Travel Tuesday: Dishing Through Setouchi Japan’s Distinctive Dining Scene

On today's Travel Tuesday I'm taking you back to Japan's Setouchi Island region. While last week's post was focussed on wellness, today we will dive into the culinary scene. 

When one thinks of Japan’s Setouchi Islands region, visions of pristine beaches, sparkling blue waters and a thriving art scene might spring to mind. However, this peaceful, authentic region of Japan, which spans fully 700 islands and seven prefectures surrounding the Seto Inland Sea, also boasts a diverse climate that yields some ancient—and even delightfully quirky—culinary experiences.

via Setouchi DMO

When visiting this fascinating country, be sure to titillate your taste buds with a serving of “hidden sushi.” While visually simple at first blush, turn the so-called “Bara Sushi” dish upside down to reveal a hidden underbelly rife with gorgeous ingredients.

Asian inspired Pumpkin Dish

"Hello. It's me.." AdeleVoice ... I'm back! It's been a while... I really wanted to keep up the COVID diary, but life stayed so busy (even working from home). Go figure - I didn't. Sorry guys! How is everyone doing? Kids back at school - or home schooling? 

I'm coming out of hiatus to hopefully put a new dish on your tables! It's easy, great for fall, and very yummy. Here we go!

(If you use links in this post, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Full Disclosure) 

The Taste of Home // Getting my German Groceries here in the USA!

I came back from my trip to Europe a little over two weeks ago, and realized I forgot to do one major thing: more shopping! In my latest YouTube video I shared what I actually brought:


But I sure forgot to hit the grocery store to buy some Knorr and Maggi seasonings, and probably more Lebkuchen, Domino Steine, Marzipan Kartoffeln, and all the other German Christmas goodies. Thank goodness I can now find most of the things right here in the USA, and I can even go shopping at my local World Market! I found so much online, I sure have to plan a visit this weekend.

Happy Saturday! Let's Celebrate Better Breakfast Month with Café Valley Bakery!

Happy Saturday! Did you know September is the official "Better Breakfast Month"? During the week I rather sleep 30 more minutes than prepping myself a breakfast, but on weekends I LOVE getting up, making myself some coffee and breakfast, enjoying it in front of the TV while watching "Fixer Upper" and "The Pioneer Woman". That's my Saturday morning routine. Do you have one?

(I was provided with a free product for my review. All opinions are my own. I would never endorse a product I don't like or believe in. If you use links in this post, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Full Disclosure) 

A week ago I received a wonderful care package from my friends at Café Valley Bakery. You might have heard of them before, since it's the same company that had brought Dr. Pepper Soda Cake to the market. Now they are hoping to celebrate Better Breakfast Month (September) with you, too!

I received cocktail croissants, orange cranberry muffins, and pumpkin cream cheese coffee cake bites (which were my favorite!). Since it's just two of us in the household and the cocktail croissant package is HUGE, I put most of the croissants into ziploc bags (four of them/bag) and into the freezer. Now if we want a fresh croissant, we just take them out of the freezer, let them thaw for about an hour, and heat them up a little on top of the toaster (life hack right here!). DELICIOUS!

Happy National Jerky Day! // Celebrate with T.O.P. Chops Jerky

Happy National Jerky Day! Yes, that's a thing! To celebrate, T.O.P. Chops Snacks sent me a pretty awesome care package full of yummy beef jerky. They knew it's one of our go to snacks on road trips, hikes, bike rides, and camping trips. So you can imagine how happy I was when the mail man dropped the package off! You will find a 50% off coupon on the bottom of this post, so make sure to check it out!

(I was provided with a free product for my review. All opinions are my own. I would never endorse a product I don't like or believe in. If you use links in this post, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Full Disclosure) 



American made! T.O.P. Chops Jerky is a handcrafted jerky made from American beef with no additives or preservatives, and it’s grown from an at-home hobby to a thriving, national snack brand disrupting the jerky industry—in just six short years. My favorite - when it comes to beef jerky - has always been Teriyaki. What is your favorite?

