Europeans have this amazing way of getting you hopped up on coffee and sugar – and nowhere is it more prevalent than in Italy where the coffee is fantastico and the sweets, well, don’t those cookies just make your teeth hurt looking at them?

You can’t even imagine how delicious those little chocolate boats were.

People. Please travel. If only to experience things like this once in your life. It’s worth the plane ticket!

Travel Well,

Beth

Related links:
Assisi, Italy ~ Photo of the Day

From the kitchen pantry:
1) If I have an early morning flight, I carry a sandwich bag of instant oatmeal that’s spiced up with cinnamon and coconut flakes. In a separate bag I carry a combo of walnuts and raisins. On the plane I ask for a cup of hot water (which isn’t always very hot, but oh well) and then mix up my oatmeal, nuts and raisins for a super healthy and low-cal breakfast. I try to remember to pack my own plastic spoon but the flight attendants are usually quite accommodating if I don’t have one. (Note that your oatmeal will NOT look like the photo above!)

I’m a bit of a stickler for quality tea so I also carry my own teabags because my teas are always better than the cheap black teas offered in-flight

2) Calimyrna figs and apples are my two favorite natural snack foods during a flight. Both are slightly sweet and also filling. I keep a sandwich bag with the figs and keep a washed apple in a separate bag. If I don’t eat these in-flight, they definitely come in handy during some part of my travels.

Protein and Snack Bars
1) PROBAR – These folks have 4 different options to choose from: Original (including Peanut Butter, Superfruit Slam and Nutty Banana Boom); Fruition (including Lemon, Cherry and Peach); HALO (including, get this, Rocky Road, S’Mores and Nutty Marshmallow); Sweet and Savory (including Kettle Corn and Cherry Pretzel).

I lean toward the more healthy sounding bars with peanut butter and the like but I would never turn down a S’More!

The Originals are a bit higher in calories than I’d prefer (380 for the Peanut Butter for example) but they are super filling and half of one is enough to hold me over for hours and also has 12 grams of protein. The HALOs are just over 100 calories and the Fruitions under 200.

PROBAR leans toward being organic (but are not 100%) and uses natural ingredients. PLUS they are 100% vegan. Big bonus for this gal who’s been experimenting with a vegan diet.

2) Clif Bar Crunch – These seem to be just the right size to hold me over when I’m dealing with a long flight day. Under 200 calories, they’re light in protein but make a good crunchy snack that satisfies my desire for a bit of sweetness but not too much.

Available in Blueberry Crisp, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Honey Oat, Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. Blueberry and Peanut Butter flavors are my fave.

Because they are so crunchy, you have to be super careful that they don’t get knocked around too much in your day bag. They can disintegrate into crumbs pretty quickly (but then would probably be pretty good added to your oatmeal!).

3) Lara Bars – What I love about Lara Bars is that there are so few ingredients in every bar. Ginger Snap, for example, includes: raisins, almonds, walnuts, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. OMG – doesn’t that sound GOOD?

These are a little higher in calories than some of the options above (240 in Ginger Snap) and are not meant to be high in protein (5 grams in this one). But, for those looking for a healthy snack with few ingredients, this is a great option.

Other flavors include: Chocolate Coconut Chew, Carrot Cake, Lemon Bar, Coconut Cream Pie and Tropical Fruit Tart.

OK – I just made myself SO hungry…

Travel Well,

Beth

Related links:
Travel Food Stuff

Photo credit:
Oatmeal: The Culinary Geek

In no particular order, here are some suggestions for your next trip to the island:

Kalaheo Cafe and Coffee Company
This is my very favorite place for breakfast. Try the french toast (below) which is topped with shredded coconut and fresh fruit!

2-2560 Kaumualii Highway
Kalaheo, HI 96741-8316
(808) 332-5868

Shrimp Station
Great place to stop for a yummy lunch and has outdoor seating. Look for the line of people and the picnic tables.

9652 Kaumaualii Hwy
Waimea, HI 96796
(808) 338-1242

Kauai Chocolate Company
This tiny shop is located in a small strip mall which you might easily miss if someone didn’t tell you about it. It’s got a limited variety of chocolates but all of them are totally delish, decadent treats. Located on the southwest part of the island.

4341 Waialo Road
Eleele, HI 96705
(808) 335-0448

The Beach House
Best view of the sunset on the whole island, this restaurant has top notch food but is a little pricey. Treat yourself to dinner so you can enjoy dusk and to watch all the newlyweds having their photos taken.

