Plan a Family Getaway to Door County, WI + Bridgeport Resort Review

July 20, 2015 - [email protected] 1 Comment

Even though it’s already July, it’s not too late to plan a summer getaway! Our family just spent a beautiful weekend in Door County, WI. I love visiting Door County in the summer, but it’s even better in the fall, so put this on your travel list. There are so many fun activities for families, from hiking to fishing to just exploring the little towns, everyone will find something.

This year we stopped at Bay Beach in Green Bay, WI on the way up, and it is a must-see if you have young kids! It is one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and it feels like you’re stepping back in time. Most rides cost 1-3 tickets, and tickets are a quarter! It’s located right on the water, and there’s even an entire section designed for toddlers and preschool-age.

And while I didn’t love that Charlotte took to the machine gun so quickly, it was an afternoon well spent

We were all exhausted after our fun afternoon, so we headed up to our destination and checked-in at our favorite hotel. We have had the best experiences at the Bridgeport Resort in Sturgeon Bay, WI so I wanted to share it with you. The grounds are beautiful, the rooms are spacious and it’s reasonably priced. Here are some of my favorite features…

Great location

My favorite part of the Bridgeport has to be the location. It’s right on the water and just a quick walk over the bridge to downtown Sturgeon Bay. We arrived on a Friday night, and on Saturday morning went for a run along the water, stopped at Kick Coffee and walked around the farmer’s market.

Affordable suites

Even at the peak of tourist season, the rooms are very affordable. We were able to stay in a two-bedroom suite, which sounds ridiculous for a family of 3, but those of you with toddlers who are not great sleepers understand!

Family-friendly

The hotel truly seems to cater to every age. The hotel is very child-friendly with the spacious rooms and great indoor pool.

Pools

I love having access to both the indoor and outdoor pool. The indoor pool has a little splash pad with water slide for the young kids, and the outdoor pool has plenty of shaded areas.

If you’ve never been to Door County, you have to try it! Here are some of my favorite spots.

This is not a sponsored post. In exchange for the review, the Bridgeport generously discounted our stay. As always, all opinions are my own.

Looking for more travel ideas? Here are our favorites!

Healthy Travel Snacks 1

Healthy Travel Snacks 2

Door County, WI

Naples, FL

Kohler Resort & Spa, Kohler, WI

Escaping to Kohler

May 7, 2015 - [email protected] 1 Comment

Despite living in Wisconsin for over 10 years now, there is one state treasure that I’d neglected until this year. I’m not talking about Lambeau, Miller Coors, or the capitol building…. I’m referring to the gorgeous and serene Kohler Waters Spa. Refreshing waterfalls, soothing saunas, and world-class treatment are all tucked into this small town in Wisconsin. Just knowing that I live close to one of only 48 five-star spas in the world feels luxurious! And you’re about to have the chance to be treated to a free massage there…

From the moment I walked into the spa, I felt like I was on a tropical vacation. The air is warm, the staff is exceptional and anywhere you go you can hear the crashing waterfall or crackling fireplace. There is complimentary cucumber water, assorted teas and snacks. This is the kind of place where you can truly recharge and find some stillness.

I adore this place, so I jumped at the chance to visit their new facilities and share with my readers. If you’ve been stumped on the perfect Father’s Day or anniversary gift, I have to say I can’t imagine a better surprise. You will seriously feel like you’re on your honeymoon again. For this visit, I decided to go with girlfriends. Planning a girls’ weekend is one of our favorite topics to discuss, but somehow it never actually happens. As we all move ahead in our careers, families, lives it becomes nearly impossible to find an available time. So we ditched the dream of a weekend away and planned a day at the spa. This was absolutely the best decision we could have made. Driving home that afternoon, I truly felt like I had been away for a few days. I was completely relaxed, happy and ready to get back to my family.

And the best feeling was that I got to share this with a lucky reader! Kohler Waters Spa is very generously giving away one 50-minute massage to a lucky email subscriber!! Kohler is reaching out in celebration of its new services incorporating the healing powers of bamboo, water and magnesium. They are also offering an entire line of gentlemen-focused services - hello Father’s Day! And he’d be bored alone, so make it a couples day

To be eligible for the contest, simply subscribe to our newsletter here. Already subscribed? Great - you’re already entered to win! The winner will receive one complimentary 50-minute spa service redeemable Sunday through Friday at the Kohler Waters Spa at The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. Gratuity not included. The winner will be randomly chosen on Wednesday, May 20, 2015.

