Truffled Egg & Cheese Biscuit

There is nothing better than creating a "Hygge moment" at breakfast time. For me, this usually involves a delicious breakfast, making a cup of tea or coffee (especially in a cute cup or mug), and listening to my favorite podcasts while wrapped in a blanket on the couch.  Doesn't that sound cozy? This doesn't happen all the time, but when it does it's amazing.

This truffled egg and cheese biscuit is something I like to have on the weekends when there is more time to create those "Hygge moments". Truffle salt and zest are what make this recipe really stand out. That being said, I know many people don't like truffle, or even a fried egg. These tasty biscuits are easy to make and there are many ways to adapt this recipe to make it suit your taste.

When it comes to choosing eggs all I can say is do some research. There are various types out there: white, brown, pasture raised, free range, etc. It's really interesting to learn about these options to pick the one that is best for you - based on budget, ethics, taste, environmental impact, and availability. Often times we are uninformed on the products we are buying as consumers, or are stuck on one particular product because it is what we had growing up. 

Now it's time to start cooking and creating!

Truffled Egg & Cheese Biscuit

Yields: 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes (apx)
Total Time: 25 minutes (apx)

Ingredients

- 2 jumbo buttermilk biscuits*
- 2 eggs
- Slices of sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/8 inch thick)
- Truffle salt
- Truffle zest
*If preferred, make your own buttermilk biscuits. My favorite recipe is:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/220943/chef-johns-buttermilk-biscuits/
*Make it vegan: use vegan options for all non-vegan ingredients.
*Add other toppings: if you don't like truffle, don't add the truffle salt or zest. Add anything you like instead. Regular salt and pepper would be great, or even the Trader Joe's "Everything but the Bagel" seasoning perhaps.

Directions:

1. Start by baking the biscuits. Cook according to the biscuit instructions (or recipe). Be sure to preheat the oven before placing the biscuits inside.

2. Slice the cheese and set it aside.
3. HAVE A DANCE PARTY while you wait for the biscuits to bake.
4. When there are about 5 minutes remaining for the biscuits to finish baking, start frying the egg. For details on how to make the perfect fried egg, I recommend this website (they explain it far better than I would): https://www.incredibleegg.org/cooking-school/egg-cookery/fry-eggs
5. When the eggs are half way cooked, add the truffle salt and zest (or other desired topping) so the flavor soaks into the egg.

6. Once the biscuits are done, remove from the oven and split in half.
7. Add the egg and cheese to one side of the biscuit and gently place the biscuit top and ENJOY!

Did you try this recipe? Let me know how you made this eggy biscuit your own and what your favorite toppings are in the comment section below.

Savory Cilantro & Parsley Pasta

Fresh herbs and tomato bring a bright burst of flavor to this pasta dish. This is one of the most delicious, savory, and yes, HEALTHY pasta dishes I have ever had. I would say this is more of a "California" style pasta, rather than a traditional Italian type of pasta.

I was so skeptical about this recipe because to me, a die hard authentic Italian food lover, I couldn't imagine putting non traditional flavors in a pasta. Maybe its a bit silly, but it just didn't seem right to me. I do plan to post some more authentic Italian dishes on here, but in the meantime I urge you to give this recipe a try and step outside the box a little.

I have tried this pasta with both ground beef and ground turkey. They truly taste EXACTLY the same! The only difference we noticed was a slight difference in texture. Ground turkey is a lean meat and has a slightly dry texture compared to ground beef. I included some possible vegan/vegetarian options for anyone who does not eat meat or wants to try a different spin on this recipe.

There is a special topping I put on this pasta that makes it taste extra special - hot sauce. So, I must give a special shout out to the most delicious hot sauce I have ever tried - The Pepper Plant: Chunky Garlic Hot Sauce! This is not sponsored! While on a road trip I landed in a small town restaurant and picked up this inconspicuous bottle of hot sauce on the table to add to my veggie omelette. It was so delicious and my mom ended up buying it on Amazon. I am obsessed with it to the point where I have planned meals around how I can include the sauce in them. Although this pasta is great without it, this hot sauce does add an extra layer of savory deliciousness. A dash of Cholula would also be good with this dish.

When serving this pasta, I usually steam some cauliflower to have on the side or roast some asparagus; it all depends on the season for me. I do prefer to use seasonal produce when possible.

