Gluten Free Pumpkin Pecan Breads & Apple Parsnip Soup
I made this duo (the pumpkin breads were my own recipe and I borrowed the soup recipe from Cooking Light) for a wine party Andy and I went to last Friday.
I always make sure to bring Paleo friendly food to a potluck, but I especially like making comfort-type foods that non-Paleo people think they might miss if they cut wheat or sugar from their diet. The Pumpkin and Pecan Breads are such a treat! 🙂
Pumpkin & Pecan Breads
This recipe makes about 18 cupcake-sized breads. Each one can be served with the soup. You can place the bread in the bottom of the bowl and pour the soup over, or you can pour the soup in the bowl first and tear apart the breads using them as croutons.
Ingredients
2 cups pumpkin
1 1/2 cups chopped pecan
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup honey
8 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except for the pecans. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, and coconut oil. Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture and fold until just combined. Incorporate the pecans and then pour the batter into a loaf pan or into a cupcake pan with liners.
Bake until the middle of the breads gently spring back and the tops of the bread are golden brown.
Now for the soup….
Care Begins with Me event on Tuesday, October 9th at the Sheraton Grand
My friends at Dignity Health asked me to spread the word about their annual Care Begins with Me event, taking place on October, 9th, 2012, from 5-9pm at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento, 1230 J Street, Sacramento.
Join us for a night of celebration at the fifth annual Care Begins With Me Health & Lifestyle Event for Women.
The guest speaker this year will be nationally recognized speaker and author, Reneé Rongen, dubbed by media as “The Mother of Motivation and a combination of Lily Tomlin, Oprah and Mother Teresa.” Reneé will deliver her humorous, powerful and life changing message about how to “Live Life from the Inside Out.”
In addition, the evening will feature:
- Informative Care Chats on health topics important to you
- Marketplace Expo, featuring the latest in lifestyle, fashion and beauty items
- Wine, coffees, delicious hors d’oeuvres and decadent desserts
- Stylish swag bag with gifts to take home
- Be entered to win our grand prize, a fabulous weekend getaway for two at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa complete with luxury transportation services.
Tickets are only $15 for Care Begins with Me members and $20 advance registration for non-members.
Register online today – this event will sell out. Then, invite your friends and make it a special girls night out.
Be a VIP! Our VIP Lounge will feature:
- Early admission to the event in our exclusive suite
- Hors d’oeuvres and wine
- Meet and greet with our guest speaker, Reneé Rongen
- A signed copy of her book
To register for the event, click here. You can find Dignity Health on Facebook here and on twitter here.
A Beautiful Evening for Africa for Hope Fund’s Inaugural Safari on the River
Safari on the River was held last Sunday, September 23rd, 2012 from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM at Juluka Landing on Garden Highway. It was the inaugural fundraising event for Africa Hope Fund, a charity founded by Carol Van Bruggen and Steve Kuhn.
Africa Hope Fund is a non-profit dedicated to supporting conservation through education in southern Africa. Africa Hope Fund’s mission is to support children and education, and protect endangered animals in southern Africa. 100 percent of the funds accepted on behalf of projects goes entirely to funding the projects.
The evening began with a silent auction and wine tasting featuring Carvalho Family Winery, Moniz Family Wines, Cooper Vineyards, Driven Cellars, PRP Wine International. Prior to dinner, the Fenix Drum and Dance Group entertained safari and animal print-dressed guests with a lively African dance and music session.
We were all seated after the performance as Kitty O’ Neal took the stage as emcee. Dinner was served and the hosts both gave a heartfelt and emotional testimonial about their charity. The dinner, catered by Mulvaney’s B & L, was an authentic Zambian meal composed of an eggplant appetizer, a colorful vegetable salad with tomatoes, cucumber, and cilantro, a plantain side dish, and a chicken and rice dish as the main course. The main starch of the meal is also a staple Zambian dish called Nshima. It is s thick cornmeal mash, traditionally eaten without utensils.
As we ate dinner (with utensils), the silent auction was led by David Sobon of David Sobon Auctions. The event concluded with dessert and coffee.
The guests were treated to a free valet service by Neumann LImousine.
About Africa Hope Fund:
Carol Van Bruggen first traveled to Africa in 2001 and has returned to Zambia twice a year for over 12 years. She founded Africa Hope Fund when she realized that the only way to preserve the wonder of the African bush and its animals was to educate the young people about the value of their natural resources. This introduced her to the great need for better education facilities in Zambia. She has committed her life to helping young people of Africa receive an education in order to create a better standard of living for themselves and their families. This is done is combination with learning about importance of conservation in their community.
Steve has traveled to Africa for many years and is a long time supporter of conservation efforts around the world. He manages and owns a marina on the Sacramento River and is the President of Coastal Servicing a real estate holding company. Steve is the foundations official videographer and has been ahf’s primary financier from inception.
Donations:
You can sponsor a student to attend Secondary School in Zambia. 8th to grade 12. Or to a 2 year college. Africa Hope Fund can send you information on each student and a photo with updates or fund any of our many needs below.
$5000 – Build a Library at Uyoba School
$3200 – Internet Service at Student Center year
$1200 – Pay a Teacher’s Salary at Uyoba School for a year
$800 – Clean water at the School year
$150 – Sponsor a Student in Secondary School for a Year
$65 – Desk (double) for Uyoba School To end two kids sitting on the floor for their lessons everyday donate $65 to buy a double desk.
You can find Africa Hope Fund on Facebook here.
For more great photos of the event, you can visit Tia Gemmell’s website here.
Allgood Provisions: Gluten free, Non-GMO, and Organic Snacks
Last week, I was sent a variety pack of snacks made by Allgood Provisions. The samples came in 8 ounce pouches and included cranberries, pistachios, and trail mix. Other varieties include: Organic Almonds, Maple Roasted Cashews, Organic Cherries, Organic Raisins and Banana Chips.
I was reading the Sacramento Bee on Saturday morning (Wednesday’s Taste section) and I found this recipe that just happens to have all Paleo ingredients. It’s authored by Chef Sara Moulton, former editor of Gourmet magazine. It also calls for pistachios, so it was a perfect opportunity to try the pistachios Allgood Provisions sent me!
This salad is sweet and savory and just phenomenal. I love it because it takes boring carrots and brings them to a new flavorful level. Andy and I both were scheduled for long runs the following day, so instead of typical carby runner fare: bread, pizza, pasta, we had beef, eggplant and the carbs came from this salad. It’s the perfect fuel for running! Andy did the math and figured the entire recipe was equivalent to eating three Powerbars. People always ask me where I get my carbs while eating Paleo, and here’s my answer. 🙂
Grated carrot salad with dates and pistachios
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time (for cumin seeds): 4 minutes
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon paprika, sweet, hot or smoked, or a combination
1 teaspoon honey
1 pound carrots
1/4 cup chopped pitted dates (about 4 whole)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup shelled natural pistachios, walnuts or almonds, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon shredded fresh mint
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small skillet over medium-low, heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until they turn a shade darker and become fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the paprika and the honey.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, coarsely grate the carrots, preferably using the coarse grating disk on a food processor. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the cooled oil-cumin mixture, the dates, lemon juice, pistachios and salt, using your hands to incorporate the dates.
Stir in the mint just before serving.
Recipe photo credit: Matthew Mead/Associated Press
Allgood Provisions products are available at Whole Foods Market.
You can find Allgood Provisions on Facebook here and on twitter here.
Tarla Mediterranean Grill: My New Favorite in Downtown Napa
Well, I just found my new favorite restaurant. Unfortunately for me, it’s in Downtown Napa, so I won’t be able to visit as often as I would like. The name of the restaurant is Tarla Mediterranean Grill and they serve cuisine that is a beautiful blend of Turkish and Greek influences. It also happens to be located in the same building as one of my favorite places to stay in Napa, the Avia Hotel.
I picked Tarla Mediterranean Grill not only because of its close proximity to the Uptown Theatre (where we were headed later to see Robert Cray and his band), but it was also a nod to Andy’s heritage. Andy is half-Greek, so I thought it would be the perfect choice for his birthday celebration.
