gently fold your wet mixture into your dry mixture and stir well until the batter is nice and smooth. Pour into your loaf pan and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let it cool. Cut into slices and enjoy!

How to Make a Pimm’s Cup

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When I first visited London back in 2005, I had a Pimm’s Cup. It had Pimm’s, fresh fruit, and ginger ale and was lovely. Then for whatever reason I didn’t have one again until recently at our engagement shoot a couple of weeks ago, which is eight years too long. Since then, I’ve had Pimm’s on the brain and even brought it to this girl’s chicken and waffles party. And if you haven’t had Pimm’s before, I will tell you how to make a Pimm’s Cup.

*photo cred: Lawry’s Inc.*

The first thing you’ll need to do is get a bottle of Pimm’s No.1. I got my bottle at Hi-Time Wine Cellars (for all you OC locals), but other specialty stores such as BevMo have Pimm’s as well. Most traditional Pimm’s Cup recipes call for ginger ale, but I decided to kick it up a notch and make my Pimm’s Cup with Prosecco. Pimm’s + Prosecco? Yes please!

The Englishman told me that one of the key ingredients in a good Pimm’s Cup is fresh fruit, namely watermelon, so you’ll need some watermelon, limes, oranges, cucumber, berries, etc. If you haven’t gathered by now, a Pimm’s Cup is essentially the English version of Sangria. So here’s how you make one!

How to Make a Pimm’s Cup (makes 1 large pitcher)

Ingredients:

1 cup Pimm’s No. 1

2 cups Prosecco

1 cucumber washed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup watermelon cubes

2 limes cut into thin slices

1-2 oranges cut into thin slices

6 sprigs of mint

Mixed berries for garnish (I like raspberries and blackberries)

Directions:

Fill a pitcher 1/4 full with ice. Pour your Pimm’s and Prosecco into the pitcher and stir with a long wooden spoon. Add in your fruit and continue to stir.

Let the pitcher sit for 30 min to an hour (if you can wait that long!) so the flavors can blend nicely together. Pour into glasses and garnish with berries. Enjoy!

This is the perfect summer drink for a BBQ or just to enjoy on a sunny afternoon. If you don’t want your Pimm’s Cup to be as potent, feel free to swap the Prosecco for ginger ale.

And that’s how to make a Pimm’s Cup!

Irvine Lake’s Summer of Mud Run

Quinoa Almond Muffins

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Lately I’ve been into experimenting with different kinds of flour. First there was almond flour, then I found a way to use coconut flour, and now I’ve stumbled upon quinoa flour. Since I’m a big quinoa fan, I figured I’d love baking with the flour as well. For my first run with the quinoa flour, I kept it simple and created Quinoa Almond Muffins.

First things first, these muffins definitely have a strong quinoa flavor, so if quinoa is not your thing, I recommend trying a different flour such as whole wheat instead. Second, I view this recipe to be more of a “base” with ample opportunity for add-ins such as bananas, pumpkin, chocolate, you get the idea.

I love that these muffins are low in fat and sugar, and are perfect for anyone with wheat, soy or corn allergies. Again, I definitely recommend adding some stuff to these muffins such as fruit, nuts, goji berries, the sky’s the limit!

Quinoa Almond Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 cup almond milk
3 tbsp coconut oil
2 large egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease a muffin pan or use muffin liners.

In a medium-sized bowl mix your quinoa and almond flours, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until well blended. In a smaller bowl, mix your coconut oil, egg whites, maple syrup, almond milk and water. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture and continue to blend until the batter is wet and sticky.

Gently place spoonfuls of batter into the muffin tins (be careful not to fill too high) and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool. These muffins taste the best on the day they are baked but also freeze well.

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash

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One of my favorite dishes is Shrimp Scampi. I actually blogged about it last year when I made it with Trader Joe’s Lemon Pappardelle pasta. This time I decided to try the shrimp scampi with spaghetti squash and the results were fantastic!

The key to making delicious shrimp scampi is the saute. I generally saute my shrimp with a little butter, olive oil, and white wine which gives the shrimp a lovely flavor. It’s also important that you don’t overcook your shrimp, or they will become a bit too chewy.

Again, this dish also pairs nicely with pasta of your choice, but if you are looking for something more low-carb, try it with spaghetti squash!

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, peeled and de-veined (OC locals, get your shrimp from Santa Monica Seafood!)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 shallots

2 tablespoons capers

1/3 cup white wine (in this particular recipe I used chardonnay)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

half of a spaghetti squash (if making for two, use a whole squash)

Directions:

Cook your spaghetti squash by either roasting it in the oven or quickly cooking in the microwave for 10-12 minutes or until tender.

Heat butter in a large skillet. Chop up your shallot and toss in the skillet. Cook shallot until it is golden brown. Add in the olive oil.

Add your shrimp and sautee for one minute. Pour in the wine, season with salt and pepper and sautee for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the parsley, lemon juice and capers and mix well to coat. Continue to cook shrimp for roughly one more minute or until done (the shrimp should be pink).

Scrape the insides of your spaghetti squash out with a fork and put on a plate.

Add the shrimp scampi mixture and enjoy! Pair with fresh veggies of your choice.

Fresh, light, and full of good ingredients. This dish cannot be beat.

Friday Round Up

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Happy Friday! Is anyone else as excited for the weekend as I am? I’m pretty excited because this lovely blogger is having a Chicken and Waffles party which is a pretty fantastic combo.

Here’s a little Friday Round Up if you are looking for some fun things to do this weekend:

First off, today is National Doughnut Day! Sidecar Doughnuts in Costa Mesa is offering free coffee when you purchase their special Peach Cobbler with Corn Thyme Crumb doughnut. I’ve said it before and said it again, these doughnuts are amazing! They have other delicious flavors as well so be sure to check them out.

BASI Pilates (which is a professional teacher training and education academy) is hosting a Learn from the Leaders conference on June 8 and 9 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Newport Beach. The founder of BASI Pilates Rael Isacowitz will be heading the conference which will host a variety of workshops including: Form and Function, Pilates in 3D, Pilates for Seniors, Lolita Shares her Pilates Barrels and Arcs, Pilates Programming and Exercise Selection, Pilates Footwork, Low Back Pain and Pilates, Osteoporosis and Kyphosis and Mastering Control in Pilates. If you are interested in participating please register at the BASI Pilates website.

Pitfire Pizza in Costa Mesa is opening a speakeasy! Head over to Pitfire this weekend to enjoy some pizza and then head into the speakeasy for some tasty libations.

And of course SideDoor in Corona del Mar is hosting their Sunday Sessions and will feature work from acclaimed photographer Jessica Cardelucci.

What are you up to this weekend?

SideDoor Sunday Sessions

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A couple of years ago I first discovered SideDoor in Corona del Mar and loved it. I loved it so much in fact, that the Englishman and I had our engagement photos taken there (thank you Dana Grant Photography!). The restaurant recently started a Sunday brunch featuring live music and artist exhibits called SideDoor Sunday Sessions. I was invited to come experience one of the Sunday Sessions and couldn’t wait to visit one of my favorite spots once again.

The SideDoor Sunday Sessions run from 11am-3pm every Sunday with the artists changing weekly. Photographer Juan Luis Garcia was at the session I attended, and he was showing a bunch of images from his Face Value: Mirror Portraits gallery, which features photos of people looking at themselves through a two-way mirror. The images were definitely interesting and you can even sign up to participate.

In addition to the artists changing weekly, the menu changes weekly as well. I love the fact that the menu is constantly evolving – it means there’s always something new to try when you visit SideDoor! Since this was my first Sunday Session I wanted to try as many of the dishes as possible. Luckily, I had the Englishman and my parents along to help as well.

No brunch is complete without some beverages, so we started with some mimosas and a Pimms Cup, aka my current drink obsession.SideDoor’s take on a Pimm’s Cup includes Pimms, Champagne and fresh fruit. It is dangerously good and highly recommended.

We decided to start the meal with some Avocado Mash and some pita chips.

As an avocado lover, this was delicious! I even used some of the mash on the Biscuits with a side of Gravy that we ordered.

I deliberately got the gravy on the side so I could dip the biscuit in the gravy or top it with the avocado mash. The biscuits were light and buttery and pretty much carb heaven.

Ever since watching It’s Complicated (for the millionth time) a few weeks ago I’ve had Croque Madames on the brain, so when I saw that SideDoor had one for brunch, I knew it was meant to be.

The open-faced Croque Madame came on lightly toasted brioche bread with ham, cheese and a poached egg. It was pretty much perfection. If SideDoor kept this on their menu every week I would be a very happy camper.

We also ordered the Green Eggs and Ham Benedict which was a playful spin on your traditional Eggs Benedict Dish.

The eggs were cooked perfectly, the sauce was flavorful and I loved the crispy hash browns on the side.

Since everyone loves bacon, we ordered a side of that as well. Bacon = winning in life.

