FoodFash

FoodFash is a food and travel blog based in Austin, TX.

Easy, Complete Side Dishes

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This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Alexia.

I can’t seem to find the time for intricate side dishes lately. Whenever we cook at home, it is pretty much guaranteed that we’ll serve a protein with a sautéed green veggie. Sometimes I’ll go above and beyond with mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash. But I seriously can’t imagine preparing a protein and TWO lovely veggie sides {especially on a weeknight}. Which is why I was so excited to try Alexia’s complete side dishes.

Alexia used to be my go-to brand for dinner rolls {bring them back, please!}. And they’re the only brand of sweet potato fries on my radar. So when I saw they started making complete side dishes that are VERY similar to what I’d make at home, I couldn’t wait to try them!

Other than the flavor profiles being very similar to what I would cook, I appreciate that Alexia products are non-GMO, gluten free, and contain organic dairy ingredients. And, since we try to steer clear of the microwave, I liked that a handful of the complete side dishes have reasonable stovetop cook times. But for those who depend on the microwave, all of the side dishes cook in less than 10 minutes.

The two side dishes that we sampled were the cauliflower risotto with parmesan and sea salt and mashed butternut squash with butter and brown sugar. And, served along side homemade pork tenderloin, they made for quite a special Sunday supper. So special, that we brought everything outside and dined al fresco to celebrate the slow-approaching Texas fall weather.

The mashed butternut squash was the family favorite. I let Haven sample a spoonful before I plated our meal and she couldn’t stop asking “when is it going to be time for squash?”. Even while we were taking pictures, she couldn’t keep her hands off that squash! And I really enjoyed the cauliflower risotto because it’s so creative. There are plenty of frozen cauliflower rice options available, but then you’re left to find and make a recipe on your own. Alexia complete side dishes are just that – complete. And because they’re complete, you can put all your focus into a delicious main dish.

And that brings me to our pork tenderloin! I used this FoodFash recipe for the brined and seared pork tenderloin within this post. And then I sliced the pork and served it on a bed of sautéed onions and mushrooms. And together, with the cauliflower risotto and mashed butternut squash, it made for a delicious veggie-filled meal!

Alexia complete side dishes can be found at Giant Eagle, Kroger, Meijer and other fine grocers. In Austin, I’ve purchased Alexia products at Whole Foods and Central Market.

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Alexia.

 

Creating Quality Instagram Content – A Letter of Encouragement

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Let me be the millionth person to shout off the virtual rooftops about how much Instagram sucks right now! Reach and engagement are both down 90% of the time and the other 10% of time, when a post is successful, it’s unexplainable and unrepeatable. Posting a new picture on your gallery causes the most useless and preventable anxiety on the planet. Thoughts race: “Did I post at the right time?”, “Have I changed up my hashtags enough?”, “I should have posted another burger pic.”, “How is my burger pic not doing well?”. I can’t tell you how many times in the past few weeks I’ve said “I’ve never seen engagement this low before.”.  I don’t even love burgers that much.

How did I get here?  

Matcha ice cream waffle cone sandwiches from @asahiimports. 📸 @foodfash. Tag #eateratx for regrams.

A post shared by Eater Austin (@eateraustin) on

I’m in a constant state of reeling in out of control, social media-induced emotions. There’s a cool down period that’s followed by asking myself, “Why did I start FoodFash in the first place?”. And the answer to that is so simple. Before page views and new followers and email subscribers and likes were a thing…

 

I started a blog to CREATE.

I started a blog to get comfortable hanging out with my bad, bad self. I started a blog to pick up a camera and re-familiarize myself with the world of apertures and shutter speeds. I started a blog to document the life I wanted to live. I started a blog to become more comfortable in the kitchen and better able to nourish my body, a body that felt worn out and sick in my mid-20s.

I started a blog with the intention of giving, not getting. 

I haven’t yet come to terms with low engagement, but I assure you that coming to terms is in progress. For one, I’m posting less. I used to post on Instagram every day before 8am, which turned out to be a really sh*tty way to start the day. Lately, I post 3-ish times per week at whatever time of day I can afford an hour of comment moderation and engaging with other accounts.

In addition to posting less, I’m switching the focus back from getting to giving. I will…

Continue the commitment to create quality content.

There was a brief time when creating quality content was incentivized by the hopes of getting reposted by an account with a massive following. And while reposts by large accounts yield little to no new followers in 2017, they still serve a purpose for an account like mine, an account that currently has a large focus on highlighting local food businesses.

My account’s reach may be the type of low that gets me down these days, but creating repost worthy content gives businesses I love a greater chance at exponential exposure. For Austin locals, Eater Austin posts a ton of community generated content and they are rockstars at providing visible photo credit. And nationally, I’ve had luck with FoodBeast and food-specific Infatuation accounts (@icecream, @burger, @tacos, @pizza). The reposts embedded within this post have literally provided nothing other than a virtual pat on the back. But when I switch the focus back from getting to giving, reposts fulfill my original intention.

What was your original social media intention?