Tarla Mediterranean Grill opened last year, and is owned by Yusuf Topal and his wife Breanna. Yusuf’s background is in hospitality, as he was a former maitre d’ and manager of various cruise ship restaurants.
The head chef is Gerry Castro. He attended CIA and has worked for the likes of Far Niente Winery, Ceja Vineyards, Farmstead Restaurant, and Murray Circle (a Michelin starred restaurant in Sausalito).
The restaurant seats only 46, and has a great patio area if you prefer to dine outside. The interior has a clean, informal, and inviting look with tangerine and olive hues in the decor. There are nice touches to each table including candles and turkish white copper cups (in which water is served to guests).
We kicked off the birthday dinner with a half bottle of Malamatina Retsina, and began the meal with Tarla’s Greek salad. I also ordered a side of hummus to use as a dip for the tomatoes and cucumbers in the salad.
Then we ordered the Meatballs served with caramelized eggplant, bell peppers, and fresh tomato sauce.
For my main course, I ordered the Tiger prawns and diver scallops, served with parsnip puree and pomegranate currant sauce. Everything in the dish is Paleo, and it was the first dish that caught my eye on the menu. It was almost like the chef called Andy, asked him what all my favorite foods are, then put some of them together. It was as wonderful as I imagined.
Andy chose the Fresh Alaskan halibut, which is pistachio crusted and served with vegetable ragu and white wine butter sauce. Again, every ingredient was Paleo and once again, unbelievably good.
We finished our meal with 2 desserts. This usually works because I take one or two bites and then pass over to Andy to finish. That way, nobody is deprived. And it was a special occasion, so what the heck. 🙂
The first dessert was poached apricots stuffed with mascarpone cheese and rolled in pistachios. The sweetness was balanced with the cheese filling, and pistachios just make something that already tastes great, taste even better.
At this point writing my post, I am realizing we really ate a lot of food that night! But wait, there’s more…
The owner brought out a second dessert for us like nothing I have ever seen or tried before! It is called kunefe (shredded phyllo dough baked with shredded coconut and sweet cheese). Not primal or even Paleo, but a nice treat nonetheless. I had a few bites and had Andy finish the rest. The texture and flavor was unlike anything I have ever tried before. Baklava might sound good and traditional, but trust me… try the kunefe. You can thank me later. I liked it so much I am going to work on a gluten-free, sugar free version. 🙂 Just wow.
Other dishes on the menu include spanokopita, calamari, saganaki, chicken and lamb shish kebabs, Turkish stuffed eggplant, and musakka (a traditional dish in both Turkey and Greece). By the way, if you’ve never had saganaki, just do it. It’s amazing.
The other wine we shared at dinner was a 2011 Peju Sauvignon Blanc. The wine list is so reasonable it’s unreasonable! My alcohol bill for the retsina and the sauvignon blanc was only about $35. Also, every Wednesday, the restaurant features a select wine list with bottles 50% off until 7:30pm.
No entree on the menu is over $20, and as you can see in the pictures, the portions are generous.
Tarla Mediterranean Grill is located at 1480 1st Street, Downtown Napa. To contact the restaurant, call (707) 255-5599. Their happy hour is Monday-Friday 3-6pm, and late night happy hour is 8:30-10pm. They are open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 10am-11pm, and Sunday 10am-10pm.
You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
Opus One Winery: One of the Best!
Our latest trip in Napa centered around a birthday present for my boyfriend Andy. It was tickets to a Robert Cray show at the Uptown Theatre. Once I found out about the concert, I obtained the seats, and then immediately started planning the rest. I knew just the show and possibly getting a place to stay would be more than enough, but I wanted to plan some wine tastings the day of the show.
There are literally hundreds of wineries from which to choose when you visit Napa, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, etc, but I wanted to choose an extra special tasting. Last time we visited Napa, we went to Nichelini Winery for their Rosé of Cabernet release. We talked to one of the tasting room managers, Doug, at length about the area wineries and which ones were the best. Andy brought up Opus One and asked Doug if he thought that Opus One was worth the hype. And he said it was. He urged us to visit. Andy’s eyes widened and he promised Doug we would go there.
Of course, seeing Andy’s reaction… that curiosity and wonder…I wanted to make sure the visit happened sooner than later. I won’t lie. I had never tried Opus One, and I too was curious. I wanted to learn more about the classic wine and the history behind it. So, even before I booked a place for us to sleep for the night, I set our tasting appointment at Opus One. A full two months from the day we were set to visit. I was so excited about the tasting, but I kept it to myself for as long as I could! Eventually, none of the Napa Valley trip I had lined up as a birthday present would stay a secret. I had to begin promoting the Robert Cray concert, the Best Western Inn at the Vines, Opus One, Far Niente, and Tarla Mediterranean Grill. I wanted the first birthday that Andy spent with me to be extra special, and I think it was!
Opus One
We met our host Adrian at the front desk inside the Opus One facility. We checked in, and then Adrian took us outside to the vineyards out front. He began to tell us the story of how the wine was born. It was a joint venture of Baron Phillippe de Rothschild (of Château Mouton Rothschild) and Robert Mondavi. They started making the wine in 1979 and in 1984, released the 1979 and 1980 vintages simultaneously. Phillippe chose the “Opus” (a musical term) because he wanted the name to have a Latin origin and be easily recognized in different romantic languages.
As soon as 1985, Opus One became known as America’s first ultra-premium wine, establishing a category of wine priced at $50 and above per bottle. In 1989, a year after Baron de Phillippe’s death, ground breaking for Opus One Winery takes place (July). Construction of the winery is finished by 1991.
I didn’t even come to California until 2004. That’s when the winery’s board of directors placed CEO David Pearson in charge and wholly responsible for Opus One. Michael Silacci is named the winemaker, the first winemaker that would oversee both viticulture and winemaking. That same year, Constellation Brands, Inc. purchases Robert Mondavi Corporation and with it, 50% ownership of Opus One.
In 2005, an agreement between Baroness Phillippe de Rothschild and Constellation Brands allows Opus One to uphold operating independence in the areas of: vineyard management, sales and marketing, and administration.
And in 2012, there we were. Standing in front of the magnificent structure and looking out across the vineyards. The fruit was nearly ready to be picked and a deep purple. I was intoxicated by the experience without yet having a sip! Adrian led Andy and I into the lab where corks are tested for TCA (the compound responsible for a “corked” wine). The testing done on the cork samples is so successful in detecting TCA, that less than 1% of all Opus One wine produced ends up “corked”!
We went on to tour the production facility, and saw some of the machines used to de-stem the fruit and kick out any less than perfect fruit. Then we were taken to another room where the barrels are laid out several single rows. It reminded me of a theater, only instead of seats, barrels lined the ground. And then, it was time to taste the wine. We were led into a little boutique with a table and three chairs, and six glasses poured for the three of us. Two vintages of Opus One each. The 2004, and the 2008.
The 2004 is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. It has 25 days skin contact and was barrel aged 17 months in new French oak barrels. (PS: The barrels used to age wines at Opus One are not re-used for Opus One. They are used once and then sold to other wineries.
The 2008 is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Malbec. It has 22 days skin contact and was barrel aged 17 months in new French oak.
I could list the tasting notes written in my press kit, or even list some of mine, but I really believe wine tastes different for everyone. I will tell you that I preferred the 2008 over the 2004, even from the first smell. Even as both wines oxidized in the time we were sitting there. From beginning to end, for me, 2008 won hands down. I won’t go as far as to say that the 2008 Opus One was the best thing I have ever tasted, but I will definitely put it in the top 3. I will put the experience and the tour and how thrilled I was to be there with Andy as my favorite so far.
Another point I want to make is that this wine is so balanced and brilliant, it doesn’t need food. In fact, food would definitely mess things up.
