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Mark S Allen, The Most Paleo of ’em All? Wins Big Beef Rib Eat-Off at the California State Fair!!

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And now, an important press release from my friends at the California State Fair!

Bad to the bone: Allen wins Big Beef Rib competition

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 13) – Mark S. Allen, anchor/reporter for CW31’s “Good Day, Sacramento,” on Thursday easily won the first-ever celebrity invitational Big Beef Rib Eat-Off at the California State Fair.

Allen – decked out in a suit, tie and sunglasses in 99-degree midday heat – consumed a rib in 3:37:90, beating out Fox40 News reporter Andria Borba, Sacramento Bee food and wine writer Chris Macias, News Talk 1530 KFBK sports anchor Pat Walsh and News10 sports anchor Ryan Yamamoto.

Walsh came in a slow second, finally finishing his beef rib about five minutes later than Allen.

News10 reporter Kate Larsen and Big Beef Rib creator Dominic Palmieri emceed the heated competition.

The Big Beef Rib, new to the 2012 California State Fair, is 24 ounces of seasoned prime beef that is seasoned and slow-cooked onto a 17-inch rib bone. (Oh yeaahhh)

It sells for $16.95, available only at Teri’s BBQ on the Coca-Cola Main Promenade.

Congratulations to KD Partak! She won the tickets and the parking pass right here on cavegrrl.com!! Hope you enjoy your time at the fair! 🙂

You can like the California State Fair on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.

The 2012 California State Fair runs July 12th-29th at 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento

Fair hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday.

Admission: $12 general,  $10 ages 62-plus, $8 children 5-12. Children under 4 free.
(Discount tickets on sale until July 11.)

Parking: $10.  For more information: www.bigfun.org

California State Fair Kicks Off Tomorrow! Win 2 tickets and FREE Parking!

The California State Fair is here again, and this time I will be doing a cooking demo at the fair on July 20th, from 5-7pm! I will be there to discuss the Paleo diet and to make a dish for audience sampling!! Come out and say hello and see what the Paleo thing is all about.

In celebration of my appearance at the Fair, I am giving away a pair of tickets, complete with a parking pass to one of my readers. To win, please comment below and tell me what you are most looking forward to at the fair! (If you’re anything like me, it’s the wine garden and the Mick Martin concerts!) I’ll also be heading to Pignotti’s booth (located in the wine garden) for my cheese and fruit plate! 🙂

The person with the best entry wins (you have to be local to win)…Giveaway ends tomorrow at noon! Ready…. GO!!!

Also, read below and check out some of the new attractions at the fair this year (via a press release from the California State Fair Media Department), or you can read my State Fair review from last year. I found some really healthy options at the fair:

Better hours and a slew of new attractions are among the highlights of the 2012 California State Fair, which runs July 12-29 at Cal Expo.

The fairgrounds will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Magical Midway hours are 2-11 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Tuesday, noon-11 p.m. Wednesday, and 11 a.m.-midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Kids Park will be operational 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m.-midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

In keeping with the theme “Fun That Moves You,” the 2012 State Fair introduces an array of entertaining, challenging, educational and thoroughly enjoyable activities and experiences for all ages. Most of them are free with fair admission:

“Wizard’s Challenge” (in front of Bldg A) – Explore the magic and wonder of science in a 9,600-square-foot, Medieval-themed, mostly interactive exhibit. Morph your face with someone else’s in the Morphing Mirror. Try to identify mysterious smells in Common Scents. Dare to walk through the Dragon’s Lair. Make beautiful music with the Enchanted Organ and Steel Drums. Take on all-comers at the Giant Chess Set. There are 20 activities in all. And don’t miss the Magic of Science stage show with three performances daily. “Wizard’s Challenge” is sponsored by SMUD.