The minute the package arrived, my boyfriend started opening up one bag of each flavor and we started sampling. It's super yummy!

Dusty Jaquins, who is one of the co-founders of T.O.P. Chops, started making jerky from his Atlanta kitchen using an old family recipe. So of course it tastes great! It's from the south!

Asian Grocery Store Haul // New Video!

Check out what I bought at the asian grocery store in Monroe, Louisiana! Sorry about the bad quality this time - my camera bit the dust 😥 the next video and especially sound will be better again! What's your favorite item in asian grocery stores? What would you want me to buy and try on camera? This could get funny 🤣! Leave a comment!


Since I am more active on YouTube lately, I packed my experiences and suggestions into a video. If you haven't done so, I would be super happy if you would check out my channel and maybe even subscribe!

Want to Eat Like a Local in Mississippi? Give These Five Food Oddities a Try

There is no better way to get to know a place than through the local food culture. Mississippi is known for it’s delicious food and has no shortage of great restaurants. But if you are feeling a little adventurous, you might try a few of these local food oddities that only locals know about:

Hurricane Harvey Recovery // Bloggers For Texas

This post is dedicated to those affected by Hurricane Harvey. Please find a list of reputable charities on the bottom of this post. Thanks!

Harvey struck our neighbors and friends in Texas bad. So myself and a couple of wonderful bloggers wanted to team and to do SOMETHING. Susanne's wonderful idea was, that we would each post a Texas style recipe onto our blogs, along with information on some reputable charities to which our readers can donate. Then we would link all of our recipes together and try to reach as many people as we possibly could. So this is what this post is about!

And I'm sharing my favorite Burger recipe:

Find all linked up recipes and charities below. 

Recipe: Grains Zucchini Bowl

Today I want to share one of my go-to summer recipes (besides the "Cool Cucumber Soup"): A "Grains Zucchini Bowl"!
I love the Minute® Brown Red Wild Quinoa Multi-Grain Medley! It only takes about 30 mins to prep it, and it tastes delicious warm or cold. It's quick, fresh, healthy & vegan/vegetarian.

If I feel like having some more protein with it, I grill some fish, or half an avocado with an egg inside. Sure, chicken breast works, too. The bowl can easily be your main dish, but it works great as a side dish.

Find the printable recipe below, and don't forget to Pin & share.

Guten Appetit! :)

print recipe

Grains Zucchini Bowl

by www.grapefruitprincess.com August-15-2017

For the grains I usually use "Minute® Brown Red Wild Quinoa Multi-Grain Medley", but you can use plain rice or quinoa, too. Just get creative!

Ingredients

• 2 bags Grains
• 1 medium sized, shredded Zucchini
• 1 15oz can, drained and rinsed Beans (Black or Pinto)
• 1 15oz can, drained Whole Kernel Corn
• Juice of 2 Limes
• 1/2 cup, chopped Fresh Cilantro
• 2 tbsp Butter (unsalted)
• to taste Salt & Pepper

Instructions

In a large saucepan of 1 3/4 cups water, cook the grains according to package instructions.Remove from heat and stir in black beans, corn, zucchini, butter, lime juice and cilantro.
Serve immediately.Cover and let stand 5 minutes.Fluff everything with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4 Servings

Recipe: Stuffed Mushrooms with Sweet Potato, Spinach & Goat Cheese

Mushrooms are my best buddies because they are full of Vitamin D, which I need TONS of in my diet. After a while just frying or chopping them into a salad gets old, so I am always happy to find new ways to prepare them. Today I want to share one of my favorite mushroom recipes with you!

Don't forget to PIN for later :) thanks!

They are great as appetizers, they go well with salad, and you can bring them to the next BBQ, too! I hope you'll like them as much as I do! And feel free to share your mushroom recipes in the comments.