And because not all of my content is repost-able {I still have some home-cooked meals and sponsored content sprinkled about}, I’ve come up with a list to skim down when I’m frustrated. Because when I’m frustrated, it’s likely that I’ve lost sight of my original intention.

  • Use creating content as an opportunity to hone your skills. The more content you create, the better you’ll be at composition, styling, editing, etc. If you’re avoiding a certain style or technique, research tutorials or sign up for a class.
  • Engage with your local Instagram community in real life. There’s comfort and joy in surrounding yourself with like-minded creators.
  • Use low engagement as an excuse to explore content outside of your niche. If engagement is low regardless of what you post, the pressure of posting that burger pic is greatly reduced.
  • Don’t be a slave to content. If creating content or posting content results in more negative feelings than positive, take a break.
  • Create more blog content. You own your blog and you own your subscriber list. Also, remember how it felt to write this post, a post not intended for Instagram.
  • Avoid comparing yourself to others. People display the best parts of their lives on social media, but rarely show the sacrifices and struggles that made the best parts possible.

Find a way back to your original intention. 

Family Of Two – Make The Most of Costco Membership

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I grew up thinking that Costco memberships were for families with a gazillion kids. I’d tag along with friends on occasion to stock up on frozen fruit and coconut oil. I’d Venmo money to friends that made trips without me. After years of wheeling and dealing and for affordable, organic bulk fruit, I still couldn’t justify the $60/year membership cost {seems silly now}. What finally tipped me over the edge was moving in with my boyfriend and going through double the amount of frozen fruit. I needed the ability to purchase on my own time.

So $60 later and I’m able to purchase frozen fruit whenever I want. Even if the frozen fruit didn’t cost less than my regular grocery store {which it does}, it’s so much more convenient to purchase large bags. We make a version of this smoothie every morning and Costco prevents me from making three frozen fruit runs per week. Although the types of fruit rotate, there’s always a few types of organic bags to choose from.

Frozen fruit, toilet paper, and paper towels alone make the membership cost worth it. But I’ve also found a ton of new products that have become staples in my house, too. You have to be strategic with fresh produce because, unless you’re a family with a gazillion kids, a LOT can go to waste. Every trip, I buy organic broccoli, greens, and squash. We eat about as much broccoli and greens as we can handle and then freeze the rest of the broccoli for future dinners and the rest of the greens for future smoothies. And when you spiralize the squash, it’ll be eaten up in no time. This week, I supplemented with peppers and mushrooms. I know we’ll go through the mushrooms without a problem, but the peppers may be a challenge.

Prior to Costco, I was a meat snob. I would only buy meat and seafood at Whole Foods or Central Market. And while there are still types of meat that I’ll only buy at Whole Foods or Central Market {steak, chicken drums, pork, and non-salmon seafood}, I’ve found plenty of Costco meat to stock our freezer. After my Alaska trip, I’m so excited that Costco carries a few varieties of Alaska seafood. And I always keep frozen shrimp on hand because it thaws the quickest and eliminates a lot of excuses for going out to eat.

My coolest “find” to date is the 9-pack of Daily Greens. Cold pressed juice bottles run anywhere from $6 to $9 and this case is just over $2 per bottle. Purchasing this juice is also how I learned that each Costco carries a handful of local products. The coffee pictured above is also roasted in Austin, which I find pretty awesome!

I use the avocado oils pictured above to cook all of our meat, seafood, and veggies. I also purchased the spices I use all the time {Himalayan pink salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes} from Costco, purchasing the rest in the bulk department at Whole Foods or Central Market as-needed. The spaghetti sauce pictured above is pretty much my favorite {I have mini panic whenever I think this brand has been rotated out}. And I add a tablespoon of butter and cooked ground turkey to the sauce, which makes the perfect zoodle dinner.

 

As you can see, I’m a total Costco convert. And even though we’re only a house of two most of the time, I think this membership is totally worth it. We spent about $400 on our first trip in May because we stocked up all of the new house things. But it’s four months later and we still haven’t needed to refill toilet paper, paper towels, flushable wipes, or ziplok bags. Subsequent trips have run about $200 and we go every two to three weeks.

 

Chocolate, Caramel & Pecan S’More Dip With JaM Cellars

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Thank you JaM Cellars for sponsoring this post. Looking for Butter Chardonnay or JaM Cabernet near you? Check out our Store Locator! Just pop in your zip code.

It’s hard to believe another summer has flown right by! And even though the fall season is officially at the end of September, it won’t feel like fall in Texas until months later. That means no campfires for us {yet}, but why should that mean being left out of the s’mores party?

A s’mores dip is such an easy way to turn an ordinary moment into fun. And pairing with a glass of melt-in-your-mouth Butter Chardonnay or berry-licious JaM Cabernet is a wonderful way to make the moment even more special. Seriously, what could be better than sipping on Butter Chardonnay and JaM Cab while both making this sweet treat and enjoying it with friends? And since both bottles are under $20, a s’mores and wine combo also makes for a fun moment that won’t break the bank.

And because this s’mores dip can be made in your home and without access to a fire, it can truly be enjoyed all year long {not just as you’re mourning summer coming to an end}.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.