Bouchées aux œufs, au bacon et aux légumes

 J’aime bien faire des bouchées aux œufs dans un moule à muffins, et là, j’ai trouvé LA recette! Ça vient de Coup de Pouce, et la grosse différence avec mes recettes précédentes, c’est le fromage cottage. On passe le tout au mélangeur, et ça donne vraiment la texture idéale! J’ai fait cuire directement au four (sans me donner la peine de les mettre dans un bain d’eau pour faire de la vapeur) et c’était vraiment parfait. À notre qu’il me restait un peu du mélange après avoir fait cuire ma douzaine de bouchées, alors j’en ai fait trois autres sans garnitures, et elles étaient tout aussi délicieuses. On peut facilement les faire congeler; pour réchauffer au micro-ondes, c’est entre 30 et 45 secondes. J’ai fait cette recette à quelques reprises déjà!

2 oignons verts, hachés
1 poivron rouge rôti en pot, épongé, en dés
½ tasse de jeunes épinards frais, hachés
½ tasse de bacon cuit, émietté
8 œufs
1 ¼ tasse de fromage cottage sans lactose
1 ¼ tasse de fromage suisse sans lactose, râpé
sel et poivre
eau bouillante, pour la cuisson (voir note plus haut)

Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Déposer un moule à muffins en silicone dans un grand plat peu profond allant au four. Bien huiler les cavités du moule à muffins. (J’obtiens environ 15 « muffins » chaque fois, alors soit j’utilise deux moules, soit je vais cuire en deux fois.)

Répartir les oignons verts, le poivron, les épinards ainsi que le bacon dans chacune des cavités du moule à muffins. Réserver.

Dans le mélangeur, verser les œufs et ajouter les deux fromages. Saler et poivrer, puis pulser de 20 à 30 secondes ou jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène et bien mousseuse. Lentement, remplir aux trois quarts les cavités du moule à muffins. Verser prudemment l’eau bouillante dans le plat peu profond, jusqu’à la moitié environ (ce que je ne fais pas). Cuire au centre du four 25 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les œufs soient suffisamment fermes. Laisser tiédir quelques minutes avant de démouler.

Pistachio Cake with Pudding Mix

 

I tried this recipe for strawberry rhubarb muffin squares, but ended up being disappointed. And the best way to get over disappointment is comfort food. (I mean, don’t quote me on that; I’m not a therapist or anything!) So I made this pistachio cake with pudding mix, which is stupid-easy because it’s all made from mixes. It’s really hard to say no to something that is both easy and delicious!

For the cake 1 package white cake mix
1 package (3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
1 cup lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7-Up)
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
½ cup chopped pistachios (I omitted them)

For the frosting
1½ cups cold lactose-free milk
1 package (3.4 oz) instant pistachio pudding mix
1 carton (8 oz) lactose-free whipped topping, thawed (I used CocoWhip)
¼ cup chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the white cake mix, 1 package of pudding mix, soda, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in ½ cup chopped pistachios.

Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely.

Once the cake is cool, place the milk and the remaining package of pudding mix in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes (the pudding will firm up a bit). Then, fold in the whipped topping.

Spread the frosting on top of the cake. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to firm up slightly.

Cut into slices and serve. Store any remaining cake in the refrigerator.

Chinese Almond Cookies

I saw this recipe for Chinese almond cookies and just had to make them. And… everything looked so good before going into the oven, but it ended in disaster. (I baked them a few minutes less than required. Honestly, even if I hadn’t put that many on the baking sheet, it still would have failed, so the problem lies more with the recipe than with the instructions.)

This left me wanting to get it right, obviously. So I searched and found this other recipe, which was much better! You’ll get a total of 21 or 22 cookies. If I make them again, I’ll try adding a tad more flour than I did (maybe 1 ½ cups?) and maybe I’ll set the oven to 350 °F.

1 1/3 cups almond flour, lightly packed
1 cup (2 sticks) lactose-free butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 pinch kosher salt
2 large eggs, divided
1 tsp. almond extract
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
thinly sliced almonds, for decoration

Place the almond flour, salt, and butter into an electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. The mixture will become coarse and chunky looking.

Add one of the eggs and the almond extract; mix them in on low speed until just incorporated.

Sift the flour, sugar, and baking soda and add to the mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.

Take the dough and flatten it into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator for two hours to chill.

Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg.

