London Food Guide

My recent trip to London was my first experience in Europe. I was blown away by the architecture, food, style and history that characterized the city. Our trip was also the first time my parents had been to Europe, so we got to experience it together with fresh eyes. We marveled over how we never ate a bad meal - especially after hearing about London's reputation for less than stellar food. Half of these spots were wonderful suggestions from friends. The other half were places I researched or happy accidents that we stumbled upon! Hopefully this list of restaurants and pubs will help you enjoy your culinary experience in London as much as we did.

Dishoom: Inspired by the disappearing Irani cafés of Bombay, Dishoom has a cool vibe and delicious food.

The Wolseley: This is a well-known and extremely impressive establishment. It will be helpful to make a reservation, dress up a bit and prepare your budget for the occasion. An excellent choice for afternoon tea.

Rabbit: Tapas! Exquisite tapas, delicious drinks and a laid-back vibe. I can't say enough good things about this place.

Cafe Concerto: If you see one of these and you're hungry for lunch, go in and sit down. One of the best salmon niçoise salads I've ever eaten. 

The Botanist: This spot is typically busy, so I recommend making a reservation. Incredible drink list and delicious food.

Chelsea Potter Pub: We stumbled upon this pub, but apparently it is quite well known! I recommend the Pimm's and Lemonade or a pint of Pironi to go with your fish and chips.

Da Scalzo: The best pizza! Their gluten-free crust was impressive as well. Live jazz makes this little piece of Italy even more cozy.

No. 11 Pimlico Road: Go here for breakfast! I'm sure they make great dinner as well, but trust me, you need to eat their breakfast. The design in this place is on point!

West Coast Road Trip, PT 2

It was a quick stay in SF before we started heading south once again. We realized that we weren't going to be able to make it all the way to Monterey Bay, so we started looking for a hotel south of SF. We stumbled upon the Costano Lodge in Pescadero, CA and decided that it would be a good place to take a break from driving in the dense advection fog. It was nearly midnight when we arrived, so we went straight to our room. We noticed that there wasn't a TV or even WIFI available, which we thought was pretty cool! It feels nice to unplug - even when it is due to an unexpected situation. The next morning, we stepped onto our patio and were stunned. Apparently Costanoa Lodge is a gorgeous wellness retreat with a lodge that makes incredible, healthy foods. It was a remarkably lucky accidental discovery.

After breakfast, we headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium! Jared had been wanting to visit this aquarium for years, so exploring it together was a dream! It is undoubtedly my favorite aquarium. I love the design of the building and the kelp forest exhibit is incredible! The views from the back pier are stunning. Pretty much everything about it is wonderful and I highly suggest you go check it out next time you are on the west coast!

That evening, we drove farther south until we entered Big Sur. One of my favorite bloggers had mentioned Big Sur Bakery and I'd wanted to eat there ever since. We had a delicious dinner that night and found lodging nearby in Caramel. The next morning, we went back for ginger scones and coffee. After exploring the area, we had lunch at a restaurant with incredible views: Nepenthe.

Our final stop in Big Sur was Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. It doesn't get much better than that.

After a night at the nearest Air Force base, we headed to LA. This was Jared's first time to the city. When the desk clerk at The Standard found out, he said "Welcome to LA" and gave us a $300 room upgrade. 

We left the hotel early, grabbed coffee at Handsome Coffee Roasters and headed to our motel near DISNEYLAND!!! We were up early the next morning and enjoyed a full day at the happiest place on earth. I visited Disneyland with my family every two to three years during my childhood, so I have tons of fond memories there.

Stay tuned for Part 3!

See also: West Coast Road Trip Part 1

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

Three months ago, my mom and I planted my first garden while she was visiting over spring break. Little did I know, it would turn out to be one of my biggest joys. Watching large, dark zucchini grow from little seeds is a really cool process. Luckily, I've had a healthy harvest so far - and a girl can only eat so much green curry before she needs another use for her zucchini. 

That's where this zucchini bread comes in. I adapted it from Minimalist Baker's Gluten Free Zucchini Cake and used the HEB brand GF flour that my mother-in-law brought us from Texas. I can't vouch for other types, but any gluten free flour blend should work! 

Ingredients:

• 1 full cup grated zucchini
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2/3 c agave nectar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup grape seed oil
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 free range eggs
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 1 TBS coconut flour
• pinch salt
• 1/4 c chopped walnuts to top the bread

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease + flour an 8x8 baking dish.

Mix the zucchini, vanilla extract, agave nectar, grape seed oil, appleasauce and eggs together.

In another bowl, mix the gluten free flour, almond meal, coconut flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Add the DRY ingredients into the WET gradually, whisking to incorporate well. 

Pour the thick batter into the greased pan and top with chopped walnuts. Bake for 45-50 minutes. You will know the bread is done when the edges are brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let is cool for five minutes and serve warm! This bread also keeps well in the fridge for several days. Make sure to keep it covered with tin foil to preserve the moistness of the bread. This recipe is softer and sweeter than most zucchini breads, since it is adapted from a zucchini cake! I can't wait to try the original version with the Minimal Baker's dairy free cream cheese frosting. Yum.

Let me know if you try this out! Hope everyone is having a great start the the week. :)

My New Favorite Salad

I made this salad for dinner last night and it was so delightful that I had it again for lunch today. The best part is that it came together quickly with the help of the Whole Foods salad bar!

Now I know you must be thinking "Paige, you didn't really make that salad if it came from the Whole Foods salad bar. You just assembled it."

Okay, fine. But I did add my own spinach, goat cheese, avocado, olive oil and roasted kabocha squash to the cilantro tofu, zucchini, roasted corn, roasted endive and roasted red bell peppers that I picked up from the bar. :)

So there you have it! All of the items I used in this delightful salad.  By the way, have you tried kabocha squash before? It's so good. Here's the blog post that taught me how to cook this delightful fall squash: Eat Live Run. You can also blend cooked kabocha squash up into a super creamy soup! Yum.

Vintage Heart

Last week, I grabbed coffee with a friend that I originally met through Instagram. We had both been traveling quite a bit recently, so I was excited to be in Austin at the same time as Chee. It was a perfect chance to catch up and chat about cameras, future plans and, most importantly, our awesome dogs. 

We decided to meet at Vintage Heart Coffee in East Austin. While Chee had been there before, it was my first time to try this spot. I was impressed by the iced soy lavender latte. The last time I had one was in Seattle and I always enjoy that combo of lavender and espresso. 

Aside from being a talented photographer, Chee also does beautiful hand-lettering! You can find his work here and here.

Lemon Avocado Pasta

Avocado is one of my all-time favorite foods. It's up there with fresh figs, goat cheese and ice cream. I throw it in green smoothies, spread it on toast, use it in salads and eat it straight up. This creamy pasta is one of the best uses for avocado I have ever tasted. You can find the delicious recipe at Oh She Glows. Because I like to limit my gluten consumption, I cook this dish with quinoa & corn-based pasta. Make this tonight! You won't regret it.

Table, plates, flatware & place mats: West Elm / Candle holders: H&M Home