We sat in our tasting room and sipped the wines and reflected on them. We had containers in which to pour any wine we didn’t want/like, etc. Who ever uses those? Especially tasting Opus One? 😉
At the end of the tasting, Adrian directed us to the terrace on top of the building. We stood there and enjoyed the view, and then Adrian brought us another tasting! This time it was the 2003 vintage of Opus One. The 2003 is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot, and 1% Malbec. I liked it the least of all the vintages I tried, but even at that it was still divine!
The 2008 retails at $210.00 per bottle. You can follow Opus One on twitter here and like them on Facebook here.
I highly recommend the tour and tasting, as it is only $40 per person at the time of this column. It’s one of my best memories in the Napa Valley/Oakville area. 🙂 Cheers!!
Great Pumpkin 5K in Folsom is October 28th!
The Great Pumpkin 5K will be held on Sunday, October 28th, 2012 at 9:00am in Folsom, California.
Course Description
The course starts in the parking lot of 2304 E Bidwell Street and is run on the paths of the Humbug Willow Creek Trail along marshes, creeks, and oak woodlands.
Race will feature disposable chip timing. Jogging Strollers are allowed. Please start at the back of the pack and stay to the right side of path.
Aid stations at the halfway (1.6-mile) point, stocked with hydration and smiling faces!
Race registration is $35. You can register by going here. Registration available online until midnight, Friday, October 26th. You must register no later than Thursday, October 18th to be guaranteed a shirt and size. Provided the event does not sell out, we will accept registration at Packet Pickup race morning.
However, finisher awards, shirts and sizes are not guaranteed for late registrants, so register early!
Packet Pick-Up
Race morning at 2304 E Bidwell Lot (Race Venue), 7:30am to 8:30am Race Day. Plan to arrive no later than 8:15am in order to pick up your packet.
All participants receive entry into a raffle to win one of many great prizes provided by ERT’s generous sponsors and partners. The raffle will be held before race start so you do not have to wait around after the event if you need to hit the road. (If you have time–great! Hang out and enjoy the refreshments and cheer on the other runners.)
The race will start immediately following the raffle at 9:00am. Refreshments will be provided for all runners and walkers following the race.
All participants will receive a race shirt and custom finisher award. Late/Race Day Registrants are not guaranteed shirts and sizes. Awards will be given for top 3 male and female finishers, and top finishers in age divisions 14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70+. Depth of awards will be determined by the participant field. Award ceremony follows the race. All winners must be present–awards will not be available for pickup or mailing after event.
Me and You and One Year Later: The SCNA Wine Tasting and Silent Auction
The SCNA Wine Tasting and Silent Auction is just around the corner. It will be held on October 6th, 2012, from 4-7pm at the Sierra 2 Center in Curtis Park.
Just to let you all know, this event is kind of major for me. 😉 Last year at the tasting, I met the love of my life! 🙂
Now, I didn’t go WITH my love to the 2011 event, I actually MET him there. Like, he just so happened to be there! How weird is that nowadays? Until then, I had been meeting people via an internet dating website and not having much luck at all. Then all of a sudden, somehow, someway this guy (with all these things in common as me) happened to be single and in the right place at the right time…I am still sort of shocked at my luck!
I had two tickets to the event from promoting it last year on cakegrrl.com, and I didn’t have a date, so I asked one of my female friends (C) to join me. We drove separately, and met at the entrance (this detail will prove to be helpful a little later in the story). Once inside, we walked around the many food and wine booths, tasting some of the best wines (not only local but from around the world), and some great food from Chef Ame (formerly of L Wine Lounge), Dad’s Kitchen, and Scott’s Seafood. (PS: They’ll all be back this year!)
I precisely remember spotting RB for the first time. He was standing by a tall outdoor table and I was crossing the courtyard. He was kind of darker skinned (now I know this was from running outdoors), had dark hair, and a tall, thin frame. I was instantly attracted to him, and as I walked in front of him, our eyes met, but I quickly looked away (as I felt embarrassed he caught me glancing at him). I continued to have fun with my friend until the event was nearly over. Soon, she left to go home, but I stayed to close out the party.
On my way out of the Sierra 2 Center, I spotted a booth that was still pouring their leftover wine. It just so happened to be the Taylor’s Market booth. It just so happened to be run by Dick and Kathy Ebert. (Dick is the wine expert at Taylor’s Market). They just so happened to be pouring Ridge Cabernet. And the handsome guy I spotted earlier just so happened to be standing at their booth and chatting with them. That’s when I walked up to all of them and stuck out my glass. “Oh may I try some?” I asked.
Of course, at that point, everyone was very friendly. Kathy poured me almost a full glass and I looked up (sigh…yes, looked up–because I am so short) to see the handsome guy looking down at me. He smiled and we started chatting. To be honest, I am not sure what we started chatting about exactly. But, I know that it was about food and wine and Sacramento… and Taylor’s Market… and Curtis Park… and wine (I know, I mentioned that already)… and was I here by myself… and cars.
And then, I was invited back to his house in Curtis Park… to see the cars… his 2 older cars… if I was so inclined. I accepted. I felt comfortable around him already, and his neighbors were also headed back to have a look at the cars as well.
I sort of marveled over the relics in his garage. The giant of a black Chrysler Imperial, and the funky little blue Citroën. Soon his friends left, and I was standing there in the garage with him, alone.
We went into his house and I sat on the kitchen counter. We talked for hours. During our discussion, we discovered that we have many things in common. The biggest thing was wine, I think… followed closely by the Paleo diet!! Other things included running, jazz, love of architecture. I think I left his house finally around midnight. I headed back to my car (parked God knows where) without really exchanging contact information… I just didn’t know for sure if he was available or not… or if he even liked me. The next day, I found him on Facebook and sent a message along. I told him there was no pressure and if anything I liked him and would like to just hang out again if only as friends. Fast forward…a month of food/wine events/free media invites to movies/shopping at Total Wine together/pumpkin carving/grilling out and just spending time together… I sort of just turned him into my boyfriend… or as he likes to say, “I turned HER into my girlfriend.” But really, what did it for me was that he made me bacon wrapped dates one evening for dessert. The only reason he knew I liked them was because I mentioned them in passing. The fact that he remembered the details and made them especially for me really meant a lot. A man who listens AND can make you a Paleo dessert. Sign me up!
And here we are…a year later. And all because of the SCNA Wine Tasting and Silent Auction 🙂
Here’s the official press release from the folks at the Sierra 2 Center:
The Curtis Park Wine Tasting & Silent Auction event is always the talk of the neighborhood. It brings people together for a decadent three hours of sampling food from the area’s finest restaurants and wine from more than 50 wineries. Guests get into friendly competitive bidding in the silent auction and have high hopes to win a raffle item.
The wine-tasting gala is SCNA’s largest fundraising event, and it also benefits two organizations key to the neighborhood: Bret Harte Elementary School and McClatchy High School Drama Club.
Event planners expect to exceed 25 restaurants. Restaurant committee chair Carrie Sage will present in a super strong line-up to show off the city’s expanding food scene. 2012 Participating Restaurants: Tapa the World, Tower Cafe, Gunther’s Quality Ice Cream, AME Mean Eats, Mighty Kong Cafe, Scott’s On The River, Aioli Bodega Espanola, Chops Steakhouse, Enotria Restaurant & Winebar, The Supper Club at The Crocker, Lucca Restaurant & Bar, Casa Garden Restaurant, Espresso Metro, Mamma Susanna’s Ristorante Italiano, Freeport Bakery, Dad’s Kitchen, Taylor’s Market, Oak Cafe at ARC, Selland’s Family Restaurants, La Bombe Ice Cream & More, Pangaea Two Brews Cafe & Bottle Shop, Ambrosia Fine Food.
Wines and a Beer Garden: On the beverage side of the evening, Dick Ebert, our neighbor and wine guru at Taylor’s Market, is again coordinating more than 50 wineries to offer samplings. Winery representatives will be on hand to make suggestions in pairing wine with food. Beer drinkers will want to step into the Belgian Beer Garden. It’s organized by Curtis Park neighbor Rob Archie, who owns PPangaea Two Brews Cafe & Bottle Shop on Franklin Boulevard (across from Gunther’s).
