Palmy's

The moment we walked up to Palmy's in Pacific Beach, I was smitten. 

I was also surprised: I wasn't sure where we were going to sit. I definitely wasn't expecting to battle a Sunday brunch crowd on a Monday morning. And yet almost every seat in the expansive outside seating area was taken. 

It was easy to see why: the breezy coastal decor, dappled light and beautiful people gave off the very definition of "good vibes." 

But mostly I was surprised I had never heard of what obviously had to be a PB institution before, especially given the steady hum of influencer-type patrons buzzing in and out. 

As it turns out, the thing is... they've only been open less than a month. 

Coronado Brewing Co.

It's hard to know where to start when you come back to a blog you haven't touched in almost two years. It's even harder when your life has completely changed... the last time I posted anything I was pregnant but not yet a mom, renting and not yet a homeowner. Now I'm a mom of two with a home in OB. Wild. 

The hardest, though, is knowing where to even begin when the whole world has changed. 

Rather than take on the daunting task of trying to navigate all of that in my first post back, I decided to start simple: with a little brewery review. Coronado Brewing Co.'s tasting room and kitchen in Bay Park isn't new or trending. But it is kid-friendly and that's what brought us there this past Friday afternoon. 

Hearty Plant-Based Quinoa Chili

Even though it's still 90° degrees out in San Diego, we are officially in the middle of my favorite season: autumn. Which means it's time for one of my favorite fall activities: cooking chili.

This year, I've been interested in working more plant-based dinners into the rotation. As a lifelong meat eater, I don't have a lot of practice cooking meals that aren't constructed around meat. I also have a hard time feeling like I'm getting enough protein or like my meal is hearty enough when I attempt plant-based dinners.

But if there's any meal that defines heartiness it's chili. I don't think it's even possible for chili not to be hearty. So, inspired by a recipe I saw in a cookbook at my friend Makena's house, I attempted my own version of the One Pot Quinoa Chili from "28-Day Plant-Powered Health Reboot" by Jessica Jones and Wendy Lopez and it was delicious. 

Fresh jalas from the garden!

Jessica and Wendy's book has a lot of other amazing plant-based recipes and their Instagram account,  @foodheavenshow, is super inspiring. These two bicoastal registered dietitians have such a refreshing and realistic take on eating healthy. I will definitely be going back to their cookbook for more of our plant-based dinners this fall.

Ultimately, this recipe is as simple as it is tasty and it will easily provide dinner for two and at least 4-6 lunches to boot. It's also a great excuse to harvest your home garden or use up any veggies before they go bad!

Hearty Plant-Based Quinoa Chili
Yield: 6-8 Servings

• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 large zucchinis, diced
• 3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups of water
• 2 15.5oz cans of organic tomato sauce
• 1 15.5oz can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15.5oz can of organic chickpeas / garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 cups uncooked quinoa
• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Red chili pepper flakes
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp diced green onions
• Shredded cheddar cheese

1. Chop up all the veggies and mix together in one bowl with the minced garlic. Set aside. 

2. Heat up the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, pour the bowl of veggies in and cook for 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the water, tomato sauce, black beans and chickpeas and stir. 

4. Once all the veggies, beans and liquids are mixed together, add the uncooked quinoa and spices. Cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Note: I don't really measure out spices, I just kind of eyeball it and keep adding it in as I cook. Go light with the red chili pepper flakes though, unless you want it really spicy!

5. Top bowls with some cheddar cheese and garnish with green onions. Enjoy!

6. Oh yeah! And compost what's left! :D

Restaurant Review: Cafe Cantata, Del Mar

For the past six months, it's been hard to leave work at lunch time. There's construction going on in our office park, so if you leave at any point during the day, you're basically kissing your parking spot goodbye. But when I was invited to check out Cafe Cantata, a gorgeous little coffee shop and eatery in Del Mar at the Flower Hill Promenade, I decided it was worth the risk.

Not that I ended up having to worry: my friend Diane and I had been trying to find time to get lunch together and when I asked her if she'd like to try Cafe Cantata with me, she offered to drive. As we walked up to the comfy little shop, I immediately fell in love with the space. 

This is the perfect coffee shop to work in...

Restaurant Review: Studio Diner, San Diego, CA

Back on the east coast, you couldn't drive 5 miles without running into a diner. Diners were always open 24/7 and the first place you went after a soccer tournament, after prom, after the bar closed, and after you woke up with an unbearable hangover. We love our diners in Connecticut.

Out here in San Diego, before this weekend I'd been to exactly one diner in the past 3 years and it's an overpriced dive in Hillcrest with terrible food. I'd more or less given up on ever eating good or even so-bad-it's-good diner food  again until I heard about Studio Diner in the Kearny Mesa neighborhood of San Diego.

Studio Diner is right next to the only working film studio in San Diego. Veronica Mars is probably the most notable thing that was filmed there, but still it's pretty neat. The diner was built as a 24/7 stop so that the studio workers could have a place to eat into the wee hours of filming. Inside it's a kitschy, 40's movie-themed diner with film strips lining the plates and film reels used as condiment holders. There's old cameras hanging above the tables and a LOT of chrome.

Ever since I learned about it I had been meaning to go there for breakfast, but Kearny Mesa is at least a 15 minute drive from my house and so not a convenient place to go for food in general. But this past Saturday, I was headed to the area for another reason (to buy a new car!) and decided to finally get breakfast there beforehand. I sidled up to the counter to avoid the wait for a table (Comic Con is in town, hence the message on the marquee) and my friends Bonnie and Jason met me there shortly after.

The food was perfection. Greasy, buttery goodness that is just what you need when you go to a diner. I ordered the Cinnamon Swirl Studio Toast (which is their French toast), a side of bacon, and after, the best Chili Cheese Fries I've ever had.

I wish it wasn't so out of the way because this is where I'd want to get dinner with friends after the bar (like the East Coast diner fiend that I am). I definitely want to go back and try some of their sandwiches and items from the dinner menu like their Chicken Pot Pie. This is a San Diego hidden gem! Totally worth the hike for good food and service with a side of kitsch.