“Sun-Maid Celebrating 100 Years of Fruit and Sunshine” (Expo Center, Bldg 3) – The Kingsburg-based company, a cooperative owned by nearly 1,000 families who grow raisin grapes, celebrates 100 years of a thriving enterprise by displaying from its collection two paintings and a chromo lithograph by  the celebrated America artist Norman Rockwell. The Sun-Maid celebration also includes an interactive exhibit that tells the story of dried-fruit production in California and the history of the iconic Sun-Maid Girl. The Sun-Maid chef will cook up heritage recipes in the Sun-Maid Kitchen.

“Girl Scouts Zone”(Bldg A-B) – Celebrating 100 years of scouting, Girl Scouts Heart of Central California worked with Randy Roberts, deputy director of the Crocker Art Museum, and museum consultant Rachel Tooker to create an interactive exhibit that shows how Girl Scouts discover, connect and take action to make the world a better place.

“Toytopia 2.0” (Expo Center, Bldg 5) – Sacramento’s Stage Nine Entertainment returns with an interactive exhibit for folks of all ages. Doodle on the world’s largest Etch-a-Sketch and pretend that you live in a giant dollhouse. Build something with Legos and other construction toys. Visit the stuffed animal Toytopia Zoo. Check out model planes, trains and automobiles, and play the day away at a retro game arcade. Don’t forget to visit the official Toytopia store inside the exhibit.

 “Birds in Paradise”(Floriculture) – Wander deep into the “jungle” where macaws, Amazon and cockatoos inhabit the “parrot tree.” Marvel at colorful peacocks, along with a charm of finches, a colony of canaries, along with kookaburra, amazons, curassow and other “singers.” Experts will be on hand to talk about the feathered flock. And look for exotic plants, many of which were propagated and nurtured in the State Fair’s Landscape Yard: vanilla orchid, sugar cane, cocoa, coffee, banana, papaya and pineapple. Free California poppy-seed packs will be given away while supplies last.

“Wet ‘n’ Wild” (Bldg B)– The California Department of Water Resources and California Department of Fish and Game team up on a water and wildlife exhibit designed to educate the public about native animals and how water impacts their habitats. See raccoon, bobcat, bald eagle, rattlesnake and amphibians in enclosures similar to their native habitats. Watch educational and entertaining presentations with a beaver, turkey vulture, North American porcupine, desert tortoise and hawk at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily.

“We Stand on Their Shoulders”(Bldg A) – Sacramento State professor emeritus Felicenne Ramey created a documentary–style exhibit in which photographs of elderly African-American men and women are paired with their musings on life. Ramey began working on the project in 2009. The exhibit comes to the State Fair after making its debut earlier this year at the Sacramento State library.

“ ‘The Flying Marbellos’ & Friends” (Expo Center, Bldg 7) – Vallejo dentist and artist Victor Chaney creates wacky and hypnotic kinetic sculptures, including the circus-themed “The Flying Marbellos” and “H2-Opus,” a musical fountain. See six of his unique works in the Fine Art building.

Guinness World Record attempts– Be a part of history at the California State Fair as not one, but two, world records are challenged. The world’s largest cocktail, a Margarita, will be built starting at 10 a.m. July 13 in an enormous stainless steel shaker on Palm Avenue. A Roseville woman will attempt the longest continuous Ferris wheel ride. She’s set to begin her quest at 5 a.m. July 23 in the Magical Midway.  She’ll have to outlast the Los Angeles police detective who set the current record of 25 hours in June 2012.

My First Ride (Cavalcade of Horses arena) – Never been on a horse before? Now cowboys and cowgirls of all ages can saddle up for a jaunt around the arena. Rides will be given at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on July 15, 17, 24, 27 and 28. At 3 p.m. every day, kids can participate in stick-horse games and pony painting.

On the Magical Midway – Butler Amusements amps up the fun with old favorites and some new attractions, including White Water Log Flume, Mega Drop Tower and Circle of Champions. The Zillerator Coaster makes its return to the 2012 State Fair.