Silent auction: For the silent auction and raffle drawings, we are again lining up Experience Packages, which encourage competitive bidding and make the auction items more interesting: educational and cultural outings, culinary and gustatory adventures and outdoor recreation experiences. In addition to the art, entertainment, and service donations, we have lined up such things as a Condo in Sedona for a week, a condo in Tahoe for a weekend, a special bottle of Montagia wine autographed by co-creators Joe Montana and wine maker Ed Sbragia, Date Night packages, Private wine tastings in Napa and the Foothills, Create the flavor of the month at Gunther’s Ice Cream, and more.
Tickets are $35 for SCNA Members, $45 for Non-members. To buy tickets to the event, click here!
We still need auction and raffle items to round out the selection so we ask neighbors and businesses to consider donating. We especially encourage donation of experiences: cooking, art, dance or photography lessons; share your favorite cookbooks or children’s books by bundling two or three together with a note. These donations make the event even more special. All donations are tax-deductible.
A popular and unique aspect of the event is the ‘neighborhood dinners’— privately hosted, themed events for six or more people, donated to SCNA for purchase by neighbors. This year we anticipate more than a dozen of these ‘dinners,’ to include themes such as Running of the Bulls with food from Spain, southern-style Kentucky Derby Day brunch, a ‘Pub Crawl’ that goes from host to host, French and Indian cuisine and more. Seats at these dinners will be sold during the event in Room 11, separate from the auction and raffle, on a first-come first-serve basis; they go quickly.
Parking: In order to offer the Beer Garden and expand the venue, we are once again closing the main parking lot at Sierra 2 Center. We encourage people to walk, ride a bike or carpool. Side street parking is available but limited.
To get involved:
Donations: Donations are needed and appreciated. They are tax deductible and are very important to the Silent Auction and Raffle. Call Melissa McKenzie at (916) 396-8490. Donations are accepted until Sept. 28. We are happy to make arrangements for pick-up.
Sponsors: Program Advertising opportunities are available until Sept. 18. Please call 452-3005 for sponsor information.
You can follow Sierra 2 on Facebook here.
Did I mention you can buy tickets to the event here?!
Nugget Markets’ “Best of the Barrel” Fundraiser on September 28th, 5-8pm
Nugget Markets joins with the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science for signature fundraiser event
Woodland-based local grocer Nugget Markets and UCD’s Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science partner up to celebrate the world of great food and wine. The Best of the Barrel fundraiser, benefiting RMI’s Food Science Graduate Student Association as well as RMI’s educational outreach efforts, takes place at RMI’s Good Life Garden, Friday, September 28, 5pm-8pm.
Attendees will enjoy a wide range of signature dishes from Nugget Markets kitchens, as well as a wide variety of meats, seafood and vegetables, all freshly grilled on-site. Beer and cheese pairings, specialty cheeses, and fresh baked breads and desserts will also be offered. At least 100 wine tastings from more than 40 wineries include organic, local, and imported offerings; many of which are from UCD alumni winemakers.
The Best of the Barrel is a fundraising event that began in Davis in the early 1990s, raising thousands of dollars for a large number of local non-profit organizations including the Davis Schools Foundation, Yolo CASA, Vacaville Public Education Foundation, The Keaton Raphael Memorial, Woodland Healthcare, local Rotary clubs and various non-profits throughout the Sacramento Valley. Nugget Markets traditionally hosted Best of the Barrel events at various store locations, but this year’s event will be hosted outdoors at the beautiful RMI Good Life Garden.
“After a four year hiatus, we’re truly excited about this fundraising effort, and we’re delighted to bring Best of the Barrel back to Davis,” says Eric Stille, President and CEO of Nugget Markets. “Our kitchens have always been involved, and the event grew as our kitchens expanded. This year’s wine and food presentation is more tantalizing and delicious than ever. We know our guests will enjoy every bite and taste, all for a great cause.”
“It’s an absolute thrill to partner with Nugget Markets for such a worthy cause,” says Clare Hasler-Lewis, executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. “We can’t think of a better way to share and celebrate fabulous wine and food with our community.”
Best of the Barrel wine, beer and food celebration tickets are on sale online through Friday, September 21st and at all Nugget Market locations until the day of the event. Tickets are $60 each now through September 21st and will increase to $75 each beginning Saturday, September 22nd. Guests must be at least 21 years of age to purchase tickets and attend the event.
20th Annual After Hours at Fairytale Town to Benefit Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center, Sept. 14th, 2012
2012 – A year of celebration! This year marks the 20th Annual After Hours at Fairytale Town event and the 40th Anniversary for Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center.
Come celebrate with us at After Hours 2012 on Friday, September 14, 2012
Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822
The History
In 1992 the Board of Directors of Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center (SAEHC) and a group of dedicated volunteers created the very first After Hours event known simply as “Fairytale Town After Hours.” The event brought local restaurants, wineries and entertainment together to raise funds for the homeless families served by SAEHC. This year marks the 20th anniversary of this special event. Again this year, After Hours guests will enjoy food and beverages, music, and a large silent auction in the unique setting of Fairytale Town at William Land Park. This event continues to honor the dream of a safe and permanent home for every child and community member staying at a homeless shelter.
The Venue
Step back into childhood at Sacramento’s fabled Fairytale Town in scenic William Land Park. No outdoor venue in Sacramento could be a more magical setting for the 20th Annual After Hours fundraising event. Walk amidst magical character tableaus such as The Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe Slide, the Crooked Mile, King Arthur’s Castle and more! The event will be entirely outdoors with restaurants and wineries set up along the many paths to enchantment.
The Restaurants & Wineries
The After Hours fundraising events have boasted an average of 50 fabulous local restaurants and wineries each year, all offering tasty creations. Past participants have included such icons as Tower Cafe, Biba Restaurant, 4th Street Grille, Mulvaney’s B&L, Aioli Bodega Espanola, Terre Rouge & Easton Winery, Boeger Winery, Van der Vijer Estate, Sierra Nevada Brewing and many, many more. This year’s line-up promises an equally impressive list of notable and local taste sensations.
The Auction
The After Hours event would not be complete without the amazing array of items donated from local and regional businesses and auctioned off in our silent auction. Guests peruse tables of silent auction items designed to intrigue the senses and appeal to the spirit including unique golf packages, trips to Disneyland, local retreats such as Bodega Bay and Lake Tahoe, gourmet dinners, and more!
The Beneficiary
Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center’s mission is to provide assistance to homeless individuals and families and help them achieve self-reliance. We see the success of this mission reflected in the many people whose lives are changed through our programs. The proceeds from the After Hours event benefits homeless families here in Sacramento and provides them with much needed support and resources. These much needed funds often pay for things that we can’t obtain through our other funding sources.
To purchase tickets, click here.
You can find Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center on Facebook here.
Peeled Snacks: Secret Ingredient in the Citroën Cake!
In today’s blog, I am featuring Peeled Snacks. They’re a troupe of organic, dried fruits with no added sugar that I am pretty crazy about. A few months ago, the people who market Peeled Snacks sent me 4 pouches to taste and review.
I handily scarfed down my favorite: Go Figure. It’s a combo pack of dried apricots, figs, and dates. Yes, please!
Peeled Snacks are gently dried, organic fruit snacks that are tasty, healthy and have no added sugar or other preservatives.
Peeled Snacks are available at Whole Foods Markets as well as online. They are great for kids’ school lunches, on a road trip, or when you need to fuel up for a race.
Peeled Snacks are made with ingredients we all recognize and can pronounce! Gently-dried fruit with no sugar added. The snacks provide a natural source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They have no artificial flavors or colors and are gluten, wheat, cholesterol and dairy free. Peeled Snacks sources from the U.S. whenever possible, and as part of its commitment to sustainability, has partnered with the American Farmland Trust to promote and save American farmland.
In fact, I used Peeled Snacks to make decorations on the Citroën cake I made for RB. The cake was Paleo friendly with the only sugar in it being in the white chocolate I used for the frosting and the natural sugar in the fruit.