5022 Lawai Road
Koloa, HI 96756
(808) 742-1424

Hamura’s Saimin Stand
Tucked away down a side street, Hamura’s specialty is noodle soup. They’ve got bad diner-like service but apparently all is forgiven because the noodles are that good. Oh, and they have the BEST lilikoi (passion fruit) pie on the island. Rumor is that when Hawaiians visit from other islands, they pick up a whole pie from Hamura’s to take home.

2956 Kress St
Lihue, HI 96766
(808) 245-3271

Java Kai
This little hole in the wall serves excellent juices, healthy food and super yummy breakfasts. It’s a perfect stop after a long walk on the new oceanfront walk.

4-1384 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaa, HI 96746-1675
(808) 823-6887

Mermaid’s
An even smaller hole in the wall right next to Java Kai. These folks serve up big plates of yumminess. One plate can easily serve two moderately hungry people.

4-1384 Kuhio Highway # B1
Kapaa, HI 96746-1675
(808) 821-2026

Sweet Marie’s Bakery
Located just near the Outrigger in Kapa’a, this little bakery has gluten free baked goods and the owner is a HOOT. You’ll never miss white flour again!

4-788 Kuhio Highway
Kapaa, Hawaii 96746
808-823-0227

Postcards
This north shore restaurant is located in a house just before you get into Hanalei town. It serves up high quality, interesting food in a homey setting.

5-5075 Kuhio Hwy Ste A
Hanalei, HI 96714
(808) 826-1191

St. Regis Princeville
There are actually several restaurants located at the St. Regis. They are, admittedly, expensive, but well worth the price if you can afford it or are looking for a special evening out. There’s a great view of the Bay from most everywhere on the property. If you don’t want to spend the dough for a full meal, stop by the bar for a glass of bubbly and an appetizer!

5520 Ka Haku Road
Kauai, HI 96722
(808) 826-9644

Oasis on the Beach
This hidden restaurant is located on the beach side of the Outrigger in Kapa’a. The chef here is AMAZING. He’s in his early 20′s and comes up with the most interesting food I’ve ever had.

4-820 Kuhio Highway
Kapaa, HI 96746
(808) 822-9332

Josselin’s
This restaurant is ALL the rage for locals and visitors. It has an amazing variety of food/tapas and interesting twists on everything. A must. Best enjoyed with a group of people so you can try more items from the menu.

Kukui’ula Village Shopping Center
Koloa, HI 96756
(808) 742-7117

Cafe Coco
Tucked away off the highway in Kapa’a, this little cafe/restaurant has healthy food with a variety of desserts. It features music on some nights, outdoor seating and wonderful fresh food.

4-369 Kuhio Highway
Kapaa, HI 96746-1423
(808) 822-7990

Grand Hyatt Kauai
There are several fantastic restaurants at the Hyatt. My most recent find was the garlic waffle fries at The Dock (located by the pool area). One order is enough for two people. Try Tidepools or one of the other restaurants for a full meal. You can’t go wrong.

1571 Poipu Road
Koloa Kauai, HI 96756
(808) 742-1234

Ishihara Market
I’m sure that there are lots of places on the island where you can find equally good poke, but Ishihara’s is my favorite. Head back to the deli area and just pick and choose which items you’d like. Then head across the street and eat at one of the picnic tables in the small park. It won’t set you back much money and you’ll have a fantastic variety of local favorites.

9890 Kahakai Road # A
Waimea, HI 96796
(808) 338-9915

OK – now get eating!

AND share your favorites that I might have missed

Travel Well,

Beth

Related links:
Limahuli Gardens on Kauai
Helicopter High on Kauai

I have to say right up front that I’m a relatively healthy eater. Though I don’t always live by this rule (like when I succumb to the call of M&M’s), I do generally try to live by Michael Pollan’s theory that you shouldn’t eat anything processed with more than 5 ingredients (or filled with ingredients that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize!).

Snack foods, unless they’re raw, rarely fall into the less-than-five-ingredient category. So, I carry a variety of foods, depending on my mood, length of travel and whether I’ll have access to goodies when I’m on the road.

My own snacks
I carry enough of my own snacks to cover at least getting TO my destination. This usually includes a small bag of walnuts and raisins and some fruit, such as an apple or two.

