San Fran/Napa Girls Gone Wild

Summer is a time to travel, explore, be adventurous, eat outside, and share these great memories with family and friends. I recently went on a gals trip to San Francisco and Napa. Great times would be an understatement. At times I almost felt guilty that I was truly having that much fun. It is times like those, that remind you how lucky you are. Lucky to have people to be able to do that with, lucky to be able to explore new places, and just lucky that you land in a hotel with the entire Raiders Football Team.

We go to check into our hotel and there they are, bellied up to the bar and ready to party, a bunch of Raiders players. Some hilarious cats to say the least! Seeing the dedication they had at night to drink heavily and then the dedication to get up early in the morning and train all day long, in turn gave me the dedication to drink all day at wine tastings and then precede to go to great delicious drawn out dinners at night. I did just that, like a champ might I add. Here are some places we explored and some recipes I took from the amazing fun filled girls weekend.

First stop San Francisco for some fresh delicious, down home lunch eats in portable boxes screaming "take me to the beach".

We made it to a local eatery called, Blue Barn. The definition of everything I'm about, fresh, fast, and simply flavorful. I went for the Big Tuna, which was some of the best tuna salad I have ever had in my life. Fresh pole-caught albacore tuna, very very light mayo, fresh tomatoes, watercress, and fresh made toasted whole wheat bread. My sister and her friend split a delectable fancy grilled cheese and the tostada salad. Both equally amazing but both in their own ways. The tostada salad was so fresh and delicious full of romaine....which in my opinion one of the most under appreciated green. It is in my mind, the only lettuce out there that stands up to powerful and creamy dressings that deserve a strong lettuce. It was loaded with toasted corn, black beans, tomatoes, jicama, scallions, herbs, pumpkin seeds, tortilla strips, white cheddar and chipotle-agave vinaigrette. If you are thinking "give me now", yep you would be thinking right. I was so in love with this place that I contemplated making a one hour detour off the 101 just to get it for the long airport haul. I didn't get it, but I am still dreaming about it.

Next stop Sausalito for some bayside fare. As a family we were in Sausalito for Eddie's birthday nine years ago, so we thought it was only fitting we return. We stumbled upon Barrel House Tavern, by stumble I mean lucked out. This place was any foodies dream come true, especially on their birthday. When I say it over looked the water, I mean literally. You were hanging over the water. Here we decided we needed a bottle of Rose and some oysters to start. Very fresh and very flavorful. Next we got a definition of summer dish. Fresh grilled white peaches, balsamic dressed arugula, and topped with pistachios and honey. Happy Birthday to Eddie. 

Next stop Napa stayed tuned.....it was an adventure. 

This summer night's dinner was inspired by my boss Elizabeth. In our latest summer magazine she created the most delectible grilled polenta bites, that I just had to give it a try on my own. I make regular basil/pine nut pesto quite frequently, so this time I wanted to experiment with a new twist on the original. I decided to try my spin on a sundries tomato and roasted walnut pesto. I highly recommend giving this one a try, as a topper for a dish, add it to some mayo for a sandwich spread, or add it to fresh pasta for a scrumpcious supper time meal. 

Sundried Tomato Pesto:

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup toasted walnuts

1/4 cup roasted garlic cloves

1/3 parma cheese

himalayan sea salt

fresh ground pepper

Stove top sautéed polenta:

Food Merchants Basil/Garlic Precooked polenta

olive oil

Directions: in a food processor, combine all pesto ingredients and blend until your favorite consistency

Polenta:

slice polenta into 1/2 inch rounds and sauté with a covered pan for 10-12 minutes until soft, goofy, and a bit of a crust

Godere!!

Like I said in the last post, there is just something about springtime that jacks up my happiness level to an ultimate high. I can't deny that the weather is definitely part of it, or it could be that I'm a spring baby. Either way, spring time in Colorado gives me a high that is all natural, baby.

On this particular day, I told my sisters to come to Denver for the day to have a little lunch date. Inspired by the spring weather and blooming flowers here is what I created: 

Veggie reuben: 

Whole Foods pretzel buns

1 large heirloom tomato

cucumber

banana peppers

avocado

sprouts

spinach/arugala mix

vegan thousand island dressing

swiss cheese

- First, put the sliced tomato on the bun. Then layer the cucumbers, banana peppers, and then swiss. Melt in the broiler. Then add avocado, spinach/arugala blend, sprouts and top with thousand island and bun. 

