Oil & Vinegar Galore!

So this was our 3rd year attending the California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara.  I would call us pros by now.  We know how to make the best of it and find the best vendors!!! Well for us, the wine gets the party started, but the real gem of the wine fest that gets our taste buds going is Leonardo e Roberto's Gourmet Blends Oils & Vinegars.

Right now we have quite a few oils and vinegars around from gifts, last years wine fest, and other wine tasting adventures.  I told Andrew, "NO MORE", well until we use what we have.  That was a great plan, until the first place we visited was Leonardo e Roberto's booth and they introduced us to the new Chipotle Chili Dipping Oil which was amazing! The next 4 hours that was all I could think about.  So we tasted and tasted wine, and just before we left we stopped back by the booth to buy the Chipotle Oil.  Bad decision, well great decision!  After 4 hours of drinking, some how purchasing 1 bottle turned into 4, don't worry, buying 4 gave us $10 off!

Well we left with Chipotle Chili Dipping Oil, Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, and Garlic Basil Parmesan Dipping Oil.  Which we will add to our collection and make it a point to enjoy and share over the next year.  I better get ready for next year's wine festival... I know we will be purchasing more, we just can't help it!

Taco Bell: Cantina vs. Original

I don't know about you, but I have one weakness... And that is Taco Bell!  I have been really good to try to avoid it and the joint right up the street closing has really helped me, but when you are on a long drive, that is the one stop that I am willing to take.

Taco Bell recently introduced an upscale type of food on their menu, Cantina Bell menu by chef Lorena Garcia.  This has been influence by restaurants like Chipotle and Baja Fresh.  The questions I asked myself are the Cantina Bell items tastier and really the better (healthier) decision?

So yes, they do have a burrito bowl, but when I am at Taco Bell I don't want a burrito bowl, I want a burrito.  So lets compare:

Cantina Menu: 

Chicken Cantina Burrito

Side of Guacamole & Chips

 

My Normal Order: 

Chicken Burrito

Bean & Cheese

Nachos (Chips & Cheese)

  

Taste: 

Yes, the Cantina burrito has tomatoes, corn, and black beans, which is "fresh" and good, but unfortunately didn't give me that Taco Bell satisfaction... I come to Taco Bell for the real stuff, their beans and cheese, nacho cheese! 

Nutrition: 

Both meals are almost the same when you compare the nutritional facts.  Where one is a little higher in one thing, it is a little lower than the other in another and without having a degree in nutrition it isn't obvious to me one is so much better than the other.  I say, go to Taco Bell for the Taco Bell foods you love.  Sorry Cantina Menu, I will not be coming back.  

Picnic at the Mission

So I have always wanted to do a picnic at the mission, it is just gorgeous on these summer nights. 

We all brought some delicious food to share and enjoy with a glass of wine on lawn. 

Bailey's Meatballs

Prosciutto Wrapped Peppers

Peaches & Creme (Paleo)

Umm soooo good!  Here is the recipe.  I did 4 times the recipe.  Make sure you have really coconut milk, not the light stuff, and I added some extra flavor with cinnamon! 

What's for dinner?

STEAK & POTATOES! Kinda...

Tri-Tip with Santa Maria Style Seasoning and Mashed Garlic Cauliflower

This dinner was great, quick and easy, and very tasty! We season the tri-tip with South Seas Tri-Tip Santa Maria Style seasoning (buy it here or check your local store), put it on the grill and let it cook.  The Mashed Garlic Cauliflower was almost just as easy, cook cauliflower in water, drain, season, and blend (try not to blend too much, it will lose the right texture)! I used this recipe, but I accidentally forgot the butter...Oops!

Nutritional Info come from MyFitnessPal

Serving Size/Nutritional Info*: 

6 oz of Tri-tip, 

1 cup of Cauliflower Mash

Taste the Mud!

WOW!  Summer has been very busy and crazy! Too many fun things happening.  Last weekend we enjoyed a nice taste of mud, challenge and oh yea... hikes up and down black diamonds for 10 miles at Tough Mudder So Cal #2 - Big Bear Lake.

It was really tough, but so much fun at the same time.  Here are some great memories from the day!

  Electric Eel

Top of the mountain

Stopped in traffic while the fire department put out the bus fire.

My first drink in sooo long: Greyhound

The mountain of ice cream on our Pazooki!