One Delightful Life - Page 35 of 51 - Travel Destinations & Culinary Adventures

50 Ways to Break Up the Monotony of Your Life: A List of New Experiences to Try

August 13, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

I was recently reminded of how fleeting life can be. I wanted to seize every moment moving forward, so I vowed to try something new and push myself to show up to life every day.

My life had become a routine of commuting to work, sitting in a cubicle, coming home, and repeating the same evening activities almost daily. Do your work days seem to be a blur, and before you know it, you’re waking up on Saturday uninspired? I can relate.

So, I promised myself that I would incorporate new experiences into my day to break up the monotony and force my brain to fire off new circuits to impact my life and health positively. Some days, I wake up and already know what new experience I will have on that particular day and other days, I refer to a bucket list of sorts saved in my phone notes.

Either way, I’m having a blast learning about myself, firing up my brain, and sharing these experiences with others. I’m feeling rejuvenated and showing up for a more delightful life.

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” – Henry David Thoreau

We only get one life, and I plan to live mine to the fullest. This list consists of activities I recently experienced or that I hope to try soon. Not all of these experiences require spending too much money or require a lot of time. Perhaps you would like to stretch the boundaries of your comfort zone and try one or all of them too?

Go to brunch with your parent at a restaurant you’ve never tried.
Drive a different route to work.
Call up a family member you haven’t spoken to in years (or that you only text occasionally) and ask about their day.
Reach out to a co-worker or friend who works nearby and ask them to meet you for lunch.
Volunteer on a committee, for your church or kid’s school or a neighborhood association.
Say yes when a friend invites you to travel to the lake, go camping, or site-seeing outside of town. Better yet, ask them to go with you.
Eat local. Sip coffee at a local cafe or try the seasonal beer at a brewery.
Style your hair differently than you did yesterday.
Change up your fragrance. Wear new perfume or cologne.
Pull your bicycle out of the garage and take it for a spin around the neighborhood after dinner one evening.
Visit the library, walk over to a book category that interests you, and close your eyes. Run your hand across the shelf of books until you decide to stop. Remove whatever book your hand landed on and check it out to read it.
Introduce yourself to a stranger and make small talk.
Tour a neighborhood in your city that you never explore.
Smile and say hello to a stranger on the street. You might find you have something in common with them.
Don’t just sunbathe while at the lake or pool. Run and jump in the deep end with careless abandon. “Cannonball!”
Desk yoga.
Paint and sip wine at an art studio.
Visit a festival and eat at a food truck. Ever tried bbq nachos? Curry chicken?
Eat your lunch away from your workplace at a park.
Try an adult coloring book.
Learn new skills by taking a webinar.
Grab some friends and sign everyone up to try an escape room challenge.
Experience a local seasonal activity like riding in a horse-drawn sled at Christmas, making s’mores with the Girl Scouts on National S’mores Day or grab a map and navigate a corn maze at a pumpkin patch.
Wear colored socks to work.
Pick up a new hobby that doesn’t involve using technology.
Create a date jar with ideas for date night fun. Draw a new idea from the jar this weekend.
Buy yourself flowers.
Travel anywhere you’ve never been before.
Throw a party that coincides with a random food holiday.
Follow a recipe for food you normally buy. No churn vanilla ice cream anyone?
Visit a tourist attraction or museum in your own city.
Pick fruit in an orchard.
Point the car west and just drive.
Stop and talk to your neighbors when you see them outside.
Always go to the movie theater? Try a dramatic play production instead at a local theater.
Lasertag. Paintball. Water balloon fights.
Grow vegetables or purchase them from a local farmer instead of buying them from a store.
Walk into a toy store and buy a toy to assemble yourself like a puzzle or box of Legos.
Try a different way of exercising or use a different exercise machine at the gym.
Watch wildlife anywhere but in your own neighborhood.
Take a new car for a test drive.
Walk your friend’s or neighbor’s dog.
Host a potluck or food contest amongst friends at your home. Who can make the tastiest beef jerky, mac-n-cheese, or pizza?
Let a local artist or friend sketch your portrait.
Get a henna tattoo.
Celebrate your city or town’s birthday. Take in the sites and buy cupcakes to celebrate.
Try a Pinterest DIY project.
Listen to a different radio station all day long.
Take a tour of the city from the air.
Do anything counter to your normal routine, and when a friend or family member suggests doing something you’re about to reject, say “yes!”

