A huge thank you to Jessica Festa over at Epicure & Culture for the feature!

Epicure & Culture is an online magazine exploring the cultural side of travel via food, drink and the local people. ​In this article, I share my tips on finding the best steak and ale pie within Scotland, a history of the dish and my own at-home recipe. Click here to read the full article.

On September 22nd, the first official day of autumn, I returned home from a 9-day adventure in Scotland armed with a ton of foodie inspiration. However, this trip was anything but relaxing. In fact it was a bit of a financial splurge that we really had no business spending at this particular juncture. So we were determined to make the most of it within the budget and time that we had. As enjoyable as it was, the 5-hour time difference and go-go-go pace took its toll. But now I am full of renewed energy, ready to get back in the swing of things here on the blog.

Scotland is a beautiful country with an interesting food scene. High tea and black pudding are what usually come to mind when the subject of food mixes with Scotland. And not to be forgotten - haggis, neeps and tatties. For those not in the know, neeps stand for turnips and tatties is short for potatoes. Unless they're mashed potatoes in which case they just refer to them as mash. And haggis...well lets just say that a visual encounter with an uncooked batch in a highland gas station put me off to it. But Scotland has so much more to offer. At the hearty end of the menu, choices include steak & Scottish ale pie with a side of mash, golden fried haddock and chips with peas, chicken-bacon-mushroom pie topped with flaky puff pastry or Yorkshire pudding stuffed with seasoned meat and smothered in gravy - to name a few.

Choosing the healthier option was a bit of challenge. Not to suggest that Scotland lacked lighter fare. Nearly every meal came with either a side salad or some sort of cooked vegetable. It was easy to find a vegetarian soup served with a slice of brown bread, an omelette with smoked salmon and a side of greens or a spicy bean burger. And particularly in the cities, there were organic grab-n-go establishments such as the one that inspired this recipe.

Unfortunately, I never had the chance to try the original version of this protein pot which was composed of crayfish, some variety of rice mixed into the quinoa and a seasoning blend. Instead, I chose a boiled egg and baby spinach pot - boring I know - but just what I needed after several heavy meals. My shrimp pot is much more flavorful with the added bonus of portability.

On a side note for those traveling to Scotland for the first time, I will soon be offering an ebook guide with a specific, easy to follow, budget-minded itinerary. This outline will provide an overview of Scotland without trying to fit the entire country, which is actually quite large, into one trip. Additionally, it will provide tips on how to easily travel within Scotland, what to expect in various regions, how to reduce flight and lodging costs, where to eat and how to avoid being turned away, Scottish recipes and much more. ​

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1/2 cup cooked peas
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
lemon vinaigrette*
8 large cooked shrimp, peeled 
2 hardboiled eggs, shelled and halved lengthwise
1/8 cup seed mixture: pumpkin, sunflower, hemp
lemon wedges

Lemon Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
For the vinaigrette, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Combine the quinoa, peas, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper. Divide the quinoa mixture into four small mason jars or containers. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top each quinoa portion with two shrimp and half an egg. Sprinkle with seed mixture and garnish with a lemon wedges.

Yield: 4 servings

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

Multicultural holidays are some of my favorites to celebrate. As an American of European descent, there are no family obligations so I can really focus on enjoying the festivities. To Mexicans, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Battle of Puebla in the 1800's during which the French were defeated. To most non-Mexican Americans, it is a celebration of the cultural aspects of Mexico, most notably the food and drinks!

My husband and I have a special place in our hearts for Mexico. We have visited three times to date, vacationing in Tulum and Playa del Carmen twice, and more recently, Puerto Vallarta. Each trip was packed full of wonderful, unique sites and experiences.

In Tulum, a dirt path led us to one of the most beautiful white sand beaches we had ever seen. Playa del Carmen was chaotic, scary in certain areas, charming, festive and absolutely bustling with locals and tourists. The nearby cenotes and lazy river in the Xcaret park were highlights neither to be missed nor forgotten. An ATV tour through the jungle brought us face-to-face with a wild tarantula and a glimpse of how some of the locals lived and worked. We snacked on churros for a dollar-a-piece and nobody bat an eye when we roamed the streets openly drinking beer. Even more surprising were the open-air bars where one could drink while seated on a swing mounted many feet above the ground.

Puerto Vallarta was quite different. It felt wonderfully safe, a world unto itself hidden behind the mountains next to the sea. Considered something of a food mecca, there were countless options from steamed red snapper with chili sauce served beachside to Italian food on a balcony overlooking the busy streets. In the convenience shops, it was hard to find a chip or a nut coated in any flavor other than jalapeño pepper. An excursion into the mountains brought us first to a street stand, where a woman made corn tortillas by hand, filling them with avocado, black beans and the most wonderful cheese I had ever tasted. From there we entered San Sebastian del Oeste, an old mining town where the residents have also spent decades harvesting and selling their own coffee beans. In the heart of the town, we met the humble owner of a tiny bakery who, with great pride, showed off intricate pastries and homemade ice cream in various flavors.

​Mexico, much like this burrito bowl, is filled with all sorts of interesting things. As complex as it is simple and worth trying at least once.

Left: Hacienda Jalisco, a hideaway en route to San Sebastian del Oeste where director John Huston spent much of his time. Right: Drying the coffee beans. Bottom: the aforementioned bakery in San Sebastian del Oeste.

Ingredients:

Fire Roasted Chicken:
1 bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1 small red onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic
7-8 ounces canned fire roasted tomatoes in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 lb. boneless chicken breast, diced

Directions:
In a blender, puree the pepper, onion, garlic and tomatoes. Pour into a saucepan. Stir in the spices and vinegar. Add the chicken breast and simmer on medium to medium low for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 

Cilantro Rice:
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown rice
salt to taste
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
In a saucepan, bring the broth and vinegar to a boil. Add the rice, turn the heat to low and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in the salt and cilantro.

Roasted Purple Potatoes with Cotija Cheese:
4 small purple potatoes, diced small
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled

Directions:
Line a baking pan with foil. In a bowl, mix the potatoes, paprika, salt and oil by hand until well coated. Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully flip the potatoes and continue cooking another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and softened. Allow to cool and toss with the cheese.

Pineapple Salsa:
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced small
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced small
3 tablespoons red onion, minced
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
​
Directions:
In a bowl, mix the pineapple, pepper, onion, lime juice, salt and pepper. 

Creamy Avocado Tomatillo Sauce:
1 medium tomatillo
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup sour cream or full fat greek yogurt
1 small red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
juice of 1/4 lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Using a high-speed blender, combine all ingredients, blending until smooth.

Yield: 2 servings