High Fly’n Zip Line (behind Expo Center, Bldg 5) – Also debuting at the 2012 State Fair, brought in by Butler Amusements, is a 600-foot-long zip line on which up to four riders will fly along at 35 mph. The highest elevation is 60 feet. Riders must weigh between 30 and 250 pounds. Zip line tickets are $20 and do not include State Fair admission. Carnival wristband and carnival tickets cannot be used for this ride.

Gran Jaripeo con Ezequiel Pena y Mucho Mas– The action includes a bull-riders-only rodeo, renowned Mexican entertainer Ezequiel Pena who will perform as he rides around the arena on horseback, and much more. (4-10 p.m. July 29, Horse Show and Rodeo Arena)

In addition to the new attractions, these are among the old favorites back at the 2012 California State Fair:

Live thoroughbred horse racing in the Miller Lite Grandstand (July 12-15 and July 19-22), big-name entertainment on the Golden1 Stage, the Livestock Nursery, Children’s Dairy Center, Dianne Olds Rossi and her Magical Dancing Horses, Metal Mayhem Destruction Derby (cars and RVs), Counties Exhibit, Fine Arts, cooking competitions in California’s Kitchen and The Farm, Operation Postcard, Friends of the California State Fair’s Brewfest, Youth Art & Design Expo, Gospel Festival and the Sacramento Mile.

In addition, California’s Grape & Gourmet returns to Cal Expo on Aug. 18. Tickets are for sale now at www.bigfun.org and www.calexpo.org

You can like the California State Fair on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.

The 2012 California State Fair runs July 12th-29th at 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento

Fair hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday.

Admission: $12 general,  $10 ages 62-plus, $8 children 5-12. Children under 4 free.
(Discount tickets on sale until July 11.)

Parking: $10.  For more information: www.bigfun.org

Roseville Fountains Summer Art and Wine Stroll featuring Placer Wines on July 21st!

If you follow my site at all, you are well aware of how much I love Placer County wines. I find many of them comparable to Napa Valley wines without the high price tag. RB and I celebrated 4th of July with this 2009 Proprietor’s Blend from Fawnridge Winery.

Also, my current favorite wine, a 2008 Rousanne, is also made in Placer County by Casque Wines. So, if you love wine and haven’t made it up to the Placer/Loomis/Auburn area, you’ll have the opportunity to taste in Roseville at the Fountains on July 21st! Hope to see you there. Details are below:

Placer County Vintners Association and Fountains at Roseville present “Summer Wine Stroll.”

WHAT:  This summer wine tasting event features the wineries of the Placer County Wine Trail, local artisans and munchies from Fountains Restaurants. Stroll the beautiful outdoor setting of the Fountains, taste local wines and listen to the rockin’ & jumpin’ blues music of  Johhny O, the Blue F.O.’s featuring Connor James  as part of the Fountains Summer Concert Series.

WHEN: July 21, 2012

Vintners Tasting:  6-8:30pm.

Concert & Wine Bar:  8-10pm.

WHERE:  The Fountains at Roseville, 1013 Galleria Blvd, Roseville, CA.

PARTICIPATING WINERIES:  Bonitata, Cante ao Vinho, Casque, Ciotti, Cristaldi, Dono dal Cielo, Fawnridge, Fortezza, Green Family, Lone Buffalo, Mt. Vernon, PaZa, Pescatore, Popie, Secret Ravine, Rancho Roble, Vina Castellano and Wise Villa.

TICKETS: Concert is Free.  Wine Tasting is $25 in advance / $30 at the door.  All tickets include wine tasting from 6-8:30, munchies and a souvenir wine glass. $35 VIP Ticket includes the addition of “preferred concert seating.”

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE:  www.placerwine.com

AT THE DOOR:  Cash or Check Only

For more information, contact placer(nospace)vintners at gmail.com

Tickets can be purchased online here.