Have an idea of something I should try? Challenge me by leaving your idea in the comments section below.

Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wraps with Asian Cucumber Salad

July 30, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

My version of Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wraps includes using soft ribeye steak cut into small chunks, then marinated in a soy sauce and canola oil marinade, and later cooked to perfection over medium heat. I prefer to cook my steak to medium rare or medium. If you use a cut of beef with a lot of marbling, it would be a more tender cut and with robust flavor. Of course, use fresh cuts of meat over frozen ones.

Yum Yum Sauce. That creamy, tangy sauce is so delicious on top of Asian meat dishes. You’ll love it drizzled on top of this recipe for Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wraps, a low-carb but high flavor dinner. The wraps are easy to make and pair well with my Asian Cucumber Salad a dining experience complete with international flavor.

We are still “trying” to eat low-carb in our household. Yep, we’re going on five months of this dietary lifestyle and it’s been a challenge but a satisfying one. Thankfully, it’s forced me to think outside the box when brainstorming recipes that are high in nutritional value but low in carbs. Eating this way involves more discipline than not eating bread and pasta. It requires sheer willpower.

But, I can’t lie to you. We shared a basket of skin-on truffle fries today with garlic ailoi dipping sauce, a real gut buster basket of deliciousness. I don’t feel guilty about it either. You can’t. You have to allow yourself a break or two every once in awhile. Can you relate?

For extra spicy heat, add more than a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cucumber salad dressing.

A lover of colorful food and crunch, I add shredded carrot and red cabbage inside my romaine lettuce wraps, then the cooked ribeye, and then topped with my version of Yum Yum Sauce. The sauce is a simple 2-1-1 ratio of Hellman’s mayonnaise, General Tso’s Sauce, and Tobasco Sriracha.

To cut the rich flavor of the Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wrap filling (I tend to over do it with the Yum Yum Sauce), I served Asian Cucumber Salad on the side. An easy combination of thinly sliced cucumbers, red onions, bell pepper, and dressing, its delicate Asian flavor balances the mayo based sauce’s heavier consistency.

You could slice your cucumber thinner than shown here, but I prefer more crunch with mine. To each his own!

Finally, to finish the dish I toast white sesame seeds in a naked skillet on a low temperature for a few minutes until slightly golden brown. I sprinkle the seeds on top of the cucumber salad for garnish and added flavor.

What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to international cuisine? Do you dive into curry soups? Slurp large bowls of pho?

Scroll down and let me know what big flavor dish you want me to make a low-carb version of and I’ll post it next on the blog.

Prefer lettuce wraps instead of using tortillas or bread for sandwiches? You may also enjoy my easy Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps or my recipe for Crunchy Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps.

Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wraps with Asian Cucumber Salad

onedelightfullife.com

Topped with Yum Yum Sauce, ribeye is the star of these Hibachi Steak Lettuce Wraps served with cool Asian Cucumber Salad.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1 30

Course dinner, sandwich

Cuisine Asian

Servings 3 wraps

Ingredients

Hibachi Steak and Marinade:
1 pound diced ribeye steak
1 T. canola oil
1 T. soy sauce
Asian Cucumber Salad:
1 thinly sliced seedless cucumber
1/2 diced orange bell pepper
1/8 c. thinly sliced red onion soak for 24 hours in water inside a covered glass dish to cut the bite of flavor
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp raw honey
1/2 tsp sesame oil
tiny pinch red pepper flakes
tiny pinch kosher or sea salt
1/2 T. white sesame seeds

Instructions

Clean and dry romaine leaves. Set aside.
Slice the red onion and add to a small glass bowl. Add water and cover tightly. Allow to sit for several hours (I prefer overnight to 24 hours) and then drain the water.
Slice the cucumber and dice the bell pepper and add to a bowl. Add in the red onions.
Mix the cucumber dressing and drizzle it over the cucumbers, pepper and onions. Mix thoroughly and then refrigerate for at least an hour.
Dice the ribeye steak and add it to the marinade for at least 20-30 minutes, if not longer (refrigerate). Cook the steak over medium heat until desired doneness.
Assemble the lettuce wraps and drizzle with 2-1-1- Yum Yum Sauce made of 2 parts Hellman's Mayonnaise, 1 part General Tso's Sauce, and 1 part Tobasco Sriracha.
Serve with cucumber salad topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

You can substitute chicken or shrimp for beef.