Just imagine, this could be you…

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This is not a sponsored post. Kohler Waters Spa provided a discount to my guests and me in exchange for a review post. Enjoy!

A Farmer’s Market Delivered to Your Door…

March 13, 2015April 29, 2015 - [email protected] 1 Comment

A farmers market delivered straight to your door… that is the only way I can think to adequately describe Door to Door Organics.

As this blog grows, more opportunities come my way, and one of those is sponsored posts. I have been extremely picky when it comes to these opportunities, because I want every single post I write to truly benefit the Diet Deep Dish community. If it’s not going to provide real value to your life, then I politely decline. So when I find a company or product that I LOVE and makes my life easier, I’m excited to bring it to you! Door to Door Organics is a grocery delivery service that partners with farmers to bring fresh, organic produce and Good Food groceries right to your doorstep.

When you sign up, you’ll get to pick your desired produce box (comes weekly or every other week) and then start adding whatever items you’d like. Here are some of my favorite features…

Option to substitute standard produce - unlike most CSA boxes, if you’re not crazy about any of the options, you get to swap it out for something you do like. Now I do like how CSAs kind of force you to try new things, but at the same time I’d rather be able to pick what I’m paying for. So sorry beets - you’re just not going to make the cut.
Every meatless and dairy-free item you could ever want! I’ve given up meat for Lent, so this is huge for me, but I would try these products whether I was a meat eater or not.
Option to schedule your delivery every week or every other week - I love this option, especially if you have a small family. I hate to waste food, especially locally-grown organic produce, so scheduling our box every other week is a nice option.
Shop by recipe - Door to Door provides free recipes, and even gives you the option to add the recipe ingredients to your cart with one click. Genius!

To give more people the opportunity to try this amazing service, Door to Door has gifted three $50 gift certificates for giveaway. As always, the BEST (and some secret) giveaways only happen on the newsletter, so join the mailing list to download your free recipe ebook and be entered to win one of the $50 gift certificates! The winner will be announced in the next DDD newsletter on Friday, 3/20.

As if I didn’t love this company enough, they’re also giving away a $10 off code to all Diet Deep Dish readers! Happy weekend!

Have you signed up for your free ebook yet?

This is a sponsored post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Green and Gold Kale Salad

January 16, 2015April 14, 2015 - [email protected] 2 Comments

Confession: Had the Packers not won on Sunday, this salad would have been called the “Honey Avocado Kale Salad.” But because I’m a sucker for a good theme party (or recipe) and I love lightening-up party food, it is now the Green and Gold Kale Salad. This salad is so incredibly easy to whip up and a nice alternative to typical game day food. It can also be customized to any team you’re cheering for – just be creative with the toppings to achieve your team’s colors (bell peppers, carrots, dried fruit, nuts, etc.)

I really had to do some soul searching before deciding to go this route, because growing up I was taught that Packer fans are insane and put the Packers above all else, including family members and laws of common decency. I remember my dad trying to explain the degree to which Packer fans’ obsession goes, telling me they even display pictures of Lambeau in their living rooms! Now as he explained this, I took a quick scan of my parents’ house and counted not 1, not 2, but 4 pictures of Wrigley Field adorning their walls, but that just feels different. Even as I photographed this dish every Chicago-born bone in my body was screaming at me not to do it, but it’s so delicious that I threw my values out the window and loaded up on the green and yellow bell peppers.

I figure now that we own a home in Wisconsin, it’s time to at least tolerate the green and gold obsession. So instead of an olive branch, I’m offering a kale leaf tossed with creamy avocado, lemon and honey dressing.

The dressing can be made with a blender, food processor or immersion blender and will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. It gets its creamy texture from the avocado and is completely dairy-free. Because kale leaves can be so tough, massage the dressing into the salad at least a day or so before you plan to serve it to help soften the leaves a little. For more quick green salads, check out Cooking Light.

So if you’re planning a party on Sunday just sit back and R-E-L-A-X… the salad’s already made! Enjoy!

Green and Gold Kale Salad

2015-01-15 19:43:44

Yields 4

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Prep Time

10 min

Total Time

10 min

Prep Time

10 min

Total Time

10 min

For the dressing

1 avocado
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

For the salad

4 cups finely shredded Lacinato kale (loosely packed)
4 cups finely shredded Brussels sprouts (loosely packed)
1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped

For the dressing

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

For the salad

In a large bowl, toss together the shredded kale, shredded Brussels sprouts and chopped bell peppers. Add as much dressing as desired, tossing to combine. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator.

