I love to eat outside!! If there is an outside patio at a restaurant I am on it. Growing up in Northern California, the majority of the time it was just too cold to eat outside, so I think eating in the great outdoors is still a novelty for me. Sure I have lived in So Cal for 10 years now, however the excitement still hasn't worn off. It just makes me happy, plain and simple.


Today I had the pleasure of going to Beach House Fish which is on the Ventura Pier. Small random fact for the day, did you know the pier is from 1872? That is an old pier!! And I walked on it!! And I am still alive!! Yes, I have a lot to be grateful for at this moment. Anyway I digress.


Beach House Fish actually has several eating venues on the pier. There is a walk up taco shack style counter and then there is the fish market, bar and restaurant. Both venues have outdoor seating. Yes!!


I heard that Beach House Fish started as a food truck, however I don't see any mention of that on its web page and to be honest I failed to ask while I was there...because...well I was too busy eating...which is a testament to the food. As many of you know I love to talk and so if I am too busy eating instead of talking that must mean the food is good.


What I can tell you is that the location of Beach House Fish use to be Eric Ericsson's Fish Company which was a Ventura landmark. The restaurant opened it 1981 and took over the current location in 1996. Beach House Fish still belongs to the same family, however the torch has been passed from father to daughter with the new restaurant.


Beach House Fish has incredible food! The fish is amazingly fresh and you can taste the difference!! The menu has an innovative concept in that you can pick the protein (type of fish, shellfish, chicken, etc), pick the menu item (salad, pasta, tacos, etc) and then pick the sides. They also offer an eclectic craft beer, wine and cocktail menu. Yes, I was pretty much in heaven!!


So we decided to try a few dishes, however to be honest the menu looked so amazing I so want to go back and try more. For example, I didn't get to try the Oysters Rockefeller and those are usually one of my staples, but I needed motivation to return. What I did try was the Clam Chowder which was perfect!! It had big chunks of clams and potatoes, it was creamy but not so thick that it coated your mouth and it had great spice, a little zesty but not overpowering. My friend thought she may have detected even a hint of cinnamon, however her pallet is definitely more refined than mine.


We also tried the seared ahi fish tacos and let me just say the ahi was cooked perfectly. It was seared on the outside and still raw on the inside. The fish was fresh and it had a nice avocado sauce on it.


For me personally, I always judge a seafood restaurant on it's just plain 'ol seafood, so I ordered some crab legs. They were so good!! They were salty, cooked perfectly, fresh and meaty. It is always fun to fight with a crab cracker and a crab leg and I had a blast wrestling for my lunch.


And of course we had to try a few cocktails, so I tried the Ojai Rose which was light, crisp and refreshing. My friend had a blueberry and mint mojito which was also really nice!!


I really would go back to this restaurant in a heart beat. The menu has something for everyone, the ingredients are fresh, the location is gorgeous and you just can't beat sitting outside, listening to the ocean and enjoying good food and good company. Just so you know you do order from a counter and you have to go grab your food, but it is worth it, and if there is a line, it is still worth it. I love the rustic vibe and the food is served on metal plates with old school brown paper, it just feels chill and old school. Love it!

Here is the web page http://www.beachhousefish.com/#about Happy Memorial Day and please take a moment to be grateful. Cheers!!

I love chorizo!! All of it!! I love the Spanish variety which is the dried and cured type. It is incredible for grilling, for soup, for eating with cheese or for adding flavor to rice or pasta dishes. If you have a hard time finding it, you can always order it on Amazon. I love the Mexican variety which is spicy, greasy and usually made with Beef or Pork. This type can be found anywhere. And I actually love soy chorizo which is...well made with soy. I have found that it has really good flavor and I often toss it in with my scrambled eggs in the morning...I have just never thought of cooking with it for some reason.



So when I found this recipe for a paella style rice dish made with soy chorizo I decided to give it a try. And I loved it!! This recipe has great flavor from the soy chorizo and the saffron and although this recipe is far from a traditional paella, it really made me happy. It is colorful, festive, had good flavors and tasted fresh and zesty.

To begin with, brown the soy chorizo in a skillet. Remove from pan.


Next saute the onions in olive oil until soft and tender. Add the garlic and saffron, which is the most expensive spice on the planet, but seriously well worth it because it has a distinct taste that is truly unique only to...well saffron.



Next add the rice and bell pepper. Stir in the wine and cook until reduced. For some reason I love the smell of wine cooking. It was in this step that my house started smelling incredible, between the onions, saffron and wine...mmmm...I was just happy.