Abilene, Kansas: The Boyhood Home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower

July 25, 2017 by Vanessa 8 Comments

“The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene.” – President Dwight D. Eisenhower

The 34th president of the United States and 5-Star General was raised in Abilene, Kansas. Founded in 1857, the town grew when the railroad and the Chisholm Trail intersected causing it to become the first cowtown in America. Today, the small but bustling town draws history enthusiasts and day-trippers looking for an afternoon of entertaining tourist stops.

Just east of Salina on Highway 70, the town that raised a president includes sites for the young and old. Full of tourist stops and antique shops, you’ll be hard-pressed to see everything the town offers visitors in one day.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home, 200 SE 4th Street.

Tourists can explore all three sites on 22 acres of land, including five buildings housing artifacts and documents that trace his life from his childhood to his final days. In fact, Eisenhower and his immediate family were laid to rest on the property, a memorial that visitors can also visit. Across from his library, the museum houses far more than nostalgic “I Like Ike” buttons. The museum curators painstakingly collected nearly everything bearing his name to the clothing he wore while at war.\

After slowly making your way through his museum passing by artifacts documenting his achievements and his family life, you can step outdoors and see his small boyhood home in the distance. Visitors are able to tour the interior of the home led by a tour guide about every thirty minutes. Sightseers awaiting the next tour should sit outside on one of the shaded benches until the next free tour begins.

The three-bedroom 19th-century home is situated on its original site and the bottom level is open to visitors. The house and its contents look exactly as his mother left them before she passed on. It feels surreal to stand in a president’s boyhood home. You will feel a real connection to Eisenhower by the end of your tour.

You will be enamored by this house from it’s size (it housed his whole family!) to the family’s rich traditions recorded inside.

See the blue ceiling on the porch? It’s supposed to mimic the sky. A famous photograph of the family taken on this porch is on display in the museum.

This stained glass window is part of the Eisenhower Memorial where his wife and children are buried.

Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau, 201 NW 2nd Street

This quaint visitor’s center employs one super helpful tour guide! Ask her anything. She is a proud resident prepared to give you historical facts and free maps too.

The building is actually a historical Union Pacific Depot that is open seven days a week. If you stop here first before beginning your tour of the town, you can watch an introductory video or gather materials for your journey. Don’t forget to take your photo inside an original bright red phone booth located just outside of the center. A farmer’s market selling produce and homemade wares take place on the grounds on Saturday mornings.

The original Union Pacific Railroad Depot, Abilene’s Visitor Center is small in size but big on personality.

Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad Excursion/Dinner Train, 888-426-6687, 200 SE 5th Street

You can also ride the historic rails in Abilene from the 1887 Rock Island Depot and Gift Shoppe. After buying your ticket for the next scheduled dinner train tour, you can tour the depot’s artifact museum. The walls of the depot show the writings of railroad workers of the past. Have a question about the historic rails? The dinner train departs at 6:30 pm four times each summer and at 6:00 pm four times each fall.

Diesel, steam locomotives, a caboose, and gondola care are also on display for viewing or riding. Fares for kids three and under are free, children up to age 11 $7.50-$15, and adults $15-$30.

Be sure to head over across the depot to see the recreated Old West downtown watch the gunfighter show starting at noon each day. The volunteer impersonators interact with the crowd and shoot blanks at one another to tell the story of the wild west.

Located outside the front doors of the Old West saloon, the “bartender” took our photo and served us cold root beer and freshly made popcorn for the gunfighter show.

Heritage Center, 412 S. Campbell Street

This national historic landmark was voted one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas and includes over 100 years of telephone history on site. It is a short walk from the Eisenhower complex. You’ll see early models of telephones to modern-day advances in technology. It’s mind-blowing.

Behind the museum visitors can take themselves on a self-guided tour of log cabins, the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel (rides available!), a one-room schoolhouse, and much more! The operator of the carousel has worked as a volunteer there for years and smiles ear-to-ear while sharing the history of this stunning restored piece of local history. Don’t forget to have him take your photo!

We were the only people riding, but that just made it more special.

This print shop interior exhibits the original letterpress used to print the town’s newspaper.

You can go inside this one-room school house, a work of art restored by volunteers. Ring the bell too!