Summer White Wines at 40% Off this Weekend at Casque in Loomis

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Currently one of my favorite things to do is pack a picnic (Paleo, naturally) and head up to Casque Wines for live music. That’s just what we did last weekend. We grilled up a grass-fed ribeye sent to me by Rocky Mountain Organic Meats (chilled it) and put it on top of a salad. I also made salsa and guacamole to go on the side as a sort of dipping sauce. Lime, cilantro, strawberries, then melon for dessert–and a glass of Casque’s newly released Vin Gris rose. Good times!

Stop by the winery this weekend to pick-up a mixed case of 2008 and 2009 summer white wines at 40% off the case.  Wine Club Members get a whopping 50% off.  This deal is available for a limited time so don’t miss out.  All of the wines for sale are award winners!

Quinn Hedges is in the house TONIGHT from 6-9! Feel free to bring your own food or appetizers or  pick-up some tasty yet affordable food from the Gourmet Garage next door and listen to some great live music. I have heard Quinn play before at The Chef’s Table, so I can tell you he’s great!

Casque is Open:  Thursday – Saturday 12noon – 9pm, Sunday 12noon – 5pm at 3273 Swetzer Road in Loomis.  Just 5 minutes from the Horseshoe Bar Exit at I-80.  www.casquewines.com or 916-660-9671.

You can find Casque on Facebook here. You can find Rocky Mountain Organic Meats on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.

I NEED YOUR VOTE BY JULY 8th!

Pretty please! If you have a Facebook account, you can help me win the California Avocado Commission’s avocado recipe contest.

This week, submitted my recipe for Hard Boiled Eggs with Avocado, Cumin, and Curry.

Of all the entries submitted, the CA Avocado Commission will choose the top 5 vote recipients, prepare those recipes and then determine the top 3 winners.

You can vote for me every 24 hours until July 8th! 🙂

To vote, please follow the link here. Don’t forget to share the link. There are a few entries with over 100 votes, so I really need some help on this one!

Thank you in advance!!

Cauliflower “Steaks”

So, this recipe is proof that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated, messy, time consuming, or expensive. We all like that, don’t we? 🙂

Also, it’s a great crowd pleaser because it’s Paleo, vegan and vegetarian, gluten free, sugar free, soy free, and dairy free!

And I like it because it doesn’t take much to explain how to make it!

I got the idea from listening to the Good Food Podcast with Evan Kleiman. She described her favorite preparation of cauliflower (this way), and I was sold. Last time I was at the market, I bought two heads of cauliflower so I could experiment, and this is what I did:

Preheat oven to 375°

Do NOT core the cauliflower. Instead, cut the cauliflower straight down (vertically) so that you have 2 or 3 large pieces (steaks) with the florets still attached to the core.

Lay flat on a baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Then sprinkle with your favorite sea salt. I have a fancy grey salt I got as a gift on my birthday from The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa that I have been using in everything! 🙂

Place in oven and allow the cauliflower to roast… it will almost fry in the oil. After about 25 minutes, remove from the oven and flip the steaks with a spatula. Then return the pan to the oven and roast again for 20-25 more minutes, or until steaks are golden brown.

And that’s it! It’s that easy. And, that thing you have always been throwing in the trash… you know, the core? It’s the most delicious part!! 🙂

Spicy Fourth of July Burgers and Fun Holiday Wines

KABOOM!!!!

Happy Birthday America! To celebrate, here’s a burger recipe I’d like to share with you that will really blow up your Fourth of July celebration!!

Spicy Fourth of July Burgers
Ingredients:
1 pound grass fed beef
(The meat we used was a 1 pound package of Certified Organic grass-fed beef from Rocky Mountain Organic Meats.)
2 chipotle peppers
1 Tbs crushed garlic
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp chili powder
salt to taste

To prepare, seed and remove the membrane from the chipotle peppers. Put them in a food processor with the garlic and all the other spices.

Mix the processed chipotle mixture with the beef in a medium-sized bowl. Make sure the mixture is well incorporated. Form into patties based on the size you want. We made three out of the pound, and they were the perfect size.

