Showing posts with label good eats. Show all posts

Mahi Mahi "Rice" Bowl

Every time I go to Costco I consider buying their big bag of frozen Mahi Mahi. It's a bit pricey, so I always decide against it, but this time I actually grabbed it. Dave had sent me this Paleo Mexican Burrito Bowl recipe that he requested I make. The original recipe called for beef, but I figured I could easily sub in whatever other protein I would like. Obviously, you don't have to use Mahi. Beef, as the original recipe calls for would be great, or chicken too! The base of this recipe is riced cauliflower, something we have wanted to try for a while! To me, it wasn't anything similar to rice, but it was still pretty yummy! I simplified the recipe a bit. I've learned how to make shortcuts in recipes making them a lot quicker and easier, but just as yummy! Hopefully you enjoy! 



Here's what you will need;

For "rice";
Cauliflower (I used 1/2 of a head)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 an onion, diced
1/2 a jalapeno, diced (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil

For protein; 
Protein of your choice (Mahi, tilapia, shrimp, beef, chicken)
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil

Toppings of your choice;
Avocado
Pico 
Cabbage 
Cilantro
Lime

Cilantro Lime Dressing (optional)
1 packet dry ranch dressing
1 cup milk
1 cup greek yogurt (or mayo)
1 bunch cilantro 
1/2 jalapeno
1 juiced lime

For the cauliflower rice, first you will need to chop and wash your cauliflower. To make "rice" I threw it in my food processor and hit the chop button a few times until it was the texture I wanted. You can also use a blender, just using the pulse button so it doesn't get blended too finely. heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat, adding onions and garlic. Sautee until browned. Add cauliflower "rice" and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook till slightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine all seasonings and add to protein. If using fish or chicken like I was, I just patted it into both sides of the fish. Heat a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat, and add protein. Cooking times will vary depending on what you are cooking. For the Mahi, I seared both sides, once seared I lowered the heat to medium, and continued to cook another 5 minutes.  

For the cilantro lime dressing, just throw all the ingredients in the blender and chill until ready to serve! We usually have a jar of this stuff in the fridge. It's similar to the dressing you would get at Cafe Rio, and is so yummy over anything!

Serve protein over "rice" base and top as you would like (see suggested toppings above).

And that's it! Pretty simple! This recipe is so versatile, you could add so many things, totally change the flavors, and it would still be really yummy! I think next time I will add some chipotle seasoning and add black beans and maybe grilled corn! You will have to let me know of any yummy adjustments you make!


Enjoy!




Thanksgiving in VA

I'm so behind in blogging! But I am going to play a little catch-up!

My parents were so awesome and flew us out for Thanksgiving in Virginia with them. Dave was there just from Thursday till Sunday, and I was there for a full week.


We flew in late Wednesday night, and my dad picked us up in his new toy; a shiny four door jeep.

Pru was so excited to see her boyfriend Dave! She sure loves her boys. Since the last time I saw her, she had to have quite a few teeth removed and has this goofy little lip curl now. So sad, and funny.


Thanksgiving day was the usual, fun times with family, and plenty of yummy food! We also got to play around with dad's fun drone a bit. Dying to get one ourselves! 


The next day we had to go to one of our favorite places to eat, Dumpling Queen! Hands down the best dumplings I have ever had, and some of the biggest I have ever seen! Honestly, all their food is amazing though. I'm not usually a fan of Chinese food, but theirs is always very fresh. I love their orange chicken. It doesn't taste processed at all like you commonly find at Chinese restaurants. If you are ever in the greater DC area you have to stop by. 


After that, we all went to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I originally had mixed feelings about it. I had hoped it would be more, Harry Potter....y....? But it is fun to see the magical world in the US and in the time frame, one of my favorite times for a film to be set in. And I really did love all the characters. 

The next day we did a little bit of shopping and had to stop by our favorite bookstore, Mckays Used Books. I miss that place so bad! I would go there once a week! Killer deals, and the best selection. Extra sad since all my Barefoot Contessa cookbooks I bought there got lost in the mail (sobbing sobbing sobbing).


That evening my parents took us to old town Alexandria, which, if you have never been, is so charming! They had bought tickets for a Medival Dinner and show. It was in a cozy little tavern, served food based off a specific, real coronation in history (can't remember which one) and had a comedy show while the dinner was served. I guess you can get a good deal for them on Groupon, so keep an eye out for that! 







Dave went home Sunday morning to be back for work (sad day!)

Monday I did some pictures for my mom and her good friend Leanne who was visiting from England! The story of how they met, and how Leanne became converted to the church is very cool! You can read all about it on Leanne's blog here! 


The next day we went to visit the lovely DC temple and see some of the lights and decor they had set up there for the Holidays. For lunch, we stopped at one of my faves, Astro Doughnuts and I finally tried one of their chicken fried sandwiches, on a plain donut. Sounds very weird but was actually really yummy! We also got their smores donut which basically just tastes like chocolate cake but was really yummy!




That evening Christina and I got to visit the family I used to nanny for! I can't believe how big Abigail is now! It had only been like 5 months! So good to see them.



And then Christina took me to her new favorite place in town, Cava. It's serving style is similar to Chipotle, but Mediterranean, and far more fresh and yummy. I will have to try to recreate some of their dishes at home! 


The next day, my final full day, I went out in the morning to take some pictures of what was left of the fall leaves. Luckily there was quite a lot left, I was so glad! Had to stop by my beloved Wegmans and get some amazing coconut cream danishes! And got to visit some friends from the old ward.



That afternoon dad and I went shooting! The range we went to was new and very nice. I'm not very comfortable with guns, not that I don't think people should have them, I just haven't been around them much so they make me a little nervous handling them. I certainly would like to take a proper class for home defense or something like that.


That evening I stayed home with Christina to help her with some homework while Mom, Dad, and Leanne went out to meet with one of the sisters who had been part in helping teach Leanne the gospel lessons. They brought back for me a couple tacos from one of our favorite places, Taco Bamba. Apparently, their menus are different at each location, so they didn't have what I would normally order, but what they brought me instead was even better! It was called San Diahhhgo and had swordfish on it. It was hands down one of the best tacos I have ever had! If you are ever near Vienna, go there and ask for that! 


The next morning, before heading out for my mid-morning flight, I took Pru on a little walk on the lovely wooded trails there. Sure miss having those scenic trails to walk through! Pru was so happy to get out as it was pretty much the only day it finally wasn't raining! 






And with that, I said adieu to Virginia! I never thought I would say I missed the place, but part of me actually does! 

I've honestly been taking more video than photos lately, it's hard to decide what I like more! But make sure to check out the little vlog of our trip that I made!

Sweet Potato Burritos

I've had sweet potato tacos on my meal plans for probably a near month now but kept putting off making them because I was scared I wouldn't like them. I had a few different recipes I considered making, but I was worried they wouldn't be flavorful enough. 

But I finally decided to make them, and they were pretty good, they weren't super flavorful, and being tacos, they were rather difficult to eat. But the next day I rolled up burritos with the leftovers, which were much easier to eat, and found that they were much more flavorful. I guess the flavors had more time to marinate? But honestly, I ate them for lunch and dinner every day for like 3 days. I was obsessed and am still craving them! These were really quite easy, and I certainly will be including them in my usual meal plan. 


So after some tweaking here is what I would recommend you mix it up either the night or at least the morning before so the flavors have time to marinate, reheat and serve. 




Here's what you will need;

1 teaspoon Chili Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne 
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 medium onion, chopped 
2 bell peppers, chopped
3-4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
4 tablespoons olive oil
Tortillas

And extra fillings, all optional;


Pico De Gallo

Diced Avocado
Hot Sauce
Cheese* 
Sour Cream*

Directions;


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel and dice sweet potatoes. Toss diced potatoes in 2 tablespoons olive oil and all the seasonings, coating evenly, and bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. 
While potatoes are baking, heat a large skillet with remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic, and caramelize, about 5 minutes.  
Once the potatoes are done, add them to the pan with the veggies, as well as adding the corn and black beans, tossing it all together.

To serve, as I said above, lots of recipes I saw served these as tacos, but I found it far easier to eat as a burrito. So I took a large tortilla, spread some sour cream on, sprinkled shredded cheese, add about 3 spoonfuls of potato mixture, as well as pico, avocado, and hot sauce, and wrap tightly. {Optional} I then popped it in my mini George Forman grill to get those beautiful grill marks and heat it up. (PS; BEST PURCHASE EVER, more on that in another post!)

*This meal can easily be made vegan! Just leave out these items! 


Enjoy!



Adapted from Cooking Classy

Best of Virginia

I had a few people request some of my favorite restaurants and things to do in Virginia and DC, so I thought I would share a few. I've been putting off working on this because I knew it would make me miss all the food there so bad! But, here we go, I will torture myself to share with you the best places. This list is going to start from west to east, so these first locations will be rather far from DC, but worth a road trip if you are up to it! 

BBQ Exchange

102 Martinsburg Avenue Gordonsville, Virginia 22942



This place was voted #1 BBQ in Virginia. It's way out in the middle of nowhere, in a little town called Gordonsville, 2 hours from DC, but guys, it's so good! And the drive is so pretty! I never had anything I didn't like. But I recommend their brisket or their ribs. Since you made the drive all the way out there, get ALL THE SIDES. Everything is so good! Their slaw was simple but so yummy, tasty mac and cheese, perfect hushpuppies, and I was obsessed with their french fries! Seriously, so good. Check out what desserts they have too! They are always different, but always yummy.






