Hello friends!
How’s your week going? Mine’s been pretty great so far, and I’m feeling particularly excited today because my friend Emma and I have been planning a trip that’s quickly approaching at the end of this month! Remember back in my goals for March when I said I was going to be exploring a new city? And how I said I’d tell you all about it soon? Sorry to leave you hanging, but today I’m going to tell you all about what’s happening!
Last month I was working on a project with Expedia that required me to put together the ideal 1-day fitness itinerary for people wanting to enjoy an active holiday in Vancouver. I also created a roundup of some of my favourite healthy spots to eat, and both were included in Expedia’s new Fitness Breaks Travel Hub. The page is full of city guides created by fitness enthusiasts, by fitness enthusiasts. You’ll find cities including Sydney, Cancun, Barcelona, Denver, London, Toronto, and of course, Vancouver covered.
Fitness-focused travel is a trend I’m super excited to see rising lately, and as part of this project with Expedia, I’ve been given the opportunity to travel with a friend to one of the other destinations profiled in the hub. We’ll do one of the itineraries already created, eat all sorts of great food, and see as much of the city as we can. But which one to choose?!
As I’m sure would have been the case for many of you, while browsing the hub, Sydney was my first choice. However, a number of factors (mainly lack of vacation time… womp wommmmmp) unfortunately led to ruling that one out. I also wanted to ensure wherever we go is a place I’ve never been before, so that eliminated a few more. This opportunity came up quickly and very unexpectedly, so long story short, at the end of this month I’ll be jet setting off on a mini vacation to…..
Seattle!
A whopping 1 hour flight away, but nevertheless a new-to-me city I can’t wait to see. It might not stand out as one at the top of everyone’s bucket list, I know. But from what I’ve learned recently, there are so many wicked places to get a sweat on, stunning parks to run in, delicious healthy eats, and our hotel is going to be pretty darn classy too. ? I’m hoping we get good weather so we can do some kayaking and lots of walking around (Pike Place Market – eeeeeEEEEEE!!!!) but at this point in Vancouver it’s a surprise when I walk outside and it isn’t raining, so regardless of weather I’m sure it’ll be a blast.
My friend Emma and I will be covering off as many places as we can in the Seattle fitness itineraries and hope to squeeze in even more in our short stay there. I’m always a mega planner when it comes to travel (hence all my recent chat about Hawaii, which isn’t happening till October!) so this past weekend we decided on all the spots we’ll be running to, sweating and eating at. This was my first time booking a trip using Expedia.ca, and guys – have you ever tried it?! It’s awesome! I don’t know why I haven’t gone this route before but it was really easy and having the reviews from so many other travellers was super useful. We booked our hotel, flight and rental car together (hooray for efficiency!) and got some pretty sweet deals on all 3.
You can expect a full recap of the trip in early April, but you’ll also be able to see what we get up to on Instagram. In the meantime, if you live in Seattle or know of anything we MUST check out, please tell me!! Feel free to leave a comment below or send me a note here.
Moving right along…. I have a recipe for you! It’s that Teriyaki Salmon and Zucchini Noodle Stir Fry you’ve been staring at for the duration of this post. I’ll happily eat stir fried dinners every night, but if you find that you’ve always got the same vegetables in your wok and are getting bored, here’s a new combo to test out. I’ve also included a recipe for homemade (gluten free!) teriyaki sauce that you can make in a larger batch if you want to use it for multiple meals.
Oh, and did I mention this one’s ready in 30 minutes or less? High five – we’re winning the dinner game once again, friends.
Teriyaki Salmon with Zucchini Noodle Stir Fry
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Ingredients (2 servings)
For the gluten-free teriyaki sauce (you will have some leftover):
- 1/2 cup low sodium tamari
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- juice of 1/2 orange
- 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 tsp arrowroot powder (to thicken, optional)
For the rest:
- 2 skin-on wild salmon fillets, 170g each and roughly even thickness
- 3 tsp coconut oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 cups broccoli, cut into very small florets
- 1 cup shiitake or oyster mushrooms, chopped if large
- 1/2 cup sliced radish
- 1 small carrot, shredded or julienne cut
- homemade teriyaki sauce (see instructions below)
- cilantro and/or green onions, to garnish
- zucchini noodles (or soba noodles, shirataki noodles)
Instructions
Make the teriyaki sauce: In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except for the arrowroot powder and stir occasionally over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Whisk in the arrowroot powder and continue stirring for another 1-2 minutes. The mixture will thicken. Remove the pot from the stove and transfer the sauce to a jar.
Cook the vegetables: Melt 2 tsp coconut oil in a large wok and sautee the garlic for 1 minute. Add the broccoli, mushrooms, radish, carrot, and teriyaki sauce as needed. Stir fry for 4-6 mins or until tender crisp and coated in sauce.
Distribute the noodles between two bowls, followed by stir fried vegetables.
Cook the salmon: Without wiping the pan, melt the last teaspoon of coconut oil and swirl it around. Place the salmon in the pan, skin side down. Allow 4 minutes cooking time for every 1/2″ of thickness. When you notice that most of the flesh below the top of the fish is pale, carefully flip each fillet over for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve over the vegetables.
Garnish with cilantro and/or green onions, then serve.
Click here to print the recipe.
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So tell me… where was your last vacation (or mini vacation)? When you go on trips, do you like to plan them out or figure it all out when you get there?