When it comes to cooking, I believe that recipes are meant to be used for inspiration, and you should adapt it - use your "chef instincts" when cooking so it suits your taste. This was a concept that took me a while to grasp as I really began to become a better cook. I used to follow recipes religiously, but was often disappointed because the seasoning profile or certain ingredients didn't fit my taste. When I began adapting them, my cooking experience changed dramatically. So, I encourage you to adapt this recipe as you like.

Now it's time to start cooking and creating!

Savory Cilantro & Parsley Pasta

Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes (apx)
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Savory Cilantro & Parsley Sauce:
- 2 TBS olive oil (or other cooking oil), plus more if needed
- 1.5 lb ground turkey or ground beef*
- 1 large, or 2 small bunches cilantro, rinsed, stems removed, finely chopped
- 1 large, or 2 small bunches Italian parsley, rinsed stems removed, and finely chopped
- 6 oz can tomato paste*
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
*Make it Vegan/Vegetarian by replacing ground meat with ground beef substitute, mushrooms, or crumbled tofu. I haven't tested these, but will in the future and update this recommendation accordingly.
*Option to replace can of tomato paste with 1/2 cup canned plain tomato sauce, no salt AND 1 can diced plain tomatoes, not salted.

Pasta:
- 1 box whole grain pasta (I use Barilla)*
- Salt (to add to boiling water)
*Make it gluten-free by replacing pasta with spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or gluten-free pasta of choice. 

Toppings (optional but highly recommended!):
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese or nutritional yeast
- Hot sauce*
*My favorite hot sauce is The Pepper Plant: Chunky Garlic Hot Sauce.  Cholula would also work well.

Directions

1. Wash the cilantro and parsley. Pat dry with a towel. Remove stems and finely chop.

Parsley

Cilantro

2. Add olive oil (about 2 TBS) to a nonstick pan  and cook meat (or meat alternative) until completely cooked through. Add salt and pepper while cooking.
3. Add cilantro and parsley to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes so they are wilted and lightly fried with the meat. Add salt and pepper again as needed.

Cilantro & parsley in the pan with the meat 

4. Add the tomato paste (or the option of using tomato sauce and diced tomatoes instead), plus 1/2 cup filtered water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid has evaporated and you are left with a very thick meat sauce, about 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water added to the meat and herbs.  I usually use tomato paste, but didn't have it on hand at the time I was making the recipe this time.

5. While the sauce simmers away, boil a large pot of water. Add fine sea salt to the water once it has reached a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. When finished, drain and set aside.
6. Add a serving of pasta to a bowl and top with the meat sauce. To add a little extra delicious flavor, sprinkle with a little cheddar cheese and your favorite hot sauce. Enjoy!

The finished product!

 Notes:

*Using Salt & Pepper: Salt and pepper to taste, or only use a little and let each person season their own when it is plated to avoid over use of salt and pepper. Remember, everybody's taste buds are different and will want different amounts.
*Meal Prep Tips: If using this recipe for weekly meal prep, store the meat sauce and pasta separately. It will keep well for 3 to 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If possible, I do recommend making fresh pasta each day as the pasta tends to dry out easily. Add a dash of water to the meat sauce/pasta to reheat. If using the stove, reheat on low and cover the sauce to avoid burning and drying out.

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know what you thought and how you made it your own!

Cambria, California Travel Guide - Lighthouses, Olallieberries, Elephant Seals, & Zebras - OH MY!

Over Labor Day weekend I went on an end of summer family vacation to Cambria, California. This quaint little central coast town is located about three hours north-west of Santa Barbara.

We stayed there three nights and I felt it was the perfect amount of time to fully relax, enjoy the town and all it has to offer - including delicious local cuisine.

On the way up to Cambria we made a pit stop in Morro Bay to check out the Rock and stretch out our legs.

Morro Bay is another cute little beach town. Its most prominent attraction, aside from windsurfing and the local sea life, is the Rock.

In a nutshell, the Rock is a volcano that almost erupted. However, before it erupted the magma solidified in the vents and subsequently created a dome. It's really interesting - check out this link to learn more.

After admiring the Rock for a little bit, we continued our drive up the coast.

We ended up arriving in Cambria several hours before our scheduled check in time at the Fireside Inn at Moonstone Beach. Luckily the staff were so friendly and accommodating. They were able to let us check in early and settle in. At check in, they even give you a bag of homemade cookies to take with you.

The Inn has such a cozy feel to it, and as the name indicates, each room has a fireplace! The rooms are decorated very tastefully - no weird  patterns or gross carpets here. On top of everything, the rooms each have a Keurig machine and they set out K-cups for you. This was a really nice touch. And, if anyone is as picky as I am, you should know that the rooms, bedding, and towels were all very fresh - no bleachy, dusty, or other typical hotel/motel smells. Yes - I pay attention to these things.