Andy’s Tires
Recipe:
1 package Peeled Snacks Farmer’s Market Trio (dried apple, grapes, and cherries)
About 1 cup orange juice
1 Tbs honey
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
White Chocolate or Dark Chocolate discs
In a glass bowl, combine the contents of the Peeled Snacks Farmer’s Market Trio and pour enough orange juice over it to cover the fruit. Microwave the fruit in 15 second intervals until it is rehydrated. Then place the fruit in a food processor with the cocoa and the honey. Pulse until the fruit is completely blended and comes together. It will be pliable (like Play-Doh). Then you can form it into tire shapes and place a disc of chocolate on the tire to form a rim.
It was a fun way to decorate the cake without using fondant, which I would have normally used on a cake like that if I were still baking with sugar. I have to say, the tires were my favorite part of the cake! The best thing is, I used the fruit on a whim…I just happened to have it on hand. 🙂
I also used the Dried Mango from the Peeled Snacks line to dip in chocolate and lay it all around the cake, as if the car were driving through the French countryside. Perfection! I wish I had more Peeled Freakin’ Snacks in the house right now!! 🙂
About Peeled Snacks
In 2004, Noha Waibsnaider noticed that something was missing in the snack market. Why? She could get salty chips, over-processed fruit, or energy bars with mysterious ingredients, but she couldn’t find something that made her feel good about snacking. So she set about to fix that problem. Her solution? Tasty and nourishing treats that are now Peeled Snacks. Noha’s vision for Peeled Snacks was to make healthy snacking as close to natural as possible and a satisfying part of life.
You can follow Peeled Snacks on twitter here and find them on Facebook here.
River City Rebels Rebellion Recap and Gold Rush Fun Run!
So, I just joined a running club last month called the River City Rebels. The Rebels were founded in 1994 by Andy Harris and Mark Hicks, and now have over 100 members–both newcomers to the sport, as well as those with over 20 years of running experience. The River City Rebels Running Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization through their affiliate membership in the RRCA.
It’s a great group of really talented people and I am happy to be a part of the team. I am mainly a treadmill runner, so it’s quite a literal chance of pace for me to run out on the roads and even cross-country.
The 2nd Annual River City Rebel Rebellion was just this past weekend, and I competed in the PAUSATF division. It was my first cross-country race ever. I came in 72nd out of 78 women, and yes, most of the women behind me were a lot older. Still, I feel great about how I did. The 5K course was very challenging with 3 big hills and mixed terrain. I am looking forward to racing with the Rebels for the remainder of the season. Running with people who are a lot faster than you can really motivate!!
I truly have mixed feelings about running competitively. Though I am not a fast runner, I definitely am an endurance runner. My PR for a 1/2 Marathon is 1:54:15. I feel very proud of that.
The above images of the 2nd Annual River City Rebel Rebellion were taken by me and the shot of the Men’s Open Race was taken by Cristian Morinico.
Gold Rush Fun Run
My next race will be the Gold Rush Fun Run and I will be running the 10-miler. I don’t have a 10-mile PR, but I ran 1:22:39 last year at the Hot Chocolate 15K, which is 9.3 miles. If I can beat that pace (which is 8:53 mins per mile) I will be pleased.
The Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk benefits InAlliance, a nonprofit organization serving people with developmental disabilities. For more information about InAlliance, you can visit their website at www.inallianceinc.com.
The race is set for Saturday, September 22, 2012
Its background is the Sierra Nevada Foothills along the El Dorado Trail. Participants weave their way along a trail, which was once the historic Southern Pacific Railway line, and now features picturesque scenery and an abundance of wildlife.
You can sign up for the 10 Mile, 10K, 5K or 1 mile race followed by an after party with snacks, vendor booth, music, raffle prizes and awards ceremony. The 10 Mile, 10K and 5K runs will be chip timed by Synergy Race Timing. 5K walk and 1 mile stroll are untimed.
The Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk course map is located here: http://goldrushfunrun.com/about/course-maps/
You can register for the race and walk here.
All participants registered for the Gold Rush Fun Run & Walk will receive two free raffle tickets for our Gold Nugget Raffle!
2012 Prizes include a Lake Tahoe Getaway, Specialty Spa Package, and many more. Additional raffle tickets may be purchased the day of the event- 5 tickets for $5, 10 tickets for $10 and 25 tickets for $25.
Important things to know about the race:
TIMES:
7:00am: Packet/Bib Pick-up and Registration
8:30am: 10 Mile Run START
8:45am: 10K Run START
9:00am: 5K Run/Walk START
9:15am: 1 Mile Stroll START
10:30am: Raffle Prizes and Awards Ceremony
12:00pm: Event Concludes
PACKET PICK-UP:
Thursday. September 20, 2012
9:00am-4:30pm at the INALLIANCE Sacramento Office located at 6950 21st Ave, Sacramento, CA 95820.
Friday, September 21, 2012
9:00am-4:30pm at the INALLIANCE Placerville Office
located at 660 Main Street, Placerville, CA 95667.
Race Day- Saturday, September 22, 2012
Beginning at 7:00am at the Registration Table in the parking lot of the El Dorado Trail- County Trail Head located on Jacquier Road, Placerville, CA 95667. Click Here for Map
Friends may pick-up packets and register for you. No entry refunds, transfers or exchanges. Dogs with well behaved owners on short leashes welcome.
Awards: The top three overall male and female finishers in the 10 mile, 10k and 5k races will receive custom medals. Age division awards will be given to the top three male and female finishers in each of the following divisions: 12 and Under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+.
All races will take place rain or shine.
For more information, you can call 916-381-1300 x170. Hope to see you there!
Chevys Fresh Mex Friday Giveaway!!
A few weeks ago, Chevys Fresh Mex (no apostrophe, not my typo :)) hosted me and RB for dinner to introduce all of you to their updated menu choices that meet the nutritional guidelines of the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWellSM program. I asked them if we could take things a bit further and show cavegrrl.com readers that Paleo is possible at Chevy’s! Before I tell you about the new menu items for kids, I’ll show you our amazing Primal (I had cheese on my salad, so not completely Paleo) meal:
First up, we had the citrus-infused Ceviche Mixto. It was a combination of shrimp and calamari lightly cooked in lime and orange juices and infused with chile arbol and cilantro mixed with red onion and red bell peppers. Instead of the corn tortilla crisps, we opted for a bed of lettuce. That’s probably about the easiest tip I can give you. Just ask for your meal on lettuce instead of chips! 🙂
I ordered the Santa Fe Chopped Salad: A Mesquite-grilled chicken breast, bacon, avocado, fire-roasted red peppers, crumbled bleu cheese served on hearts of romaine. I used salsa and avocado as my “dressing”.
RB had the Carne Asada with Shrimp Skewer: a chile-rubbed carne asada, mesquite-grilled to your liking, served on a bed of San Antonio veggies and topped with a fuego-spiced shrimp skewer. We asked for extra avocado and veggies instead of the side of rice.
Paleo/Primal can definitely be done, as well as gluten-free, even at a major chain restaurant. Just make sure you tell your server or get a manager what you need. 🙂
As for the kids menu, that debuted on July 17th at Chevys Fresh Mex, Carlos Franco (executive chef for all Chevys locations) says, “These exciting new menu and promotional offerings underscore our ongoing pledge to making dining out a healthy, fun activity for kids and their families. In keeping with all Chevys fare, our entrees for kids incorporate exciting flavor profiles and only the freshest local ingredients.”