Cafe & Deli: Ill Amore // Nuremberg, Germany

Cafe, deli, homemade cake, soups & stews, champagne, wine, tea, fancy lemonades, plus wonderful and odd gifts... All this and a lot more including a homey and cozy atmosphere to chill, talk and people-watch can be found right in the center of Nuremberg, Germany.

Ladies and Gentlemen, if you ever make it to this pretty city full of history and medieval architecture, make sure to stop at my favorite spot:



My sister took me to this lovely place first thing after I touched down in Germany during my trip to Europe in December 2016. I sure was jet-lagged and in need of coffee. Coffee - my love! Let me tell you this: What is considered coffee over here (well - at most places), would go straight into the sink in Europe. We live coffee. We know coffee. We celebrate coffee. The "Ill Amore" has a top notch coffee machine. Yes, it's a HUGE MACHINE. So there's a wonderful selection of different drinks like latte macchiato, cafe au lait, espresso... Strong and great tasting coffee.

#ILoveBread

I mean of course I do. I'm German. We are the masters of the universe when it comes to baking bread. Check out this powerful video about the Grain Foods Foundation and enrich the stereotype on carbs:

 

Contest: Win $500 cash + Colman's Mustard product & goodies!

You can win $500 cash + Colman's Mustard product & goodies!

Simply upload your favorite recipe & photo that use Colman’s Dry or Prepared Mustard between January 13, 2017-February 5, 2017. Our panel of HOT judges will choose and announce a winner on February 8th, 2017 based on the following:

• Appeal 25% - Because, first you eat with your eyes! We want to see that insta-worthy presentation all your friends will like. 
• Ease 20% - We’re not looking for anything fancy here, just your favorite food to mess around with before kickoff! No artisan foams or dry ice here! 
• HOTNESS 30% - How hot did you dare to go? Melt your face off hot? Sweet and spicy heat? Mild, slow burn? We don’t care, as long as you made it HOT!
• Creativity 25% - How much did you mess around to get your masterpiece? Are you a true maverick in the tailgate food world, ready to rewrite the rules? Then show how you went that extra mile!

Bonus Points if you show Colman’s Mustard in your photo. 

*no purchase necessary 

Click HERE to enter!

 

Surf and Turf!

This past weekend we were in food heaven, thanks to Certified Steak and Seafood Company. They let me pick three of their products to review. It was hard to choose!

Here's a selection of what you can find on their website:

• 14 oz. Premium Angus Ribeye
• 8 oz. Angus Filet Mignon
• 24 oz. Premium Angus Porterhouse

• 9 oz. Chilean Sea Bass
• 8 oz. Norwegian Salmon
• 2 lb. Easy Peel Shrimp

• 6 oz. Bahamian Lobster Tail (2 pack)
• 9 oz. Chilean Sea Bass
• 8 oz. Angus Filet Mignon

Well - if you know me though, you already figured I went for some kind of "Surf and Turf" variation, since I LOVE seafood and you can never beat a good piece of beef. So I picked the 6 oz. Bahamian Lobster Tail, 9 oz. Chilean Sea Bass, and an 8 oz. Angus Filet Mignon. Good choice! I will definitely order more often from now on. I think I'm hooked. The quality of the food Certified Steak and Seafood Company offers is incredibly amazing!

Eat Local // The Root in Little Rock, AR

The morning after the Rocktoberfest (if you want to know about that event and see me in a Dirndl dress, click HERE) in North Little Rock, me and my friends went to one of THE breakfast spots in town: "The Root - a Local Cafe".



"The Root" is located on 
1500 South Main Street
Little Rock, AR,
72202

The hours are:
Tues - Fri 7am - 2:30pm // Saturday 8am - 3:30pm // Sunday Brunch 9am - 2pm

When we got there that Sunday around 9:15am, there was a line in front of the tiny location as usual, but after about 15-20 minutes we were inside and ready to order.

