Tasty Travels: San Diego

When John and I first started dating he was living in San Diego, and although we dreaded battling the LA traffic every couple of weeks during those early days of our then long-distance relationship, I have such fond memories of those visits to San Diego when we were falling in love. It's such fun to go back and take a stroll down memory lane, so we try to do that at least once a year.

On our most recent trip we visited Urban Solace in North Park on the recommendation of a friend, and were instantly sold on the ambiance thanks to the scotch shrine to Ron Burgundy in the center of the bar! Classic!

 The food certainly didn't disappoint either- the "Skillet Duckaroni" was the most memorable dish we sampled of the evening- the duck, rich gorgonzola and a subtle but unmistakable hint of cardamom were an unexpectedly pleasant combination. The desserts were deliciously inventive as well; the Banana S'more with organic graham crust, chocolate ganache, caramelized banana and homemade malted marshmallow is a can't miss!

Another highlight of the trip was our visit to John's old 'hood: Ocean Beach. Ocean Beach has a  wonderful collection of antique stores scattered along Newport Street, which I used to frequent regularly when John would have to work and I was left to my own devices.

Too cute, right?? 

So naturally, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to stop by for some decor inspiration,

a shabby chic kitchen sign,

and some vintage Chanel buttons (hello DIY earrings!).

After we had worked up a proper appetite we made our way over to OB Noodle House. It's safe to say this was "our place" when John lived in San Diego.

 And these Spicy Garlic Wings were a big reason why. They are to die for.

 This Asian fusion joint has a mouthwatering selection of Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean dishes. The pho is delightful and definitely try the short ribs. And it's a noodle house, so don't skimp on the noodles!

 And a ninja Guy Fieri mural on the wall? Come on! Seriously, I can't say enough good things about this place.

We ended our trip with a relaxing stop at Kate Sessions park, which has an incredible view of the bay. A quick nap and we were on our way back to our beloved Santa Barbara...until next time San Diego, stay classy!

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Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado

Palta Rellena, or "stuffed avocado" in Spanish, is a classic Peruvian dish that I can remember eating since childhood. Generally however, from what I can remember the chicken salad was always a quizzical mix of chicken, mayonnaise and that bag of mixed vegetables you find in the frozen aisle at the grocery store (you know the one, with the peas, corn and little cubes of carrot). Now that didn't make it any less delicious, but when John made a rotisserie chicken the other night I was inspired to create a contemporary version of this Peruvian classic with the leftovers. Chicken salad is one of our favorite things to make with a leftover chicken; we've also been loving polenta bowls with a hodgepodge of sauteed vegetables and sliced chicken, but that's a whole other blog post.

I love the idea of eating chicken salad in something other than a sandwich, it just keeps things exciting and new. And it's perfect if you're trying to limit your carb intake because the avocado makes it feel decadent.

For this chicken salad I included currants, toasted almonds and a sprinkling of parsley for color, but I have also made this dish with a Southwestern twist using black beans, corn, roasted pepper and cilantro. And I just love a chicken salad with dill, fennel and citrus...the possibilities are endless! 

serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup cooked chicken breast, chopped

1 small shallot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced
2 tbsp dried currants
2 tbsp sliced almond, toasted
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1/4 mayonnaise
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and skins removed

Instructions
1. To make the chicken salad, combine chicken, shallot, celery, currants, toasted almond, parsley, mayonnaise and blasamic vinegar in a bowl and mix until ingredients are evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Scoop chicken salad into avocado halves. Garnish with additional parsley and serve.

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Grilled Peach Salad with Bacon Dijon Vinaigrette

Now that Memorial Day has come and gone grilling season is officially here! We are certainly not letting the dreaded Santa Barbara "June Gloom" get in the way of our grilling ambitions here at home...we've already dusted off the grill to host a steak taco night and recreated these Spiced Salmon Kebabs from Bon Appetit for a quick and healthy weeknight meal...highly recommended!

And speaking of healthy, there's no reason why salads shouldn't benefit from a little BBQ goodness. Salads can sometimes feel a bit obligatory, at least for me. So I always like to mix it up and include fun, creative ingredients that actually make me excited to get my greens. Adding ingredients like fruit, nuts and cheese (and yes, bacon) add that perfect touch of indulgence and can transform a salad from something that feels like of a chore to eat into something much more exciting. 

In the spirit of summer, I put my peaches on the grill to achieve a smoky sweetness. It paired beautifully with the bacon and creamy goat cheese. And in the spirit of bacon, I reserved a little of the bacon fat and used it to create a simple vinaigrette. I hope you enjoy my grilled peach salad recipe, let me know what grilled fruits you would add to a salad in the comments!

serves 2
Ingredients
3 cups fresh spinach
1/2 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1 peach, cut into quarters
2 slices bacon
2 oz. goat cheese
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp white balsamic vinaigrette
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions
1. Oil a gas grill or indoor grill pan and heat to medium high. Brush peach slices with olive oil and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Cut each slice in half and set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until done, drain on paper towels and chop when cool. Reserve 2 tsp of bacon fat.
3. To make dressing, whisk dijon, honey, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, bacon fat, salt and pepper.
4. Add spinach and shallot to a salad bowl and toss with dressing. Top with bacon, goat cheese and grilled peaches and serve.

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