Eating Out: Bonefish Grill Mandarin

Second to dessert, seafood is my favorite food to eat. Fish, crab, lobster, shrimp... prepared any way Bubba could rattle off. When I was contacted to visit the recently renovated Bonefish Grill in Mandarin  - I was in.

I loved the classy vibe at the restaurant. The atmosphere was refreshing and more more high end compared to other seafood chains. No carpeted floors here.

We started off the night with one of my husband's favorite dishes to order, ceviche. The mango and pineapples were a nice addition to the traditional ceviche we were used to and gave the dish a tropical flavor. Hubby ordered their tasty corn and crab soup, and I skipped this course to save room for dessert. ;) We couldn't get enough of their bread and pesto though. The chopped olives made for a saltier pesto than normal and was perfect with their freshly made, warm bread.

I ordered their grouper special topped with a lobster and crab thermidor sauce. Yum-oh! That sauce could transform any fair dish into amazing. Our server said it was also his favorite and mentioned how good it was on steak; I could definitely go for a filet with lobster and crab thermidor sauce on top. :)

Anytime we see lobster rolls on the menu my husband kind of geeks out. It seems to be more of a northern dish and one we don't see it very often in Florida. Bonefish offered one though, and of course he had to order it. It was a little different than what I was used to, celery and a hint of wasabi, but he enjoyed it no less.

During the entirety of our visit we were well attended by multiple employees. There was someone rushing by to clear off a table, or serve someone nearby a drink every couple of minutes. We had no problem catching a servers attention if we needed more bread or a refill on drinks.

By the time my favorite course rolled around I was reading through their menu for a dessert that could easily travel home with us. Fresh doughnuts sounded perfect, but they didn't even make it into the box. Chris Herring, the Managing Partner of Bonefish Grill Mandarin, recommended another dessert to us, the Jamaican Coconut Pie. (Insert smiling husband and wife here.) If you've been around this blog before you know that we got married in Jamaica and are kind of obsessed with the people, food and culture there. This couldn't have been a better recommendation. It was delicious, and warm, and the rum sauce was pretty awesome too.

 

If you're looking for a nice place to grab a bite Bonefish Grill Mandarin is a nice spot for a date night, a meal with the girls, or maybe just a post-shopping cocktail. The oak furnishings, tasty menu and comfy booths make Bonefish a cool spot for any occasion.

Disclosure: I was provided with a gift card to Bonefish Grill in exchange for a review on the recently renovated Bonefish Grill in Mandarin. I wouldn’t have blogged about it if I didn’t enjoy it, these are my true opinions on the restaurant.

Eating Meat Again

After three years of no red meat, I had my fist steak on New Years Eve. After watching some really gruesome and eye opening food documentaries I tried vegetarianism for a month, that turned into a year, then I added in fish for a year, then chicken for the last, and now I'm back to meat. Full circle.

Blue cheese burger time!

If you are a vegetarian or vegan yourself you are probably wondering why I went back to the meaty ways, where as if you are not I can almost guarantee you are cheering me on for coming back to the "real food." All of these changes were for health reasons of my own and the decisions were made after digesting new bits of information each time. The initial two, adding fish and then chicken back in  were because I was trying to work out and the vegetarian diet just wasn't cutting it for me. I know there are those of you that make it work, but it just wasn't something for me.

If I wanted to be waif-like, not work out and just eat vegetables and the occasional tempeh it might have been fine. But I needed to run and I despise protein shakes and tofu doesn't really do it for me. The best tofu recipe I found was for a dessert, Tofu Pudding. My problem with protein shakes is that they all taste chalky to me - even "the good ones." I also noticed that whenever I was choking swallowing them down I would breakout like crazy. Definitely not something I was okay with so I added seafood back into my diet.

When seafood still wasn't giving me the energy and stamina I had hoped for I added chicken back in.  I wasn't running marathons here either, just three miles max.

Now I'm almost 29 and it's time to start thinking about growing our family. Lack of meat, lack of iron... you can Google it if you care to. And I'm not going to lie, I really wanted a filet smothered in blue cheese. I am just over a month in to having pork or beef three times a week and I feel fine. A little fuller feeling the morning after having one of the two, but no stomach aches or anything. I am still being conscious about what I eat. Always going for the grass-fed, free range options, and limiting how much meat I do eat.