The National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program launched one year ago in collaboration with HealthyDining to help parents and children select healthful menu options when dining out. Restaurants like Chevys that participate in the voluntary program commit to offering healthful meal items for children, with a particular focus on increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy, and limiting unhealthy fats, sugars and sodium. Though the menu items are not Paleo, I like the healthier direction they take by serving grilled vegetables and apple wedges instead of deep-fried sides. Here are some of the new menu choices:
- Chicken Fajita with carrots, celery sticks and apple wedges (water for beverage)
- Soft Beef Taco (without cheese) with grilled veggies, and carrots and celery sticks ( apple juice for beverage)
- Soft Chicken Taco (with 1 tablespoon cheese), sweet corn tamalito, grilled veggies (pineapple juice for beverage)
In addition to making dining out healthier, Chevys also recently instituted new elements that make the restaurant experience more fun for kids, adding games like the Burrito Maze, Sabroso Mad Lib and Be the Artista; menu items such as Build Your Own Taco. The restaurant will also continue its Kids Eat Free promotion on Tuesdays, where guests receive one free under-12 kid’s meal with the purchase of one regular adult entrée.
Chevys Fresh Mex’s new kids’ menus and Tuesday Kids Eat Free promotions are available in all 42 company locations.
For more information on Chevys Fresh Mex and its commitment to fresh, visit www.chevys.com. You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.
And now: The Giveaway!!
Chevy’s Fresh Mex has generously offered a “Be Our Guest” card to one of my readers.
The card is good for an entrée and a non-alcoholic beverage!
To enter to win the card, please comment below on the Chevys Mex menu item you would most like to try! I will announce a winner next Friday. 🙂
Happy Labor Day Weekend!!
Happy #Cabernet Day! (and Espresso Rubbed Steak Recipe)
It’s Cabernet Day, and what better excuse to promote the latest wine from the (CK) Mondavi family… namely Marc Mondavi and his Divining Rod wines.
I was sent two bottles to try and I thought I would share with you my thoughts, along with a fab recipe to pair with the cabernet!! 🙂
The first was a bottle of 2010 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay. In the shipment, I was also sent a set of divining rods. I haven’t tried them yet, but I have to say they look pretty cool.
The second bottle was 2010 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Both retail for about $17. Since I liked the Cabernet a lot more for the price, I thought I would choose today to showcase it here on cavegrrl. 🙂
It went very well with the grilled steak, zucchini & heirloom salad, and parsnip chips we made for dinner that evening.
Here’s the recipe for the coffee rub we had on the steak… BTW, the steak was grass-fed, French-cut, one-inch thick, bone-in ribeye from Taylor’s Market. It weighed in at about 28 ounces including the bone. It was sourced from Wintun Ranch.
Coffee Rub:
1/3 cup espresso (we used coffee from CoffeeWorks)
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Ground Coriander
2 tsp Ground Cumin
1 Tbs Chili Powder
2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp sea salt
Blend all spices together in a small bowl and coat the steaks first with olive oil, then coat them in the coffee/spice blend. Grill them to desired doneness.
You can find The Divining Rod wines on Facebook here and on twitter here. You can find out more about Marc Mondavi here:
Christian Brothers Wine, Beer & Food Extravaganza is September 7th!
Right before RB and I take off for Napa again this year!! <—excited!! :), We’ll be attending the Christian Brothers Wine, Beer & Food Extravaganza on September 7th from 7pm-10pm at the Christian Brothers Campus. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the event.
The Christian Brothers Wine, Beer & Food Extravaganza is the premiere food and drink event in Sacramento. It features hundreds of California’s finest restaurants and wineries, and showcases the best of local breweries throughout the state. The Christian Brothers Wine, Beer & Food Extravaganza has raised millions of dollars to put towards tuition funding and community outreach programs throughout the area.
Tickets are $70 today only, and then tomorrow the price goes up to $80 per person. You can buy tickets here. This year’s event features special add-ons like transportation and a cigar lounge.
Featured wineries and breweries at the event will be:
August Anthony Vineyard, Berryessa Gap Vineyards, Bogle Winery, Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Estate, Cannonball Wine Company, Cartlidge and Brown, Carvalho Family Winery, Columbia Crest Wines, Corralitos Wine Company, Girard Winery, Greystone Wines, Harbison Wines, Harney Lane Winery, Jeremy Wine Company, Josh Cellars, Klinker Brick Wines, Line 39McConnell Estates, Madrona Vineyards, Mumm Napa, Michael-David Winery, Moniz Wines, Oakstone Winery, Pacific Wine and Spirits, Padis Vineyards, Pedroncelli Winery, Peirano Wines, Rodney Strong, Revolution Wines, Rombauer Vineyards, Scheid Winery, Schug Winery, Scribner Bend, Scott Harvey Wines, Senders – Wine with a Cause, Stama Winery, Terra d’Oro Winery, Thorny Rose Wines, Troubadour Cellars, Wente Vineyards, Wreckless Blenders, and ZD Wines
Auburn Alehouse, Firestone Walker, Guinness, Hoppy Brewing, Knee Deep Brewing, Lockdown Brewing, Lost Coast Brewery, Mendocino Brewing Company, Miller-Coors, New Belgium Brewing, Pyramid Alehouse, Rubicon, Ruhstaller, Sierra Nevada, The Shack, Sutter Buttes Brewing, Track 7 Brewing, Two Rivers Cider Company
Click here for a list of restaurants.
Through the proceeds from this event last year, the alumni association was able to net over ninety thousand dollars, which went to the school’s tuition assistance program.
Due to the generous efforts of our sponsors and vendors, along with the hard work of the Alumni Board and volunteers, students who would not have been able to attend Christian Brothers High School were able to do so.
Please mark Friday, September 7, 2012 on your calendar and plan on joining us for what promises to be another fantastic event.
You can follow Christian Brothers Wine Beer & Food Extravaganza on twitter here. Cheers! 🙂
Win a Pair of Tickets to the 17th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival!
Occasionally, RB and I have a little dark chocolate as a treat. Did you know Ghirardelli produces an 86% cacao variety chocolate bar called Midnight Reverie?! 🙂 It’s really best a little bit melty and eaten with a late harvest wine. Below, I will show you what I did with the bars Ghirardhelli sent me this week. I also want to invite you to the 17th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival and give you a chance to win 2 tickets to the event! (Contest open to anyone driving distance of the festival.)
The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is excited to invite you to the annual, two-day chocolate celebration that has transformed into a true San Francisco staple. This year, we estimate over 40,000 in attendance over the weekend. Local vendors sample and showcase delicious treats that will delight any palate!
Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, CA
September 8-9, 2012, 12pm-5pm
- On The Hunt for Ghirardelli Chocolate: Participate in an exciting hunt through Ghirardelli Square and discover fun facts about San Francisco’s premium chocolate company, Ghirardelli Chocolate! Solve all the clues and win a sweet treat!
- “Earthquake” Ice Cream Eating Contest: Battling each other and their own stomachs, competitors are sure to make this experience a memorable (and delicious) one. Children also compete with a smaller version of the famous Earthquake Sundae.
- Chocolate School- “From Cocoa Bean to Chocolate Bar”: Come join Ghirardelli’s own Head of Chocolate Making, Steve Genzoli, as he teaches “Chocolate School” and takes audience members through a tour of the delicious chocolate making process.
- Chef Demonstrations: Incorporate your products or services as local culinary professionals work their delicious magic on both Saturday and Sunday at the Culinary Stage in the West Plaza of Ghirardelli Square.
- Silent Auction to benefit Project Open Hand: Come help increase fundraising efforts for Project Open Hand by bidding on one of the fabulous chocolate, hotel, self-pampering, or restaurant prizes.
- Bake-Off: Watch the first ever Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival Bake Off featuring treats made with Ghirardelli products. Categories include: best cookie, best cake and best creative entry.
With the $20 sampling tickets, guests can sample up to 15 delicacies ranging from chocolate vodka, cupcakes, to ice cream sundaes.
To win a pair of tickets to the festival, please leave a comment in the comments section about your favorite chocolate dessert or Ghirardelli product! I will announce the winner this Friday! 🙂
Here’s the chocolate bar I mentioned earlier, and the just-in-season figs I sliced, dried, and dipped in the melted chocolate from the bar!
Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups with Cherry Almond Chicken Salad
Mom, I’m in the Bee again today and guess what? It’s a Paleo recipe!!
