Hello Fun Seekers

The Passionate Pursuit of Delight

Holiday Shopping List – A Foolproof Way to Track Gift Buying

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On November 9, 2016

In Lifestyle

Holiday Shopping List Tracker

Why You Need a Holiday Shopping List Tracker

Thanksgiving is two weeks away! Then we will be full throttle into the holiday gift buying season. I enjoy coming up with ideas for thoughtful gifts for my family and friends. But, I needed a way to stay organized, enter the Holiday Shopping List Tracker.

You may not know this about me but I am a spreadsheet devotee. I have spreadsheets for everything. Here are a few examples: household expenses, menu-planning, packing lists, and yes, holiday gift buying. Now, I have over ten years of these spreadsheets now. I use them to track holiday gift ideas, purchases, and spending on gifts for my family and friends. Another bonus is that I can refer back to them from occasionally to make sure that I don’t duplicate gifts.

holiday-shopping-list-file-structure

I find that being organized helps keep the holiday stress to a minimum which is important to me. So, if you promise not to make too much fun of me, I will share a blank copy of the spreadsheet that I use with you.  Once you click on the link below the holiday shopping list tracker will open up.

Holiday Shopping List Tracker

 

Note: If you would like to get more helpful tips from me twice per month add your email in the side bar! 

The holiday shopping list tracker is super easy and effective to use. But, if you aren’t really comfortable with spreadsheets, I have prepared a short instructional video for you on how I use the holiday shopping list tracker.

How to Use the Holiday Shopping List Tracker

If videos aren’t your thing I will summarize the steps that I use here:

  • I store the spreadsheet in Dropbox which is a free cloud-based file storage system which I cannot live without. With Dropbox I can access my files whether I am home, at work, or via mobile when I am on the go.
  • Enter each name on your holiday gift list onto a row of the spreadsheet. If you typically buy that person more than one gift I would leave a few blank rows underneath their name so you have room for multiple gift ideas.
  • As you think of gift ideas for people or they give you hints, add those ideas to the spreadsheet in the ‘Gift Ideas’ column. I basically access this spreadsheet all year long and add gift ideas whenever inspiration strikes!
  • If you know where you can purchase the item, add the store name or URL of the website to that column.
  • Once I purchase a gift I mark the yes/no drop down arrow to the right of the cell
  • The purchase price column keeps a total of how much you have spent at the bottom of the spreadsheet
  • I usually start wrapping presents once I put up my Christmas tree so I like to keep track of what has been wrapped and what hasn’t
  • If I have to mail gifts to recipients than I can sort the list and make sure that those gifts get purchased, wrapped, and sent in plenty of time.
  • After the holidays I open the file, do a ‘save as’ and rename the spreadsheet for the following year. Then I remove all the information that I added for the current year so I have a blank slate to start with for next year!

So, there you have it. Let me know if you have any questions about the gift tracker. Or, email me if you have suggestions for improvements. I am all ears. Cheers to a holiday season that is organized and stress-free!

Holiday Shopping List | A Foolproof Way to Track Gift-Buying

 

Easy Kimchi Fried Rice

Easy Kimchi Fried RiceDon’t bother with take-out when you can make fried rice at home in no time at all. The secret is to cook your rice ahead of time. I usually cook it the day before I want to make fried rice but sometimes I will prepare a batch of rice and once it is cool I put it in a freezer bag and freeze it for future use. When you make fried rice you want the rice to be cold and a little dried out, so, it is preferable to not cook it just prior to making fried rice.

I adore kimchi. Kimchi is a Korean condiment of fermented cabbage. I love its funky flavor but know that it can be a bit of an acquired taste for many.  One benefit of kimchi is that it is full of probiotics from the fermentation process.  You can find kimchi in a glass jar in the refrigerated cases in the produce section of many grocery stores. Oftentimes, it will be placed near the tofu, egg roll and wanton wrappers. Adding kimchi to fried rice gives it great flavor but doesn’t overwhelm the dish.

Easy Kimchi Fried RiceAnother great thing about preparing fried rice at home is that you can customize it so it is exactly the way you like it. Add the veggies, protein, or flavors that you love. You can use this recipe as a base and then make it your own by preparing it just the way you want.

Sometimes I will scramble a few eggs and add them into the rice just as I am finishing it up. Other times, I will fry a few eggs sunny-side up and serve one on top of each serving of the fried rice. You can add shrimp, leftover pork or chicken, or pineapple or cashews!