Note that I have not had my blood-work done so I have been making all of these changes off of just knowing my body. I have had a few people ask how the transition back to eating meat has went so I wanted to write it out for any others considering doing the same and looking for a reference. I am not trying to tell any of you to change up what you eat, nor am I asking to be chastised by the vegetarian gang. Just simply telling how eating meat again has affected me.

Have you made any major changes in what you eat? 

I will still being eating vegetarian meals a 

couple times a week, do you have any good recipes to share? 

Perhaps your best way to prepare tofu?

Linking up with OrgJunkie

In the Kitchen: Clafouti aux Pommes (Apple Flan)

Since it's finally fall (even though it doesn't feel like it in Florida) my first thought was apples. Especially since I'm on my way to Atlanta tomorrow with hopes of seeing some falling leaves! This recipe for Clafouti Aux Pommes or Apple Flan, is from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Don't worry it's not that hard to make and actually doesn't even require a mixer, you can use the same blender that normally prepares your frozen margaritas. ;)

Royal Gala Apples

Clafouti aux Pommes (Apple Flan) Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and core 1 ¼ pound of apples, this was about 4 ½ large
royal gala apples for me. Cut them lengthwise into slices ¼ inch thick, there will be
about 3 cups of sliced apples.

I love cinnamon!

In ¼ cup or butter, sauté the slices and then let them sit in the skillet for 30 minutes with ¼ cup of dark rum or cognac, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar. Be sure to flip the slices gently as they tend to fall apart. I added a few extra shakes of cinnamon—it's my favorite spice!

Put the following ingredients into a blender:

Juices from apple sauté above, it should be about ¼ cup.
1 cup milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1  tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8   tsp salt
½ cup   flour

Cover and blend on high for 1 minute.

No mixer necessary!

Pour a ¼ inch layer of batter into a lightly buttered baking
dish or pie pan. Set over medium heat for a minute until a film of batter sets
at the bottom of your pan.

Remove from the heat and spoon the apples over the thin
layer of batter.

Pour the rest of the batter over the apples.

Ready for the oven.

Place on the middle rack in your preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes. It is finished when a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.

Before adding the powdered sugar. Check out the original post to see the finished dessert!
Allow to cool, the flan will deflate and not be so tall. Just before serving a big warm piece to your lovely guests (or yourself) sprinkle with powdered sugar.

You will be impressed with yourself if you make the Clafouti aux Pommes—the name alone sounds impressive! If you are looking for another apple dessert try this Apple Cider Pound Cake next. Oh fall, I love you so. ;)

Changing Tastebuds & Finding New Favorites : : : Why You should Try Vegetarianism

If you have been following for a little while you may remember that I tried out the whole strict vegetarian thing for a year, then added poultry and seafood back into my diet. I still really enjoy vegetarian meals a couple times a week. There are so many combinations out there using beans, vegetables and other meat alternatives that it feels like another world of food and flavors. Over the last two years I have fallen in love with olives, come to like onions, and I'm starting to like red peppers...totally crazy and out of the norm for me. I think a lot of it has to do with a cleansed palette if you will; not having steak, burgers or bacon has made me want to try new things and see what else there is out there.

I'm glad I stuck with it for a year and I could see myself switching back. I just would need to do a bit more research on getting all of the vitamins I need to allow me to workout still, which is the main reason why I added seafood and poultry back into my diet. I would get about 3/4 of a mile in on a run and be at the brink of exhaustion. Protein powders made me break out like crazy and most of them tasted like chalk — so that wasn't cutting it. A couple weeks after adding poultry and seafood back in I was fine for at least 2 miles before I felt even a little weak.

The norm of what my meals look like in a day. Not shown of course are the in between snacks I can't live without.
I.e. granola bars, guacamole, occasional dark chocolate, coconut fruit bars and other various sweets... 

I am now about two and a half years into not having a hamburger, steak, bacon, etc. and I don't even miss it! Sometimes when I smell a steak cooking on the grill it makes my stomach grumble, but have you had vegetables on the grill? YUM! Veggie burgers are surprisingly tasty (with cheese) and I have found that I like tempeh. Tofu is good, but only when it's prepared right. Order this out at a restaurant for your first time, don't try it at home as you won't be impressed.