INGREDIENTS
3 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Ground black pepper
Cherry almond chicken salad:
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup chopped fennel bulb
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup pitted dark cherries, chopped
1 cup sliced and toasted almonds
INSTRUCTIONS
For zucchini: Preheat grill or grill pan to medium.
Brush the slices of zucchini with oil on both sides. Sprinkle the zucchini slices with salt and pepper.
Grill until tender, about 4 minutes per side. Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator.
For chicken salad: In a large bowl, combine the chicken, onions, fennel, shallot, salt and pepper; set aside. In a small bowl, add the lemon juice and poppy seeds to the mayonnaise and stir to incorporate. Then pour the mayonnaise mixture over the chicken mixture and combine the two. Then fold in the cherries gently, followed by the toasted almonds.
To assemble the roll-ups, take a grilled slice of zucchini, and place 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of the chicken salad on its edge. Then roll up the slice tightly around the chicken salad, like a piece of sushi, and fasten the end with a toothpick. You might need two toothpicks per roll-up. Continue this process until you are out of zucchini slices.
Now you can enjoy that abundance of zucchini instead of giving it away to your neighbors. 🙂
14th Annual “A Taste of Sacramento” event to benefit Easter Seals on September 21st
Title sponsors KCRA3 and KQCA my58 bring you the 14th Annual “A Taste of Sacramento” event to benefit Easter Seals on September 21st, 2012 at the Sacramento Convention Center from 5:30 – 9:00pm. A night celebrating the finest food, wine and beer the Sacramento area has to offer, “A Taste of Sacramento” will be one party you won’t want to miss!
Tickets are only $40 each and get you unlimited sampling of over 90 vendors! “Early Bird” tickets are available for $80 (get in 30 mins before the general public) and Reserved VIP tables are available for $1,000 and include 10 Early Bird tickets (get in early and guaranteed seating). All proceeds go to help people with disabilities in the Sacramento area.
For more information visit us at http://www.myeasterseals.org/events/a-taste-of-sacramento
Your support of Easter Seals and “A Taste of Sacramento” will help a child learn to walk in our Easter Seals’ Pediatric Programs, ease the suffering of a senior with arthritis in our Easter Seals’ warm water pool and help provide work opportunities for adults with disabilities.
Tickets to this year’s “A Taste of Sacramento” tasting event are on sale now! Please click here for more information or to get your tickets today!
You can find a Taste of Sacramento on Facebook here.
Pour for Prevention to Benefit Child Abuse Prevention Center is August 25th
Pour for Prevention presented by UC Davis Children’s Hospital, McHugh, Koepke & Associates, Antiquité Maison,Southwest takes place on August 25th from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Pour for Prevention is the Child Abuse Prevention Center’s wine tasting event to be held at Antiquité Maison Privée (2114 P Street), known as the “jewel of midtown.” This stunning property with its 1920’s Mediterranean charm makes for an unforgettable venue and has been designated a historical treasure by the City of Sacramento.
This event features a vast array of wines from California wineries who will “pour” to prevent child abuse. Guests will enjoy light appetizers and desserts.
Art! An amazing art display will feature renowned and up and coming artists whose pieces you won’t want to miss.
Live music and a silent auction with something for everyone will round off the event. You won’t want to miss the party at this midtown jewel.
Here’s a list of the food donors that will be at the event:
Wine, Beer and Food Donors
Amador Cellars, Beth Sogaard Catering, Bistro Michel, Blue Diamond Growers, Bogle, Boissett Family Estates, Bonitata Boutique Wines, Capital Confections, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Clif Family Winery, Deaver, Edible Events, Ehrhardt Estates, Grange Restaurant and Bar, Helwig Winery, Heringer Estates Winery, Hoppy Brewing Company, Lake Solano Vineyard, Leatherby’s Family Creamery, Lewis Cellars, Mama Kim Cooks, Michael David Winery, Noodles & Company, Olive Garden, Pearl on the River, Peirano Estate Vineyards, Piacci, Robert Mondavi, Tanis Vineyards , The Blind Pig, The Melting Pot, TLC Delivered, Weibel Family Vineyards and Winery
Tickets
$40 each or two tickets for $70, $50 at the door. Purchase tickets online here. To pay by check, make check payable to the CAP Center and mail to: CAP Center, 4700 Roseville Road, North Highlands, CA 95660
Want to become an event sponsor? Are you interested in being a wine or food vendor, donating an item for the silent auction, displaying your art, or volunteering? Contact Cathy Kauffman at 916 244-1927
For more information about the Child Abuse Prevention Center you can visit their website here.
“Off to the Races”, a Race for the Arts premiere event, August 18th
Photos by Tia Gemmell, Riverview Media Photography
“Off to the Races”, Race for the Arts’ premiere event, a wine tasting Sponsored by The Pavilions
When: Saturday, August 18, 2012
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 pm
Where: The Pavilions, Fair Oaks Boulevard, (east of Howe Avenue) Sacramento
Cost: $40
INFORMATION: Visit www.raceforthearts.com / tickets available at door
From August 6 – 18, enter the Pavilions’ Shopping Spree – a chance to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree at any of the shops located in the Pavilions Shopping Center. Additionally, you could win $1,000 for your chosen arts organization or school program. One entry form per store per day please.
You can find Race for the Arts on Facebook here and on twitter here.
The State’s Premier Wine and Food Event is August 18th!
Here’s a press release from my friends at the California State Fair!! 🙂
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 6, 2012) – The state’s finest winemakers, vineyards and wineries will be honored on Aug. 18, when California’s Grape & Gourmet – the country’s largest tasting of award-winning wines – returns to Cal Expo.
The 17th annual Grape & Gourmet is a celebration of the prestigious California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition, the oldest wine competition in the United States.
Winners were announced in June and will receive their awards at Grape & Gourmet, prior to the public tasting and wine sales.
The public event is 3-6 p.m. in Cal Expo’s air-conditioned Building A/B. Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the door. Online group sales of 10 or more are $35 per person. To purchase tickets, go to http://www.calexpo.com
Award-winning wine will be available for sale by the bottle and case. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the California State Fair’s scholarship program, which this year awarded a total of $32,750 to 27 students.
California’s Grape & Gourmet features pours of the State Fair’s medal-winning wines, award-winning beer from the State Fair’s Commercial Craft Brew Competition, award-winning cheese from the Fair’s cheese competition, and samplings of great food from area restaurants.
In this year’s Commercial Wine Competition, 2,890 entries were received from 688 participating wineries. Seventy-two judges on 18 panels awarded 2,156 medals, including 74 Double Gold, 268 Gold, 1,195 Silver and 734 Bronze.
Complete results of the wine competition appear in “California Wine” magazine, a publication of the California State Fair, which will be available at the event and at Save Mart Supermarkets in the near future.
SPECIAL TREAT (or not)!! Archive post from cakegrrl.com below!!
Here are a few pics from the event a few years ago. (The last time they had it indoors at Cal Expo, and wayyy before I was Paleo).
Trader Joe’s Loot
Trader Joe’s Mountain of Stilton
Chicken Cones, Red Lion Hotel. It’s chicken, but in a cone, get it? 🙂
Wine in a carton. New home of missing persons ads?
Bread spread by Nugget Markets
Traffic Snarl…
Bread spread from the Bread Store… *who knew there’d be all this bread?*
Neat hops display.
Mason’s ahhh-amazing ahi tuna with broth.
A very yummy rose by Valley of the Moon.
Shout out to the Bread Store for the Ciabatta loaf I scored at the end of the night and the olive loaf they gave to my stunning mystery companion. Mulvaney’s was serving two refreshing sorbets–one with mint, maybe basil in there too? The other one was fig. Both fantastic! 🙂
Steiner Feast 2012 is August 11th, Noon-4pm
Share the Bounty with the Steiner Road Wineries
Sat., August 11, 2012 from Noon-4 pm
PLYMOUTH, CA – July 17, 2012 – Everyone is invited to Share the Bounties of Summer with the Wineries of Steiner Road.
