FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

One Night In Seattle

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I’m at the very beginning of what promises to be one of the best vacations of my life. My mom, aunt, and I are spending 11 days together, flying to Seattle, riding a train to Vancouver, and then cruising around Alaska. And although it’s an extended adventure, our time in Seattle was limited. And we were determined to make the most of it.

We started by selecting a cozy hotel in the perfect location. With the comfiest beds, walkability to a cluster of tourist stops, delicious in-hotel restaurant, and quick cab ride to the train station, the Sheraton Seattle was the perfect choice.

We were greeted with chilled champagne, fruit-filled pastries, and a panoramic view of Seattle’s skyline. It was the most incredible spot to have our first champagne toast.

The second we hit the street, we faced a sign that guided us in the right direction. This sign appeared before Google Maps loaded, that’s how close we were to our destinations. Everything was falling into place quite nicely.

Our first stop was the Seattle Aquarium. Growing up in Florida, it’s always fascinating to me to see sea life from the other coast. The fish were electric and the sea lions and otters were as adorable as could be. I also spent too much time staring at the octopus, which made me oddly hungry for polpo.

After the museum, which took less than an hour, we walked over to Pike Place Market. My mom and I visited the market during a recent Seattle trip, but my aunt hadn’t been since she was a flight attendant over 20 years ago. It was definitely worth another visit – we all dreamed about having a market like this near our homes. And we also picked up some pastries for early morning train ride the next morning.

That was about all we could fit in before our dinner reservation. I dine super early these days so I have appropriate amounts of daylight for photos, so 6pm reservations are a real thing for me. But we promised ourselves we’d make it back out for more touristing after dinner.

Upon first glance at Loulay, you could tell it was going to be a lovely meal. The scale of the restaurant was intimate and unlike an ordinary hotel restaurant. And the hostess guided us to a window seat, which made me happier than you could ever imagine.

We were presented with some more bubbles, which was such a wonderful surprise. And from there we ordered both innovative and classic cocktails while we glanced over the menu.

Dungeness crab everything grabbed our attention. The Dungeness crab salad and Dungeness crab risotto were must-order-dishes for us. And we supplemented our crab fix with the oysters on special and a charcuterie plate. After we finished each dish, it was the consensus among the table that we were beyond pleased with every single dish that hit our table. We were the perfect amount of satisfied.

After dinner, we changed into lounge clothes and headed to the Seattle Great Wheel. On the way there it dawned on us that it was about to be sunset, which was an ultra exciting revelation.

I highly recommending riding the wheel at sunset. The water and the city had the most beautiful glow and it was a super memorable way to spend an evening. And walking to and from, with all of the hills and stairs, allowed us to sneak in some much-needed steps.

After a fun-filled half-day in Seattle, we were pleased to post up in the fluffiest bed with crisp, white covers {perhaps my favorite thing about hotels}. And in the wee hours of the morning, there were cabs waiting outside that carted us to King Street Station, which was only one mile away.

Regardless of how much time you spend planning and how perfect an itinerary looks on paper, it’s always a beautiful thing when your experience exceeds your expectations. If you find yourself in Seattle for a quick trip, whether it be for work or before a cruise, I highly recommend staying at the Sheraton Seattle to make the most of your stay.

Disclosure: Although the Sheraton Seattle kindly hosted our stay, the opinions in this post are completely my own and based on my experience. 

 

Ancient Grains Poké

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I’m always on the hunt for dishes where I can incorporate quinoa. Quinoa sushi, quinoa granola, quinoa with shrimp & kale – the FoodFash archives are filled with this protein and fiber packed grain. So when I received a shipment of Village Harvest’s Organic Benefit Blends, I couldn’t wait to dream up another quinoa dish that was special enough for one of these blends.

The perfect recipe came to mind after having poké bowls twice in one week {one on a bed of greens and the other on a bed of rice}. Why not recreate this classic Hawaiian dish at home with the Ancient Grains blend? Fresh seafood, raw veggies, and a blend of quinoa, millet, and buckwheat sounded like an incredibly refreshing, feel-good meal for the peak of summer.

An added bonus is that knowing Village Harvest’s background will also make you feel good. As a company, they define social sustainability to not only mean caring for our planet, but also their employees.

  • Village Harvest has pledged 1% of their profits to run programs that give back to the farmers and local communities from which they source their products.

  • Village Harvest has pledged to donate 1% of their employees’ time to charitable causes and sustainability efforts.

How wonderful is that!

I used the Ancient Grains blend for this recipe, but I’m willing to bet that the Antioxidant and Protein blends would be delicious in this recipe as well.

If you’re interested in these products and they aren’t available at your local store, please use this link to fill out a product request. Otherwise, all of the Organic Benefit Blends can be found at Village Harvest’s online shop. And shipping is free when you order eight bags.

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

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5 Easy Ways To Keep Your Health Game Strong This Summer

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I don’t know about you, but bathing suit season totally snuck up on me this year. Between starting a new company, moving in with my boyfriend and his daughter {what!}, and creating content for FoodFash, I was struggling to keep up with me. After I completed all of the new company “musts” and got everyone settled in the new place, I created manageable habits to keep my health game strong this summer {and beyond}.