Little Rocktoberfest - Celebrating my German-ness with Beer (lots of it)

My fellow expats will understand: The second you hear of something homeland-ish happening, you are all in for it. So three weeks ago - when I actually just wanted to meet up with my friends at their old house to pick up a barbell they gave me...
  Well, we decided to meet up in Little Rock (this is where they moved to - about 2 hrs drive from where I live. Or 1.5h) about 3 hrs later, and go to the Little Rocktoberfest. Since I just left the gym, I had to shower, pack my bag, grab my Dirndl dress (praying it would still fit), and hit the road in less than 60 minutes. Challenge accepted!

Long story short: As you can tell, I made it! We made it! On time! And the dirndl dress still fits! Whoop whoop!

  

So here's a little info about the "Little Rocktoberfest":

(Just in case you want to go there in 2017. I sure will.)

Celebrate Oktoberfest with home brewed, local, regional and international craft beers with a portion of the proceeds going to a local charity.
Join the Central Arkansas Fermenters for one of the largest beer festivals in Arkansas!
Celebrate Oktoberfest surrounded by one-of-a-kind homebrews, local breweries, the finest in delicious craft beers, and all other things BEER!
The Central Arkansas Fermenters are known for throwing a good party and this year the Big Damn Horns will be putting on one of their trademark high-energy shows. Be sure to wear your lederhosen or dirndl that lets you bust a move!
Be a part of our beer-mmunity by using #lrfest2016 in your Facebook and Instagram posts.

A portion of the proceeds will go to Arkansas Hands and Voices.
General Admission:
Before Day of Event: $30
Day of Event: $40
All ticket holders will receive a bratwurst dinner!
VIP Admission: $65
Includes admission one hour early (5PM), glass taster & lanyard, and event coozie.
...
Each year we, as a club, select a Charitable Organization to work with at Little RocktoberFest. This year our beneficiary is Arkansas Hands & Voices. A description of their organization as stated on their website:
The Arkansas chapter of Hands & Voices is an official chapter of Hands & Voices with a fully functioning board of directors. Our goal as a state chapter is to form a comprehensive group of parents and professionals that work together to benefit children and families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. We want to provide Arkansas families with the necessary resources, networking, and information in order to improve communication access and educational outcomes for their children. Our statewide activities, advocacy efforts, and parent/professional collaboration are all focused on enabling our deaf and hard-of-hearing children to reach their fullest potential!

Needless to say: I've had a blast. It was FAR from an actual German Oktoberfest, and actually there was nothing really German about it at all (especially not the so called Bratwurst Dinner), but it was an awesome event nonetheless. I don't know how many beers I've sampled, tasted, chugged... But it was worth the hangover!

  

The event was only 3 hours, but it definitely felt longer. Because there was so much to see, and especially so much to taste! I can't even point out my favorite brew of the night. They were all super yummy. Up until the Little Rocktoberfest, I was dang sure the best beer in the world is brewed in Deutschland. Well - I might have to change my opinion on that one. Next time I go to the Rock, I will make sure to bring some of the beers back home. It's football season, and there will be beer consumed in this house!

  

Oh and THIS was my view while eating my "Bratwurst Dinner" - it was a beautiful evening at Dickey Stephens Park in North Little Rock, AR! They even showed my the LSU college football game on big screen, which is odd since LR is knee deep in Hog Country! Well - ok, they only showed it because the Razorbacks game was delayed. Still. Geaux Tigers!

Bottomline: 

The Little Rocktoberfest is worth a visit and most definitely worth the money! Me and my friends had a blast, even one of them is highly pregnant and wasn't able to drink at all. Well besides some top notch home-brewed root beer! (Which was really amazing, by the way) If I still live here a year from now, I will go there again.  It was nothing "German", but I felt great wearing my dirndl dress, and...well...BEER, beer, beer, and great company!

Way to go, Central Arkansas Fermenters! 

 

Recipe: "On the Edge Burger" ...and a Burger Press Review!

Summertime, BBQ time! I love burgers. But plain old burgers are boring. I love spicing things up, and that's why I came up with this recipe. The "One the Edge Burger" is not your average burger since it's made with mango chutney, and curry! So yummy....and filling.