Adapted from Fitness Magazine

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

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Broccoli Mac ‘N Cheese Bites

December 21, 2014February 18, 2015 - [email protected] 4 Comments

Flaky, savory, simple – these broccoli mac & cheese bites are my new favorite holiday party food. They’re quick to prepare and hearty enough that both vegetarians and omnivores will love them! I’ll be making these again for Christmas Eve. The day is usually pretty busy, so I need something easy. These can also be made ahead of time and frozen.

This month the Recipe Redux theme was…

Grab a Book & Cook
It’s the end of the year and we’ll taking a moment to reflect: ReDux has been around for 42 months! (Can you believe some of you have ReDux-ed 42 recipes?) To celebrate, we’re playing a little party game this month: Grab your nearest cookbook and ReDux the recipe on page 42 or 142. We can’t wait to see the books you’re cooking from these days – and how you make that recipe healthier.

I wanted to use my Marshall Field’s Cookbook , because that store just meant Christmas to us growing up – the windows, the Walnut room, just the hustle and bustle of the store at Christmas time. The recipe on page 42 just wasn’t inspiring me, so I went with my The Chicago Tribune Cookbook (yes, I own every Chicago-themed cookbook ever published.) Page 42 features Spicy Veal Puffs with Mustard Cream Sauce. Spicy veal meatballs are wrapped in phyllo dough then smothered in creamy mustard sauce. While I’m sure these would be delicious, I couldn’t get over the amount of fat and salt that went into these. I wanted to not only lighten it up, but simplify it as well. I kept the phyllo dough, but ditched the meat and added rich, creamy mac and cheese! These can be assembled in 10 minutes, then baked or frozen for later. Pair these with Pear Prosciutto Wraps for a beautiful and easy appetizer spread! I hope you have a wonderful week! Merry Christmas!

The sheets of phyllo dough are incredibly delicate and dry out quickly, so make sure you have everything ready to go when you take them out of the refrigerator. After laying down each sheet, spray it generously with olive oil cooking spray. Typically each sheet is brushed with melted butter, but the spray works just as well and still results in flaky, crispy bites.

Broccoli Mac 'N Cheese Bites

2014-12-21 11:27:18

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups prepared macaroni and cheese (I love Annie's brand)
1 1/2 cups frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
2 oz. fat-free cream cheese
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
12 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed (there are about 20 sheets per roll)
Olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the macaroni & cheese, broccoli, cream cheese, cumin, salt and pepper.
Remove the phyllo dough from the refrigerator and unroll. Place 1 sheet on your work surface and spray with olive oil spray. Layer and repeat with all 12 sheets.
Cut the sheets into quarters widthwise (picture above)
Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling about 1” from corner of each layered strip. Fold one corner of phyllo diagonally over the filling to opposite edge to form a triangle. Continue to fold triangle onto itself. Lightly spray the triangle with olive oil spray. Place triangles seam side down on ungreased cookie sheet at least 1” apart. Repeat with the remaining strips and phyllo sheets until the filling is used up. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot. Enjoy!

By Diet Deep Dish

Adapted from The Chicago Tribune Cookbook

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

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Salted Cherry Caramels

November 21, 2014January 28, 2015 - [email protected] 8 Comments

Soft, chewy, delicious caramels with no butter or cream! That is the magic of date caramel. By tossing dates and a few other ingredients in the food processor, you can make candy for the whole family all Christmas long. These cherry caramels are inspired by the incredible Wood Orchard cherry caramels we had in Door County, WI. Door County holds so many amazing memories for us, so I knew I wanted to recreate a dish we’ve had there when I read this month’s Recipe Redux theme…

A Food Memory For Which You Are Thankful

In the US, November marks the Thanksgiving holiday. But many of us are especially thankful for food memories we have shared with friends or relatives throughout our lives. Was it a special meal you ate as a child? Or, maybe it was a food you grew and harvested with your own children. Please share one of your favorite food memories and the healthier “redo” of the recipe.

Vegan date caramel is absolutely delicious and an easy way to lighten-up your favorite candy. I love the idea of giving these as holiday hostess gifts this year. The subtle cherry flavor is perfect with the salted dark chocolate coating. They’re also so much easier to make than traditional caramel - no candy thermometer or hours over the stove required! Enjoy!

