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Tarla Mediterranean Grill: My New Favorite in Downtown Napa

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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.

Posted by  |  September 15, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Opus One Winery: One of the Best!

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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!!

Posted by  |  September 12, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

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.

You can “like” Elemental Running on Facebook here.

Posted by  |  September 12, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Me and You and One Year Later: The SCNA Wine Tasting and Silent Auction

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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?!

Posted by  |  September 11, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 5 Comments

Nugget Markets’ “Best of the Barrel” Fundraiser on September 28th, 5-8pm

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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.

Posted by  |  September 10, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

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.

Posted by  |  September 8, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Peeled Snacks: Secret Ingredient in the Citroën Cake!

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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.

Posted by  |  September 6, 2012 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

River City Rebels Rebellion Recap and Gold Rush Fun Run!

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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!

Posted by  |  September 5, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chevys Fresh Mex Friday Giveaway!!

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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!!

Posted by  |  August 31, 2012 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 5 Comments

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:

Posted by  |  August 30, 2012 | Categories: Recipes | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment