Healthy Hostel Meals Part 5- My Favourite Healthy Costa Rican Snacks

Posted on February 19, 2014 by katez

I LOVE grocery stores, especially grocery stores in other countries.

Whenever we are in a new town, and I find a new grocery store, I am in heaven. I will spend so much time wandering down the aisles, looking at all the products, reading ingredients, and filling up my basket with all sorts of new things.

As a result of all this “research”, I have found a bunch of awesome healthy snacks that I’ve never seen at home.

Here are a couple of my favourite go to snacks here in Costa Rica:

Can’t begin to express my love for these.

Suspiros: These calorie free meringues are AMAZEBALLS! Every year at Christmas, I make tons of cookies full of butter and sugar for Shaun, and I make Meringues made with Stevia for myself. They are guilt free, and still feel like a treat.

Well the lovely people at SweetWell (which is actually a Belgium company) sell a pre-packaged version of my Christmas treat. They come in Vanilla, Mint and Strawberry, and are a perfect sweet treat for dessert.

I can guarantee I’ll be lugging some of these home with me…although I’ll be lucky if they make it through the plane ride!

Veggie time!

Natural Sins Beet Chips: There are some travel days where getting my servings of vegetables in can be a challenge. You can’t exactly whip up a salad when you are on an all day shuttle. On days like this, these beet chips have been a saving grace.

Unlike lots of the vegetable based chips you find at home, these ones are totally clean. The ingredients are just beets!

Natural sins also sells dehydrated pineapple,mango, orange and coconut, but I’ve steered clear of those, as I’m sure I would just eat the whole pack in one sitting!

Guanabana, you’re my hero

Pops GuanaBana Light Yogurt: Oh Guanabana, how I love thee. This yogurt is hard to find, so when I track it down, I always pick up a couple. Pops is a big ice cream chain here in Costa Rica, and although they make some sinfully good ice cream, they also have a great line of lighter products as well.

This yogurt has a rice tangy taste, with less guilt then the non-light version. I usually split the container in two and add it to my oatmeal in the morning. I know I’m going to miss this little beauties when I get home!

Pipas: Oh my Beloved Pipas, what am I going to do without you.Over the past few weeks, I’ve developed a plan of attack. I’m having a pipa every day until I leave. My thought process is that I will overdose on these awesome budget friendly, healthy snacks, so that by the time I leave, I won’t crave them anymore.

That being said, I can totally see myself getting home and buying whole coconuts in an attempt to recreate the magic. I wonder if Shaun will invest in the machete necessary to open them for me??

So there you have it, my favourite healthy snacks here in Costa Rica. What are you go to healthy travel snacks?

For more Healthy Travel ideas, check out my Healthy Hostel Life Page!

Pura Vida!

Kat

Follow me on Twitter:@caketress

Our Favourite Places in Bocas Town, Panama

Posted on February 4, 2014 by katez

After bouncing around from place to place the last several weeks, having five days in Panama felt beyond luxurious.

Not only were we able to fully unpack, but we were able to explore lots of awesome local businesses in Bocas Town.

So, without further ado, I present the next instalment in our series of favourite places, check out “Our Favourite Places in Bocas Town”

If you see this door in Bocas Town, go inside…you won’t be disappointed!

Random Art: I can safely say, without a doubt, this is the coolest place I’ve visited throughout our entire adventure. Random art is a tiny art studio nestled amongst the restaurants, and tour companies on the main street of Bocas Town.

The owner, Christin, welcomed me to her studio with open arms and showed me around. I was overwhelmed with how amazing this place is. The studio is small but covered in art, and art supplies. The atmosphere feels like it would spawn creativity.

Christin offers a variety of classes for people of all ages. I had the opportunity to pop into one of her children’s art classes on our last day. I was amazed by the art work that these kids were producing.

The studio

Each class they focus on a different technique, artist, or style. She is passionate about helping children learn to look at the world through a different lense, and embrace their artistic abilities at an early age. On Friday nights, Christin also runs a free art class for the local kids of Bocas. These are the kids whose parents wouldn’t be able to afford such a luxury for them. I was disappointed that we left Friday morning as I would have loved to watch the magic of that class unfold.

Working on the skill of “perspective” note the boat in the background of this amazing masterpiece.

Christin also offers a variety of classes for adults, including some that involve wine tasting. I don’t know about you, but nothing gets my creative juices flowing like a little bit of vino!

One of the primary reasons I am so thankful to have stumbled upon Random Art, is the fact that I am now decked out with all the art supplies I need for the rest of the trip. I’ve been sketching like mad since I got to Costa Rica, and have been dying to get my hands on some paint.

The artists hard at work

Thanks to Christin, I now have a set of acrylics, a large sketch pad, and some brushes. I can’t wait to set myself up on the beach, and get started.

Random Art is truly a must visit location in Bocas Town. Whether you are artistic, or have never picked up a paint brush in your life, Christin has artistic wisdom to pass on to you.

The store front

Super Gourmet Bocas del Toro: If you’ve read any of my previous favourite place posts, you know I’m a sucker for a health food store. And, although Super Gourmet has a wide variety of products, the amount of unique, and healthy food caught my eye.

Not only do they have natural peanut butter, but they carry almond butter as well. I certainly haven’t seen any of that during my travels through Central America!

An amazing selection

In addition to nut butters, they have a variety of organic, gluten free, and kosher items, as well as imported items that simply can’t be found anywhere else.

Local chocolate-delicious!

Super Gourmet also stocks the famous Island Cacao chocolate, as well as many other varieties of locally produced chocolates. If you have a sweet tooth, and want to indulge in these local delicacies, I highly recommend taking a tour of their selection.

Nestled in the back of the store is a deli that offers a variety of fresh goodies that you can take to go.

I probably visited Super Gourmet Bocas del Toro, three times during our five day stay, and still feel like I didn’t see it all. I highly recommend stopping by, and checking it out.

It’s pretty unassuming from the front

Frozen & Creamy– What would a favourite places post be without an ice cream shop! We stumbled upon this place one night completely by accident. We had finished dinner, and were trying to decide whether to go for a night cap, or grab a treat. We opted for dessert, and started poking around the grocery stores trying to find something involving ice cream. Everything was looking pretty lacklustre, until I glanced up at a sign hanging over an alley. “Frozen & Creamy”, it was like it was destined to be.

A multitude of delicious treats to choose from.

We creeped down a little back road, and found Bocas del Toro’s only Ice Cream Parlour. It was fairly late in the evening, so their selection was limited. Luckily, their cookies n cream was in full stock. Normally in these situations, Shaun and I would share a cup of ice cream, but after a lacklustre dinner choice, we were looking for some indulgence. We each got a scoop in a waffle cone. I seriously thought I had died, and gone to heaven. This homemade ice cream was so creamy, and full of huge cookie chunks. Needless to say we both buzzed home on a sugar high.

If you are looking for an amazing ice cream treat, check out Frozen & Creamy. It’s pretty fabulous!

Want more of “Our Favourite Places?” Check out the rest of our posts. And as always, if you are visiting any of these areas, and have questions, or are looking for recommendations, feel free to leave us a comment or come visit us on our Facebook page.

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Our Favourite Places in Mal Pais, Costa Rica

Posted on January 12, 2014 by katez

If you’ve ever looked into the areas of Mal Pais, and Santa Teresa, you may be thinking “Hey Kate, didn’t you already write this post here?”

Well yes, and no. Before Christmas, we spend 10 days in Santa Teresa, in a hostel that was about 5km from where we are now. As a result, we didn’t get a chance to explore the area of Mal Pais very much.

So, I thought I would write about a couple of our favourite places on this end of the strip, and with good reason too. There are some amazing local businesses here that I highly suggest you check out.

It’s like the sun is making a spot light on the small store little store front. It’s the one on the left.

Bean & Bejuco- Natural Food Market & Artisan Trading Co– If you are a health food fanatic, as I am, Bean & Bejuco is the place to be. When I first walked into the little shop nestled amongst the clothing shops and restaurants in the Playa Carmen mall, I couldn’t believe my eyes, a real health food store! It even had that health food store smell that I love.

The previous health food stores I’d visited were mostly organic fruits and vegetables. Not this one! The store is a wonderful mix of both western health food store goodies like burts bees, and local Costa Rican food products like honey, and cacao. Need less to say I was in heaven.

So many amazing products to explore!

