Foodie Favorites #3

Did you think I'd fallen off the face of the earth? I wouldn't blame you if you did. I can hardly believe it's been a month and a half since I returned to work - and the same amount of time marks my last blog post. Yikes! Being a full time working mom with 2 little kids is no joke. Some days our house feels like a well oiled machine, and other days it just feels plain crazy. Having two little ones is so much fun, but it also means very little free time (or rather, I should say "alone time"). Our little crew is a routine-driven one during the week and then an activity-loving one on the weekends.

To give you a quick preview of our weekdays/nights: it's up at 5:30, showers, breakfast, getting everyone dressed, off to work/daycare by 9:00, back home for dinner/bedtime routine and packing for the next day to do it all over again. Phew! It's been hard for Riker to adjust to us both being back at work, so we've been trying to make our weekends really count and do fun stuff as a family. Plus there is so much great stuff to do during the fall. We've been pumpkin picking, hiking, hay-riding, Six Flags-ing, horse racing and everything else we can think of that goes along with crisp air, boots, jackets, and football. Ah, I love fall.

In between family activities, Matt and I have tried to make time for each other and ourselves as well, as it's so important to staying balanced and happy. We finally had our first date night since before Carson was born, we've each had a night out with friends, and I'm finally getting back into a workout routine (going back to yoga with my friend Heather for the first time tomorrow night, and running a 5K in two weeks that I'm totally unprepared for. This is the definition of winging it).

So needless to say, it's been busy. But I'm hoping now that we're in more of a routine I'll be able to start blogging again more frequently, since I've been storing up things to share. Like this fab list - the third edition of Foodie Favorites. Here are some of the things we've been enjoying lately!

1. Fancy Salts

I love salts and tend to pick them up whenever I see them at specialty food stores. Good salt makes such a huge difference in flavoring food and in your health, and flavored salts are great because they add depth to a dish without any added fat. During one of our recent weekend day trips, I found some great ones in a little spice/tea shop and I've been using them on everything. The black truffle salt went great on spaghetti squash with a little olive oil (and I'll take Matt's word for it that it went great on his steak as well) and I like to use fleur de sel as a garnish on steamed vegetables - it adds a little crunch and extra salty bite.

I also have a citrus one which has lemon and orange peel in it, and just used it last night to add a final flourish to bowls of Orange Maple Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts. So good!

FYI, for my everyday salt I use Real Salt. My mama taught me well.

2. Homemade Coffee Creamers

Why have I never done this before? Typically I only use plain cream in my coffee - no sugar. But I love the idea of pumpkin flavored creamer during the fall, and usually each October I'll cave and buy a bottle of the Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice because it just doesn't feel like fall without it. This year I decided, no more. I don't even really like it because it's too sweet, and it's filled with all kinds of ingredients I can't pronounce.

Enter the homemade creamer. It's sitting in my fridge in a mason jar and feels just as festive.

I love this because it's real and I can control the sweetness. This one has pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and Vermont maple syrup. (Note: If you make this, be aware that the flavorings don't stay blended like store bought creamers, so you'll need to shake it each time you use it.) I can't wait to make peppermint mocha creamer in December!

3. Quinoa Hot Cereal

It's the season for hot cereal! Matt picked this up at the grocery store a while ago and I just tried it. It reminds me of Cream of Wheat from my childhood, but with the more hearty texture of grits. It also has more protein than your typical hot cereal.

It lends itself well to sweet toppings like bananas, walnuts and maple syrup, but I actually like it savory, the way I like my grits - with a little butter, salt and pepper. Mmm. Simple but comforting.

4. Somersaults for Snacking**

A while back, Somersault Snack Co. contacted me and asked if we'd like to try their sunflower seed-filled snacks. I'd actually never heard of them before, but was interested in the company after looking at their website and mission.

The snacks are made for energizing since the seeds are packed with antioxidants, protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. While we usually try to eat organic as much as possible, my feeling is that just because a snack is organic (like organic chips) it doesn't mean it's healthy for you. I felt good about these as an occasional snack because they are made with wholesome ingredients like expeller pressed oil, molasses, organic cane syrup, chicory root and various spices - I could understand the minimal ingredient list and the nutritional stats were good. Plus, my family could not get enough of them.

We tried a bunch of flavors, including cinnamon, salt & pepper, dutch cocoa, pacific sea salt and santa fe salsa. They seriously were all good, but my fave was the salt & pepper. Matt's favorite was the santa fe salsa - they for real tasted like nacho cheese Combos, which we loved back in college. Yum!

Riker also loved them. I couldn't even snap a picture without little fingers trying to sneak them.

Take two...

If you're interested in trying these out, you can order them on the website or check out their store locator.

**Disclaimer: I received samples from the company to try. As always, all statements and opinions are my own.

Weekend Highlights

Well we're already halfway to another weekend so this post is a few days overdue, but better late than never. That's the way weekdays go around here - busy busy!  I was so happy to have Matt back home this past weekend. I had some nice mother/son time when he was away in Delaware last weekend, but it's always better when we're all together.