I worked in secondary education for over a decade, seven of those years as a high school teacher. This one-room schoolhouse speaks to me. I love every inch of it.

Greyhound Hall of Fame, 407 S. Buckeye

Missing your family pet while on the road? Stop by a building dedicated to the history of the greyhound breed and its racing history. Two greyhounds on-site serve as the welcoming committee. If you don’t have time to visit, cruise through the parking lot. You might just find one of the dogs in its kennel outside the building waiting for you to pet him.

Ike’s Place Bar and Grill, 100 NW 14th Street

Dark and cool inside, this expansive sports bar’s walls are covered with black and white framed photos of Eisenhower’s life. The menu features typical sports bar grub but also includes homestyle entrees such as homemade soups and their famous meat chili. The waitress recommended several sandwiches and the chili as the most popular eats. This restaurant’s customer service was friendly but a little slow, but the reasonable prices and tasty lunch made up for it. You’ll enjoy the added Eisenhower history lesson from the wall artifacts and menu trivia included in your visit.

Having just scratched the surface of Abilene, I look forward to returning to check out the infamous Brookville Hotel (hot fried chicken and family-style side dishes) and the enormous Seelye Mansion.

Do you know of a fun day trip excursion in Kansas? Comment below with your favorite detour stop! A proud Kansan, I’m ready to visit another great destination in the Sunflower State.

Creamy No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries and Chocolate

July 11, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

What if I told you that you could make ice cream with only three ingredients plus your favorite mix-ins and it didn’t require fancy equipment? You can!

I’m on a major sugar bender right now. It’s unusual for me to eat sweets three days in a row but nothing beats my homemade Creamy No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries and Chocolate.

Not movie candy. Not baked goods. This dessert is it for me. It’s incredibly delicious and I want to give you the “scoop” on how to make it at home.

If you can use a hand mixer and a spatula, you can make this yummy recipe. Preparing the ice cream is easy. Waiting about eight hours for it to freeze is the tough part.

If you prefer different fruit or candy mix-ins, you can swap them for the fresh cherries and chocolate. In fact, I almost wish I remembered to add chopped walnuts to this recipe, but that’s okay! I can just sprinkle them on top of my ice cream or get wild and create a sundae with whipped cream too.

Can you believe how amazing that scoop of ice cream looks topped with chocolate dipped cherries? As vanilla ice cream as the base, the possibilities for flavor combinations is limitless. Why not peanut butter and chocolate? Or a take on Smores using mini marshmallows? Or perhaps chunked pieces of apple pie from the grocery’s bakery department?

I was inspired to use the cherry-chocolate flavor pairing after purchasing a pound of fresh dark cherries from the grocery store. If you buy fruit that is in season, it forces you to use your creativity to build a recipe around it. What goes well with cherries? Say it with me…chocolate!

To keep the recipe inexpensive, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips. You’ll also need two cups of cold, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and one can of sweetened condensed milk to make the ice cream base. Preferring big chunks of fruit in my ice cream, I halved each cherry rather than chopping them.

Be sure to lay out all of your kitchen tools and ingredients before starting this recipe, a method many chefs refer to as “Mise en Place.” This is French for putting everything in place. You’ll need to be organized so you can quickly move the Seran wrap covered ice cream pan to the freezer, which if you’re like me, means first clearing a flat space in the deep freeze.

To prepare the ice cream base, beat the heavy whipping cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form on the hand mixer’s beaters. In a separate large bowl, mix a can of sweetened condensed milk and one tablespoon vanilla extract with spoon by hand.

Gently fold in the whipped cream a large clump at a time until all of it is gently incorporated into the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract mixture. If you mix too the whipped cream into the ice cream base in a hurried fashion, you’ll end up with sweet soup. Patience pays off.

I added about 2 cups pitted and halved fresh cherries and 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and gently mixed them into the ice cream base mixture. When finished, pour the bowl of ice cream into a glass loaf pan. Cover tightly with Seran wrap and freeze at least 6 up to 8 hours before serving. It was harden just like any other scoopable ice cream. This is not ice milk or soft serve ice cream.

Creamy No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream with Cherries and Chocolate

onedelightfullife.com

Better than store-bought ice cream, this no-churn recipe doesn't require fancy kitchen equipment and tastes delightful.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 30

Course Dessert, fruit

Cuisine American

Servings 8 -10 servings