VLOG CITY LIFE: February 2018 part 1- Our Birthday Month: Fun In The City : Gasparilla Knight Parade + Naturebox Collab+ Hubby's Birthday/Valentine's Day Dinners

Gasparilla Saint Yago Knight Parade- Tampa

Gasparilla is something that Tampanians celebrate every year, it is a 3 month celebration commemorating the mythical pirate Jose Gaspar. The Gasparilla events include a childrens parade, the regular Parade of Pirates day parade, the Sant'Yago Knight parade, an art festival, a film festival, and a music festival which all takes place over a 3 to 3.5 month period. It's a pretty cool time to be in Tampa because it brings the community together showcasing talent from local schools, businesses, and individuals. And a lot of work is put into making the floats and the costumes that are used. It's kind of like Madi Gras but with pirates and it lasts way longer.

I love this parade in particular because it is in Ybor City and I spent a lot of my childhood and young adulthood down there since I went to community college only 1 block away from where this parade is held. I will always have so much love for this area and to be honest the knight parade is way more fun, kind of like being at the club.

Hello Kity Cafe Truck

NIMA TESTS: tested with NIMA the portable gluten tester up to 20ppm of gluten. Use my coupon code here to save 15$ off your starter kit

chicken swarma with hummus

Armature Works (Tampa Heights)

Drinks at Steelbach

FITNESS:

Finally seeing some gains in building thigh muscle after over two years of yoga!

This is the last of my Bath and Body Works semi annual sale haul!

This month I partnered with Nature Box to give one subscriber a 50.00$ gift card and lifetime membership to Nature Box (Healthy Snacks). Be sure to follow me on Instagram for opportunities like this because I usually don't get a lot of entries! The snacks I selected are gluten free, but they are processed in a facility with other wheat products so I did test everything I opened to make sure there was no cross contamination.

Snacks c/o Nature Box

Date Nights

Ocean Prime Tampa

Byblos Tampa

ALL GLUTEN FREE MEALS PREPARED BY MYSELF, RECIPES AVAILABLE APON REQUEST

BIRTHDAY DINNERS

In my family we celebrate our birthdays for a week. Since my husband had a long stint where he was missing my home cooked meals he actually just wanted me to cook for him for a few nights which is perfectly fine with me. So, first I made this easy shrimp and spring onion meal with a Japanese onion soup. I really liked how both dishes came out and they were super easy.

Next, for his birthday dinner I wanted to go outside my own comfort level and try something new, gluten free wonton soup and as he requested my prawn Moo Goo Gai Pan. So, I started early on my wontons and let me tell you, it took me about 5 hours total to cook and we didn't eat until almost midnight.

He liked the shrimp and veggie wonton soup, but I did make them too thick. They have to be super thin and folded correctly. I do not think I will be making this again, it just took way too long. And a note to anyone making these... a cookie cutter will make this so much easier!!!!! I don't eat sweets or bake ever so I did not have any on hand.

Prawn Moo Goo Gai Pan with seseme seeds, assorted veggies, baby corn, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots.

VALENTINE'S DAY

For V-day we stayed home because we couldn't get a reservation anywhere (even 2 weeks before). I decided to give the onion rings a go again (I made these earlier in the month for the Japanese onion soup) and also, add some calamari to the mix. I baked both the onions and the calamari to cut down on cholestoreal and oil and also, also, battered them with greek yogurt instead of buttermilk.

Jumbo shrimp & parmesano reggiano/aged cheddar stuffed portobello mushroom caps

So I recently told you guys that my husband has decided to try a Pescatarian diet for a healthier lifestyle, to lose weight, and lower his carbon impact on the planet. I am getting used to having to cook two dinners some nights because I am on a Flexitarian diet; so I eat only 18 ounces or less of meat and I am mostly Vegetarian or eating seafood the rest of time for my main protien source.

 So, for his lunch I have been making at his request seared Tuna steaks which are so easy to prepare for lunch. You only sear it for 2 minutes on each side in sesame oil and I usually season mine with sesame seeds, garlic, black peppercorns or cracked pepper, and salt. It's a pretty cost efficient lunch and he loves it. Once it is done cooking I throw the spinach in the same pan and sear that a little in the juices for 5 minutes.

Pan seared tuna, baby spinach, and rice (Hubby's lunch)

Baked egg patties