Struggling with what to make for dinner is a major determent for sticking with any diet.  Pinterest is a huge help when deciding on dinner but it is often overwhelming with soooo many recipes. A lot of times I just flip through my cookbooks until I find something. The easiest for me as a vegetarian and now a pollo-pescetarian has been to make a meal plan for the week and construct my grocery list from there. I can cut my trips to the grocery store from once a week to once every 10+ days when I go that route.

A quick vegetarian meal I found recently and really enjoyed as a chicken salad lover is the Mashed Chickpea Pitas. So easy and hubby (meat eater) even liked it!

If you are considering testing out the vegetarian waters I say go for it, try it for a day. Challenge yourself to a week, a month... who knows you might end up loving it and finding a new favorite food!

Have you tried vegetarianism? Do you have any favorite recipes to share?

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Sweet Sundays: 7 Layer Magic Cookie Bars

A sweet tooth lovers dream...these Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars from Eagle Brand are a classic. Gooey, chewy, chocolaty, sweet goodness. And a stomach ache if you have more than one.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used minis)
• 1 1/3 cups of flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I used Walnuts)

Set your oven to 350 degrees and line a 13x9 pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs and room temperature butter, mix together with a fork then press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Evenly pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cookie crumbs, and layer on the remaining ingredients.

I only spread the nuts on half because sometimes I just want the chewy without the crunch.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Allow to cool in the pan for at least ten minutes, then carefully lift the foil out of the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Sweet Sundays: Apple Cider Pound Cake

Since the Thanksgiving holiday has just passed, I figured a lighter dessert may be better for today. I bought a bundt cake pan a few months ago and haven't had the opportunity to use it. So when I found this recipe for Apple Cider Pound Cake while googling apple cider desserts, I knew I had to make it. So here is my alteration of the recipe based on what I had in my pantry.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups apple cider
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup vegetable Crisco shortening
• 6 eggs at room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Boil the apple cider on medium high heat until there's only a cup left, about 30 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and grease your 10 inch bundt pan.

Cream the butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add in the eggs one at a time. 

Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and spices). Add in half of the mixture to the creamed butter-egg mixture.

Pour in the apple cider reduction and beat for 30 seconds, then beat in the remaining dry ingredients.

Spread the batter into the greased bundt pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Use the toothpick trick to check to see when your cake is done. I started peeking into the oven around 45 minutes in, I don't entirely trust my oven.

How cute is my spatula?! I picked it up on Black Friday at Target (not on sale, but adorable). No chloe did not get any, but she looks cute. ;)

After the cake is finished, allow to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack (in the pan).

Jiggle your cake in the pan, from side to side to loosen. If you need to slide a butter knife down the edges to loosen it, definitely do so. Next place a plate (or the rack) on the top of your cake pan and flip the cake onto it. Remove the pan and allow to cool completely.

You have no idea how thankful I was that this came out nicely. I just always picture everything falling apart, cakes have not been my forte in the past. But luckily, icing saves everything.

This would probably be nice with an apple flavored drizzle over the top, but I was going for a more delicate dessert today. I was very happy with it plain, and a cup of tea.

Enjoy!

Sweet Sundays: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

As much as I love cookies, I don't always feel like scooping and then waiting in between batches. Thank goodness for cookie bars! I found this recipe online, changed it around a little bit, and made a batch of bars this morning. From now until our Christmas break my coworkers and I are bringing in a baked good each week, and this week it's my turn.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Ingredients:

• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter 
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup quick oats
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup Reese's peanut butter chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease your baking pan, I used a 13 X 9 and sprayed it down with butter spray.

With your mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape the sides. Next mix the egg in.

Gradually add the flour, baking soda and salt in with your mixer on low speed.

Fold in the oats, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips with your spatula.

Next press the mixture into your greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

 Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting the bars.

If you like crunchier bars, this timing is good. If you are looking for a softer, chewy bar you may want to cut the baking time down and start checking on them around 15 minutes.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend! I'm busy today hunting down ideas for handmade Christmas gifts I can make myself.

