Anyways! This recipe is so easy. As in, I have not one cooking bone in my body, and yet I managed to make these with no problem. I do have to thank my husband for helping out with the eggs. I have this weird gag reflex whenever I see an egg being cracked.

What you’ll need:

• Turkey bacon (because it’s healthier, IMO)
• Eggs
• Spinach (I used baby kale because that’s all I had)
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Salt & Pepper

In failed attempts (or as I like to call them, ‘learning opportunities’), I blogged on other blogs and sites. But I got to thinking what I truly enjoy writing about and it boiled down to one thing: food.

Now, I’m no foodie, but I appreciate food as many foodies do. So, in a way, I guess you could say I’m an amateur foodie. I love discovering and tasting new foods. I want to write about each and every glorious item I stuff into my mouth. But I also want to express the importance of eating locally, with moderation, and consideration as to WHERE our food comes from.

Tacos y Gatos is mainly about L-O-V-E. And appreciation. And sharing said love and appreciation for others to learn from. Whether it’s food, family, community, or life… in the end, I write it all from mi corazón.

One of my favorite office meals: chicken salad with mixed greens and sprouts, dressed in lime juice and accompanied with hot tea. Yum!

WELCOME BACK, ME!

Image Courtesy of my Husband, who was home at the time of delivery. I was bummed to be at work and not there, hehe.

I love how awesomely packed everything came. The cold items had their own special bags to keep them cold. That’s smart thinkin’ right there

Local milk, eggs, chicken, broccoli, radishes, microgreens, mizuna, turnips, daikon radish, and baby lettuce. Can you say, YUM?!

The goodies! Besides ordering a Local Box, we also added eggs, milk, chicken, and a few healthy snacks for Kiddo (not shown here). The convenience of ordering what we need, without temptation of buying anything we don’t need, has been our favorite part. We have a few recipes queued to use with our newfound veggies, so I’ll definitely share those soon!

The cats were very curious as to what we had going on. Kiddo was in awe of the colors and finding out what each item was. He even tried his very first turnip. He loved it so much, he wanted an entire turnip for dinner, much to our surprise!

Inside with our groceries, we also received a super-cool bumper sticker (it’s already stuck on my car, haha), a welcome letter with super useful information annnnd a list of what each veggie was. On the back of that same list were four recipes! We also were able to find more recipes on Greenling’s blog. I’m a fan of how they really want you to get the most out of your local food items. Huge thumbs up for that!

Also, we had ordered some chicken breasts, but they were out of stock. They called my husband to see if we’d like to replace it with another item. Even though they’ll have to drop it off later today, the fact that they went that extra mile to make sure we have everything we ordered is really something. Their customer service is great!

There are some items that Greenling doesn’t offer that I will need to go out to the farmer’s market this weekend to source (e.g. bread). But I don’t mind one bit, as long as it’ll keep me away from those dreadful, crowded chain stores, I’m one happy clam Becoming locavores takes some work, but I’m glad we made this significant step in our journey.

Here’s to happy, healthy eats!

P.S. I shared my thoughts on sourcing locally on Farm-City, State‘s blog! Go check it out HERE.

super excited about their album coming out July 24th! in the mean time, they’ve released the first single of their new album ‘Gossamer’, ‘Take A Walk’ (which has proven to be a good tune for workouts). give it a watch

Cake the Cat, posing?

Gosh, I love her. 
But here’s a better picture I instagrammed this morning, while she was giving me her stink eye (I accidentally stepped on her tail as I walked into a dark living room this morning).

I see you…

 Oh, gato. How I love you, so.

Husband took three days off at work, so we had plenty of time to do whatever we pleased. I decided it was the perfect time to go and finally visit Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls, TX., just an hour drive west from Austin. This little farm is a great way to spend time as a family picking strawberries, blackberries and potatoes. Next month, they’ll have tomatoes! We had a lot of fun and Kiddo learned a lot about how much of our food arrives from farm to table. He noticed what hard work picking the fruit was, and came out with a new appreciation for his food. And his passion for gardening was encouraged by this visit. How he cares for his squash, lettuce and strawberries. 

I took the opportunity to bring out the D60 along for the ride. Here are some shots from our trip:

Entrance at Sweet Berry Farm

strawberry ready for picking

yummy!