We sampled three different wines with our dinner last night. The distributor sent a bottle of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages, [yellow tail] Sweet Red Roo, and a bottle of Hob Nob Cabernet Sauvignon (from Languedoc-Roussillon, France)

Of the three wines, I thought the Beaujolais-Villages worked best. It was fruity and acidic enough to stand up to the spiciness of the burgers.

The [yellow tail] Sweet Red Roo reminded me of some sweeter Amador wines I have tried, but without the high alcohol. It would be best served with a little chill or used in a sangria.

The Hob Nob was a nice end to the meal because it had a nice tobacco and chocolate finish. It’s a dry wine, but it served very well as dessert. Unless you count the glass of Rockwall Chardonnay that I went back to after that. Hey, it’s summer… gotta drink those whites!! 😛

I also made a Peach and Chipotle Ketchup (from scratch, naturally) to top these burgers. Stay tuned for the recipe. Peaches are really coming into season, and you’ll definitely want to try this out. The ketchup is both sweet and spicy and tasted great on the burger as well as on top of the eggplant and sweet potato fries we made last night.

About Rocky Mountain Organic Meats
Rocky Mountain Organic Meats offers Certified Organic grass-fed beef along with a large selection of other organic foods such as fruits, vegetables and poultry. All of their meats are 100% grass-fed and grass-finished. Their livestock is raised the old-fashioned way; no steroids or growth hormones, no antibiotics and no grain.

The only ingredients are clean water, grasses and fresh air. They also process the meat according to stringent USDA regulations. The meat can be ordered cut according to your specifications. You can order a quarter, half or full side of meat to fill you freezer.

You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.

Robert Cray Plays Uptown Theatre in Napa, September 8th

Five-time Grammy Award winner Robert Cray will be making a stop in Napa at the Uptown Theatre on September 8th, 2012.

Recently inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame (at 57 years, the youngest living inductee) Cray is considered “one of the greatest guitarists of his generation.”  Rolling Stone Magazine (April 2011) credits Cray’s Strong Persuader with reinventing the blues with his “distinct razor sharp guitar playing” that “introduced a new generation of mainstream rock fans to the language and form of the blues.”

Cray has recorded fifteen Billboard charting studio albums, performed thousands of sold out shows, and has written or played with everyone from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan, from Bonnie Raitt to John Lee Hooker.

With over 12 million records sold and his own line of Fender guitars, Cray has established himself as a genre defining artist- breaking through the pop ceiling with his gate crashing/blues-edged trademark sound and distinct style that has become a signature blend of r&b, pop, rock, soul and traditional blues.  The New York Times says, “his voice, alternately smooth and craggy, is often richer and more emotive than Mr. Clapton’s, and he knows the best ways to use it,” while Guitar Player Magazine noted, “Robert Cray is not only making great music he’s making history…”

The show at the Uptown Theatre begins at 8pm.
Tickets are $35 and$45 dollars each. You can buy tickets by clicking here.
The Uptown Theatre is located at 1350 3rd Street, Downtown Napa.
You can find them on Facebook here and follow them on twitter here.

Gluten and Sugar Free Baking in Sacramento

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OK, I know how that sounds. To anyone on a standard American diet, sugar free and gluten free sound like flavor free. I am here to change your mind! 🙂

On Sunday, I retired my old website, cakegrrl.com. I didn’t see the point of maintaining the blog because the name alone is 180° degrees from the lifestyle I now lead. The site contained hundreds of recipes containing processed food, wheat, sugar, etc. and I just didn’t want to tie myself to any of that anymore.

So now, here it is… I have redirected the cakegrrl.com traffic to this site, and I am hoping my long time readers will embrace the change. One thing I decided I would do over the weekend, is make myself available for hire again as a baker. The only catch is that the treats I make will be gluten and sugar free, as well as entirely from scratch and made from organic ingredients whenever possible.