Salted Cherry Caramels

2014-11-19 12:43:24

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Ingredients

12 ounces (1 1/4 cup) medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 tbsp. coconut oil, divided
3-5 tbsp. water
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Sea salt

Instructions

In a food processor, combine the dates, cherries and cinnamon. Melt 2 tbsp. of the coconut oil and drizzle over the date mixture.
Pulse the food processor until the dates form a creamy paste. Add water as needed.
Transfer the mixture to the freezer and allow to set overnight, or at least 4 hours.
Remove the caramel from the freezer and roll into 1-inch balls. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and return to the freezer until firm, at least 2 hours.
To coat the caramel, combine 1 cup dark chocolate chips and 1 tbsp. coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted.
Dip each caramel into the chocolate and sprinkle with salt. The chocolate will harden pretty quickly, so sprinkle the salt right away. Store in the freezer for up to a week. Enjoy!

Adapted from Minimalist Baker

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

For more single-serve desserts, try the DDD store!

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Pairdd Review

July 26, 2014July 26, 2014 - [email protected] 1 Comment

If you’re anything like me, you love to cook, but could do without all the prep work… grocery shopping, measuring, chopping, peeling garlic (yuck). There’s something so relaxing and satisfying about spending a sunny Sunday afternoon preparing food that I know will nourish me and my family. I’ve been curious about trying a cooking kit delivery service, because it seems like the best of both worlds – you’re still cooking a great meal, but only focusing on the fun part. I reached out to Pairdd, a gluten-free cooking kit delivery service here in Wisconsin, and was thrilled when they sent me one of their latest dinners to try.

Pairdd takes all the fresh, measured ingredients needed to cook a gluten free meal for 2-4 people and delivers them straight to your door! The ingredients arrive in a special insulated bag with ice packs (and I love that they have a recycling program for the containers) and take 30-40 minutes to prepare.

Our Pairdd meal could not have come on a better day. I was exhausted from a long day at work, stressed (and feeling guilty) about picking Charlotte up late from daycare, and was way behind on a writing project. Tim was also working late, so once we put Charlotte to bed (I plan to keep her 7pm bedtime until she’s 16 – it is so glorious), I poured myself a glass of wine and opened our Pairdd meal. We were given Flank Steak with Chimichurri . All the ingredients were cold and fresh when the package arrived.

I loved that the recipe card included the detailed instructions with pictures. From start to finish, I think it took me about 40 minutes to prepare, which kind of sounds like a lot for a weeknight, but it was so worth it! This was seriously a restaurant-worthy meal, so to be able to make it at home was amazing. Tim and I were both blown away by the quality, and I hope to continue to work with Pairdd and will be submitting a recipe for them to test!

Pairdd is available throughout Wisconsin and is currently offering your first week (2 meals) free - just pay $5 shipping! Click here to learn more!

Chocolate Chip Whiskey (Banana) Ice Cream

July 21, 2014February 26, 2015 - [email protected] Leave a comment

Oh hi, I thought that might get your attention! This dessert is deliciously sweet and creamy with just a little kick from the whiskey. It takes just seconds to prepare and is an easy single serving dessert or snack. And don’t worry – you’re not drinking alone… you’re enjoying healthy banana ice cream!

I’ve been wanting to experiment with making banana “ice cream” for months now, but figured since I’ve seen it on so many blogs already, I needed to step it up. To create the base, simply peel and slice the bananas, then freeze for at least 1-2 hours. When you blend up the frozen banana pieces, they will come together to form a perfect creamy ice cream. In Milwaukee we have an amazing local ice cream shop, Purple Door, that sells whiskey ice cream. It is absolutely incredible! This past Valentine’s Day Tim arrived home from work with Purple Door Whiskey ice cream in one hand and 2 turtle brownies in the other… *swoon*

This month the Recipe Redux challenged its members to lighten-up a recipe that contains liquor (vodka sauce, bourbon chicken, etc.) Clearly I enjoy adding a splash of booze to my recipes as evidenced here and here. I was amazed at how easily this dish came together, and you will love how the whiskey really masks the banana flavor, so it tastes like real ice cream! I added some dark chocolate chips, but feel free to get creative. Other ideas include: white chocolate chips, a drizzle of caramel or fresh strawberries. Enjoy!

For more Recipe Redux recipes, check these out! And see below for the winner of the Coffee Giveaway!

