Category Archives: Life

Spring Reset

Over the past year and a half my diet has significantly evolved.  I used to eat pretty much whatever I wanted (without corn and soy) but still had stomach issues.  Then I dove into gluten-free eating and noticed that my issues had improved a bit, and when I started to eat more paleo/primal (with a few gluten-free things here and there) they all but disappeared.  However over the past couple of months the train has fallen off the tracks, so I’m declaring a spring reset for the month of April.spring reset sweet potato bites

It started out innocent enough; a couple of extra glasses of wine here and there, stealing bites of the Englishman’s delicious yet gluten-filled bread, and not being as diligent at restaurants as I normally am.  But that quickly turned into Sundays spent on the couch in agony with stomach pain and headaches, more breakouts and my digestion running amok.  And look, I know we are all human and can’t be perfect all the time (cause where is the fun in that?) but I definitely realized I can’t be as liberal with my diet as I’d like, cause I just don’t feel great.

So for the month of April, we’re (the Englishman is participating in this to some degree as well) going to clean it up a bit.  Joelle recently wrote that she’s going to do a Whole 30, and I think we are going to do something along the lines of the 21 Day Sugar Detox with a few modifications that work for us.  So what does that look like?

  • Adios Gluten: I’m going to bid gluten adieu for the month of April and the Englishman is just going to stick to his homemade stuff (like his bread).
  • Less Drinking: This one is pretty straightforward, and much friendlier on the wallet too.
  • Sayonara Sugar: I have a habit of having something sweet after dinner every night, so I’m working to break that a bit.  Natural sugars for the win!
  • Getting Back on the Mat: I’ve finally found a yoga studio I love, and I’m going to aim to practice at least 1-2x a week.
  • Focus on Getting Stronger: I’ve been battling a few injuries since my half marathon last fall, so I’m focusing on perfecting my crossfit technique, going for shorter runs and yoga.

And for the record, I don’t think grains are the devil, nor do I believe that one “diet” works for everyone.  I’m going of what has worked for ME in the past, and hopefully getting my digestive system back to normal.  The Englishman and I are going to France in May, and the last thing I want on my trip is to be feeling crummy.  Plus, I’m excited to try new recipes and I’ve already got some stuff bookmarked to share on the blog.  So that’s my two cents on that.

Anyone else up for a spring reset?  Come join in the fun!  I’ll be sharing on instagram and twitter with #springreset.

Whole Wheat Biscuits

For the 2015 cookbook challenge this week we’re going back to the basics.  Whole Wheat Biscuits from the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook to be exact.

whole wheat biscuits plate

The discussion around biscuits started after the Englishman and I watched this Key and Peele sketch where they make fun of Marshawn Lynch’s attitude during press interviews by responding “biscuits n’ gravy” to every answer.  And yes, as a football fan, I highly enjoyed this sketch.

Anyway, after watching this all I could think about were biscuits.  Warm, fluffy biscuits hot out of the oven with some butter and maybe a little honey spread on top.  No frills, no fuss, just biscuits.  So I opened my trusty America’s Test Kitchen cookbook and got to work.

whole wheat biscuits bookOh and I should mention that the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook is probably one of the most informative and helpful cookbooks I have ever owned.  Each section includes a detailed guide for how to make a variety of dishes, as well as what can go wrong and how to remedy it.  And as I mentioned above, the book is about mastering the basics, which I think is so important.

Ok so back to the biscuits.  The original recipe called for all-purpose flour and buttermilk and I didn’t have either of those things so I swapped in almond milk + lemon juice and whole wheat flour and it worked out fine.

These whole wheat biscuits are a breeze to put together and are great if you want a quick afternoon snack or light breakfast.  The Englishman oftentimes packs a couple to take to work every day to enjoy with his morning cup of tea.

Whole Wheat Biscuits (makes 12 biscuits)

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup almond milk

8 tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt your butter over low heat and set aside to cool.  In a medium mixing bowl add your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Mix until well blended.

whole wheat biscuit doughGently fold in your butter, almond milk and lemon juice into your dry mixture and continue to mix until you get a nice, sticky dough.

whole wheat biscuits pre bakeScoop spoonfuls of dough onto your baking sheet and place in the oven for 15-17 minutes.

whole wheat biscuits finishedRemove from the oven when the tops and bottoms are lightly browned.

Cool and enjoy.  Maybe even with some gravy.

2014 Year in Review

I know it sounds cliché to say this, but seriously, where did 2014 go?  Weren’t we just toasting the end of 2013?  If I had to sum up this year it would be crazy busy, but awesome.  I feel like SO much happened in 2014 and I can’t wait to see what the next year brings.  So without further adieu, here is the 2014 year in review:

I started 2014 off by visiting Canada for the first time ever (thanks to work), and immediately fell in love with Vancouver, and their food.

