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Saucy, Saucy Quarantine

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Well, 2020 came in hot and has made a lasting impression, particularly on my cooking game. While I kicked at-home chef-ing into high gear the first 10 weeks of quarantine, I’ve added in more take out and periodic fasting into my regimen. Now it’s winter and along with it is a recommitment to all things wholesome cooking.

It’s no secret that sauces are life for me, and being able to change up my recipe favorites by throwing in some different flavor profiles has made this whole quarantine thing much more tolerable. Kind of. If you’re feeling the need to change up your meal routine, I happily present to you some of my all time favorite go to sauces, plus a few photos of my favorite meals since March 13. Continue reading

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2015 Most Grateful Moments

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As 2015 came to a close, I realized that while I wouldn’t call it the best year, it was full of challenges and events which have helped form me into a stronger (albeit slightly wider) person. As an active Oregonian, it was most difficult for me to hang up my snowboard for the season as well as my road bike in order to make way for bodily healing. I’m happy to report that I am on the mend and look forward to sharing more outdoor adventures with you in 2016, but 2015 was absolutely the year of much cooking and a few outdoor memories. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, and while I didn’t accomplish all my wishes during 2015, I made many other memories that wouldn’t have been possible if life happened the way I planned.

Below is a compilation of the best of the best:

Veggie Burger (would have been vegan, but I had to add cheese)
Sadly, my family bid adieu to our beloved Aussie-Border Collie mix, Delilah. You will be greatly missed, Miss D.
First pop up jewelry show for Mother’s Day!
Ground beef and veggie zucchini boat
Avalanche tulips blanketed the way to Cairin Basin (Mt. Hood, OR)
A brilliant way to spent 4th of July: Cascade Head (Lincoln City, OR)
First stab at zucchini noodles was a resounding success
Coconut shrimp with grilled apricots and peanut coconut jalapeno drizzle
A most amazing autumn view of Mt. Hood (Lost Lake, OR)
Mt. Tamalpais view from Larkspur, CA
Waterfalls at Hug Point (Canon Beach, OR)
Zucchini “tortilla” and breakfast burrito
New Year’s Day frozen waterfall hiking at Triple Falls (Columbia River Gorge)
Dahlia Festival (Canby, OR)
About to descend into the Ape Caves lava tubes (Mt. St. Helens, WA)
Crazy awesome oyster shooters and beer flights at Fort George Brewery (Astoria, OR)
Columbia River Gorge view while hiking to Ponytail Falls
Mt. Hood’s profile from Maryhill Winery (Columbia River Gorge, WA side)
Mushroom ravioli with roasted butternut squash, hazelnuts and spinach in a cream sauce
Hiking up to Cairin Basin (Mt. Hood, OR)
The best damn olive tapenade e-v-e-r

 

Synopsis of Summer: Splendid

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Triple Falls (Columbia River Gorge)
Hardy Falls (Columbia River Gorge)
Pool of Winds (Columbia River Gorge)
Mt. Scott (Crater Lake, OR)
Ponytail Falls (Columbia River Gorge)
Stand up Paddleboarding (Portland, OR)
Kona, Hawaii
Columbia River Gorge (Oregon side)
Tom, Dick and Harry (Mt. Hood)
Providence Bridge Pedal (Portland, OR)
Mt. Hood from Mirror Lake
Punch Bowl Falls (Columbia River Gorge)
Crater Lake (OR)
Oneonta Falls (Columbia River Gorge)
Manta Ray Dive (Kona, Hawaii) – Photo credit: Hawaii Oceanic
Wildlife Safari (Winston, OR)
Mountain Biking (Hood River, OR)

With one of the hottest summers on record, I found myself extra incentivized to find ways to cool down and enjoy outdoor time. Hiking is a standard practice for me, but I also expanded my horizons and added mountain biking (a first!), stand up paddleboarding and a Wildlife Safari to my summertime activity.

Write ups are still in the works for some of these adventures, so in the meantime, enjoy this little gallery of my hiking, biking, and paddling over the past three months.

Charmed, I’m sure

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One of my latest necklace designs has centered around delicate charms showcasing a single phrase, like “Happiness”, “Believe”, “Inspire” “Hope” and “Dream”. I have never been one for charms; I’ve often found them tacky and that the meaning is lost behind so much bling. That being said, I do appreciate holding a sentimental word or phrase close to the heart. Here are some of my recent creations:

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Ladies Weekend to McNeil Point

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There’s something to be said about female empowerment, and a group of independent women backpacking through the wilderness one August weekend. McNeil Point is a hiking shelter on the side of Mt. Hood, and can either be a hefty day hike or a multi-day trip. My lady friends and I decided to commune with nature, and make a weekend excursion out of the 8 mile trail. Continue reading