WIAW on Spring Break in FL

Hello from sunny Florida! Even though this winter has been mild, there is still never a need to rationalize a week spent in the Florida sunshine. Add in a visit with your amazing grandparents, uncle, aunt and cousin, and then there is even more reason to escape to the sun! I have spent my mornings squeezing in some studying, afternoons soaking up some sun at the beach, and evenings running as my Grandma makes amazing dinners. I could get used to this! Here are some pictures from my Tuesday, and look forward to a travel post on Southwest Florida when I get home!

Breakfast: 7:45am

Grandma is an oatmeal fan as well, so I have still been able to enjoy my favorite breakfast! It is strawberry season in Plant City, FL, so the berries are abundant and cheap in the grocery store. I love them mixed in with some banana and cinnamon into plain oats!

Lunch: 12pm

We headed out early for the number 1 beach in the US: Siesta Key! If you don’t get there early, you are unlikely to get a parking spot, so we spent the morning reading and watching the beach slowly fill up. Nothing like a morning in the sun and a swim in the Gulf to work up an appetite! I enjoyed a great wrap: basil hummus, sunflower seeds, sun dred tomatoes, tomatoes, and baby spinach. We have been adding spinach or field greens to all of our sandwiches or wraps, and always include a toss salad with dinner to make sure we get in our greens! Lunch was rounded out with a handful or two of potato chips (I am on vacation!) an apple, and lots of water, of course!

Snack: 3pm

After we got our fill of sun and sand, we headed to Nokomis Groves for their famous orange soft serve ice cream! This is one of my favorite parts of my visits to Florida. The orange-vanilla swirl cone is like a creamsicle, but better since it is made with fresh, Florida oranges. I was adventurous this time and got pineapple as the other swirled half and loved it! There is nothing better than a cone of soft serve ice cream on a hot afternoon.

Dinner: 6:30pm

My grandparents are well-traveled and love good food, so they like to be adventurous in trying restaurants. One of their favorite finds is the Curry Creek Cafe in Nokomis, FL. It is easy to pass by on the outside, but this place should not be missed. The cuisine is a fusion of classic Indonesian and Florida seafood, and the service is incredible.

We all started with a house salad, bread and olive tapenade. The salad is incredibly fresh and tasty, and the bread comes warmed from the oven.

For dinner, I enjoyed the Spicy Eggplant with Grouper cheeks, covered in an amazing spicy, tomato based sauce. Yes, that is from the fish’s head! My grandparents said that the grouper cheek is incredibly tender and well cooked at this restaurant, and so I had to be somewhat adventurous! This was incredibly spicy, but the rice and cool cucumber salad on the side tempered it. I could hardly put my fork down, this was so good! The chef himself came out to see how we liked our meal, and I tried to get the secret for the recipe I liked it so much!

We enjoyed watching the sunset over the inlet after dinner, a peaceful end to a day of beautiful weather and good eats! Hope that you are enjoying your week, whether it be routine or vacation!

Question: What is the weirdest food you have ever eaten?

WIAW on a Brief Trip Home

Yesterday was a very special occasion: I got to spend the day at home and meet my best friends’ brand new baby! I was lucky enough to have the day off from my scheduled clinical classes, so I drove home Monday night and am leaving bright and early today to head back for Boston! A quick trip indeed, but I made the most of my day! Here is a peak into a day where I’m not stuck behind my desk:

Breakfast: 7:30am

I woke up early to get some studying done, and so was already a cup of coffee and a few pages into studying before breakfast rolled around. I couldn’t pass up a family breakfast now, so I took a study break to enjoy some banana bread oatmeal with my parents before Dad left for work!

Lunch: 12pm

Mom took the day off, so we had a lunch date to the Loving Hut in Matawan, NJ. We were excited to try out a totally vegan lunch place, since Mom is trying to stick to a more plant-based diet since our vegan challenge. This lunch was a treat!

We split spring rolls for an appetizer – tofu, carrots, cucumber, and lettuce wrapped in rice paper with a peanut dipping sauce.

For lunch, we each ordered a sandwich and then traded halves. Mom got a Portobello panini, which came on a great seedy bread with avocado, a chipotle veganaise, and a side arugula salad. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak, which was soy sauce-marinated soy protein with mushrooms, onions, and a nutritional yeast vegan cheese sauce, served on a great toasty bun with sweet potato fries. We split the sandwiches and sides so we could try a bit of everything!

Since it was Valentine’s Day, we couldn’t pass up dessert, so we ordered a piece of Coconut Cake to share. It was a bit heavy for my tastebuds, but that didn’t stop us from polishing off our shared piece. Mom and I both agreed – all vegan food should be this flavorful and creative! If you live in NJ or near a Loving Hut, definitely check it out. There is some really great food to be tried!

Baby Pictures

The newest addition to the family: Baby Ben

I can’t mention meeting a little one without sharing some pictures! Baby Ben was the point of my visit home… It killed me to not be able to be home through labor, delivery, and get a chance to visit in the hospital, but it was nice to be able to be the first house guest! I got to spend an hour holding him as he slept, giving her time to unpack, change, and relax! I am so excited for both of my friends, and cannot believe that they are parents! I am honored to hold the title “Aunt Jen” and look forward to watching this cutie grow in front of our eyes!

Love his funny baby faces!

Afternoon Snack

Red wine nail polish!

After baby bonding, Mom and I spent some girl bonding time. We picked up some necessities at Costco, and then got manicures and pedicures. We came home to enjoy a glass of red wine while waiting for Dad for dinner!

Dinner: 7:30pm

After a large lunch, we kept dinner light and healthy. We roasted some broccoli and cauliflower with tumeric, garlic and onion, served with a side of brown rice pilaf (a mixture of brown rice, sprouted beans, leeks and pine nuts). My portion was pretty small after such a huge and filling lunch, but there were a few unpictured broccoli florets speared from my Dad’s plate!

Dessert: 9:30pm

A small dinner left room for a small dessert – a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream with sliced strawberries, enjoyed while watching Chopped with my mom. I’ll be a more studious med student tomorrow today!

Question: Did you love your veggies and your sweets this Valentine’s Day? Who did you spend your day with?