Last year, I had high aspirations of being on the Food Network show Cupcake Wars, and my pals Ryan Donahue and Moriah Piper helped me make an audition video. Though I didn’t make it on the show, this video shows some of what I can do, why I believe in gluten/sugar free, and it still makes me smile when I watch it. 🙂

Is a cake made from almond flour Paleo? Hmm… not exactly, but the desserts I make are far more healthy and nutrient dense than a cake made with vegetable shortening, flour, and sugar (not to mention soy, soybean oil and artificial colors/flavors). Everything you see in the slideshow above is gluten and free of refined sugar. The chocolate I use for my truffles, cookies, cakes etc. is 70% cacao content or higher.

If you have a gluten allergy, or have adopted a gluten-free or Paleo lifestyle for whatever reason, and you are looking for someone to cater dessert or a cake for your event, you can contact me at misscavegrrl at gmail. I am especially interested in working with gluten free or Paleo brides-to-be! Cheers!

Picture of me was taken by Debbie Cunningham. Check out her Facebook page here!

Paleo Picnic: Lamb Burgers with Curry Ketchup

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This past weekend turned out to be pretty good weather, so RB and I decided we would pack a picnic and head over to Music in the Park at Curtis Park. It was a great time, and enjoyed by people of all ages.

We sat on a blanket made up of squares of old polyester pants sewn together by RB’s Yia, Yia. In our picnic basket, we brought lamb burgers wrapped in napa cabbage and topped with rings of red onion, avocado, feta cheese, and curry ketchup that I made just before we packed the basket. We also brought a broccoli, cauliflower, and bacon sauté with toasted almonds and our favorite snack, parsnip chips.

Suggested wine pairing is the Shenandoah Vineyards Zingiovese, which is a 54% Sangiovese, 48% Zinfandel blend*. A beautiful elixir from our friends at Sobon Estate that stands up to the spicy and sweet of the curry ketchup and the meatiness of the lamb.

*The percentages do not add up to 100%, but I took the blend info straight from their informational PDF here. *shrugs* 😉

And now… the recipes!

Lamb Burgers
1 lb ground lamb (we used Superior Farms)
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbs oregano
1 tsp coriander
1 1/2 Tbs crushed garlic
pinch salt
Mix all ingredients together with your hands in a medium-sized bowl until well incorporated. Form into 3 or 4 patties (3 for best results). Refrigerate until you are ready to grill.

Curry Ketchup
2 containers of organic tomatoes
(I used small, cherry sized yellow tomatoes)
1 small can of tomato sauce
1/3 cup water
2-3 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs pomegranate molasses (if you don’t have pomegranate molasses,
you can use regular molasses, or honey)
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp curry
2 tsp crushed garlic

Rinse the tomatoes then put them in a pot with the tomato sauce and the water. Bring to a simmer and cook the tomatoes and allow them to burst open. This is what you want. The tomatoes will cook and break down and get thick this way. Keep the mixture on a simmer until the liquid content reduces by half. Then, add the rest of the ingredients (all the spices and the molasses, then the tomato paste). At this point, the mixture will resemble ketchup, so continue to reduce until it gets to your desired thickness.

This recipe makes about 1 1-2 to 2 cups, so you can bottle the unused portion and refrigerate for a week. The funny thing is, is that on a picnic with RB, the ketchup didn’t make it through the night. When we got home, he piled some more of the vegetables on a plate and on top of them went the rest of the ketchup. 😉 At least I know he loved it, so that’s why I decided to share the recipe with you.

The “bun” for our burgers were leaves of napa cabbage. The leaves of the cabbage are durable enough to conveyor belt the meat to your mouth, but tender enough to bite into. We sliced the red onion very thin, and naturally, feta was the cheese of choice.

Thanks again to Superior Farms for providing such a nice variety of lamb. We really enjoyed all the cuts. You can see how we prepared the rack here and the boneless leg here.