See what I mean?  Once you try this recipe I hope you will be hooked.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Shop Ethnic Markets to Save Money and Experience Flavors of the World

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On October 30, 2016

In Food

Why I Shop at Ethnic Markets

There are three main reasons that I want to encourage you to grocery shop at ethnic markets. First of all, fresh produce and spices are often much cheaper than at regular supermarkets. Secondly, shopping at ethnic markets exposes you to new food items. Finally, when you buy grocery items at ethnic markets you will expand your recipe repertoire and may even discover your new favorite meal.

Produce and spices are much cheaper

Shop Ethnic Markets to Save Money Try Flavors of the World

I am fortunate to live near many ethnic markets in Salt Lake City. There are Asian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, African, and Indian markets within 15 minutes of my home. The first thing I do when I go to any market is check out the fresh produce.  I have consistently found that fresh produce is much cheaper at ethnic markets than at supermarkets.

On a recent stop at the Asian market, I found a package of five thumb-sized pieced of ginger for $1.49, a bag of shallots for less than two bucks, and a package of enoki mushrooms for $0.99. Have you priced specialty mushrooms at the grocery store where you typically shop?  A buck won’t get you much.

Have you ever tried baby bok choy? The leaves are tender and mild-tasting and the stem ends have a pleasant crunch.  If you are feeling adventurous you can check out this recipe for Garlic Ginger Baby Bok Choy.

Spices are also typically much less expensive at ethnic markets plus you can find spices that you may not be able to find at the regular store. I picked up spices like fenugreek seeds, za’atar, and sumac for next to nothing at a Middle Eastern market.

Discover new food items

At the Asian market I bought a container of furikake which is spicy, salty, mix of sesame seeds, dried seaweed flakes, and wasabi for $1.99. For years I have seen furikake listed as an ingredient in recipes for Asian dishes but could never find it in the spice aisle of my local store. I can’t stop sprinkling furikake on rice, over vegetables, popcorn, and as a topping to the savory shrimp pancake recipe that I will post soon.

Shop Ethnic Markets to Save Money Try Flavors of the World

Also at the Asian market I found a huge variety of fresh noodles. The noodles were made from rice, wheat, buckwheat to name a few. I couldn’t resist picking up a few different kinds of noodles and search the internet for recipes. I made a delicious kimchi egg drop soup with buckwheat noodles last weekend which was so flavorful and satisfying on a cool, crisp autumn day.

Shop Ethnic Markets to Save Money Try Flavors of the World | Kimchi Fried Rice

Speaking of kimchi, are you a fan? I love the funky pungent flavor and will often add a few scoops of that fermented goodness to kimchi fried rice, scrambled eggs, or in a Buddha bowl. Kimchi is a fermented spicy cabbage condiment used in Korean cooking. The fermentation process develops helpful bacteria that are great for your microbiome, aka, your gut. It is a bit of an acquired taste but I always have a jar of it in my fridge.

Expand your recipe repertoire

Kimchi Egg Drop Noodle Soup

Do you ever feel as though you are in a dinner rut? As you plan and shop for your food for the week do the same cast of characters pop up every time? Let me guess: tacos, pizza, spaghetti?  Am I right? One of my favorite things about shopping at ethnic markets is that it inspires me to find new recipes to try out. The Internet and sites like Pinterest are game changers for recipe exploration. You can find recipes for anything! You can check out my Pinterest account here to browse the recipes that I have collected.

But, I am not going to leave you hanging. I will be posting recipes over the next few weeks showcasing some of my ethnic market finds like this Kimchi Egg Drop Noodle Soup pictured above.

I would like to issue you a challenge to:

  • google ethnic markets in your area
  • pick one to visit
  • buy one new, interesting ingredient

The second part of the challenge is to find a few recipes that use that ingredient. Finally, make one recipe and share your results by tagging me at @hellofunseekers on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

Are you up for that?

Garlic Ginger Baby Bok Choy

Garlic Ginger Baby Bok Choy | Veggie | Asian | VegetarianBroccoli and cauliflower sometimes bore me. I need novelty. I like to mix things up a little in order to keep it interesting. Once the garden is done and farmers markets have packed it in for another year I crave variety in my produce. One way that I satisfy that craving is to grocery shop at ethnic markets.

Garlic Ginger Baby Bok Choy | Asian | Vegetarian | Easy | Healthy

On a recent trip to an Asian market I picked up a large bag of baby bok choy for about $2.50. Baby bok choy is tender, mild, and can be substituted for any other green that you typically use like spinach or Swiss chard.