Friday night started things off with a family movie night, which was so much fun. Riker is now old enough to sit through (almost) an entire movie, and while we try to limit his TV viewing time, a rainy Friday night after a long work week seemed the perfect time for a Disney flick. I made a homemade pizza with dough I had in the freezer, popped in Beauty & The Beast and splurged on some ice cream sundaes from our favorite scoop shop down the road. I've been craving ice cream for days (I blame it on this spring tease weather), and finally caved. Perfect night!

Saturday

Saturday morning started with smoothies and then shopping for pavers for our new patio. We finally picked everything out and ordered it - no turning back!

The rest of the day included some "me time" (a mani/pedi and some shopping), a big fennel/orange salad for lunch (actually the one below was dinner on a different night, but same idea), and then a friends night out.

Matt's sister Missy took Riker for a sleepover so we could go out to dinner with a bunch of our friends at Serenity Cafe. There were 12 of us and it's always a good time with this bunch. I didn't snap any food pics, but I sampled some lobster risotto balls and shrimp cigars for an appetizer, and shrimp & grits for dinner.

We all went back to Heather & Kevin's house after dinner for drinks (water for me ;) and to hang out. Such a great evening!

Sunday

We had to pick up Riker from Missy & Corey's the next morning, so we all decided to have Sunday breakfast together. Paleo, grain-free pancakes with bananas and Vermont maple syrup, with a side of all natural bacon for the meat eaters, was on the menu.

We split up after that so Matt could go mountain biking and I could do some housework, but then met back up later in the day for a little family outlet-shopping trip. The weather was gorgeous so it was a perfect day to walk around the outlets. Matt and Riker mostly played on the playground and kiddie rides while I stopped into a few different shops - I reeeeally needed some new maternity shirts since I've been rotating the same ones for a while now, and picked up a few other goodies as well. :)

Un-pictured strawberry frozen yogurt rounded out the afternoon, followed by a stop into the Toys 'r Us outlet for a toy for Riker. Side note - the toy outlet has crazy deals! I think I'm going to do all my Christmas shopping there next year.

Neither Matt nor I felt like cooking by the time we got home from shopping, so we caved and went to a local dive that we occasionally go to, Miracle Pub - good food and very kid friendly. I had fully planned on ordering a soup and salad, buttt....

Ah well, whatever. Back to the healthy eating on Monday, right?

Alrighty, time to make a pot of coffee and head up to the office to get started on the work day. Hope your hump day goes quickly!

Babymoon & Philly Food Spots

This past weekend Matt and I had the chance to get away for a little babymoon weekend just the two of us. My parents came down from Vermont and wanted to spend some alone time with Riker, so after having a family dinner Friday evening, Matt and I hit the road for a two-night stay in Old City, Philadelphia. The first time we did a babymoon, when I was pregnant with Riker, we did a 4 day trip to Martha's Vineyard which I would've loved to do again, but the drive was too far. Philly is so close to us but we don't often go for overnighters, and this was the first time we stayed in Old City in a couple years. I forgot how much I love this town!

Matt and I really make an effort to have regular date nights and time alone, but we don't often get to do an overnight just the two of us these days, and I have to say I feel like taking a short getaway every now and then really is important to our relationship. We had so much fun just being spontaneous and eating leisurely meals and laughing, laughing, laughing. Not that I ever forget, but spending some alone time together reminds me all over again how much I love this man.

***

We were only in Philly for a short time, but we did a lot of walking, a little sightseeing, and a whole lot of eating. My sister's boyfriend Justyn had recommended a bunch of pubs and restaurants we might like, so we had a list of places to check out.

Friday night we wandered around Old City for a while and stopped into Eulogy, which was an awesome little spot. Matt had a few craft beers and we split an order of their famous fries with homemade dipping sauces.

Our concierge had told us about a famous ice cream spot around the corner, the Franklin Fountain, which has been there since the 1920s. The line is insane even in cold weather, but so, so worth it. We ended up going there both nights so we could sample a few of their flavors as well as their homemade hot fudge and peanut butter sauce. Amazing!

***

Saturday morning we slept in and laid in bed till 9:00 watching HGTV and eating some fruit I brought from home. I honestly can't remember the last time we stayed in bed till 9:00 watching TV. It felt amazing. After we got moving, we split up for a while to do his & hers workouts. Matt went for a run around the city, and I went for a jog/walk on the pier. We were staying right at Penns Landing so could see the water from our hotel room, which was really pretty in the morning light.

The rest of the day included some time at the hotel pool, about 6 miles of walking all around the city - from Old City through China Town to center city - some great food, a stop into the famous Reading Terminal Market for a snack, a visit to the Philly Art Museum, a nightcap (for Matt) at Monk's Cafe, a visit to a really old candy store (the place totally looked like Willy Wonka's) for a treat for Riker, and of course ice cream to top the whole night off. I mean, after a morning jog and then 6 miles of walking, I figured I'd earned it. ;)

Our favorite food spots included:

FarmiCia

I had my heart set on a good brunch, so was excited when I found Farmicia on Yelp and it got such great brunch reviews. It was only a short walk from our hotel, too.