Tony's Pizza
5361 Merchants View Sq Haymarket, VA 20169


This place is a little hidden. It's right near a gated community and golf club, and if you didn't live there, chances are, driving by, you would have no idea it was there. But hands down, this is the place I have craved the most since moving away from Virginia. We lived really close, so we went just about once a week. The food is cheap and the portions are huge! I don't think I ever had something I didn't like. It seems to all be run by one family who yell orders at each other in Italian. If you think you love Italian and that Olive Garden is the best it gets, let me tell you, you are so wrong! You have to come here and be blown away. 

My go-to order was a slice of Caprese pizza. Funny story, the other night Dave was talking in his sleep and said, "Can I get a slice of Caprese, and um..." And then he trailed off and was quiet. Haha, but really guys, Caprese is the pizza of our dreams! And if I was hungry enough I would order their cheese ravioli with rosé sauce. I don't think it's even on the menu, I've looked and I can never find it. But order it, and they will know what you are talking about. I usually do not like ravioli, but theirs is so fresh and yummy, and their rosé sauce, OMG that stuff... I took some friends there and made them try it and they literally were scraping their plate clean, I'm not kidding. It's basically a mix of alfredo and marinara. So good. It must be a family recipe of theirs, because I can't find any recipes online that look even remotely close. The hunt for a copycat recipe continues... Their ravioli also comes with a side of garlic bread, and a salad. Ask, instead of the garlic bread, for cheese bread on focaccia. Trust me. Seriously, I can't rave about this place enough.


The Bone
8045 Stonewall Shops Sq Gainesville, VA 20155


This place is again, a little hidden in a strip mall, but is so worth checking out. Amazing BBQ; my favorites were their honey bourbon wings (OMG I'm obsessed with anything bourbon, cooked off, obviously.) Their mac and cheese is oh so creamy and so amazing. Dave doesn't normally like mac and cheese but he likes theirs. It's heaven. And lastly, their pulled pork nachos. Oh nelly. Those things are so good. Topped with their amazing pulled pork, queso, pico, sour cream, and guacamole. SO GOOD. Certainly, check this place out if you are in the area. And be sure to check out Wegmans while you are there since it's in the shopping area. Wegmans is the most amazing grocery store, I miss it so much! If you are foodie, or love cooking like me, you will love it. Check their bakery to see if they have coconut danishes (they sell out quick though, sometimes they are gone by 10am!) They often have cute seasonal home decor too. Some of my favorite home decor to this day came from Wegmans! 


Katerina's Greek Cuisine 
9212 Center St Manassas, VA 20110

Lots of people think Manassas is sketchy. Some call it Manassty. But old town Manassas is downright adorable. There is maybe 4 or 5 blocks of cute shops and restaurants. Our favorite of which is Katerina's. This is another family owned place. The place is TINY. The seating is snug. And if you come on a Saturday for dinner, there is a good chance you will have to wait 30-45 minutes for a table. But guys, it's so good. Hands down the best bruschetta I have ever had, so flavorful and tasty. My favorite main course is their Tour of Greece; three mini pitas with chicken, lamb and gyro meat. So yummy, and so filling! Also, every time we go we ask if they have Ekmek Kataifi. They had it our first time we went there, and told us they rarely make it. I don't know why, maybe it's hard to make? But it was AMAZING. It is a Greek dessert made with layers of kataifi dough baked until crispy and golden, bathed in lemon syrup, topped with creamy thick custard, whipped cream and garnished with cinnamon and pistachios or almonds… So good. One day I will try to make it.


Great American Restaurants


This is a company with a number of Restaurants in VA, DC and MD. I don't think you can go wrong at any of their restaurants. Any that we went to had quality service and quality food. Our favorites were Sweetwater Tavern, Mike's Great American, and Carlyle. Lots of them have similar items on the menu, but all yummy food no matter where you go. I never had the chance to try it, but Carlyle supposedly has an amazing brunch as well. 

Melt Gourmet Burgers
521 East Market Street, Leeseburg, VA 20176


Honestly, I am not always a huge burger person. But these are unique, high quality burgers. Always try their burger of the month and their mac and cheese of the month! You won't be disappointed! Oh, and their burgers are MASSIVE! Ask them to cut it in half so you can share it with someone! 

Taco Bamba


This place had the best, most unique tacos. I have yet to find a place that compares, even in Texas! They were our faves and our go-to taco choice. Each location has a slightly different menu. One of them had a swordfish taco that was honestly the best taco I have ever had! So good! Seriously miss that place! 

Dumpling Queen


If you think you have had good dumplings, think again. This place is dumpling heaven. Their dumplings are MASSIVE and so delicious! Everything there is so good! Normally I am not a huge fan of Asian cuisine but their food is excellent quality and the service was always so friendly! 

