Posts Tagged ‘food’
OK, so I may not be able to impress you with the Cleveland Indians or The Cleveland Browns (as much as I hate saying this, we SUCK – but the CAVS still have Lebron! – and now Shaq, so I’m hopeful 
)
Let’s be honest, everyone knows the true winner in this town is The Cleveland Clinic. Home of Dr. Micheal Roizen, The Cleveland Clinic is one of America’s top hospitals. (Ranked one of the “Best Hospitals” in America and No. 1 in the nation for heart care and surgery by U.S. News & World Report)
The Cleveland Clinic has taken their expertise and wellness practices to the web and has created a space for a broader audience of wellness seekers.
Intoducing 360-5. At 360-5, the Cleveland Clinic will show you how and why you can sleep better or have more energy, among many other topics, by looking at how you handle stress, your exercise habits and diet.
The Cleveland Clinic understands that it takes work to be healthy, so they’ve made the information as simple (and — gasp — as fun) as possible. With easy to read articles, videos and interactive quizzes, getting healthy can actually become addicting (I’ve already spent almost an hour on the site!)
360-5 provides three ways for you to start improving your health today: a web site, guided online programs and an online wellness store.
At 360-5, the science is accessible and easy to follow (often using humor!), giving you a deeper understanding of the complex and often mysterious nature of your mind and body. With the best info, actionable ideas and a dose of inspiration, you’ve got the golden ticket to wellness. Whether you are from Cleveland, Chicago, Saskatchewan or the middle of nowhere, you’ll benefit from all the great information on this site. Enjoy!
What are some of your favorite healthy on-line resources?
Happy Monday!
Is everyone rejuvenated after a wonderful weekend? I hope so! I am SO excited because this is only a 4 day work week for me!
The Mister and I are taking off work on Friday to relax and get a head start on a mini-getaway we’re taking. We’re heading down to Columbus on Saturday to visit with two of our best friends and their adorable daughter — our favorite baby girl. Then it’s off to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. We are staying at a bed and breakfast around the Newport, which is an area with lots of restaurants, shops, a movie theatre and an AQUARIUM! The Mister and I both LOVE aquariums– this is the part of the trip I a most looking forward to. There is something so calming about watching all the different color fish swim around in harmony (with the occasional fish becoming a shark snack, I am sure!). I could just sit for hours, mesmerized by all that natural beauty.
Anyway, on Monday we will be spending the day at the ballpark to watch the Reds take on the Mets for opening day. Other than the Cleveland Indians, the Mets are the Mister’s favorite baseball team.
Fun fact: The Mister has a lifetime dream/goal of watching a game at every single ballpark in America (plus Toronto, of course). I, of course am 100% on board with this idea and think it’s a great thing for us to accomplish together. I love that the Mister is so passionate about sports. It’s one of the things I love so much about him. When people are truly passionate about something, they excite you, as well. Even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally be interested in. They reel you in to the little world and the enthusiasm is infectious. I think passions, in general, are some of the most beautiful things in life. I love seeing people get excited about what they love.
Anyway, we’ve already been to quite a few ballparks, but we like to cross one off the list every year. Even though we both grew up in Ohio, we have never been to a Reds game, so we’re exited to add this to our ‘seen it’ list! We have an album highlighting all our park-hopping adventures which is filled with ticket stubs, photos with mascots and any other evidence from our fun adventures.
I’m super excited for this trip because it is a 4-day weekend and the Mister and I haven’t taken a day off together since Christmas! We try and take these mini-trips fairly often. It helps getting though each workday when you have little events to look forward to throughout the year. Plus, we’re saving money right now so these little trips give us the illusion that we’re world-travelers. Plus, we’re making memories and sharing many experiences together, without emptying our pockets (too much!). I’m just crossing my fingers that the weather cooperates.
I’ll make sure to take lots of pictures so I can provide an update.
OK, on to ‘Make It’ Monday!
Last night I created a recipe and thought it was worth sharing. The whole meal was on the table in about 30 minutes and tasted delicious.