Have you seen any good ideas or made some of your own already?

Lazy Saturday

I'll make it short and sweet today as not too much is going on. We went to Sunset Grille for lunch and had an excellent meal. I had crab bisque and a salad loaded with fried goat cheese, cranberries, nuts, seeds, mandarin oranges and a citrus vinaigrette- YUM!! For dessert we split a peanut butter chocolate pie. :)

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt! " - Charles Schulz

Have you had any sweets yet today? You totally deserve some chocolate!

Unsatisfied Sweet Tooth = Recipe Roundup

A variety of recipes is what I'm bringing you today. I clearly have not satisfied my sweet tooth yet with the leftover Halloween Candy. This holiday cheesecake sounds perfect for a pumpkin pie alternative on Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Spice & White Chocolate Cheesecake from The Luna Cafe

The banana in these truffles will make snacking on them healthy, right?

Frozen Peanut Butter Bannana Bites from {Never} Home Maker

Oh my! This looks like another explosion of all of my favorite flavors melded together.

Butterfinger Nutter Butter Cheesecake Bars from Lauren's Latest

I am definitely going to have to make all of these recipes, now which one to try first?

Sweet Sundays: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I found this recipe from A Little Bit Crunchy A Little Bit Rock n' Roll while on Pinterest the other night and wanted to turn it into a fall recipe with Pumpkin. I knew you could substitute butter for Pumpkin so I tried some experimenting and  here is my revamped Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie.

 Other than the pumpkin, you most likely already have these ingredients in your cupboard.

• 1 Pillsbury Pie Crust (or you can make your own but after my last ordeal, I'm going the easy route)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 1 cup pecans (optional but recommended)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• a shake of all spice

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Beat the eggs until foamy, then add the flour and pinch of salt, followed by the sugars. Beat in the pumpkin and butter. You may have butter flecks that won't blend in, these are fine.
Next stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.

 Spoon the mixture into your pie crust (prepare as directed on box) and bake for 55 minutes.

This would probably be really good with some chocolate or pumpkin ice cream, maybe even just a dallop of whip cream. But it's also great just like this. :) YUM!

And now some truth for you, I made this pie twice in two days. I used a casserole dish the first time and it was way too tall for the amount of filling. In other words I had about and inch and a half of extra crust. And I needed to mess around with the pumpkin proportions.

This is what a BAD pie looks like! Although it's delicious anyway. ;)

My coworkers will be happy with this crust disaster because now they will get some. But a note from this dummy, don't try to use a casserole dish with this-it won't work! I actually went out to the Le Creuset outlet today and picked up this 10 " Cherry Stoneware Pie Dish that I am absolutely in love with. The red will go with so many holiday themed dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, 4th of July...
Definitely make this pie, it's so simple (when you have the right dish) and man if it is not delicious!

Eating Out: Casa Maya

Casa Maya is a local family run Latin American restaurant here in Saint Augustine. The Barrera's recently moved to a larger more open atmosphere, right across the street from their original location.

The vibrant colors that are just past their reception in the waiting area are delightful, it provides you with the feeling you are in another country. The feel is definitely "Ethnic & Eclectic" as their sign taunts.

I went with a few girls from work as one was leaving the company. Their Guacamole is made to order and served with blue chips, YUM! And there's a lot too. I had a veggie wrap (top left), there were 3 or 4 vegetarian options listed and I'm ready to go back and get this veggie wrap again. It was that good!
Their Quesadillas were of epic proportions, off the plate big. Another in the group ordered their soup of the day, a Corn Chowder that she thoroughly enjoyed.

There is outside balcony seating overlooking Hypolita Street. This is very close to the high foot traffic area of Saint George Street, making for a great spot for people watching with a breeze coming off the bayfront.

The inside was decorated in a very "cool" way too. All of the colored pillows, natural light and paintings makes for a nice atmosphere.

I am really impressed with their new location and updated menu. I hadn't been in almost 5 years, but I will definitely be going back to this new one very soon.

More Saint Augustine posts: 

Eating Out Around Saint Augustine (Coquina Beach Restaurant & South Beach Grille)

Sunset Moonrise Tour at the Lighthouse

Nights of Lights

GND Fashion Show

4 M's at Mon Petit Chou