This FREE Food and Wine event will delight the senses. Guests can stroll through the beautiful grounds of eight wineries, taste a variety of wines, and enjoy special treats featuring local summer produce.
How about some small bits including Zucchini-Tomato tarts, grilled polenta w/ vegetable marinara, local grown veggie lasagna, squash & tomato caponata, pork tamales with local corn, green bean salad, tri-tip sliders, and some baby blueberry pies and tartlets?
Plus, Amador Farmers will be set up at various wineries to sell fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Steiner Road – in the heart of the picturesque Shenandoah Valley, off Highway 16 – is home to many award-winning wineries. Just 45 minutes from Sacramento and 2 hours from Reno, Tahoe & the Bay Areas, it is an easy day trip to the friendly Amador County Wine Country.
Visitors also can enter to win four tickets to the Big Crush Harvest Festival Oct. 6 & 7 by visiting at least 5 of the 8 participating Steiner Road wineries: Shenandoah Vineyards, Amador Foothill, Bella Grace, Deaver Vineyards, Driven, Dillian, Renwood and Dobra Zemjla.
Steiner Road Wineries, off Shenandoah Road (Hwy. E-16), east of Plymouth, CA, in Amador County. Questions: Contact Robert Sobon, (209) 245-4455, INFO at SOBONWINE.COM
Blair, Don’t Get Me Wrong :)
Good afternoon and happy Saturday, Tribe!! 🙂
I know this is going to be a hard sell, and there are no glossy pictures and only words in this post…and words are hard and pictures are more fun… but I felt like I needed to respond to something…
Disclaimer: This is not a rant. 😉 Use of ALL CAPS in this post does not mean I am yelling/grunting. Just very passionate. 🙂
This blog post came out of a reply/comment that I was going to post on Sacramento Bee food critic Blair Anthony Robertson’s Facebook page in response to a blog he had written on the success of The Eatery, their social media savvy and high customer satisfaction rate. You can read the original blog post here.
Rather than hijack the topic on his Facebook page, I wanted to respond on my own website, because while I agree with the blog post on Appetizers–and that Jess is doing a great job and I was very happy with the meal he made for the Paleo group–I strongly disagree with the term he used to describe people on the Paleo diet… “slightly obsessive”. Hmmm…
Now, I have a great sense of humor, so I didn’t mind the lame jokes about grunting or loin cloths, et al, but “slightly obsessive” did a good job of “slightly offending” me.
It’s because I feel a “slightly negative” spell cast on this diet because the people who follow it cut out certain foods…actually, rather… food-like substances. The food-like substances that are ingrained in our great Standard American Diet. TRADITIONS like birthday cake, pizza, hamburgers, soft pretzels, Big Gulps, Reece Cups, you name it. Things that come in shiny wrappers and colorful boxes that have funny little jingles of enticement attached to their marketing campaigns.
Things that people ask me/offer to me and I have to turn down continually, leading the offerer to think: I’m a freak, I’m a fun-suck, I don’t like them, I’m “slightly obsessive”… When it’s actually more like “I would rather eat real food. Period.”
I think another thing people think about me sometimes is that I judge them and eat the way I do to make them feel bad about themselves. Nope. Eat what you want, people. There’d be a lot of people out of work if everyone stopped eating at McDonald’s all of a sudden. Not only the people on the burger press or the fryer, but certainly the truck drivers who haul the sh*t across the country.
If I were in another country and had one opportunity to try some handmade enjera or someone’s great great grandmother’s flatbread, I would probably do it. But now… day-to-day, I just don’t want/crave/need bread. It’s not appealing to me. I don’t care if you eat it, I just don’t want any. 🙂
And sugar… God, it’s the devil (to me). But I think it’s the devil to most people, and they just don’t want to admit it. How many people line up at Starbucks every morning of everyday before work and then again after work? Why do most folks graze past the breakroom from 8-11am staring at a box of donuts and think “ohhhh… maybe I’ll have just one…I worked out today…”? Why do people drive up to a window (bearing they are not on a road trip) and order previously frozen “nuggets” and potato flour sticks fried in soy oil because it’s delicious to them… several times a week?
That’s actually “slightly obsessive” and “slightly scary” behavior if you ask me. 😉
If you don’t believe me, just try taking away someone’s bun or french fries or soda pop or apple pie and watch what happens. Crankyville!! Can you imagine what would happen if Starbucks closed for a week? Or if Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen, and all the other ice cream shops we shuttered indefinitely? Mass hysteria, probably. No cereal or pop tarts? Children (and adults!!) would be overturning cars and setting buildings on fire.
I have to say that if any of those companies stopped making their food, um, products… I wouldn’t give a damn. 🙂
And that’s what is so great about Paleo. It’s gave me a life!! I know that sounds rather funny… but when you are caught up in a myriad of eating disorders and distorted body image (like I was for years) you don’t have life, that’s for sure.
The Paleo diet has actually made me less obsessive about calories and food altogether. Ask anyone I dated before I went Paleo!! I was impossibly hard on myself and as a result impossible to be around!
I am less obsessive BECAUSE I EAT REAL FOOD. And I am not addicted to any one food anymore! 🙂 Food that comes packaged is enhanced to make it taste better and to make you want to buy more of it… so, I just stay away from it. I like the way I look and feel because I don’t eat grains and I am not tied and bound to buttercream frosting anymore.
I don’t constantly think about cake and donuts and then running for hours to make up the difference and stressing my body and feeling like crap ALL THE TIME.
Paleo/Primal just set me free from all of that. There’s no more struggle. I workout 45 mins daily, sometimes more, often sometimes less. I eat a snack in the morning, I have a big dinner. I drink wine. I live and breathe. I am happy. I don’t feel like a drug addict anymore, sneaking and buying Oreos or standing in line at Marie’s at 4:00am. Yes, that used to happen. “Slightly obsessive.” Yep.
Annnnnnnnnyyywayyy…. 🙂 I just wanted all the non Paleo people out there to know that not all Paleo people are obsessive…we are actually pretty non-judgmental, and as for me, I only wear loin cloths once a week. The rest of the time it’s animal prints and sparkly clothes!! Because you know Paleolithic men love shiny objects!! Including the one I snagged last year at the Curtis Park Wine Tasting… 😉
OK that’s all for now. Just had to get that off my chest. Oooga ooga. Now back to the cave.
PS: Great job, The Eatery!! Andy and I are big fans now, and the Paleo dinner was highly inventive and fantastic. We’ll be back. 🙂
Citroën Cake: Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Mostly Paleo
Just thought I would show off what I have been working on for the past few evenings in between three jobs and the workout schedule. As you can see, Andy has a 1961 Citroën, and I did my best to recreate it for this birthday cake.
It turned out rather well considering fondant and food coloring are completely off limits with Paleo. On the other hand, I did use copious amounts of white chocolate (organic) and some butter in the blue frosting. Oh, and the blue coloring is made with red cabbage (weird, I know) and a bit of baking soda.
Check back on this post if you are interested, and I will post the recipes techniques I used on the fillings and components of this cake. Many things were tweaked from other websites and somethings just came to me as I was making it.
BTW, happy 10 month-aversary, Andy! 😀
UPDATED:
CAKE PART:
I wanted to leave out the agave nectar (decided NOT paleo, and I wanted to make enough batter to fill the car pan, so I adapted the recipe for German Chocolate Cake (adapted from Elena’s Pantry) to suit my needs. Here’s what I did:
1 1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup xylitol
2 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
15 eggs
1.5 cups coconut oil
1 ½ cups honey
1/4 coconut milk
1.5 tablespoons vanilla extract
In one bowl, combine the dry ingredients: coconut flour, cocoa powder, xylitol, salt and baking soda
In the mixer bowl, mix eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla.
Add dry the ingredients into the mixer bowl, rotating additions of the coconut milk and continue to blend until well combined, but not overly mixed. Oil the pans you’ll be using and dust with coconut, almond flour, or flax seed. Pour batter into pans and bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes.
Check back for the filling and frosting recipe as well as what I did to make the windows and tires. 🙂
cavegrrl.com 