Healthy banana pudding:

your favorite vanilla greek yogurt

bananas

honey

-Layer the yogurt, then slice banana's, drizzle honey over it. healthy desert made easy peasy. 

This was a day that was filled with mimosas, laughter, and love. It's the little things in life that make the world go 'round. Make the most of a day off, eat up the sunshine, share some laughs, be positive for one whole day- there is literally always something to smile about. 

Happy Thursday everyone! Cheers to the freakin weekend! I am just so happy lately that it is finally spring in Denver. Which, for me, means picking up the latest fresh veggies at the local farmers market, coming home to be inspired by the chosen ones, and then enjoying it over a glass of rose wine on the patio! Pure bliss.

This post is for my friend, Bean. Speaking of happiness, she seems to always be. She is truly an inspiration to me and my life. After realizing that her high paying accounting job was not for her, she realized her passions and became a lower paying, over worked teacher. If that doesn't scream follow your dreams, I'm not sure what does. Cheers Beanie, I love you.

I believe any time of year is a prime time to start following your dreams. However, spring, especially, is a perfect time to get out of your winter cocoons and comfort zones, and branch out! Many people are afraid to cook certain vegetables because they seem foreign, in a way. Beets may seem intimidating, but in reality, they're very easy to cook, here's how:

cut the green leafy tops off the beet but nothing else. if you chop the beet up first then you lose all the nutrients in the boiling process.
place beets in a large pot and boil until fork is tender.
then, use a spoon and just peel off the skins, they should come right off.
next, chop or slice into discs and serve. see, easy!

Roasted beet, tomato, and buratta salad:

2 large yellow beets, boiled then chopped
4-5 compari tomatoes...or whatever tomato looks great that day
1 head of roasted garlic
1 bunch of arugala
lemon dressing
ball of delicious buratta
salt and pepper

lemon dressing:
olive oil
dash of lemon juice
dash of canola oil
dijon mustard
fresh garlic
salt and pepper

whisk the dressing together and then toss the beets and tomatoes with the dressing. then chop up your roasted garlic, sprinkle all over salad, salt, pepper, and top the buratta with your favorite olive oil, roasted garlic, and enjoy. serve with some of your favorite bread and you have a delicious hearty spring time meal! grab your loves and enjoy out on the patio with some great vino!

Happy Spring!

The Kitchen Next Door-Glendale

Greetings, loved ones! Today my post is about one of my favorite spots that is purely bona fide: The Kitchen Next Door. The name of this restaurant could not be more fitting of what this magical place truly embodies. A true 'kitchen' is dear to me, partially because of my upbringing and the value of one. From what I have experienced, a kitchen is much more than a room, or in this case a restaurant. It is what makes a house a home and what makes this restaurant a retreat. It is an embracing, gathering place where extrinsic worries are simply left at the door and  the essential joy of enjoying each others company takes prominence. Everything fits the description: from the hostesses that gracefully welcome you, to the servers that know your name plus your favorite glass of vino, and the food that comes straight from local farms to caring hands and onto your plate. Not only are you receiving pure delight here, but you are also giving back as well! The Kitchen donates portions of certain items on the menu to programs allowing children to learn and grow their own whole food. I can try to describe the love of this restaurant but in order to actually experience it, you must go. I am almost sure you will leaving saying, "I get it."

The Kitchen Next Door in Glendale is my location of choice  because of proximity, but there are multiple locations in Denver, as well as the Boulder area. However, I'm patiently waiting for Glendale's upstairs patio to open on Mother's Day! The only thing that would be better than their upstairs patio, food, and a glass of their rose on tap, would be my mother in the flesh! Well, one can dream I guess.

There have been many solo trips made to the Kitchen Next Door, and I am more than pleased to admit that. I grab the closest high top table every time or sit bar side, although you can never really go wrong. Recently, one of the bar tenders informed me that they just got written up in 5280 Magazine for the first time. I am an avid reader of 5280, and I am not trying to bash the quality of the magazine, but this just goes to show the politics that go along with having such a main stream news feed.  There needs to be a magazine about pure foodie pleasure and no BS (excuse my language, but as you can see, I feel strongly about this.) Nevertheless, The Kitchen Next Door's food, beverages, and service are the bees knees. I would rate it the top of the town any day. 