Garlic Ginger Baby Bok Choy | Asian | Vegetarian | Easy | HealthyI used the baby bok choy in noodle soup, sautéed with onions, peppers, and mushrooms in a frittata, and stir-fried in a delectable sauce of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Baby bok choy is easy to prepare by rinsing it under water in a colander and let it drain. It can be chopped into thin ribbons or in this recipe the bok choy is sliced in half lengthwise.

Another item I like to pick up from the Asian is the spice blend Furikake which is a mix of sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, and salt. It adds a  wonderful flavor to rice, vegetables, and yes, popcorn! I am a little bit obsessed with this stuff.

Garlic Ginger Baby Bok Choy

What to Eat (and Drink) When Visiting Seattle

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On October 23, 2016

In Travel

Seattle Travel and Dining Guide | Food | Drinks | Happy Hour | Oysters

When you are visiting the Pacific Northwest you must eat all the seafood. I adore oysters but they are a bit on the pricy side so I love to hunt down bars and restaurants that offer happy hour specials on their oysters. I found two winners this trip to Seattle.

Oyster Happy Hours

Seattle | Local 360 | Oysters | Happy Hour

Local 360

This Belltown restaurant is a find and if I had a few more days in town I would have gone back for a second visit. The vibe was casual and hip. People who say hip probably aren’t to be trusted determining what is hip. Am I right? We tried a few items off the happy hour menu including oysters on the half shell dressed with pickled mustard seed vinaigrette and deviled eggs. We also ordered a steamed mussels and clams dish from the regular menu and they were all divine.

Taylor Shellfish

Our server at Local 360 mentioned that the restaurant got their oysters from the local purveyors Taylor Shellfish and that they have several oyster bars around Seattle where you can try a bunch of different types of oysters. So, the next night we headed up to their Capitol Hill site for oyster sampling. We ordered the ‘shucker’s dozen oyster special’ which features two oysters of six different kinds of oysters including the teensiest little oysters that I have ever seen.

Seattle | Taylor Shellfish | Geoduck Clams

They also served geoduck clams. Have you guys seen these? Have you eaten one? Taylor Shellfish has them and you can order one. I didn’t. I mean, seriously, whoa.

Downtown

Sam Choy’s Poke Food to the Max

It was one of those crisp, clear sunny days in autumn that makes being indoors feel like torture. As I was walking around looking for a quick lunch I discovered Westgate Park with a bunch of food trucks parked in it. Pro tip: look for food trucks with long lines. The lines are often a clue on which food trucks have delicious food. That is how I found myself in line at Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max food truck. My instincts paid off and I enjoyed fresh, delicious poke with rice and seaweed salad for $12. Sam Choy also has brick and mortar Poke shops in Seattle if you aren’t feeling the food truck love.

Capitol Hill

Seattle | Starbucks | Roastery & Tasting Room | Coffee

Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room

Don’t bother stopping at the very first Starbuck’s coffee shop near Pike Place Market. Most often there is a line out the door and the shop is like every other Starbuck’s that you have been into before. Instead, head over to the Capitol Hill area and visit the Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room.

Seattle | Starbucks | Roastery & Tasting Room | Coffee

You will be bowled over by the smell of the coffee beans roasting. The evening that we stopped by it was pouring rain outside and entering into the roastery felt like a warm, delicious-smelling hug. You will find menu items here that you won’t find on any other Starbuck’s menu. Plus, there are many Starbuck’s related items for sale so you can pick up gifts for the Starbuck’s lover in your life (or yourself!)

Serious Pie

Serious Pie is the place to go if you like your pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven and the crust to be crispy and a little bit charred. There are several locations of Serious Pie around Seattle but we visited the cozy Capitol Hill location which is located right next to the Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery. Serious Pie is one of the many restaurants by Seattle chef, Tom Douglas and definitely worth visiting.

 

Waterfront

Seattle | Pike Place Market |

Pike Place Market

If you have been to Seattle you surely have been to Pike Place Market. If you haven’t been, do plan on spending a few hours there when you visit. A few of the highlights are the seafood market where showmen/fishmongers will answer your seafood questions, give you samples, and throw fish around like jugglers. It’s entertaining and delicious. The fresh flower shop is always a highlight too. Grab yourself a bunch of those beauties to dress up your hotel room or Airbnb. Finally, you will want to pick up some fresh produce from the market. Pick produce that is in season and ask for recommendations while you are browsing.