You might see my awesome square shaped burger patties. How I made those? I was using my brand new burger press from Cave Tools - which works wonderful! Just get your burger meat ready, put it in the burger press, close it, PRESS, open, done. Easy as that! If I can do it, you can do it!

LARGER - THICKER - JUICIER - Inspired by the size of world famous Bubba Burgers, your burger press makes 6 1/3 pound square burgers

BUILT IN BURGER DIMPLER is scientifically proven to make sure your hamburgers stay flat and cook evenly

SAVE EXTRA BURGERS FOR LATER - Your burger press seals tight and stacks easily in the freezer to keep your food fresh. When your finished throw it in the Dishwasher For Quick Cleanup

Want to order your own Cave Tools Burger Press? I can offer you a 15% off coupon - 

go ahead and order HERE using the following coupon code: LZEN8T4G

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

And here's my recipe! As usual: it's super easy, and I hope you'll love the burgers as much as I do!
Mahlzeit! (Please share & Pin for later!)

What you need (makes 5 square patties - or 4 regular ones)

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1/3 cup finely chopped Onions
• 1/4 cup Mango Chutney
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp Cilantro
• 2 tbsp Parsley 
• 1 tsp Curry Powder

Of course Hamburger buns or "Broetchen" (german word for "rolls" or "buns"), and whatever you like for garnish.
We used:

• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Iceberg Lettuce
• more Mango Chutney
• more Cilantro
• Swiss Cheese

Directions

• Lightly oil grill & heat BBQ to medium.
• Add all the ingredients, but the beef, into a big bowl
• Crumble in the beef, using your hands or a fork, gently mix together.
• Handle the meat as little as possible – the more you work it, the tougher it gets.
• Put the mixture in you Cave Tool Burger press, or shape (don’t press) the mixture into burgers about ¾ inch thick.
• Using your thumb, make a shallow depression in the centre of each burger to prevent puffing up during cooking. The Cave Tool Burger Press does this job for you, by the way!
• Place your burgers on the grill, close the lid and BBQ until they are no longer pink inside, turn them only once, about 6 – 8 minutes per side.
• If you have an instant read thermometer, it should read 160F.
• Don't abuse your burgers by pressing with a spatula, pricking with a fork or turning frequently as precious juices will be lost!
• Tuck into the bun& add your favorite toppings! 

Enjoy, and Guten Appetit!

And now for the obvious disclaimer: "I received the Burger Press complimentary from Cave Tools for testing purposes."

Yep. Free stuff for me to try and then review... because I'm Batman. 

Meal Planning Monday // Stuffed Zucchini Boats Recipe

This is a super quick & easy vegetarian recipe! You can add tuna to change it up a little, and for a bit extra protein. Enjoy, and don't forget to share, and Pin for later!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Zucchini (medium sized)
• 1 Onion
• 2 (Roma) Tomatoes
• 8 Mushrooms
• 2 Garlic Gloves
• 1/3 Cup Cream Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese
• Italian Seasoning
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 375°F. 

• Cut zucchini lengthwise in half and scoop out the centers onto a cutting board. Place the shells in a baking dish, and set aside.

• Dice the onions, mushrooms, garlic, and tomatoes. Chop zucchini pulp and place everything in medium bowl. Add the cream cheese, feta cheese, and mix lightly. Add seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

• Spoon evenly into the zucchini shells, and bake for about 35 mins, or until heated through.

 

Recipe Week, Day 5: Pizza!

TGIF! Pizza, anyone? This is my top re-pinned recipe on the blog. You will NEVER use store bought pizza dough anymore.
I promise!

Enjoy & don't forget to pin :)

 

Recipe Week, Day 4: Chocolate Protein Bars

It's Thursday - Recipe Week is still going strong!

Who's ready for a looooong weekend? I know I am! Today's recipe might be part of your dessert on Memorial Day - it's a "healthier" option: Chocolate Protein Bars!

Pin! Pin! Pin!