1. Daily Green Smoothies

Whenever I fall off the fitness wagon, my first step towards positive change is re-introducing green smoothies into my morning routine. If I can have control over one thing, one thing, every day, it’s a nutritious breakfast that knocks out a few servings of fruits and veggies. When impromptu meetings and other life distractions kidnap my day, I can go to sleep knowing that I consumed approximately three servings of roughage that day.

I also have the constant struggle of trying to find a plant-based protein powder without stevia on the ingredient list. Although I’ve turned to stevia during major cleanses when absolutely zero sugars are allowed, I try to steer clear of stevia {mostly because I don’t like the overpowering taste}. When I received Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters, I was over-the-moon excited to see their protein powders are plant-based and sweetened with monk fruit, not stevia! The fact that they are also made with prebiotic and probiotic fibers are a welcomed bonus. Scroll to the bottom of this post for my favorite fruit and veggie packed smoothie recipe.

2. Vitamins

For a long as I can remember, I have always teetered on the edge of anemia and Vitamin D deficiencies, making daily vitamins an extra important part of my daily routine. Keeping my vitamin bottles in the bathroom near my toothbrush has been a helpful reminder to take my ever-growing list of vitamins before I leave the house. And, by teeth brushing point, chances are high that I’ve already finished my green smoothie and I won’t get nauseas from taking vitamins on an empty stomach.

3. Stocking the Freezer

How many times have you decided to go out to eat because there’s nothing in your refrigerator? For us, that was becoming a daily excuse. I started stocking the freezer with chicken, salmon, shrimp, and green veggies. By doing this, we had almost every protein/veggie dinner combo covered and it started to get really impossible to make up excuses. Pro tip: Shrimp thaws incredibly quickly and this recipe is extra delicious.

4. Water

Water used to be the most simple box to check when I had a desk job. I’d fill up a giant bottle of water that I’d make myself finish before leaving for lunch and I’d repeat the process before leaving for the day. Boom! But when I’m working on a construction site or out of my car, water is the easiest thing to forget. Keeping reusable bottles of filtered water in the refrigerator and making a habit of taking one with me when I leave the house helps water intake when I’m mobile. We also started keeping a water carafe at the dinner table so we can refill our waters without interrupting our meal. And we have a general rule to finish our waters before clearing the table.

5.  Quick Cardio

I am thabest at being too busy to exercise. But fitting in 30 to 45 minutes of cardio is really as easy as just doing it when you’re eating nutritious food, taking vitamins, and drinking enough water. I do not like doing any major exercising in the morning as I feel ravenously hungry and tired throughout the day. But a quick cardio session before I get ready in the morning has really helped increase my energy levels in an exponential way. And the yoga studio near our new place has a 9am practice, which allows me to fit in one to two classes per week as well.

I hope that you’ve found this list both helpful and manageable. Best of luck with keeping your health game strong this summer! Click here for $3 off coupon for any Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Booster.

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

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The Cordova Inn – St. Petersburg, FL

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Although The Cordova Inn kindly provided us with a media rate for our guest room, the opinions in this post are completely my own and based on my experience.

St. Petersburg is worlds different today than it was during my late-1990s jaunts from Safety Harbor to attend punk rock shows at The State Theatre. Once vacant storefronts have been muraled and are now bustling with business. Tower cranes have a presence in the relatively mid-rise town, indicating the already wonderful evolution is still in motion. And many of the town’s historic buildings have received thought-filled facelifts.

When I was scouring the internet for places to spend our two nights in the Berg, my search criteria was focused primarily on character and walkability. The Cordova Inn, located at 2nd Ave N, blocks away from Central Ave, was my first choice.

Hosting guests since 1921, The Cordova Inn is the longest operating hotel in St. Petersburg. The current ownership has transformed a once run-down building into a beautifully restored space for people with a desire to be immersed in St. Petersburg culture. While staying at The Cordova Inn, we were able to walk to every meal, passing by the Williams Park Market, Jannus Landing, and dozens of yachts floating in the Bay.

And at this hotel, more than any I can recall, we spent a significant amount of time in the common areas. Perhaps my favorite detail about The Cordova Inn is their partnership with neighbor, Locale Market, to provide complimentary charcuterie and wine during their weekend Social Hours. This time allowed us time to get acquainted with the hotel staff and other guests, making the lobby a welcoming spot to hang out.

The charcuterie board was out of this world delicious {and beautiful}. After enjoying the selection of meat and cheese on Friday afternoon, we spent much of Saturday looking forward to the next Social Hour. It was also nice to pop down for a glass of wine to bring back to the room while we planned our next adventure.

Each weekend morning, we woke up to fresh Locale Market croissants, fruit, yogurt, and coffee. What we intended on just being a morning snack was plenty to keep us full until our next meal. And let me just tell you, I’m still dreaming of the custard filled croissant!

Overall, The Cordova Inn exceeded every expectation. It was truly the most wonderful place to stay as I spent the weekend introducing my boyfriend and his daughter to places and things of my childhood. Thank you, The Cordova Inn, for your hospitality – we hope our paths cross again soon!

Although The Cordova Inn kindly provided us with a media rate for our guest room, the opinions in this post are completely my own and based on my experience.