Did I mention the location? This Inn is located right off Highway 1 and has a quiet street between it and Moonstone Beach.

Later that day we went to downtown Cambria for dinner and a little touristy browsing.

For dinner we went to Linn's Restaurant, right in the heart of downtown. The food was good, but little did I know what I was in for when I tried the famous Olallieberry Pie! Olallieberries are a local phenomenon in Cambria  and kind of taste like a cross between a blackberry and a cranberry - sweet with a little tartness. They warmed up the slice of pie and put a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top - and wow - it was pure bliss. We loved this place so much that we may have returned two more times before leaving:)

After we rolled out of the restaurant, we walked around the main street. It is filled with cute shops, cozy restaurants, and wine bars. The gift shops were filled with locally crafted pieces - so beautiful!  A lot of the shops also sold ocean themed gifts - which is perfect for me. We stumbled upon one shop in particular called Home Arts. This store sang to my soul!I ended up purchasing a seahorse glass nail file (works very well, and also looks cute) and some fresh smelling room freshener called "Mermaid Kisses." How could I not buy that? And yep, we loved this store so much as well that we returned the next day.

The next day we woke up early to grab breakfast- the Inn had a great breakfast buffet! There was an assortment of muffins, bagels, bread, yogurt, oatmeal, and they even had sausage, eggs, and... a WAFFLE MAKER! This is the way to my heart - a nice breakfast at the place I am staying on vacation. It really makes it easy to relax not having to rush around to get breakfast outside the hotel.

Once we finished breakfast, my parents headed off on their Hearst Castle tour while I opted to stay at the Hotel to do some yoga and relax. It was a nice morning.

When my parents returned, we went down the street for lunch at Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill. They had a really nice outdoor patio overlooking Moonstone Beach. The service was good and the food was good (pretty standard options).

After a little walk along the Moonstone Beach boardwalk, we headed out to the little town of Harmony. It was about a 10 minute drive away and is known for its glassblowing studio and pottery barn. We were a little disappointed in it to be honest, mostly because my mom made the effort to call before we drove there to make sure they would be doing a glassblowing demo when we got there (duh - that is the whole point of wanting to go there!). The person on the phone said yes and they would be doing demos until 4pm. We arrived at around 3:30pm, and the person at the studio said they were done doing glassblowing demos for the day. WHAT?! So, we walked around the studio a little bit (all while being a little peeved of the misinformation) and they had beautiful, very expensive pieces. It was nice, but I did really want to see the glass blowing firsthand.

And finally, no beach trip is complete without a good old fashioned barbecue! We found a great spot at Leffingwell Landing, just a few minutes walk from the Inn. The spot overlooked Moonstone Beach and was out of the direct sun glare. For the barbecue, my Dad cooked up some beer bratwursts and we put them in artisan hot dog buns with mustard and sauerkraut. Before we headed out on the barbecue, I made a kale salad... in the bathroom sink (proper sanitary precautions taken, no problem). It's a delicious salad that I make all the time to goon the side of everything.
Ingredients:
Kale
Olive Oil
Lemon
Salt
Pepper
Red pepper flakes
Garlic (optional)
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated

Instructions:
Wash kale and run through a salad spinner or pat it dry. Add a little olive oil - just enough to very lightly coat the kale. Then squeeze in the lemon juice (use as much or little as you like depending on how strong you want the lemon flavor). Be sure to monitor how much liquid you are adding - you don't want the salad to have too much extra liquid. Finally, add in the salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and garlic (if using). Massage the kale for a few minutes to help soften the leaves.  Enjoy!

When we finished the barbecue, we went back in to downtown Cambria for, that's right, MORE OLALLIEBERRY PIE! I also got a little something extra to take home for later - a chocolate eclair. It was so tasty and looked like one of the fancy desserts I used to buy in France... like something you would have expected to see in front of Marie Antoinette herself.

The next morning we headed out to my most anticipated part of the trip - the Piedras Blancas Light Station (after gorging myself on the Inn's breakfast of course).

Now, for those of you who don't know me, I love lighthouses. There's just something so special about them. I have been to a few other lighthouses - a few in Northern California and one in Maine, but this one was one of my favorite tours yet.Although the lighthouse itself may not look as spectacular as the others at this time, the tour was incredible and I learned so much. At the other lighthouses I visited, the tours were self guided and the information provided was minimal. The tour we had at Piedras Blancas was really extraordinary.