Add the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a simmer, cooking for approximately 20 minutes.


Finally, add the edamame. The recipe calls for frozen, however I used fresh from Trader Joe's and that worked equally as well.

Serve with parsley and green onions on top.

Beautiful, healthy and really flavorful!! This is definitely one to try if you are a Vegetarian or if you just wanted to make a Vegetarian meal or if you just want a really colorful dish for the table. Enjoy!!

Here is the actual recipe:

6 ounces meatless soy chorizo (such as Soyrizo)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 large)
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Valencia or other medium-grain rice
1 cup (1/2-inch) pieces red bell pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups organic vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions


Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add soy chorizo to pan, and cook for 12 minutes or until browned, crumbling and stirring occasionally. Place in a small bowl, and set aside.

2. Return pan to medium heat. Add olive oil, swirling to coat. Add yellow onion; cover and cook for 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add saffron and garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup rice and bell pepper; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in white wine, and cook for 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently. Add vegetable broth and salt; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

3. Return soy chorizo to pan, and stir in edamame. Cook for 5 minutes or until edamame is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and 1/4 cup green onions.

I am not one of those California natives who becomes giddy at the site of a celebrity, hell half the time I don't even recognize them....or I think they look familiar, but I am not sure if I recognize them from the grocery store or a TV show #truth. However, I watch Food Network like it is crack and so I can recognize Chefs like they are movie stars and I get a little giggly when I come in contact with them. Yesterday was no exception when I had the opportunity to watch Spring Baking Championship at Carrara's Pastries in Moorpark with Damiano Carrara.

Let me start by saying I love Sesame Street. As a young child it was one of the few programs my Mom allowed me to watch and so it quickly became my favorite. And one of the highlights of the show was when they played that song about one of the things not being like the others and they showed 4 pictures, with one of them being blatantly different from the others...ya know the 3 pictures of a banana and one picture of an apple.

However, have you ever thought of just how true to life that song really is? As a child I had no problem or actually no thought about being different and then high school or maybe junior high hits and you are so aware of any differences from your peers that they become almost crippling. In my experience, in high school you are still aware of the differences, but you are willing to be slightly different to stand out whether it is for the purpose of dating or getting into the college of your dreams. In your 20's your differences increase, but you are still trying to "fit in" and it is common for your insecurities to haunt you. However, now in my late 30's I am starting to truly embrace my differences and celebrate them. Now instead of wanting to be one of the bananas I recognize that I am the apple and I am ok with it.

Yes believe it or not all of my soap box rants really do have a food tie in. So the other night I was making a Mexican Fiesta Casserole. Since I am on this high protein diet I am so sick of chicken that I could gag so I decided to make a healthy casserole with ground turkey. Yes, I know it is a sad day when you are celebrating eating ground turkey instead of chicken, but we have to celebrate the small successes, right? Anyway I saw this picture in Bobby Deen's cookbook for this casserole and it looked cheesy, yummy and comforting so I decided to make it it. This is the picture in the cookbook:



And well this is a picture of my finished product:



And yes I really did follow the recipe. Granted the casserole tastes really good, but one of these is just not like the other.

I loved that this recipe has a double dose of protein between the black beans and the ground turkey and between the taco seasoning and the salsa it has a nice kick to it. I also used Organic homemade tortillas from Whole Foods, which granted were a little more pricey, but they gave the recipe a really nice ground corn taste. All and all this casserole made me happy...and it wasn't just because it wasn't chicken, although that definitely helped.



To begin with, cook the turkey in oil, until browned. As a side note, turkey looks disgusting when it is  raw. Ack!! Next add the onions and zucchini and cook until tender. Stir in the taco seasoning, water and the corn and simmer until thickened. I also used taco seasoning from Whole Foods and it had great flavor and did not taste as processed as the typical taco seasoning you find in those paper packets. Finally add the black beans.


This casserole is made similar to a lasagna, in that the components are layered.

So begin with salsa on the bottom of the pan.


Next add 4 tortillas.


Half the turkey mixture and more salsa.


Then add a layer of cheese, more tortillas, the rest of the turkey and finish with salsa and cheese.

Here is the actual recipe:

2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
1 envelope (1 1/4 ounces) low-sodium taco seasoning
2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups jarred salsa
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup sliced scallions (white and light green parts only)
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream (or use low-fat; optional), for serving

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the onions and zucchini and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the taco seasoning, 2/3 cup water, and the corn. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes, then stir in the black beans.