Lupo restaurant braised short ribs

The spring was a whirlwind of wedding planning, including another trip up to Santa Ynez to finalize our cake and wine decisions – both very important.

Wedding Cake Tasting Flavors

And no trip to Santa Ynez is complete without dinner at Trattoria Grappolo (seriously, GO THERE).

Trattoria Grappolo Antipasto SaladMy fabulous maid of honor planned my bachelorette party in San Diego, complete with a fab brunch at Searsucker the next day (perfect for after a night out on the town).

Brunch at Searsucker McPuffinThe Englishman and I got married in May, and it was pretty much the best day/weekend ever.

life lately wedding edition aviatorsSeriously, so much love for our friends and family who shared in our day.

wedding group shotWe honeymooned in Maui in June, and I ate all the pork, all the time.

Koa's Seaside Grill Kalua PorkThe two of us also went on a pineapple tour which was educational and quite delicious.

Maui Pineapple Tour CoupleMore of our wonderful friends got married in June and July so we spent our time party hopping throughout LA.

wedding trioAnd when we weren’t doing the wedding thing, it was all world cup, all the time.

world cup

I randomly set a 5K PR on the 4th of July, which was quite unexpected but still a lot of fun (and nope, still haven’t bought the pictures).

Surf City Run Finishing

The Englishman threw me a surprise 30th birthday party in August and we got to celebrate with our favorite people in life.

30th birthdayThere was also some Peanut Butter and Co. action complete with these delicious frozen honey peanut butter bites.

Frozen Honey Peanut Butter Bites PinKarla, the Englishman and myself signed up for half marathons in November so the Saturday long run ritual began.  (note to self: training for a half marathon in the summer is rough).

running trioI found myself up in Canada again in September, only this time in Toronto and had kind of the best short ribs ever.

Dinner at brassaii ribsOctober included the first ever OC cake club, and my attempt to make gluten-free carrot cupcakes that tasted great but looked a little sad.

gluten free carrot coconut cupcakes OC cake clubPost-long run brunches were had, including this fab one at Sealegs Wine Bar.

brunch at sealegs wine bar wafflesI met Dr. Andrew Weil at a special event at True Food Kitchen, and he got me all excited about trying new recipes in the kitchen again.

superfoods with dr andrew weil demoI set a new half marathon PR in November, the Englishman set a new PR, and Karla rocked it out for it being her first half ever.

big sur half marathon garminAnd to end the year we had a paella party.  And ate lots of delicious things like bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese (ask Karla for the recipe).  So good.

paella party tapasI’ll be the first to say that I had a LOT of fun this year.  This year was filled with milestones, great memories and new friends.  2015 has some pretty big shoes to fill, but I’m up for the challenge.

What was your favorite moment (food or otherwise) from the past year?

Life Lately

I’m having a hard time believing that we are already halfway through December and Christmas is just a mere few days away.  I feel like the month (year) is flying by and I’m not even prepared.  I still need to bake cookies and watch all my holiday favorites! That being said, here’s a glimpse into life lately:

I never blogged about it but after we ran the Big Sur Half Marathon we drove down to Solvang to hang out at our favorite winery and stay for the night.  We had dinner at Succulent Cafe and these brussels sprouts were amazing and I can’t stop thinking about them.

brussels sprouts and bacon

The restaurant also had these cool little lights in mason jars and I want to re-create this in my house.

mason jar lightsNow that it’s FINALLY feeling like winter here I’m all about the tea, all the time.  Holiday teas are in full rotation around here but I also love matcha green tea with almond milk. With a side of Christmas tree.

tea and christmas tree_1I’m also still on the rose train and love throwing together a little cheese/fruit/nut plate and enjoying a glass on the weekend.  It’s my own little happy hour.

wine and cheese

I’m currently trying to come up with more recipes to use Dark Chocolate Dreams so I don’t just eat it straight from the jar…

flourless chocolate peppermint cookies

We had friends over for a paella party and I didn’t snap a pic of the paella!  But I did get a shot of our half-eaten appetizers.

paella party tapasKarla got me the Thug Kitchen cookbook for Christmas (because she’s the coolest) and I made the maple oat banana bread from it.  Amazing.

thugkitchen

I made peppermint bark this weekend so now I can officially say the holidays are here.  I think I need to make my salted coconut almond bark next.

peppermintbark_slabAnd just for good measure, here’s a pic of Pip.

pippageNow who’s ready for Christmas?