If you are thinking of going to visit this lighthouse, be sure to check their website. At the time I'm writing this post, they only do one tour a day and they provide very explicit instructions on where to meet for the tour. They also only have the tour on certain days if it is not a peak tourist season.

The website instructed us to meet at the Piedras Blancas Motel, a  mile North of the lighthouse. The tour guides meet you there and at first I was like.. are we going to have to walk all the way back to the lighthouse? And the answer is no. The lighthouse is a gated property and since they only have tours once per day, they don't keep the gate open. So, you meet at the Motel, pay for the tour, then caravan into the lighthouse property (they check your ticket on the way in).

The tour was two hours and we walked all around the property. Our guide was so knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. You can tell he really knows his stuff and loves what he is doing. Depending on the time of year, expect to see a variety of sea life off the coast, including seals and even whales!

Without going on and on, I will leave it at this - definitely visit this lighthouse if you go to Cambria or are driving through to Big Sur!

We then made our way to the elephant seal rockery. I could stay there for hours observing these elephant seals. It's a true gift to have the chance to observe them in their natural environment.

For lunch we stopped at a barbecue place, Main Street Grill, in downtown Cambria. I had a tri tip sandwich and caesar salad. The caesar salad was delicious, but the tri tip was seriously lacking flavor.

After filling our bellies, we walked across the street to the  Montello Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Room. It was a small shop with lots of visitors. You can sample all of the oil and vinegar they have sitting out. Everything I tried was delicious - except the chocolate balsamic vinegar - that really should not be a thing. The owner was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain to us what true aged balsamic vinegar is and looks like. Basically I learned that I haven't been completely scammed in the past, but that I wasn't getting true aged balsamic.

I walked away with a bottle of the cherry balsamic vinegar - so delicious! (It tastes amazing on top of vanilla ice cream).

Then we made another stop at the cute Home Arts gift shop and picked up some more "Mermaid Kisses" sachets and a whale mug that I had been thinking about since the first time we went there.

It was a nice day, but quite exhausting. We needed a nap before dinner.

After a little nap, we went for a walk on Moonstone Beach to closely check out the driftwood features that someone built on the beach. There was nothing holding them together, just the driftwood itself and how it was stacked and angled.

For dinner we went to the Sow's Ear Cafe in downtown Cambria. It was a pretty fancy restaurant and I did feel a bit strange walking in wearing my jeans, hoodie, and sneakers, but there were a few other tourist tables dressed the same.

The restaurant vibe reminded me so much of Carmel, which I loved. We shared two appetizers: lobster corn dogs and also a fried brie cheese plate. For the main course, I chose the Lobster Pot Pie. It was so delicious, filled with huge chunks of lobster meat and mushrooms, and came with a side of perfectly seasoned and not greasy vegetables and rice.

On our final day, we tried to find some tide pools to check out after our breakfast and before checkout. On our search, we passed by Hearst Castle and we saw Zebras! They were grazing in the fields alongside the cows. It was so cool to see them.

We ended up going to Leffingwell Landing for the tide pools. There wasn't time to go down and walk through them, but we looked at them from the cliff. While we were standing there, we saw the true circle of life. There was a group of several turkey vultures picking at something on the beach. We couldn't see in detail what it was because it was so far down. After they picked at it for a while, we saw.... it was a seal:( I know this is a natural life circle, and it is good that nature has this process I guess, but it still made me feel sad.

Our time in Cambria then sadly came to an end. But first - we stopped by Linn's one more time to grab an Olallieberry shake and a slice of the Olallieberry pie to go.

On the way down from Cambria, we took a slight detour to Quicksilver Ranch, right outside of Solvang to see the miniature horses. They were adorable. A baby horse was close enough to the fence to touch. They had a strange wool like coat on them that I'm sure will molt off later on. I had so much fun watching them.

This was such a nice trip. Cambria was the perfect place for me to unwind and be able to relax completely.

I hope this gives you some inspiration to visit Cambria and the places I mentioned. The central coast is special because of its tiny beach towns and abundant sea life to watch and learn about firsthand.

Cambria also hosts a Christmas market each year that I hope I'll get to visit in the next year or so. I do have kind of high expectations for Christmas markets after experiencing the European markets, as well as the ones in New York City. It is definitely worth a visit though.

All of the photo credit goes to my Dad. Thank you for sharing the photos you took. I need to get better at remembering to take photos for my blog now:)