Let's just start this out by saying this little town is part of one of many small towns surrounding Clear Lake—possibly the oldest lake in North America and the largest lake in California. It is about 30 minutes inland from the Pacific Ocean and an hour off Interstate 5 at the Williams' exit.
Don't miss Renee's milkshakes. This is the first stop for all my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law when they return to visit their hometown. Our kids now can't live without a stop at this treasure.
Secret gems nearby include: Blue Lakes
Knochti Volcano
Casino
Another food stop you can't miss is the Gorgonzola Bread at XXXX.
What to do: With 100 miles of shoreline and a surface area of XX acres - this lake hosts water enthusiasts for boating, windsurfing, jet skiing, fishing, floating, listening to great live music, and participating in local festivities.
With 11 free boat launches and places to rent watercraft at area businesses around the lake, XX
I type this in the midst of the COVID Coronavirus outbreak to share a smoothie recipe that can be made with a few easy-to-attain ingredients packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C that are known immune boosters. As a disclaimer, in no way do I claim that this will have any impact on the current flu virus our world is fighting, but I do know that these ingredients help our bodies fight by strengthening our immunity.
This makes two large glasses.
4 medium navel oranges (or other sweet citrus such as tangerines, mandarin oranges, tangelos), peeled
1/2 fresh lemon, juiced (or you could use lime)
1 quarter-sized or 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled
1 big handful of fresh spinach (or kale)
2-3 cups of ice cubes
2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup or honey, to taste (you may prefer a little more)
(VERY OPTIONAL - a pinch of cayenne pepper as the Hubs prefers this kick but I do not add it)
Traveling in Puerto Vallarta with Teens - Taco and Street Food Tour
Let's be honest... teens love to eat, (and sleep). During two separate trips to Puerto Vallarta, food took center-stage with our ravenous teens. We set out on a food adventure with the goal to try new culinary options, and I'd say, we met that goal!
In search of the best guacamole...
Vallarta Eats Food Tours - As a family, we highly recommend the Vallarta Eats Food Tour'sSignature Taco and Street Food Tour! This may have been a highlight of our escape to Puerto Vallarta as we were treated to five hours of exploring "the best of Puerto Vallarta". The foodies who design this tour have taken their job to heart and have truly fleshed out food that goes on my Top 10 Favorites List! All four of our teens gave this extensive tour the thumbs-up.
Traveling with teens should focus on the food!
We did say food "adventures" didn't we?
It's a good idea to try the Chicharrones (fried pork skin) before touring the local butcher shop!
With our lovely and well-informed guide, Estrella, we visited more than 14 tasting locations to include family-run restaurants and taco stands.
Paletas, a Mexican-style Popsicle made with fresh fruits blow U.S. popsicles away!
The first stop on our Signature Taco Tour!
Take this tour at the beginning of your trip to find out where the best food can be found. We ended up returning to our "favorites" throughout our week-long visit. Book in advance, and go hungry.
Our morning started with Tacos de Birria (meat stew marinated in chiles), fresh pastries, ceviche (seafood cooked in lime juice) tostada, a butchers for fresh chicharrones (pork rind), Seafood Chile Relleno, Shrimp Brochette, fresh tortillas from the conveyer belt after watching the tortilla-making process, Tuba (coconut drink), Tacos de Carne Asada (Grilled beef), Mole sauces, Mexican candies and artisanal chocolate and liqueurs at Azteca, La Michoacana for sorbets and paletas.
Tacos de Birria - meat stew marinated in chiles
Stop number two - fresh-baked pastries and local specialties. We loved the "elephant ear" like treats, the pineapple turnovers and really everything we tried.
Our third stop was an actual open-air "restaurant" with delicious quesadillas.
The Vallarta Eats Food Tour group is ranked as number one tour in Puerto Vallarta on Trip Advisor and we agree hands-down that it is not something to miss!
We love Bella's expression in this shot taken by our tour guide, Estrella!
Our fourth stop turned out to be the boys' favorite - the Carnitas Pork Taco and the authentic Mexican Coca-Cola (yes, it really does taste different than what you would buy in the U.S.).
The boys' favorite spot!
The tours are a maximum of 10 people to keep the group intimate and accommodating of the vendors as well. Ironically the folks in our group happened to be from the Pacific Northwest as well!
Sampling Mexican Coca-Cola
Although we don't have "proof" of our tasting (and honestly, really loving) the Chicarrones, fresh and hot pork rinds (okay, get rid of your preconceived notions about what these would taste like as they proved to be addicting), we took samples home in our bags and had them as snacks all week.