Take pieces of dough and roll them into balls about ¾ -inch wide. Place them on the sheet about an inch apart and then press them down slightly with your palm to make a coin shape.

Press one silvered almond into the center of each cookie. Then, using a pastry brush or your finger, paint each cookie with the egg. (This will give the cookie a lacquered appearance once it bakes).

Bake at 325 °F for 13 to 15 minutes, until the edges just begin to tan. Cool on the sheet on a wire rack.

Coconut Peanut Butter Bars

 

I feel like a large proportion of desserts marketed as low-sugar or PCOS-friendly end up being bars. I made chocolate coconut cream bars and was quite disappointed. I was expecting something along the lines of haupia pie squares or Nanaimo bars, but the result has an unappealing texture and was quite bland.

But then these coconut peanut butter bars were more up my alley. They are also gluten-free and vegan (assuming you use maple syrup instead of honey).

For the bars
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup almond flour
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

For the topping
½ cup dark chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

In a large bowl, mix all of the bar ingredients. The consistency should be damp and sticking together. Press the mixture into an 8” square dish. Try to make an even layer.

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil on the stove top (a double-boiler is my favorite method) or in the microwave.

Spread over bars. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Cut into 12 bars. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Tofu magique à l'échalote caramélisée

 

Vous vous souvenez du tofu magique de Loounie cuisine? (Je ne peux pas croire que ça fait déjà quatre ans!) Ben là, on a un genre de sauce à l’échalote caramélisée comme accompagnement. On a tous aimé ça, mais le Petit Prince en particulier a adoré! Les quantités ci-dessous font environ 4 portions.

Pour le tofu magique cuit au four
1 bloc de 450 à 454 g de tofu extra-ferme, bien épongé dans un linge sec
1 c. à soupe de vinaigre de cidre de pommes ou de jus de citron
1 c. à soupe de sauce soya ou tamari
1 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable
30 g (½ tasse) de levure alimentaire en flocons
1 c. à soupe d’huile végétale

Pour la sauce à l’échalote
¼ tasse d’huile d’olive
¼ tasse de vinaigre de vin ou de vinaigre de cidre
¼ tasse d’eau
2 c. à soupe de moutarde de Dijon
1-2 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable (si vous êtes du genre à apprécier les plats plus sucrés, allez-y pour 2!)
½ c. à thé de flocons de piment fort
¼ c. à thé de sel
2 grosses ou 3-4 petites échalotes, tranchées finement (pas des oignons verts!)
¼ tasse de vin blanc sec ou d’eau pour déglacer
quelques feuilles de persil haché pour la décoration (facultatif)


Pour le tofu magique cuit au four 

Préchauffer le four à 400 °F.

Dans un bol, défaire le tofu avec les doigts en morceaux de la grosseur d’une bouchée. Les morceaux n’ont pas besoin d’être uniformes. Ajouter le jus de citron, la sauce soya et le sirop d’érable. Bien mélanger. Ajouter la levure alimentaire en flocons. Bien mélanger à nouveau pour enrober tous les morceaux.

Ajouter l’huile sur les morceaux de tofu. Sur une plaque couverte de papier parchemin ou d’un tapis de cuisson antiadhésif, déposer les morceaux de tofu. Cuire 25 minutes, ou jusqu’à ce que les morceaux soient bien dorés. Pendant la cuisson, préparer la sauce (voir plus bas).

Pour la sauce à l’échalote 

Dans un bol, mettre l’huile, le vinaigre, l’eau, la moutarde de Dijon, le sirop d’érable, les flocons de piment et le sel. Fouetter pour bien émulsionner (obtenir une texture relativement homogène). Ajouter les échalotes émincées et mélanger pour bien enrober.

Dans une poêle antiadhésive à feu élevé, verser toute la sauce et les échalotes, puis porter à ébullition. Dès que la préparation bouillonne, baisser le feu à doux et couvrir. Laisser frémir doucement durant 10 minutes.

Retirer le couvercle, et mélanger une fois la sauce. Monter le feu à moyen-élevé, et cuire à découvert durant 7-8 minutes sans y toucher, jusqu’à ce que le liquide se soit évaporé et que les échalotes soient caramélisées. Baisser le feu à doux.

Verser le vin blanc ou l’eau dans la poêle en mélangeant pout bien déglacer. Prélever environ le tiers de la sauce et réserver pour le service.