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese

If you have picked up some fresh produce from Pike Place Market you might as well head down the street to Beecher’s Handmade Cheese shop and pick up a few locally made cheeses. If this sounds like the makings of an excellent picnic or happy hour then head to the bakery a few doors down from Beecher’s to pick up a baguette. There is also a wine shop right there too so you can finish up your meal preparation right.

Do you have favorite places to eat and drink in Seattle? If so, I would love it if you would leave them in the comments. I can resist checking out new places when I travel.

 

 

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton

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On October 19, 2016

In Books

Book Review | Love Warrior | Glennon Doyle Melton

Love Warrior is a memoir which at its outset feels much like reading someone else’s diary.  The narrative is so intensely personal that it made me feel uncomfortable, as if I were a voyeur peering into Glennon Doyle Melton’s innermost thoughts and feelings. But, just as I was squirming under the weight of her words, I would read a passage that was so perfect and insightful that I would have to stop and read it again. So goes the reading of this Oprah’s Book Club selection.

This is the second Oprah’s Book Club selection I have read recently. The first was Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad which was outstanding. You can read my review of The Underground Railroad here. Both books are well-written and thought-provoking, albeit, in very different ways. In Love Warrior we gain insight into the mind of woman who struggles with bulimia, alcoholism, and insecurities as she makes her way from her teen-aged years to early and middle adulthood.

Glennon Doyle Melton is able to overcome the hurdles of the eating disorder and alcoholism and find happiness in her marriage, children, and successful writing career. But, after a decade or so of marriage her husband drops a bomb on her that sends her plummeting down to rock bottom again. What follows is Melton’s path directly into the pain rather than retreating from it as she had in the past with food and alcohol.

As I mentioned earlier, the raw emotion conveyed in the memoir may be uncomfortable for some who are not used to bearing their souls but I encourage you to get outside your comfort zone. Go for it and read Love Warrior.

 

 

 

 

Clean Out the Fridge Frittata

vegetarian frittata

Don’t you hate getting ready to leave town with a drawer full of veggies in the vegetable drawer of your fridge? Or, sometimes you have leftovers vegetables that you just can’t face warming up again.

In these cases, I like to whip up a veggie frittata. Making a frittata is a workhorse skill in the kitchen that you will want to master. Frittatas can be served warm or cold. For breakfast or brunch, I would serve with fresh fruit and oven roasted potatoes. You can easily pair the frittata with a salad or soup and bread for a satisfying lunch or light supper.

Frittatas travel well for potlucks and make fabulous leftovers. Have I convinced you that you should start making frittatas? I hope so.

Clean Out the Fridge Frittata

Book Review: Faithful by Alice Hoffman

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On October 8, 2016

In Books

Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Forgiving past transgressions is hard. Forgiving your own past transgressions can be impossible.  The novel Faithful by Alice Hoffman tells the story of Shelby who is barely living under the weight of her guilt. She walked away from a tragic accident that ruined her best friend’s life. The novel follows Shelby from her dark, reclusive basement-dwelling teenaged years after the accident through her twenties. Shelby’s struggle to create an identity for herself beyond the confines of the accident are painful to observe.

She alienates nearly everyone and everything only letting dogs get close to her physically and emotionally. Shelby is a fairly unlikable character when we first meet her but we get to see glimpses into the woman she is and realize before she does that that she is both capable and worthy of love.

I loved reading this book and found the story and characters engaging. I found myself reflecting about the damaging effects of living with regret and how powerful the ability to forgive yourself is in order to move on.

This is the novel of Alice Hoffman’s that I have read. I know The Marriage of Opposite and The Dovekeepers are also popular novels she has written. Have you read anything by Alice Hoffman? Are you a fan?

Note: I read an Advanced Reader Copy of Faithful but the publication date is set for November 1, 2016. If you are a member of Goodreads (which you should be if you love to read) they are hosting a giveaway of the book until October 12, 2016, You can enter to win it here.

Verlasso Salmon at Harmon’s

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On October 5, 2016

In Food

verlasso-salmon-fillet-harmons

Which Fish are Safe to Eat?

I love seafood but I worry about which fish are safe to eat.  Wild is better than farmed, right? Or, is it the other way around?  I know that the oceans are over-fished and that the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch attempts to help consumers make good choices by producing a list of fish that are sustainably raised. For years I used to keep their little booklet in my wallet and then eventually I downloaded their app onto my phone when it became available. But, the point is, there is a lot to keep in mind when choosing to buy fish.