Vallarta Eats folks take great care of their guests. We were so impressed with how accommodating they were!
The Shrimp Brochettes from Cisnero's were Todd's favorite stop. This family-owned taco stand was right outside their restaurant (with a restroom!) and they had an extensive menu with more complicated creations.
The shrimp brochettes were a fan favorite in our group.
We loved sitting around the food stand watching the cooking and preparation.
The care and love that went into food preparation at Cisneros, made it a favorite.
The best Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos of my life were unearthed at Marisma's fish taco stand! We went back for more a few days later. The Mahi Mahi was incredibly fresh, lightly battered, perfectly seasoned and
I dream about these Mahi Mahi Tacos!
We loved visiting the municipal market area to include the Tortillera where we experienced fresh tortillas hot off the press. We also learned how to roll and salt our tortilla for a quick snack, just like the Jalisco locals.
Our guide took us to her favorite place to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables. We learned about chiles of the region, sniffed teas, sampled vegetables, and learned how to select the region's finest produce.
We were getting so full by the time we made it to the El Colera restaurant for Ceviche Tostadas.
The girls were smart to share!
You can tell that the Vallarta Eats Food Tour group are true foodies and have done their research and curated an interesting selection of tastes. They teach you about the culinary culture of Mexico and favorites of the locals. We were taught what to look for, in terms of food safety eating at food carts, for venturing out on our own.
We loved the variety of Agua Fresca sampled at each location. Each restaurant or food cart made their own Agua Fresca with a variety of fruits and that became another experience in itself as we'd compare and contrast the fruit blends at each stop.
Vallarta Eats Food Tours take photographs throughout the day and then e-mail each guest with a link to the photos and a list of all the foods along the tour in addition to the location of where to return.
The boys loved the Birria Taco Dorado and the Carnitas Pork Taco near Insurgentes.
The quesadillas with adobada pork and tacos from El Moreno near Constitution were the girls' favorites.
We all adored the fresh fruit chunk-laden Paletas and sorbet from La Michoacana (on the corner of Francisco Madero and Constitucion). We returned later in the week for these creations.
Just when we thought we were finishing our tour with these amazing paletas, we were whisked to yet another shop, the Azteca Candy Shop! Not only did we sample sweets unique to Mexico, but our guide taught us about the process of how foods were made.
I appreciated the care that was shown in being aware of my daughter's food allergies to nuts. Not only did the company e-mail me prior to our tour inquiring about the allergy, but great care was demonstrated throughout the tour.
We all agreed that we would do another Vallarta Eats Food Tour in a heartbeat as this was a highlight of our trip. This was a great value in price for as much food as we received, while exposing us to the best street food with a delightful guide! With our trusted guide Estrella, our teens tasted every single food sample offered to them, which was impressive in itself. I wish more cities offered food tours such as this as it provides tourists with a beneficial service, an insider's vantage point, and a curated experience of a city.
*This was a completely unbiased review as I was NOT compensated for anything to write this. I want to share with anyone (regardless if you travel with teens or not) who visits Puerto Vallarta that this tour is a MUST! Kudos to Vallarta Eats Food Tours! We can't wait to return and try another tour.
Next up we will review another favorite Puerto Vallarta excursion - The Vallarta Adventures Sea Safari, Hidden Beaches, and Snorkel full-day excursion, an outstanding adventure perfect for traveling in Puerto Vallarta with teens (and adults)!
Do you need a quick yet delicious idea for a winter warming soup? Do you need a new way of preparing frozen white fish from your freezer?
You must try this 20-minute Manhattan Fish Chowder recipe.
20-Minute Manhattan Fish Chowder
Ingredients:
24-ounces of white fish such as Cod
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
4 fluid ounces white wine
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons vegetable base
2 shallots, diced - could use 1 small white or yellow onion
Parsley to taste, chopped (optional)
Directions:
Cook fish in pan with 4 teaspoons of olive oil until 145 degrees, approximately 3-5 minutes per side. Remove fish from pan and break into bite-sized chunks.
Add diced shallot (or onion) to pan (no need to clean it out) and cook to soften 3-5 minutes. Add two cups water, tomato paste, Old Bay, chopped tomatoes, vegetable base, and wine. Boil and then cook for 5 minutes.
Add cod and chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Warm through by cooking 1-2 minutes.
We loved how fast this meal came together and appreciated being able to use fish from the freezer caught from a recent ocean-fishing trip.