Ajouter le tofu magique cuit dans la poêle avec la sauce et mélanger pour bien enrober. Transférer dans un plat de service ou dans les assiettes.

Garnir avec le reste de la sauce, du persil haché et quelques flocons de piment fort. Servir immédiatement.

Sauce crémeuse à base de légumes

J’ai fait cette recette de Coup de Pouce il y a longtemps, mais je n’en avais pas encore parlé. Ça fait vraiment une grosse quantité de sauce, alors j’en avais mis la moitié au congélateur. J’ai ressorti ça cette semaine, et on trouve ça bien bon! La première fois, j’ai servi la sauce avec d’adorables pâtes en forme d’orignal d’Ikea; la deuxième fois, j’ai essayé ces pâtes aux protéines de Goodles et je les aime beaucoup! Si vous mélangez les pâtes avec la sauce, je recommande d’utiliser aussi un peu d’eau de cuisson pour faire une sauce plus onctueuse.

2 tasses de courge butternut, pelée et coupée en cubes de 2 po (5 cm)
1 cuillère à table d'huile d'olive
4 tasses de fleurons de choux-fleurs
1 à 2 poivrons rôtis marinés, hachés
½ tasse de crème de cuisson au soya (de type Belsoy)
2 cuillères à table de levure alimentaire en flocons
1 pincée de cannelle moulue
1 pincée de muscade moulue
sel et poivre
faux-mage ou parmesan râpé sans lactose, pour garnir (facultatif)
persil frais haché, pour garnir (facultatif)

Préchauffer le four à 400 °F. Déposer les cubes de courge sur une plaque de cuisson et répartir l’huile d’olive sur le dessus. Rôtir au four, sur la grille du haut, jusqu’à ce que la courge soit complètement cuite, soit environ 30 minutes.

Pendant ce temps, cuire les fleurons de chou-fleur à la vapeur de 8 à 10 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient très bien cuits.

Mettre la courge, le chou-fleur et le reste des ingrédients dans le mélangeur. Saler et poivrer. Pulser jusqu’à consistance lisse. Si la sauce semble trop épaisse, ajouter un peu d’eau, au besoin. Réchauffer dans une petite casserole à feu moyen, si nécessaire. Garnir de faux-mage râpé, si désiré, et de persil frais.

Biscuits aux guimauves et aux carottes

 

J’ai trouvé cette recette dans La Presse. Mes enfants ont A-DO-RÉ ces biscuits dans leur boîte à lunch! Ça se congèle bien, mais on n’en a plus, alors il va vraiment falloir que j’en refasse. J’ai utilisé des céréales Croque Cannelle (Cinnamon Toast Crunch). J’ai obtenu 12 biscuits en tout.

1 boîte de préparation de gâteau blanc ou à la vanille
1 c. à thé de cannelle
½ c. à thé de sel
1 tasse de carottes râpées
¼ de tasse de beurre non salé fondu (il m’en a fallu 6 c. à soupe)
1/3 de tasse de tartinade de guimauve (Fluff)
½ tasse de Rice Krispies, de Croque Cannelle ou d’autres céréales

Préchauffer le four à 350°F. Graisser deux plaques à pâtisserie (j’ai utilisé un silpat).

Dans un bol, mélanger la préparation à gâteau, la cannelle et le sel.

Ajouter les carottes râpées et le beurre fondu. Mélanger jusqu’à l’obtention d’une pâte poussiéreuse. Cette pâte est moins humide que la plupart des pâtes à biscuit, car les carottes ajouteront de l’humidité pendant la cuisson. (Mais quand même, j’ai dû rajouter 2 c. à soupe de beurre.)

Façonner des boules. Les déposer sur l’une des deux plaques en les espaçant de 5 cm.

À l’aide d’une fourchette, déposer environ 1 c. à thé de tartinade à la guimauve sur le dessus de chaque boule (c’était un peu difficile, mais ça valait la peine).

Saupoudrer ou enrober entièrement des céréales choisies.

Cuire au four de 8 à 12 minutes, selon la taille des biscuits (c’était 10 minutes pour les miens). Les côtés devraient être dorés et la guimauve devrait avoir gonflé et être légèrement caramélisée.

Les biscuits se conservent une semaine au réfrigérateur.