Mushroom Meatball Hoagies with Eggplant Fries

Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Applesauce Cake with Almond Buttercream Frosting

Crab Cake Eggs Benedict

Chocolate Chip Whiskey (Banana) Ice Cream

2014-07-20 13:17:47

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Ingredients

3 large, ripe bananas
2 tbsp. almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
1 tbsp. whiskey
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Peel and slice the bananas, then freeze until solid, at least 1-2 hours.
Remove the bananas from the freezer and allow to soften for about 10 minutes. This makes them much easier to blend.
Place all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a good quality blender or food processor.
Blend on low until ice cream forms, allowing the blender to "rest" every few seconds.
Once you have a creamy texture, add the chocolate chips and pulse until they are coarsely chopped. Scoop into 2 cups and garnish with a few extra chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Notes

Blending frozen bananas can be a lot for a blender. Make sure to cut the banana in small pieces, allow the frozen pieces to soften before blending and take breaks when blending.

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

Thank you to everyone for entering the Bad Ass Coffee Giveaway! The randomly-selected winner is Laura! Laura, please email me at [email protected] with your address and watch for some delish coffee in the mail

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Almond Butter and Cherry Granola

July 3, 2014May 9, 2015 - [email protected] Leave a comment

“Did I turn off the coffee?”

“No… I did.”

“Did you lock up?”

“Yeah.”

“Did we set the timers on the lights?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you close the garage?”

“That’s it. I forgot to close the garage. That’s it.”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Well what else could we be forgetting?”

“KEVIN!”

I have to say, I now know just how Kate McCallister felt at that moment. I was sitting in the car talking with Tim about all the fun things we were going to do once we arrived in Door County when it hit me. In my hurry to get out of the house on time, I had forgotten one of my most prized possessions. No, not my 8 year-old son - my delicious homemade granola. I was actually talking about how easy Saturday breakfast was going to be. I had prepped the cinnamon rolls, cut the fruit, and made the granola… wait did I pack the granola… “GRANOLA!”

The bummer about forgetting this granola for our family vacation is that it is SO good! The almond butter and dried cherries give it a sweet and salty flavor with just the right amount of crunch. The upside to forgetting it is that we now have about 5 cups of this little treat all to ourselves. Enjoy!

Almond Butter and Cherry Granola

2014-06-26 12:41:10

Yields 5

A sweet and salty snack perfect for topping vanilla yogurt or a fresh smoothie bowl!

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats
2/3 cups crunchy almond butter, softened
2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sliced almonds
1 (heaping) cup dried cherries
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Kosher salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Microwave the almond butter and coconut oil for about 20 seconds to soften them.
Spray 2 glass baking dishes with olive oil spray and spread the granola evenly over them.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.
Allow to cool completely before enjoying!

Adapted from Carrots 'N' Cake

Diet Deep Dish http://dietdeepdish.com/

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Weekend Trip to Door County

July 1, 2014 - [email protected] 5 Comments

Summer is finally here! We were lucky enough to spend the first gorgeous weekend on vacation in Door County. Each year we go up with Tim’s family, and basically spent the weekend lounging at the pool with cocktails… well, more chasing Charlotte around the kids’ pool while drinking Skinnygirl margarita out of a Styrofoam coffee cup hoping no one would look too closely, but it was relaxing nonetheless! I wanted to share some of my favorite places to eat and stay, because I would definitely recommend checking it out.

On Friday afternoon we arrived at the Bridgeport Waterfront Resort and LOVED it! The rooms are spacious, and we had a patio overlooking the water. There are 2 beautiful pools - 1 outdoors, 1 in. There is a great kids’ area next to the indoor pool with a wading pool and small water slide - perfect for toddlers.

photo courtesy of the Bridgeport Waterfront Resort

photos courtesy of the Bridgeport Waterfront Resort

And the location can’t be beat - Just a quick run over the bridge, and you’re in downtown Sturgeon Bay!

Saturday morning Charlotte hopped in the jogging stroller and we ran (slowly walked/jogged) to our fave coffee spot, Kick Coffee. They offer delicious Colectivo coffee, as well as fresh breakfast and lunch options. We split a gluten-free blueberry muffin on our walk home.

After our morning run, we met up with the rest of the family to make some raspberry cinnamon rolls, which were inspired by the incredible breakfast pastries at Inn at Cedar Crossing. Their morning buns make the perfect driving-home treat!

After breakfast we walked back downtown for the Sturgeon Bay farmer’s market. Every Saturday there is a farmer’s market from 8am-noon. We made a beeline to our favorite Door County find… Cherry brats! We discovered these last year, and had them on pretzel rolls with sweet potato fries - amazing.

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing with family. I think the best part for me was getting to see Tim show Charlotte around this place where he grew up.

Anything I missed?? What are some of your favorite Door County spots? Happy Summer!