What I ordered: 

Crispy Garlic Smashers- side of lemon aioli

Veggie Antipasti platter-  consisting of grilled wholewheat flat bread, cumin dusted roasted carrots, roasted beets, and a fabulous marinated bean salad 

The Kitchen Tomato Soup- simple, yet delicious. 

Since working at Whole Foods, I have tried many new foods and diets. Not because I want to diet, but because I want to see what all the fuss is about with these trends: gluten-free, diary free, etc. If you do not truly have an allergy to these foods, I have found that anyone can still enjoy these foods on occasion. I had an experience with a customer who approached me, telling me she wanted to try a vegan 'cleanse.' I then asked her why and she replied with "to lose weight." It took every bone in my body not to scream. Switching to a vegan diet is not a diet to lose wight, it is a life style, so it is not possible to uphold to these standards without healthy, gradual changes. I didn't continue with an immediate rant, nor did I try to correct her. Since this particular lady is a frequent customer, I knew I would be seeing her again soon. Lo and behold, a week later she came crawling back to the chef's case, only to affirm my original assumption. I asked her how her vegan diet was going and she said, "I've gained weight, I'm tired, and I feel like crap, so give me a chicken breast!" All I could do at this point was laugh, not at her but with her. I then went into what the vegan life style entails and why people choose it. In fact when I went vegan for a week I gained weight too. I found myself turning to other carbs that are not necessarily good for you because they add in other ingredients to boost the flavor. I told her that you need to choose a "diet" based on what your body responds the best to. I have learned over many years that my body doesn't like carbs in the morning and that it won't process meat, so I have altered my life style based on what my body has told me. She ended up going back to her protein-rich diet, that included lots of non-vegan items. A week later she told me she felt great and lost the weight. The bottom line is that our bodies are very smart. Listen to them, respond to them, and it will treat you well. Treat it otherwise, and you will pay the price.

So, where was I? Oh right, trying new things! In this dish, I decided to try gluten-free noodles. Not half bad. Not the richness of the real deal, but pretty good.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo:
gluten-free noodles
1 pound large shrimp
1 can San Marzano chopped tomatoes
crushed red pepper
lemon juice
1 onion
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 big bunch of chopped italian parsley leaves
1 bunch of chopped basil
olive oil
salt and pepper

In a separate bowl toss the shrimp with olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add the shrimp to a hot pan and sauté for about a minute on each side, no more. Take the shrimp off and set aside. In that same pan add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minters. Add the can of tomatoes, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp back in, toss to coat and cook for a minute or two. Then stir in the parsley and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir and enjoy with a loved one!

You are exactly where you need to be. I love this quote. Today I want to go on a rant about being present. There are so many times I find myself in the middle of a project or surgery without thinking about the task itself. I find my mind wondering about a million other things. Sometimes in life we subconsciously take the hard way to meet our goals without even noticing it. If we focus our energy into what is right in front of us, we can optimize our time. By this, I do not mean rushing through the task as quickly as possible, but rather, taking in your surroundings: the sounds, smells, voices, people, passions, the mood, the fact that you are alive and healthy! NOT: If I just quickly complete this day/task, then I can ______ (fill in blank with vice of choice!)

I do not mean to lecture you, but what I am really trying to say is remember the magnificence of your actual existence! It is impossible to cure our bodies, if we are not equally caring for our souls. No matter what you are doing, take the time to come back to your senses and be present throughout your day. My friend Terri inspired me to write today's thoughts because I am guilty of not being present, too. Life is all about the little things so I want to share with you some of my favorites:

Red Wine- Charles Shaw: this is a new pick for me from Trader Joe's ....Who doesn't like a bottle of two buck chuck that tastes fabulous?! Tonight I had a 2012 that was just radical.
my ideal scenario: long day+bubble bath+lit Anthropology candles

White Wine- Oyster Bay: amazing sauvignon blanc.
my ideal scenario: picnic in wash park on a perfect summer evening (think light appetizers: cocktail shrimp, caprese salad, greek olive mix, etc.)

Magazine-Bon Appetit, this magazine inspires me in so many ways. First, it is the only magazine that I read from start to finish. Also, every time I read it I always learn something interesting and new.
my ideal scenario: lazy sunday morning... a cup of Conscious Coffee with Organic Valley Hazelnut creamer, big blue (my favorite blanket that never does me wrong), and my baby girl, Lou... only the most precious Golden Retriever you will ever meet. :)

And many more to come...