Husby & Kiddo, happy pickers

yummy blackberry

Husby’s first potato picking

tomatoes will be ready for picking next month

It was truly a wonderful and educational experience. Since it was a Friday and still a bit cloudy with slight chance of rain, there really weren’t that many visitors. Which worked for us as we basically had the farm all to ourselves! But I bet when the weather is inviting, there are more things to do, as we saw they had trampolines for kids. They have all sorts of events during the seasons, with fall being a popular one with their hayrides and pumpkin patch. Sweet Berry Farm is a great place to visit anytime. Parking is free, and there is no entrance fee, you simply pay for what you pick (cash or check only). Oh and the strawberry popsicle they offer was amazing, I highly recommend those! I’m thankful for these farms, and definitely plan on visiting others.

Do you live in or around Austin, TX.? Any recommendations?

Have you ever visited Sweet Berry Farm, or a farm similar to this one? What did you think?

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk. This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy. Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude. Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people. On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public. Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone. Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird. Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds. Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun. Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts. Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

***

This list was borrowed from Jerry Brito & inspired by the book The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Laney.

I had the most amazing honor of attending this year’s food festival, brought to us by Food and Wine Magazine. No one honestly knew what to expect, but needless to say, our expectations were definitely met above and beyond.  I had the most amazing samplings from Stubb’s BBQ, Tiny Pies, H-E-B, and Sullivan’s Steakhouse, to name a few. Stella Artois handed out beer in their signature chalice. Chefs like Masaharu Morimoto, Andrew Zimmern, Tony Mantuano and Marcus Samuelsson were signing books. There were demos galore! Gail Simmons had a demo that I unfortunately missed out on The bar was full of all the beer, wine, tea and water you could consume. East Side King, mmmpanada and The Peached Tortilla even made an appearance. As you can see, this festival was truly fantastic!

I really have to be honest here, there were a few things that bothered me. I’m not a fan of large crowds. The older I get, the more I realize I’m quite the introvert. So, I wasn’t feeling the crowd too much. But I tried my best to tune them out and just enjoy whatever was placed in front of me, even if people were so rudely shoving me around. Obviously out-of-towners. *sigh* Secondly, there was some gnarly high winds and the grounds they chose to hold this festival was mainly dirt. Talk about a dust bowl. I left early simply because I got dirt in my eyes, ears and it stuck all over my body. I understand they couldn’t control the high winds. But perhaps some advanced planning would have helped? Maybe having the festival at Zilker Park next year would be ideal, too. It’s grassy there. And the whole reserving four-five rows out of eight for the VIP badge holders at the cooking demos did not make sense. People that were waiting an hour or more were lucky to even get a seat in the tent. Only for three rows to fill up with VIP badge holders, leaving two rows for last-minute Weekender badge holders to take and not having to wait. I believe VIP badge holders already have so many perks, the whole priority seating at the demos is one they should consider leaving out next year.

There were pros and there were cons to the whole event. But seeing as how it was their first year having this festival, I understand the whole “learning through living” process. I do hope Food and Wine learned from this year and make next year’s festival even better!

If you would like to see more images, feel free to check ‘em out on my flickr: ATX Food and Wine Festival.

Did you attend the Austin Food and Wine Festival? What did you like/dislike the most?

steppin' into spring

Which is why I make my feet as sunny as possible These cloudy, windy days in Austin aren’t as appreciated unless they come with some rain (my prayers to those who have been caught in the midst of these tornadoes lately). Right now, they’re just preventing us from heading to the pool to swim in the sun!

The Yelp Austin Food Tour Gang (with a few members missing)

If you’re not familiar with Austin Eats Food Tours, it all started from a couple’s experience in a food tour they had taken in another city. They couldn’t believe Austin didn’t already offer one, so they took it upon themselves to start one up. Before they knew it, they were the hot tamale. I mean, why wouldn’t they be? Even for native Austinites, it would be silly to not use an afternoon to explore the amazing eateries in your town. Our tour guide (and founder of Austin Eats Food Tours), Andy, was awesome. This guy knows his food!

We all met up at Way South Philly, Austin’s original Philly cheese steak sandwich joint. And you guys, this place is legit. They use Cheez Whiz! Not to mention, the owners are actually from Philly. The sandwiches were amazing. I’m still looking for a window of time so I can drag my husband and Kiddo down there. I know they won’t be dragging their feet ever again after they give ‘em a try!

