Monterey County has always had a special place in my heart. I grew up going to Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach, and Big Sur with my family every few weeks since it’s only a short 1-2 hour drive from the Bay. From the vast dining scene to wine tastings to outdoor activities, Monterey County has it all. Read on for a complete guide on how to spend a long weekend in Monterey! DAY 1 1:00pm - Make your way down the Monterey County Artichoke Trail Castroville, located within Monterey County, is known as the “Artichoke Capital of the World” so if you like artichokes, you’re in luck. The Artichoke Tr ..read more

I love stuffing and I love holiday rice dishes but a lot of times they have meat in them (when other people make them) so I can’t eat them. But this year, I was inspired when RightRice released their new Holiday Stuffing flavor and decided to take matters into my own hands. If you’re not familiar with RightRice, it’s basically a rice made from veggies so that it has fewer carbs and more protein than white rice. It only takes 15 minutes to make, which allows this dish to be whipped up in about 30 minutes (that’s less time than it usually takes just to cook regular rice)! The new Holiday Stuffin ..read more

NOTE: This post was sponsored by FAGE but all thoughts and opinions are my own. To find it at a store near you, check HERE. There’s always something so comforting about a huge pot of pasta. I love fettuccine alfredo but hardly ever eat it since it’s cream based. However, I’ve been craving it really badly recently so I created a version using FAGE’s new BestSelf Lactose Free Greek Yogurt (you know I love one-pot recipes). If you’re not familiar, FAGE BestSelf is a real dairy Greek yogurt without the lactose but still has the rich, creamy taste. This is the perfect recipe for anyone who is lacto ..read more

NOTE: This post was sponsored by FAGE but all thoughts and opinions are my own. To find it at a store near you, check HERE. Oh banana bread… It’s one of my favorite things to bake. Funny story, I used to bake a loaf probably every other week for a period of time when I was younger until one day, I accidentally added too much salt and that ended my streak. Anyways, banana bread has recently made a comeback in my home as it’s also become a quarantine favorite for many people! As I said in my previous post, I ALWAYS have a container of FAGE Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt in my fridge. It’s so versat ..read more

NOTE: This post was sponsored by FAGE but all thoughts and opinions are my own. To find it at a store near you, check HERE. One of my most asked questions is “how do you stay so healthy/fit/skinny when you're eating out all the time?” Well I’ve teamed up with FAGE to share (part of) my secret! In addition to my genes (the majority of my family is on the smaller side) and working out regularly, I make a green smoothie bowl EVERY morning so I can guarantee that I get at least a couple servings of both fruits and veggies in for the day. Not only does this smoothie bowl give me the energy I need t ..read more

Oatmeal is hands-down one of my ultimate comfort foods. I mean…I did only eat oatmeal every morning for seven, maybe eight, years straight. As the years went on, I started experimenting with different ways to get my oatmeal fix and came across baked oatmeal, which practically tastes like dessert! Not only is it healthy, it’s also extremely filling and usually keeps me full all morning long. My secret to taking baked oatmeal to the next level is canned peaches. I love using canned peaches since you can get them year-round and they make the oatmeal extra delicious, comforting and convenient. I t ..read more

I have finally decided to share one of my all-time favorite recipes (I love noodles if you didn’t already know)! I actually got this recipe from my dad, who makes these peanut noodles all the time (especially in the summer when it’s hot), and tweaked it a bit to fit my taste better. Not only is this recipe super simple, quick, and delicious but it can also be prepared in advance. I usually mix the sauce and slice all the veggies the night before and then cook the noodles and mix everything right before I’m ready to serve. But you can even make the entire recipe (including the noodles) the nigh ..read more

This post is for you! Did you know that California is the largest milk producer and second largest cheese producer in the US? That means California produces 2.5 billion pounds of cheese each year ?I recently spent 48 hours in Sonoma non stop eating and breathing cheese (I’m not exaggerating, I was basically sweating cheese!) with Real California Milk to learn about all things cheese. The trip made me realize how grateful I am for not being lactose intolerant because I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t have cheese in my life. Read on for tips that every cheese lover should know! PAIRING ..read more

In September 2018, I quit my full-time job at a hospitality agency to go off on my own as a social media consultant. I had been working at that agency for about a year and a half and felt that I learned all that I could but that it was time to move on. It was the best decision I could’ve made but I’ve also learned a lot about being your own boss along the way (they don’t teach you this stuff in school!). Working for yourself is super rewarding (you make your own schedule, you call all the shots, etc.) but there’s also some things to consider before going off on your own. I figured I’d share th ..read more

The first cup of coffee I ever drank was illy coffee and to this day, it’s still one of my favorites. My mom introduced me to illy when I was younger and I was immediately hooked. So when I started seeing illy caffès popping up throughout San Francisco, you better bet I was excited. And if you’ve been watching my IG stories recently, you’ve probably been seeing a lot of illy. illy has been perfecting their blend for the past 80 years and it shows. I’m no coffee expert but I can at least identify when a roast is good based on how smooth it is (vs. bitter). Read more about illy’s San Francisco c ..read more