This place had a farm-to-table feel and the staff was incredibly friendly. We were starving by the time we got there, so ordered an appetizer of lox and capered cream cheese with bagel crisps.

For my meal I ordered a crab & spinach omelet with hollandaise and a side of cheese grits. I initially ordered a side salad, but the waiter convinced me to order the grits. Who knows when we'll be back again? They were pretty fantastic.

FarmiCia has a brunch happy hour where all drinks and cocktails are 50% off, and I definitely was feeling a little bummed that I couldn't have a Bloody Mary or mimosa like everyone else in the restaurant seemed to be doing. Oh well, only 2 more months till baby girl is here and then it'll be cocktail time. Until then, it's coffee for this girl.

Matt did partake in a breakfast stout to wash down his breakfast quesadilla and homemade scrapple.

Tria Taproom

We hit up Tria Taproom for dinner after walking the city and then walking around the museum for 3 hours, so it was quite the oasis when we arrived. Tria has a few different spots in the city, but we wanted the atmosphere of their taproom. Everything - both beer & wine - is on tap, and they have a list of really unique flatbreads.

We started with some oyster poppers, and what may have been the best salad I've ever had in my life. It was a burrata salad (if you've never had burrata, it's fresh mozzarella filled with basically strings of mozz that have been soaked in cream, and it's delicious), topped with wood grilled broccoli rabe, crispy shallots, red onions, greens, and fresh herbs.

We each ordered a flatbread too, which I really wanted to finish because it was so good, but I only made it about halfway through.

Matt's flatbread was topped with smoked mozzarella, fig jam, smoked duck, foie gras mousse, and fresh tarragon. No joke, he said it was one of the best meals he'd ever eaten.

I ordered the "breakfast flatbread" which was topped with smoked mozzarella, blue cheese, potatoes, crispy shallots, green onions and a fried egg (it came with bacon too, but I ordered it without). I've seen egg on pizza a few times on Food Network and have been wanting to try it, and have to say it was really good. The yolk adds a nice creaminess to the pizza.

I would highly recommend both of these places if you're ever in Philly!

Surprise Roses

Good morning friends! Hope your Monday is going great whether you're at work or enjoying a nice 3-day weekend. I'm soaking this extra day up since the next holiday doesn't roll around until Memorial Day in May.

Our Valentine's date night on Saturday took us to Scarborough Fair in Sea Girt, which was rated the "most romantic restaurant" by Open Table. I was excited to check it out, and even more excited to try the food once I found out it's almost all organic and locally sourced. Even the meats are humanely raised and organic, and the seafood is all wild.

We tried a medley of things, including escargot in puff pastry with brie and pernod, spanakopita bites and lobster bisque (we went a little nuts on the apps!). For my entree I selected the sea scallops with herbed risotto, asparagus and lemon thyme butter.

The scallops were so good, and tasted just as good when I ate them for dinner again the next night alongside a pile of fresh string beans.

The restaurant itself was quite cozy and romantic as they promised, but I felt extra special when the maitre d' delivered a big vase of red roses to our table that Matt had ordered ahead of time.

He's too sweet. They looked beautiful by our table, which was next to a window overlooking a snow covered wrought iron deck. So magical.

But they look even better at home where I can see them in all their glory every morning when I wake up. After all these years together I am still a sucker for getting flowers. They just make a girl feel loved.

The rest of our weekend has been spent relaxing around the house, hanging with Matt's family and checking things off our to-do list. We took Riker ice skating for the first time and he was a champ. He had to take a lot of breaks, but he had a blast out there.

One of our big items over the last few weekends has been moving Riker out of the nursery and into his "big kid" room, which is down the hall from us and slowly being decorated in a surfer style theme. He wasn't too keen on letting go when we first started the process...

Ha! Once he realized he was keeping his own bed and got to help pick out all the decor and toys for his new room, though, he was game. I was worried he'd have a hard time adjusting, but he slept perfectly fine in there the first night and actually loves it now.

After we finished picking out all the stuff for Riker's new room this weekend, we started looking at colors and themes for updating the nursery. We're changing it from Riker's safari theme to...I haven't quite figured that out yet. But some pink will be involved. ;)

I have to say it was a little emotional for me to take the plunge and not only move Riker into a new room, but to start throwing new paint on the nursery walls. My family and I decorated that room with such love and care and it makes me a little sad to know that Riker's outgrown it. But I dried my little tears and am looking forward to starting the process again with our baby girl. It also helped that it took Riker about .5 seconds to love his new room and realize that I was definitely more upset about this move than he was. I think us adults have a harder time with change than they do.

***

We just got home from some errands and I made us a lunch of seafood "tacos" in Romaine lettuce leaves (shrimp for Matt, mahi mahi for me, chicken for Riker), alongside veggie sticks with homemade cilantro lime hummus. Fresh and delicious.

Time to get started on my afternoon projects!