Way South Philly Food Trailer

After trying the delicacies Way South had to offer and hearing their story, we walked over to the Love Balls food truck. THAT was quite an experience for me. Love Balls’ concept is great. They’ve managed to put an explosion of flavors of popular Japanese (and not-so-Japanese) cuisines into almost bite-sized (you can easily get 2, 3 bites out of each ball) balls. This marked the day I tried octopus for the first time. Needless to say, I knew I didn’t like it for a reason My favorite had to be the Garlic Yaki-Onigiri – a dense rice square with garlic soy sauce & wrapped in seaweed… absolutely deeelish!

clock wise: Caprese, Takoyaki, Garlic Yaki-Onigiri

After experiencing the awesomeness that was Love Balls, we finally hopped on our bikes and headed towards Cazamance Cafe. An African gem with the most scrumptious food. I know this is one place my very picky Dad would love to go to. Not only was the lamb with curry and rice out of this world, but this is the perfect place to go relax on a cool, sunny Austin afternoon. Just look at their patio!

Cazamance Cafe Outdoor Patio

I honestly just wanted to go lay in a hammock and take a little nap after visiting Cazamance. But, we had to hop back on our bikes for the next stop: Rio’s Brazilian Cafe. This place was incredibly cute! They had this Estrogonofe de Frango with cheese bread that was incredibly tasty! Honestly, if you’re ever in Austin, this Brazilian place is a good eatery to visit. I was especially a fan of their location! Another great place to sit down outside and enjoy the weather.

Rio’s Brazilian Cafe

After the sampling and chit-chat, we hopped back on our bicycles and pedaled as hard as we could to our next stop: Hops and Grain. I’ve got to say, these guys here are incredibly friendly and very Austin-y. This brewery has the most powerful and yummy beer I’ve had in awhile. Just one sampling already had me a bit tipsy. Great place to bring friends to hang out and talk beer.

Hops and Grain sampling of Brah, which will have your Brahahaha-ing after two glasses, I’m sure.

I had a bit of trouble getting back on my bicycle after sampling this place. And I have no shame in blaming the alcohol. As we headed to the Blue Dahlia Bistro, we encountered the “hard part” of the bike tour and needless to say, I fell off my bike. But I was fine, no blood was involved (I did get a pretty neat bruise that gave me a chance to tell anyone who asked how I got that about this awesome food tour!). We arrived at the bistro huffing and puffing, but ready for our next sampling! This place reminded me of La Madeleine, only cooler and local. Next time I’m craving French cuisine, I know where to go! We had an arrangement of things like egg salad, mushroom ravioli w/ pesto and some smoked salmon – all so fresh and yummy!

Blue Dahlia Bistro sampling with house Chardonnay & a little read

At this point, Andy assured us that the hard part of the tour was over and no more hills were to be expected. He was right, it was all downhill (literally, not metaphorically) from there. Coasting down that hill was the breather we needed. It was at this point where I couldn’t believe I was finally on a food tour and already plotting out my next one! To cool things down, we arrived at CoolHaus. This little ice cream truck certainly knows their ice cream. Here, we sampled their gluten free coconut almond cookie and salted caramel ice cream, which was OH-EM-GEE-YUMMM. $9 for an ice cream sandwich is quite pricey, but worth it!

The Tour Gang sampling Coolhaus

We finally dropped our bikes off (provided by Barton Springs Bike Rentals, my official go-to place for bike rentals). After fours hours of bike riding and eating, we walked over to our last stop at Buenos Aires Cafe. Now, I heard a lot about this place and finally found out why. The Argentinean cuisine found here is just out of this world. I’m not a fan of pork (and really don’t eat it due to my beliefs), but I couldn’t possibly turn down the pork tenderloin with chimmichuri sauce & sour cream, and side of mashed potatoes that was served there.

Buenos Aires Cafe pork tenderloin sampling

Doesn’t that look AMAZING?! It was, oh my goodness, it was. We also got to sample their 4 gnocchis, with wonderfully spiced and sauteed green beans, artichoke, mushrooms.

Buenos Aires Cafe gnocchi sampling

It’s safe to say that I’ll be hitting up each and every restaurant in the near future. The samplings were generous, and absolutely leave you wanting more. What was even more incredible was how food from all over the world was encased in the neat neighborhood that is East Austin.  If you’re an Austinite or visiting Austin, participating in an Austin Eats Food Tour has got to be a TO-DO on your list! I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did