Lara Bars
These are amazingly healthy energy bars that have very few ingredients – all good. The Cashew Cookie, for example, includes only cashews and dates. They are moist and tasty and about 200 calories per bar. Note that they are relatively low in protein so if you’re looking for a protein lift – these aren’t the best option.

Clif Bars
Of all the protein bars, these are my favorite because they are tasty, moist and won’t melt in the heat. The Crunchy Peanut Butter bar has 11 grams of protein and about 230 calories. Unfortunately, Clif Bars do have lots of ingredients, including “natural flavors” and evaporated cane juice. I’ll carry these with me on longer trips where I know I’ll be active and where I might not have access to vegetarian-based protein.

Attune Probiotic Bars
These “wellness” bars are meant to be good for you because they contain 5X the amount of live cultures (probiotics) found in yogurt. I can’t say whether they are going to help your tummy but the granola bars (half covered in chocolate) are certainly tasty. Not necessarily “healthy” in the few-ingredient sort of way, but they are healthy because of the purported digestive benefits.

Starbucks VIA
If you’ve visited your local Starbucks recently, you might have noticed a new display of, well, instant coffee. I thought these little packets were actually instant liquid coffees but they are powdered. I like coffee but, just as I like my dogs to be cat-sized, I like my coffee to be as weak as tea. That means that just one of these little packets provides me with 3 good cups of coffee but most coffee junkies will need one packet per cup. Needless to say, these are perfect for travelers.

Travel Well,

Beth

Donut photo: Pink Sherbet Photography

Related links:
WanderGear: Flip Video Camera
WanderGear: Wanderlusted Bookwrap
WanderGear: Tops from Moving Comfort
WanderGear: Summer Accessories
WanderGear: Timbuk2′s Hidden Backpack
WanderGear: PJ’s from Cocoon
WanderGear: Ameribag

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Stacked salad at Shabu

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of amazing, yet completely different, meals I had during my recent travels to Utah. Utah? Great food? Hmmmm…. how did THAT happen?

The first memorable meal was in Park City. I was visiting the area as a guest of the Chamber of Commerce and my host for the day was Katie Eldridge. Katie is a public relations specialist who runs her own company, Panic Button Media, and is an all around awesome guide and person. Not only does she know the ins and outs of what her Park City clients are doing but she’s got the inside scoop on all the happenings in town.

So, being the in-the-know gal, she took me out to Shabu, which serves up “freestyle Asian cuisine”. Voted the best restaurant in Park City in 2006 in Salt Lake City Magazine, this Main Street restaurant sits up on the second floor of a fabulous historic building. We were fortunate to have had blue skies (though rain did briefly sprinkle down from the clear sky) so we sat outside for an amazingly relaxed and lovely dinner.

We were joined by Kari Bodnarchuk, a fellow travel-writer, recent NW-transplant and mutual friend of both Katie and I (which we didn’t discover until that day) and Carol who works with the trails association. Between the four of us, we managed to make our way through much of the menu, including several starters. Actually, I was so full by the time we enjoyed numerous appetizers that I couldn’t bring myself to order the entree I had been eyeing all night, the coconut crusted tofu. Never one to turn down sweets, I did manage to eat dessert, tempura fried chocolate ice cream.

Tempura fried ice cream

Oh heavenly. How was I ever to find a better meal than that in Salt Lake City, where I’d be for the next few days?

I was in the area for the Outdoor Retailer Show and had expected to be stuck inside the Salt Palace Convention Center the entire time. On my last night there, however, I discovered a restaurant called One World Cafe. This restaurant is a volunteer-run cafe that specializes in organic and vegetarian fare (though they do offer some meaty items). The most fascinating part of this is that that you pay what you want. This allows those who can’t afford a meal to pay nothing or a little and those of us who can afford it, to pay a fair price (or more).

Cucumber and melon soup, ciabatta, grilled veggies and potato salad

Food is served in a semi-buffet fashion. You help yourself to some of the foods and request other items from the cook(s). You’re encouraged to only order what you can eat but you can certainly go back for more. The food was magnificent and included lentils, rice, soups, breads, grilled veggies and salads.

Talk about sustainability!

I thoroughly enjoyed both of these completely different meals. The experiences couldn’t have been at farther ends of the spectrum but then again, variety is the spice of life!

Travel Well!

Read my travel blog on at the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

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