30 Day Detox

by The Pike's Place

I’ve made the commitment! Today is the day I take the plunge into the world of detox. My husband and I are starting a 30-day detox and lifestyle change and I’m taking you on the journey with me! After hours of research, contacting multiple companies and reading other blog reviews, I decided to commit to the Teami 30-day detox to help get my body back in shape. In this post, you will find why I decided to do a detox, the benefits of a detox and my detox plan. Detox along with me and let’s get healthy together!

*This post contains affiliate links if you make a purchase after clicking on these links we will be compensated. All opinions are our own, this simply helps keep this blog running*

Why Detox?

There are tons of reasons why a lifestyle change can be beneficial and for many people, it may even be necessary.The last two years were a whirlwind for me and during that time I have let my wellbeing suffer. During this time and even before, I have suffered from stomach aches, trouble sleeping and difficulty losing weight. (more…)

Baked Honey Buffalo Chicken Tenders

by The Pike's Place

Spicy food is a slight obsession of mine. Whenever I eat out or even at home I’m always searching the menu for something with heat. Buffalo sauce tops the list of my favorites. I love wings, tenders, wraps, pizzas and anything else I can smother in the spicy sauce. My go to bar food are chicken tenders and while I love the spicy fried chicken, I do not love the amount of calories that comes with. Instead of going out to eat tonight for the glorious spicy hot fried tenders and having instant guilt and possibly a stomach ache from all the grease, I decided to take a stab at a healthier version at home.

My husband is from Michigan and on a trip back to visit his family we had Detroit style buffalo wings. There are many places around the states that serve this style of buffalo sauce and you likely has seen a similar version on a menu somewhere. It’s a tangier sweet and spicy (more…)

Beer Can Chicken

by The Pike's Place

Grilling is almost like a summer olympic sport in my house. Ever spring I anticipate dustin off our weber and get out the charcoal. When the weather is finally warm enough, there is nothing better than a summer night spent grilling on the patio. Beer can chicken is something I always wanted to make. Don’t wait! Make it immediately before summer is gone. It is the juiciest chicken in the world. I cannot wait to make it again.

We recently had family in town. Since moving, we had not explored one of the oldest farmers markets in the country. It is a short drive from our new house. We wandered around the market with the plan to get groceries to grill out for dinner. A farmers market is an experience in itself. You can find so many different types of fruits, veggies, meats, trinket and this market had chickens and bunnies.

After visiting booth after booth to see the different items and prices we came across a butcher that had fabulous prices on free range organic whole chickens. I felt (more…)

Detox Veggie Soup

by The Pike's Place

After a week of amazing all-inclusive eating in Mexico, we needed a little detox coming back from our honeymoon. I didn’t want to do anything drastic. I just needed to do something to get back into a healthier lifestyle. This cabbage soup is low in calories. It
is loaded with yummy vegetables to help you naturally get to a healthier you.

I based this off a traditional diet cabbage soup. I kicked it up a notch by using bone broth to add additional nutrients into it and loaded up on the veggies for a natural detox. The week following our trip I limited my starches, cut out dairy, (more…)

Walt Disney World For Adults

by The Pike's Place

You Can Disney as an Adult

Disney is not just for the kids. From the amazing restaurants, rides, shows and shopping to eating and drinking around the world, there’s a lot you can do and see as an adult and still enjoy Disney World. Here is a sample itinerary of what to do on a weekend trip to Disney without kids and tips for having the best vacation kid free. At the bottom of this post is a list of activities to do outside the Disney Parks, my current favorite food items, resorts, and restaurants. *This post contains affiliate links, marked with a star. If you make a purchase after clicking on these links we will be compensated. This allows us to keep this blog up and running. All opinions are our own.”

Fast Passes, Tickets, and Tips

Fast Passes

Before we go into the itinerary, having fast passes will help you out with wait times A LOT! Reserve fast passes early, so you don’t miss out on your must do rides. If you stay at a Disney resort you can reserve fast passes up to 60 (more…)

Stuffed Cheese Burgers

by The Pike's Place

I’m crazy about a good burger. I typically go for an old fashioned classic hamburger, but my husband loves cheeseburgers with all sorts of crazy toppings. On a rainy day when I was missing the summer sun, I decided to make a burger stuffed with cheese. One of these days the weather in the midwest is going to cooperate with me and we will be able to grill outside. Until then, my cast iron grill pan and I will be “grilling” away on our stove! Here’s a super easy dinner idea that anyone can make for a small or large party.