Verlasso at Harmon’s

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to an event held at the downtown Harmon’s Grocery store. As an aside, if you have not been to this locally-owned grocery in the heart of Salt Lake City please go check it out. The food selection and quality are magnificent. Harmon’s and Verlasso wanted to introduce Verlasso salmon to the Salt Lake’s fish-loving community.

verlasso-salmon-harmons-event

First a little background about Verlasso, in 2013 the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch program added Verlasso as the first producer of farm-raised salmon to the ‘approved’.  Verlasso raises their salmon in Patagonia which has an ideal environment for farming. You can read more about their story here.

verlasso-salmon-zaatar-harmons

Time for Tapas

We were ushered upstairs to lovely space on the cafe level where high tables were set up and Harmon’s chefs and fishmongers were busy preparing and serving tapas using Verlasso salmon. Our favorite tapa was the za’atar-spiced salmon with fennel and orange salad. We loved that each large cube of salmon was coated in za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice mix of thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt) and then quickly sauteed for a few minutes. The chefs plated the salmon on dollops of spicy harissa and cilantro yogurt sauce. Finally, the tapa was garnished with sweet, crisp fennel and orange salad placed on top. So good.  I may have gone back for seconds. No, I unabashedly went back for seconds and considered thirds but occasionally decorum dictates my behavior.

verlasso-salmon-tartare-harmons

Our second favorite tapa was the salmon tartare with spicy sesame and avocado (recipe forthcoming!). This one is a perfect appetizer to accompany drinks for happy hour or a kicked up snack for game day. The chefs cut the salmon into small cubes and dressed it with lime, shallots, ginger, avocado, and crushed pink peppercorns. You could serve the tartare with tortilla chips or rice crackers and it would be delicious! I did go back and tell the chef I was getting a second ‘for my friend’. I am certain that I will make my own version of this tapa because it was so good.

Finally, there was a brief talk from Verlasso’s Culinary Director thanking everyone for attending and making sure that we picked up a complimentary copy of their cookbook and a piece of salmon to take home. Also of note, Harmon’s fishmonger was on site filleting the salmon which went into the swag bag. That’s fresh!

Where to Find Verlasso

If you live in Utah, Verlasso salmon is available at Harmon’s grocery stores. To see where you can buy Verlasso salmon in other states check out the map.

 

Eat All the Tomatoes Before They’re Gone

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On October 2, 2016

In Food

East All the Tomatoes

Garden tomatoes are one of the most exquisite pleasures of summer. All year long I dream about juicy, ripe summer tomatoes. As you know, you cannot purchase great tasting tomatoes at the grocery store. So, when they are in season and you love them like I do; you have to incorporate them into every meal. If you don’t have a garden then I suggest buttering up a gardening neighbor in hopes of getting your hands on their surplus. Or, you can also hit up farmers markets or produce stands. Additionally, you can sometimes find amazing heirloom tomatoes at many farmers markets.

Breakfast

In the morning, I love to slice up a large tomato and place a slice on each side of a toasted and buttered English muffin. Top with an over-easy egg and breakfast is served. You might as well take your plate and cup of coffee outside and dine al fresco, right?

Lunch

All through the summer months I make at least one batch of gazpacho per week. I have many recipes for gazpacho that I adore so I tend to mix it up depending on which ingredients I have on hand.  Mark Bittman wrote a New York Times article a few years ago which included 12 variations of gazpacho.

This summer Kenji Lopez-Alt from Serious Eats published his BLT Manifesto which was brilliant and I would encourage you to read it (or watch the video above) if you are a BLT fan. I loved how he showed that there is both art and science to creating the seemingly simple BLT sandwich. I also adore a straight-up tomato sandwich.

All you need is good quality bread, splurge on an artisan loaf or made this No Knead Loaf and impress the hell out of yourself. I make this bread all the time and it takes no time and the end result is truly incredible. Ask my Mom if you don’t believe me. She just made a no knead for the first time and it turned out terrific! Add sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper and generous swath of mayonnaise and you have a lunch of champions.

Pasta with Sun Gold Tomatoes

Photo by Tom Schierlitz

Dinner

I often make this Sun Gold cherry tomato pasta sauce to serve with angel hair pasta. The recipes can be ready without much prep or cooking time. If you haven’t tried growing Sun Gold cherry tomatoes I recommend adding that item to your list of New Year’s resolutions next year. Grow and eat all the Sun Gold tomatoes! They are so sweet and delicious. Once you try them you will wonder how so much of your life went by without them in it.

Zoodles with tomato sauce

So tell me, what are your favorite ways to use summer tomatoes? I am always looking for new ideas. In the meantime, here are few more recipes that are on my radar right now.

Finally, a Few More Recipes

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