Chicken Quiche

 I know that chicken isn’t typically put into a quiche, and I’m sure there’s a good reason for that. But I wanted some change, so I tried this recipe. It was fine, and the Fox actually ate it, so that was nice. Next time, I would definitely cook the mushrooms in a pan with a little butter before putting them in the quiche, though!

refrigerated dough for a 9-inch pie crust
7 large eggs, beaten (I would use 6 eggs next time)
2/3 cup lactose-free milk
2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey breast, chopped ½-inch pieces
1 cup chopped baby spinach
1/3 cup lactose-free Swiss cheese, or cheese of your choice
4 oz mushrooms, chopped ½-inch pieces (cooked; see note above)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. dried thyme

Preheat oven to 400 °F degrees.

Roll the dough out on a well-floured work surface until it’s approximately 12-inches in diameter. Transfer it to a 9-inch glass deep pie dish. Using your fingers, press it firmly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Then fold/crimp the overhanging dough. Prick the bottom and sides of the pie crust all over with the tines of a fork to prevent the crust from bubbling.

Transfer the pie crust to a cookie sheet and your pre-heated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until par-baked.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs with milk, add the remaining ingredients, and pour into the par-baked pie crust.

Place quiche on cookie sheet, cover the edges of the exposed crust with foil to prevent browning too much and bake on the middle oven rack until the eggs are set and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, for 50 to 60 minutes (I would check at 45 minutes).

Let cool before serving.

Matcha Lava Cakes

 

I’ve made three recipes with matcha recently. I’ll post the muffin one soon, and there was a coconut matcha panna cotta that never gelled and was way too sweet, but here’s a dessert you will love! It’s matcha lava cakes. The original recipe makes 2 cakes, and I decided that it really wasn’t enough, so I doubled it and got 5 ramekins of about 4 ounces each; the amounts below are mine. Note also that I adjusted the cooking time (15 minutes instead of 9), as I was going for a gooey consistency more than a river-flow of filling. These were amazing! It’s worth spending some money on great matcha so that you get vibrant green cakes.

120 g white chocolate (lactose-free if possible)
6 Tbsp. lactose-free butter, softened
80 g sugar
1 pinch salt
2 eggs
16 g matcha powder
50 g flour

Butter 4 (or 5) ramekins and dust with some flour (especially the bottom part of the ramekin).

In a double-boiler, melt the white chocolate and mix well.

Add softened butter into melted white chocolate and mix well to incorporate.

Mix in the sugar, then beat in the eggs.

Sift in the matcha powder and flour. Mix well until no visible lumps remain.

Pour into prepared ramekins, cling-wrap surface of ramekin and put into the freezer for at least 30 minutes (so that the outside gets cooked faster than the insides).

Preheat oven to 450 °F.

Remove the cling-wrap, place ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes (see note above). It is done when the cake does not look too wobbly when you gently prod it and the surface is evenly colored (not darker in the middle).

Leave cake in the ramekin for 10 minutes to cool. Use a spatula/knife to run the sides of the cake so that it no longer sticks to the bowl. Gently flip the ramekin onto another plate so that the cake falls off nicely. Serve immediately.

Ground Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry

 

When I saw this recipe in Real Simple, I knew I had to make it! I’ve been eating a lot of chicken lately, because it’s a lean protein that everyone in my family likes, and we all like Asian-inspired dishes. This one was really good! I adapted the recipe a bit to my taste and to ensure leftovers; the amounts below are mine.

1 cup jasmine rice
4 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
4 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
4 Tbsp. mirin
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. neutral oil (such as canola), divided
12 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 bag colorful miniature bell peppers, sliced
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
2 lbs. ground chicken

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk hoisin sauce, soy sauce, mirin, and garlic in a small bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high until it is shimmering. Add beans and bell peppers; sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in spots and crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add chicken and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally to break chicken into crumbles, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes.

Return beans and bell peppers to the skillet and pour in soy sauce mixture. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring, until sauce is slightly thickened and coats chicken and vegetables, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.

Poultry Meatballs with Pasta

 

This recipe from Weelicious was great! It was originally for chicken meatballs with mini wheel pasta, and in my kitchen it became turkey meatballs with farfalle. We found it a bit too salty, so I’m modifying the instructions below. The Little Prince, who does not like bocconcini, could still pick it out from his dish easily, so he didn’t mind it. We give this 4 thumbs up!