We also tried the Three Cheese Panino which came with mozzarella, cheddar, parmigiano and arugula.

The panino was good but nothing mind-blowing compared to the other fantastic items we enjoyed. Not sure if I would order this again since there are so many other amazing dishes (see croque madame), but it was still tasty.

Since SideDoor is connected to Five Crowns, which is known for their famous prime rib, it was pretty much a given to order the prime rib sandwich.

I’m not always the biggest fan of prime rib, but the meat was so succulent and juicy. It literally melted in your mouth. And what’s a prime rib sandwich without a side of fries?

With all the savory and salty flavors going on, it only seemed appropriate that we ordered something sweet to round out the meal. A lemon crepe with berries and hazelnuts to be exact.

This crepe was sweet but not overly sweet which I loved. The lemon cream on the inside was a delight.

I loved everything about this brunch – the ambiance, the food, and of course the company. I’m already plotting my next return – who’s in?

Nut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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All week-long I have had cookies on the brain. Then some of my favorite food bloggers started posting cookie recipes on their sites, which made me want them even more. I decided enough was enough and whipped up my own lil’ recipe I like to call Nut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Why the generic nut butter label? The reason behind this is that these two lovely packets of Justin’s Nut Butter that I found while cleaning out my pantry were the stars of the show.

And since there is no easy way to say Chocolate Hazelnut Vanilla Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, I shortened it to Nut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. OK, it’s still a mouthful, but it works.

I’ll admit I was a little skeptical of mixing the chocolate hazelnut and vanilla almond nut butters together, but it actually worked! The cookies had a nice, nutty flavor to them and of course the chocolate chips were just the cherry on top. The best part is that it took 10 minutes to prep the cookies and then another 12 minutes in the oven. Not too shabby if you ask me.

Nut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (makes roughly 8-10 cookies)

Ingredients:

1 packet Justin’s Vanilla Almond Butter

1 packet Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

2 eggs

2/3 c rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2/3 c chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or line a baking sheet with a silpat/parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix oats, salt and baking soda. In a smaller mixing bowl mix your nut butters and eggs. Fold the wet mix into the dry ingredients and blend well. Fold in your chocolate chips until the mixture is nice and sticky.

Gently spoon your dough onto the baking sheet and roll into small balls. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool and enjoy. These cookies definitely have a distinct nut butter flavor, so if you want them a little more “sweet”, I recommend adding some brown sugar.

Paleo Bread

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Once I started Crossfit, people started asking if I was going to go on the Paleo Diet, since paleo and crossfit seem to go hand and hand. Since there are already so many foods I can’t eat, I don’t want to restrict my diet any further (plus, I love cheese and wine, oftentimes together). I have dabbled in a few paleo dessert recipes, and finally decided to try making some paleo bread that I have seen so widely publicized in the blog world.

I followed a recipe from Elena’s Pantry almost exactly, with the exception of omitting the apple cider vinegar because I didn’t have any. I also have a larger loaf pan, so I simply doubled the recipe and cooked the bread a bit longer.

I do have to say this paleo bread was quite delicious! It’s also loaded with lots of great things such as almond flour, flaxseed and coconut oil as well. You can see the heartiness of the bread with each slice.

However, I must caveat that this does not taste exactly like regular bread. The texture is denser and the flavor is a bit nuttier. If you are craving a warm slice of sourdough with salted butter or a baguette with some brie cheese and ham, this bread isn’t going to satisfy that. And if you are craving those things, then please go eat them because brie cheese on a french baguette with a glass of wine is pretty much perfection. Bonus points if you do this in Paris on a picnic.

But if you do follow a paleo or gluten-free diet, this bread is a delicious substitute.

Paleo Bread (adapted and doubled from this recipe)

Ingredients:

4 cups blanched almond flour
4 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
10 egg whites
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Directions:

Place almond flour, coconut flour, flax, salt and baking soda in a food processor. Pulse ingredients together and add your eggs and coconut oil. Continue to pulse until well blended.

Pour your ingredients in a 9×5 loaf pan and bake at 350F for 40 minutes.

Cool and serve, preferably with some butter or your preferred nut butter and jam.

Sweet Potato Bites

Enjoying good eats one (sweet) bite at a time!

The Filling Station Cafe

Chocolate Coffee Cake

How to Make a Pimm’s Cup

Irvine Lake’s Summer of Mud Run

Quinoa Almond Muffins

Shrimp Scampi with Spaghetti Squash

Friday Round Up

SideDoor Sunday Sessions

Nut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Paleo Bread