3. Spread 1/2 cup of the salsa in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay 4 tortillas over the salsa, and spoon half of the meat mixture on top. Cover with 3/4 cup of the salsa and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Top with 4 more tortillas and the remaining 3/4 cup salsa. Scatter the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese over the top.

4. Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Slice and serve, topped with scallions and sour cream.

I am at that stage in my training where I am getting frustrated that certain parts of my body are not changing "fast enough," in my estimation. My arms and shoulders are looking damn good and it felt like they started to take shape quickly, however my abs, butt and legs are just slow to follow and that is getting my panties in a bodybuilding bunch. On a side note, I am also the single most impatient person on the planet and I also have cheated here and there on my diet.

Loved that we had shirts on with saying. My lovely trainer-Angela Marquez

So after discussing my progress with my trainer, we came up with a few things that I need to tweak.

1. When I get back from Costa Rica I need to be a bit more strict with the diet.
2. I need to incorporate abs into just about every workout...make 'em burn
3. I need to add a little more cardio and unfortunately this does not involve going out and running 8 miles, it involves more time on an elliptical or treadmill, fighting high resistance. Hell I will take any cardio I can get.

I did have a few training highlights that I am sure that you will find amusing and uplifting.

1. Have you ever noticed that every single personal trainer has a stutter? Or if its not a stutter then they are just really crappy at counting. They tend to repeat numbers like 5, 4, 3,3,3,3,2, 1 when they are counting down your reps. It is always at that point in your workout when your muscles are burning so bad you want to cry and they just sit there stuttering with a mischievous look on their face.  And they wonder why we hate them?

My Tuesday torture buddy!

2. I was having a rough week...emotionally and physically...and so I needed to mix up my workouts a little bit. I attended two boot camp or booty camp classes this week. One was indoors and my co-worker had a field day with my phone.

Yes, this is payback!!

However, I walked away from that class after so many hip taps that I seriously looked in the mirror to see if my ribs were bruised from hitting the floor so many times. They were not bruised on the exterior, but I am pretty sure I had internal bleeding (yes, I am being a drama queen).


The other class was this morning on the boardwalk and it was awesome to look out at the beautiful ocean, the serene boats and feel like you are being tortured....such a contradiction. But how can you not be motivated by 7 strong women doing booty tapping squats. Love the girl power!!


3. My trainer makes animal names for a lot of her moves. They are these hardcore bodybuilding moves and then she gives them light and fluffy names to make them sound more gentle. For example, arm flys are called bear hugs because you want your arms and shouldered positioned wide like you are hugging a bear. She also calls traveling squats "froggy jumps." Sounds pleasant right? It is the farthest thing from pleasant...as soon as she busts out an animal name I know I am screwed in a big way. But in her defense it does help me remember the moves and the correct form.

4. Now of course a week can't go by without some clumsy mayhem on my part and so this week was no different, I nearly tripped over a step while doing toe taps and almost went head first into a mirror. My trainer, however did pay me the biggest compliment by calling me,"...a hyper clumsy bodybuilding monster." I am pretty sure we are in love!! Haha



5. I also have a new fitness goal. I want a bodybuilders walk. Have you ever noticed that they walk with their ass in the air and their legs are a little farther apart and their thighs definitely do not touch...it is awesome! It just screams I am a bad ass! My trainer has a walk like that and right now I am crazy jealous.

Now as I mentioned above I do cheat here and there on my diet so on Friday night I had appetizers and a glass of wine with a dear friend. I made a Strawberry Balsamic Goat Cheese Bruschetta and it was too die for!! Here is the recipe and some pics...hell this is still a food blog, right? Btw, I also made a really healthy chicken spinach salad...that was disgusting...I spared you all from that pain and suffering. Bleck!!

Original recipe makes 12 slices

 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
 12 slices Italian bread
 1 tablespoon olive oil
 1 pound strawberries, washed and diced
 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
 1 cup goat cheese, room temperature
 salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
Heat vinegar in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Simmer until reduced by about half, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Prepare a grill for high heat. Place bread slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
Combine strawberries and thyme in a small bowl and set aside.
Grill bread on the preheated grill until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
Spread goat cheese on toasted bread. Add black pepper, salt, and reduced vinegar to the strawberry mixture. Spoon over the goat cheese topped bruschetta. Garnish with additional thyme.


** As a side note I used blackberry balsamic vinegar and it was awesome **