1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (mine were plain)
1 large egg, beaten
2 tsp. salt, divided (I recommend 1 tsp. total, see note below)
1 lb. ground chicken (I used ground turkey)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-oz. can tomato sauce
8 oz. lactose-free bocconcini mozzarella mini balls (it should say 0 g sugar on the label)
1 lb. piccolini or mini-wheel pasta (I used farfalle)
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, julienned

Cook the pasta 1 minute less than package directions call for. Drain the pasta and set aside.

Mix the bread crumbs, ground chicken, egg and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl (I recommend omitting the salt here, or using half the amount).

With wet hands use 1 teaspoon of the ground chicken mixture to roll into each tiny meatball (mine were a little bigger).

Heat a large pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.

Cook the meatballs for 3 minutes, turning occasionally.

Add the garlic to the meatballs and cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomato sauce, remaining salt, and basil and continue to cook the meatballs and sauce for 8 minutes over low heat.

Add the cooked pasta and mozzarella balls to the pot with the sauce and cook until the cheese and pasta are heated through, about 2-3 minutes.

Serve.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

 

I tried these chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies. To be honest, these do not beat the best of each category of cookies I like to make (chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal chocolate chip), but it was nice to taste something new that combined all of them!

½ cup lactose-free butter, softened to room temperature
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural)
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned whole oats
½ tsp. baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I used bittersweet)

Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

Cream together the butter with the sugars, then mix in the peanut butter.

Add the egg and egg yolk and vanilla extract, and stir.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir. (You should have achieved cookie dough consistency, and if you haven’t, either add a touch more flour if it’s too wet or a touch more peanut butter if it’s too dry.)

Finally, add the chocolate chips and stir in.

Scoop a dozen golf ball-sized portions of dough onto the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. They spread but not much (a tip to reduce spreading is to refrigerate and chill the dough prior to baking).

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. (I like soft cookies, so I baked mine for 10 minutes.) Let cool before eating.

Hot chicken

 

Est-ce qu’on a vraiment besoin d’une recette de hot chicken? J’avais un sachet de mélange à sauce brune St-Hubert, et tout d’un coup, je me suis souvenue de l’existence du hot chicken, que je n’avais jamais encore fait goûter à mes enfants. J’ai consulté le site de Ricardo par acquis de conscience, et Ricardo a sa propre recette de sauce brune si vous n’avez pas de mélange St-Hubert. C’est simple comme souper, et les enfants ont aimé! J’ai servi ça avec des frites en plus des petits pois.

¾ tasse de bouillon de poulet ou d’eau
½ tasse de petits pois surgelés
340 g (2 tasses) de poulet cuit coupé en dés ou effiloché, chaud
1 recette de sauce brune, chaude (donc mon sachet de St-Hubert, préparé)
8 tranches de pain blanc (ou 8 petits pains à farcir ovales ou ronds tranchés en deux à l’horizontale)

Dans une petite casserole, porter le bouillon à ébullition. Ajouter les pois et laisser mijoter de 2 à 3 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient tendres. Égoutter.

Garnir 4 tranches de pain de poulet et napper de sauce. Couvrir avec les autres tranches de pain et napper du reste de la sauce. Garnir de petits pois.

Fiji

 I went on this amazing trip to Fiji over spring break, basically because Fiji Airways was having a crazy sale on the direct flight to/from Dallas (I mean, I literally have paid the same for a ticket to Montreal, so this was too good to pass up!), plus it’s low season over there so accommodations were within my budget. And it was amazing!

I stuck to Viti Levu (the big island) partly for financial considerations and partly to make logistics easier, especially since it was also the rainy season and I didn’t know what to expect. (It turns out the weather was beautiful, but even the day before my departure, the forecast looked pretty bad!) But did you know that Fiji has a total of 333 islands? There is a lot to explore!

First, know that the Nadi airport has a room where you can store your luggage securely – it is located right next to the car rental counters, and you must pay in cash. The price was FJD 10.05 for my suitcase. So I left my checked bag there and took only my backpack with me for sightseeing.

I booked a tour from an agency that was directly in the airport lobby. Obviously, I’d recommend doing this ahead of time, but I hadn’t realized that for many travelers, Fiji is a connecting destination, so they often do a quick tour between flights and there are several agencies that accommodate it. I got lucky and got a spot! (This was one place where credit cards are the way to go, so make sure you know your PIN if your card requires one overseas.)