The baby of our family will begin her senior year.
We will celebrate the third high school graduation of our four teens.
And we will navigate new health and diet protocols as a result of some of the health challenges of 2017.
But... we will give thanks for so many blessings.
I wish each of you a very happy, healthy and joyous New Year!
As always, thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I have exciting plans for this site for 2018, so I hope you will check back in!
I leave you with a little snippet of my 2017 highlights. According to Instagram, these are my top nine photos of 2017! Good memories indeed.
(Top right - the transformation of Bella from little girl to sweaty soccer player, Homecoming 2017 for Bella, Prom 2017 for Connor, Bella turns 17, Puerto Vallarta July 2017, Connor 's first day of kindergarten to senior graduation, geocaching in Sunriver, summer outdoor music festival, Mother's Day with my mom and kids 2017).
A few other family highlights included my in-laws 50th Wedding Anniversary pictured below with the 53 family members celebrated in November.
Photo by Brooke Beasley Photography.
Connor qualifying for the State Golf Tournament as an individual and graduating from high school!
Exploring (and eating our way through) Puerto Vallarta as a family and loving the Vallarta Food Tours!
One of our favorite inventions of 2017 was the Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cooker!
It helped Todd get a hot, healthy breakfast each day using eggs and whatever leftover vegetables, meats, or cheeses - not to mention, a "Paleo-friendly" option that stayed warm for his hour-long commute! This microwavable egg cooker made breakfast on-the-go a daily reality and also helped him achieve a weight-loss goal over the summer months. His love for the egg cooker led to an office-wide interest ending with sales of over 20 Pampered Chef Ceramic Egg Cookers for his office.
We love this product! I use it to make oatmeal and Todd (and countless coworkers) use theirs at work and rave about how the food stays warm in the cooker while they make their commute (it fits in the cup-holder of a car) or eat at their desks.
This contraption makes the perfect scrambled eggs (2 eggs with 2 Tablespoons milk or water, shake with a finger over lid). It makes omelets (sausage crumbled, cheese, onion, red peppers) in under 4 minutes! We put eggs (with add-ons or leftovers such as bacon, spinach, and cheese) in for 1 minute, stir and then add 15-second intervals until you get the consistency that you want. You can also make a lighter version with 1 cup of egg whites with 2 teaspoons of salsa microwaved for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The eggs are amazing!
This is a great gift for college students who have limited access to kitchens as you only need a microwave to make healthy, quick breakfasts or snacks.
The Ceramic Egg Cooker is easy to clean and you don't have to add oil, butter or cooking spray.
This is another great option to make in the Ceramic Egg Cooker - this Chocolate Mug Cake (flourless, gluten-free) that can be made in less than 5 minutes! Dark chocolate chips, milk, cocoa powder and one egg yolk create a decadent treat you can top with berries, whipped cream or powdered sugar.
You can alter the recipe with two swaps and make an Orange Chia Microwave Muffin by substituting the blueberries and lemon zest with 1 Tab. of chia seeds and 1 tsp. of orange zest.
About Pampered Chef
I went to my first Pampered Chef party over 18 years ago, when my first-born was a month old! I fell in love with the products and I can say that the items that I purchased at that initial party have stood the test of time and are still used and loved! I had been a customer over the years, and in early 2017, I attended my first online Pampered Chef Virtual Party on Facebook! From the comfort of my own home (dressed in my pajamas, I'm sure) I participated in my friend's Virtual Party online while I learned new techniques, watched videos of the products, and fell in love with the idea of becoming a Pampered Chef Consultant.
I took the plunge and signed up to become an Independent Pampered Chef Consultant as it aligned with my love of helping families find ways to make mealtime easier, cost-effective, and healthy so they can spend more quality time together. I love that a staff of home economists, food scientists, chefs, and dieticians develop, test, and edit more than 200 recipes each year while creating the tools, training, and tips that give everyday cooks confidence in the kitchen. Each product goes through extensive testing in the Test Kitchens and Quality Labs.
For more than 35 years, Pampered Chef has helped create countless mealtime moments with friends and family through high-quality, everyday cooking tools and inspiration, while providing cooking consultants with a flexible opportunity to build a business around his or her own lifestyle, goals, and passions.
Please visit my Independent Consultant Pampered Chef website at https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/nicoleengstrom to learn what Pampered Chef has to offer!
A girl in love with the seasons who wants to cram as much as she can into the 365 days of the year to live a life of bliss. Welcome to What Matters Most Now! I hope you will find inspiration and recipes you love.