Cheese Stuffed Burgers (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1lb lean ground beef (more…)

Spinach Con Queso

by The Pike's Place

Whenever we get invited to someone’s house, I always bring an appetizer or dish. While a six pack of beer or bottle of wine is nice, I think food goes a long way too. Typically, there is never enough food and even if it doesn’t all get eaten, it’s always appreciated. Recently our friends had a cookout 30th birthday party and we couldn’t show up empty handed. Dips are super easy to make and transport. I threw together this simple Spinach Con Queso and it got rave reviews.

(more…)

Bone Broth – What’s The Deal?

by The Pike's Place

I’m sure some of you are wondering why my last two recipe posts have included bone broth. I use a lot of stocks and broths in the meals I cook. A lot of recipes call for stocks and they help add wonderful flavor to dishes, but there is a bigger reason I’m always adding in broths to my food.

What Is Bone Broth and Why Use It?

Bone broth is made by roasting animal bones with vegetables and letting them shimmer for hours.After you remove the bones, minerals and (more…)

Luxury Trip To Tuscany

by The Pike's Place

We started our travels through Italy at the epicenter of ancient history sightseeing through Rome. After we left Rome, we headed north to a slower pace of life Tuscany. We traveled by train from Rome and had to change trains in Florence. It was the perfect opportunity for some shopping and lunch before getting the second train to the city of Lucca. Once in Lucca we grabbed a taxi to the villa where we were staying.

A Journey through Italy
Days 6-9 Tuscany

Where We Stayed

Villa Controni- Lucca Tuscany
Via di Vorno, 84, Capannori LU, Italy

We were in Lucca for a wedding and stayed in a villa with the rest of the wedding guests. There are plenty of villas and hotels you can rent a room in throughout the region. All of them have their own charm. (more…)

Two Bean Spicy Turkey Chili

by The Pike's Place

What’s In the Pantry Dinner

Ever have those nights where you get home from work late and haven’t even thought about dinner? Tonight was one of those nights for me. I got home from work late, the hubby was grumbly hungry and I hadn’t planned out any sort of dinner. I opened the pantry and pieced together this chili. It was delicious! Even my husband thought this chili was better than my original version. Here’s the recipe I made and check back often for my What’s In the Pantry dinner ideas.

Two Bean Spicy Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Can Red Kidney Beans
1 Can White Kidney Beans
¼ Cup of Red Wine
¼ Cup of beef broth (I used beef bone broth, check back for a dedicated post on why I love bone broths!)
2 small jalapenos sliced – omit or remove seeds if you don’t want the chili spicy
1 medium onion chopped
1 small green pepper chopped
1lb ground turkey
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper – omit if you don’t want the chili spicy
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ tablespoon garlic powder
Shredded cheese for topping the chili– omit for dairy free

Directions:

Brown the turkey in a medium sized skillet
While the turkey is browning, prep your veggies, drain and rinse your beans and get out your stock or crock pot (I almost always use a crock pot)
Add ingredients (tomato sauce, red and white kidney beans, red wine, beef broth, jalapenos, onion, green pepper, browned ground turkey, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, sea salt, garlic powder) to the stock or crock pot and mix together. Save the shredded cheese for the end.
Cook on high for 1 hour and a half or until all veggies are soft.
If you are using a stock pot, bring to boil, cover and let simmer for an hour and a half, stirring occasionally, until all veggies are soft and desired thickness is reached
Serve topped with a little shredded cheese and enjoy!

Chili is just about one of the easiest and most forgiving meals out there. Beef broth helps give a meaty flavor to turkey chili and it’s a little “secret” I use often. If you feel like your chili doesn’t come out with enough flavor, add a little more chili powder or let it cook longer. Chili is one of my favorite meals to make because it is a great left over. This recipe can serve up to 6 people.

Food

Why Detox?

You Can Disney as an Adult

Fast Passes, Tickets, and Tips

Fast Passes

What Is Bone Broth and Why Use It?

A Journey through Italy Days 6-9 Tuscany

Where We Stayed

Villa Controni- Lucca Tuscany Via di Vorno, 84, Capannori LU, Italy

What’s In the Pantry Dinner

Two Bean Spicy Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

Directions:

A Journey through Italy
Days 6-9 Tuscany

Villa Controni- Lucca Tuscany
Via di Vorno, 84, Capannori LU, Italy