Our first stop was Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple, which is the biggest Hindu temple in the Pacific. I love how colorful it is! You must be dressed modestly, though they can lend you a sarong to cover up, and you will need to take off your shoes for the visit. You can only take photos on the outside, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that the inside, especially the paintings on the ceiling, is worth the visit! There are also coconut trees outside, which to me are always exotic.

The next stop was the Nadi farmers’ market, where you can buy souvenirs (including honey, tamarind paste, and kava powder). I loved seeing the tropical flowers as well as all the exotic produce! I tasted the most amazing lady finger banana – I mean, it was so much sweeter and more flavorful than any banana I’d ever had before! I also tasted kava, a local drink, which… might be an acquired taste, to be honest.

The third stop was Viseisei Village, the first settlement in Fiji, founded some 3,000 years ago by people who sailed in from what is now Tanzania. We encouraged the local economy a bit by purchasing some souvenirs (jewelry in my case, which is definitely plastic instead of the pearl and coral promised, but I really like what I bought!), then I donned a sarong (women must wear one at the village), and we visited the village square and the church. Our guide told us that the locals are very happy they were converted to Christianity! The highlight for me was that they built the whole church themselves, so that they would have a place of worship that didn’t get blown down by every hurricane. The dome was particularly impressive, especially given that they built that part in only a day! We also saw the chief’s house, which isn’t actually where he lives, but where he hosts official visitors (like the British Royal Family).

The last stop on the tour was the one I really wanted to see, the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. There is a collection of orchids, as well as more expansive grounds with lots of native plants which you can take more time to explore. Upon returning to the reception area, we were given a glass of fresh fruit juice, and it was fabulous!

I really liked doing this tour because it allowed me to see a lot of things in the area, and it was affordable. I also learned things about Fiji; I knew that its main industry is tourism, but I learned that the next three are exports: in order, sugar cane, wood (especially mahogany), and Fiji water. Plus, the people are very friendly! You can expect to hear “Bula!” many, many times a day (it is a greeting, the equivalent of both “hello” and “welcome”).

Another thing I would have liked to do in the area is visit the hot springs and mud baths; however, logistics seemed a bit complicated for me given that I was still in transit between the airport and my hotel. But it’s one of the top things to do in Fiji!

My hotel was on the Coral Coast, which is known for its beaches and clear water. While it was a really nice hotel, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by the waterfront – I had not realized that the whole thing was on a lagoon, not a sandy beach like I had pictured. And there were a few problems with the billing, but that’s another story! The grounds were really nice, though, and there was a fruit bat colony right there are the hotel, which provided endless entertainment for me.

The next day, I took a cab to Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, which was wonderful. The guide who greeted me showed me the map (of which I took a photo, because they don’t have paper copies) and told me about the two trail options. Since it was already hot at 9:00am, I opted for the shorter trail. I couldn’t tell you how long it is, though, because even though the guide said it was 1.5 km (0.93 miles), I started walking uphill and after 5 minutes or so, cursed under my breath because I had forgotten to start my Strava counter. I started it right then, and by the time I came back to my starting point (the trail is a loop), my Strava indicated I had walked 2.9 miles! Is it possible that the trail is 1.5 km as seen from above, but with the many hills (Strava says elevation is 182 feet, though I didn’t start from the very beginning), it actually comes out to be more? For what it’s worth, it certainly felt closer to 3 miles than to 1 mile.

Anyway, the hike starts out in the jungle; you get incredible views of the dunes and ocean, then walk down to the beach. Swimming would be ill-advised, because the waves and currents are really strong, but of course I dipped my feet in for the part of the hike! Once I had dried off, I went back into the jungle, passing birds and a fruit bat colony, then made it back to the welcome counter. I looked at the exhibits they had, which I hadn’t taken the time to do before. There’s a lot there about artefacts that were found on site, as well as explanations about traditional Fijian culture. This was a great visit – I highly recommend it!

I spent the rest of my vacation at my hotel, wading in the lagoon or in the pool and reading, and really just enjoying the surroundings. Oh, and I tried local chocolate! There’s Vanua Chocolate, near the Nadi airport, which offers tours of their chocolate factory, but only for groups of four or more people (I asked). So I ended up buying some of their chocolate at the airport instead of going in person. I also got some Fijiana Cacao chocolate, including two types of white chocolate. In all honesty, both brands of dark chocolate had bloomed and seemed bland, as well as dry and brittle. I actually noticed that on the package of Vanua dark chocolate labeled “60% cocoa,” the first ingredient was actually sugar…