Founding Farmers



Now I never actually got to try this place, we just never made the time. But most friends said it was their favorite place for brunch and would be high on my list anytime we visit there again!

Astro Doughnuts



And last but not least, Astro. Their doughnuts were always so yummy and unique! Can't go wrong, but certainly, try their seasonal flavor and their famous creme brulee doughnut! At least when we lived there, they would often sell out of their most popular flavors so try to get their early!

Good Stuff Eatery


Melt had good burgers, but this place probably was my ultimate favorite burger shop in all of VA and DC. Their burgers were just so dang good. And be sure to try their village fries and all their yummy and unique dip choices! The mango mayo, as strange as it sounds, was my fave! Don't forget to try their seasonal milkshake flavor as well. You can't go wrong! 

Other;

There were so many more places I wish we would have tried! There is so much amazing diversity there that I really miss! We often found our favorite places thanks to Yelp or foodie accounts on Instagram;  eatthecapital ,  dcfoodporn , thetufftruffle , bestfoodDC , YelpDC , DCfoodsters 

What To Do

Now that we are past the important topic of food, hahaha, on to what to do! Honestly, this list could get soooo long. I checked out lots of local Instagrammers and bloggers for ideas of things to do. But here are some of our favorites and some things I wish we did but never made time for. 

Virginia:

Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive

A must visit, especially in the fall. Just the most gorgeous national park to hike and explore.

Richard Mckays Used Books

Maybe the oddest item on this list, but easily our favorite. We visited this place every single week. They have amazing deals on books! I collected so many great and beautiful books thanks to this place. Even beautiful leather bound books don't run more than $5-$7! Great vinyl collection too! We started quite the little personal library thanks to this place.

Blue Bell Trail
 
At the heart of the Bull Run Regional Park, you will find a beautiful tree-lined trail, that, in the early spring will be lined with fields and fields of the most darling little bluebells. This was such a hidden gem that I only discovered at the tail end of our time in Virginia but I miss visiting so much! Very few people seemed to know about it and I always had the trail to myself. The mornings there were especially beautiful! 

Chincoteague and Assateague Islands

We always made a few trips each year to Virginia Beach and always had a really fun time. But I wish we had visited these places. Considered some of the most beautiful beaches along the Atlantic, and best known for the many wild horses that call the islands home! 

DC:

National Mall

I think all of this is a given... But obviously, a must visit! Parking in DC always stressed me out, but I found you could often snag free parking along Ohio dr and it wasn't a far walk from there! We loved to visit early in the morning or later at night when it was less crowded. Summertime becomes pretty chaotic so I preferred visiting all the museums in the fall or spring. Clearly, I am not a fan of crowds, hahaha. My favorite of all was to visit during the cherry blossom festival! So many tourists come into town so it can become crazy crowded, so we always tried to go as early in the morning as possible! I also loved visiting towards the end of the season, when the cherry blossoms floated down like snow! So pretty! 
Library of Congress
The largest library in the US!

International Spy Museum 
Home to the largest collection of international espionage artifacts! 

Renwick Gallery 

Art gallery often featuring unique and beautiful works! 

Great Falls National Park

Very close to DC, technically it's half in Virginia and half in Maryland! 

Yards Park

Such cool architecture! The perfect place to spend a hot summers day! 

DC LDS Temple 

Technically in Maryland, but always worth visiting, especially in the spring! 
Dumbarton Oaks

Probably the #1 place I wish we had made time to see. A beautiful historic estate and garden now open to the public! 

Maryland:
Antietam National Battlefield

It's hard to put into words the feelings this place inspires. Home to the bloodiest battle in American history. A beautiful reverent place, my favorite battlefield to visit. 

George Peabody Library 

Opened in 1878, described as a "cathedral of books", a must visit for any book lover.

Maryland Rennaissance Festival 


The #1 thing I miss most about living in VA! We went every year, usually towards the tail end of the season when the weather had cooled off and the fall leaves were beginning. This place has been going since 1977. A 25 Acre English Village with 140 craft and specialty shops, 42 food and beverage emporiums, games, attractions, displays, 11 stages of ever-changing entertainment with shows repeated throughout the day, and a 3,000 seat live jousting arena. Has repeatedly been voted as one of the top ten Ren Fests in the US. It's as epic as it sounds. Put this on your bucket list.


Other great articles and pages to check out; 

Eater's Guide to Dining in D.C.

Trip Savy 12 of the Best Things to Do and See in Virginia 

Trip Savy The Best Things to do in West Virginia 

Planet Ware 15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Virginia  

16 Amazing Camping Locations in Virginia

The Ultimate DC Bucket List
The Ultimate Antiquing Tour