You’ll need (serves 2):
- Frozen or fresh baby scallops
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
- 8 stalks of asparagus
- 1 red pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- pinch of salt
Thaw the scallops according to the directions on the packaging.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Rinse and chop asparagus and roasted red pepper into whatever shapes you desire. Toss into a bowl with half on the juice from the lemon half, chopped garlic clove, 1 olive oil and balsamic.
Veggies takin' an oil bath
Spread contents onto a cookie sheet (I line mine with non-stick foil)
Cook for 10-15 minutes.
Sizzling veggies
In the meantime, sear the scallops in a nonstick pan for 2-3 minutes. (until opaque) Add the remaining juice from the lemon.
baby scallops - aren't they cute?!
Add veggies into the pan and stir. Add pinch of salt.
veggies and scallops, together at last
Plate and enjoy!
The finished product
Close up
So yum!
I love how the veggies really soak up the flavor from the balsamic. The olive oil rounds out the dish nicely and prevents the balsamic from overpowering the other flavors. The Mister loved this dish, as well! I loved it because it was incredibly tasty and SO simple. I think it would have been great with some fresh Parmesan or mozzarella, but we didn’t have any. I’ll make sure I remember it for next time!
Do you have any little roadtrips or excursions planned that you are looking forward to?
There was lots of good news to be spread between my family last night — new jobs! good grades and a retirement on the horizon! (none of that was my news, by the way!) So proud of you guys!
But what better way to celebrate that share some great grub?! We settled on one of our favorite laid-back spots… the Willoughby Brewing Co.
“Nestled in the heart of Historic Downtown Willoughby, Ohio lies Willoughby Brewing Co. Established in February of 1998, we are a full-service restaurant, bar and award-winning brewery in a 100-year-old building that was originally a rail-car repair depot for the Cleveland to Ashtabula Interurban Rail Line.” (http://www.willoughbybrewing.com/)
At first glance, the restaurant doesn’t look too impressive with its vast, flat exterior.
Willoughby Brewing Co. Exterior
But once you set foot inside you are welcomed with a wave of nostalgia. With it’s warm wood finishings, train station decor (complete with a toy train set running around the resturant!), it’s the kind of place that immediately welcomes you and makes you feel at home. I want to point out that the ‘train station’ decor is understated, classy and NOT cheesy but rather pretty authentic feeling.
Where the action happens...
This sits behind the bar. Pretty cool, huh?
Choo-Choo!
I love the menu at the Willoughby Brewing Co. It isn’t your typical bar fare. Ranging from fresh salads and sandwhiches to pizzas and grilled fish, there is something for everyone.
And for those beer connoisseurs out there, the Willoughby Brewing Co. does not disappoint! Many offerings are brewed on-site and the selection is pretty comprehensive. For those who can’t make up their minds, the restaurant offers a sampler, which touts the six beers they have on tap that month.
I myself am not a drinker, so I watched my dad and brother enjoy their refreshing brews! (Didn’t take a pic, as my camera was on its last battery bar!)
The Mister and I started out with some of the BEST soft pretzels I’ve have the privilege to taste
Pretzel goodness
For dinner, I ordered the Turkey Cranberry Salad, which includes:
- Mixed greens
- Dried cranberries
- Walnuts
- GOAT CHEESE
- Roasted turkey
- Raspberry vinaigrette (I ordered on the side and dipped my fork it in every now and then)
Turkey Cranberry Salad
I killed it.
The combination of goat cheese, walnuts and cranberries worked really well with the turkey. Love the combination of textures with the soft cheese and added crunch from the walnuts. It was light and refreshing — just what I wanted.
Salad close up
Hope you are all having a great weekend! Have you submitted a question for ‘solve it’ Saturday?
I’m not sure what I’m up to. The Mister and I will head to the gym at some point this morning and hopefully do something fun and spontaneous! (Because we don’t have anything planned!)
How do you celebrate good news with your family?