On my first visit, my eyes scanned over all sorts of goodies like quinoa, and kimchi, until they finally landed on the prize of the day…natural peanut butter! For real! Nothing but peanuts! Although I’ve found some that has come close in the past, this is the real stuff. And not only peanut butter, but almond, cashew, and other fabulous combinations

Can you hear the angelic music playing over this display?

You better believe I bought a container, as this stuff is pure gold.

If you are in Mal Pais, and looking for some healthy treats, have specific food needs (raw, gluten-free, vegan etc) or just want to support an amazing local business, I would highly suggest checking out Bean & Bejuco.

Such a cool building

Kasava Gourmet Fast Food: A great healthy dining option for anyone visiting the Mal Pais area.

The first thing that attracted me to this place was the building. It’s really attractive, and makes you want to check it out. The sign outside boasts healthy fast food, so I was intrigued.

I certainly wasn’t disapointed. They have a huge array of healthy made to order options, a salad bar, full coffee menu, plus the added bonus of a/c and free wifi. The service was great, the staff are really friendly, which is something that I find is hit or miss in this area.

The beautiful patio in the background

What really made this place stand out was their outdoor space in the back. I’m always looking for places that I can get a coffee, sit down, and relax for a little while, without feeling rushed. The outdoor space in Kasava is the perfect spot for a little Zen Kate time.

If you are looking for some healthy eats, or a relaxing coffee, this is the place to be!

All smiles at Papaya Lounge

Papaya Lounge: I had read about Papaya Lounge on trip advisor, and once I heard everyone raving about the view, I knew I wanted to visit it. It’s a little off the beaten path, but if you are looking for the best way to see Mal Pais at sunset, and are willing to got for a bit of a walk, it’s well worth it.

This doesn’t even do it justice!

Located about 2km from the main intersection, Papaya Lounge is perched at the highest part of the Moana Lodge property, so be prepared for a lot of stairs!The menu is mostly tapa style, and although we had planned on going just for a drink, we ended up sharing some pico de gallo, which wasn’t anything too exciting. In the end, this place is all about the view. Get there in time for sunset, and I promise it will be worth your while!

So there you have it, our fave picks during our stay here! It was actually hard to choose for this round, because there were so many great places.

If you are visiting the area, and want anymore recommendations, pop me an email, or come join our Facebook page.

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Una Pipa Porfavor

Posted on January 8, 2014 by katez

Before I start today, I wanted to let everyone know that I had the opportunity to guest post over at “Diana’s Costa Rica Blog”. Diana, and I have so much in common, it’s pretty amazing. Check out my contribution at: http://dianascostaricablog.blogspot.com/…On with the show!

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So I know coconut water is a “thing” back home.

I have read all about it. You know, electrolytes, post-workout charge up, hot yoga beverage of choice, magical elixir etc…I get it, but I just can’t do it.

Any time that I’ve thought about jumping on the band wagon, I’ve bought a little tetra pack, taken a swig, and then thrown it out. To me, it tastes like garbage swamp water.

That is, until I discovered the magic that is fresh coconuts on the beaches of Costa Rica.

I feel like I have the process of buying a “pipa” down to an art form. Since it’s becoming pretty much a daily occurrence for me, I figured I would share it with you guys.

Mom and I enjoying some Pipa’s on Tamarindo beach

In most towns you can find locals selling coconuts on the beach, but they are not all created equal. In Tamarindo for instance, most of the pipa sellers carry pre-shucked coconuts around in buckets of water. These coconuts are fine, but I find they don’t taste as fresh, and are often warm from being lugged around the beach all day.

To really get a delicious pipa experience, you want to look for a vendor who is selling the whole coconuts, the ones that still have their green outer shell on them. I’ve found the best ones are often sold out of the back of pick up trucks, and are kept in coolers of ice. If you find one of these, you are in business.

Carlo works his magic

So, you have located a pipa truck…now what? Well, the magic words “Una pipa, porfavor” will get you what you need. Get your 500 colones ($1), ready, and watch the magic unfold.

In these photos Carlo, my favourite Pipa seller in Playa Coco, brandished a gigantic machete, and carefully lopped off the top of the coconut. He worked fast, and managed to make a small little hole in the top without losing a drop of the delicious coconut water inside. It is an impressive sight to watch.

delicioso!

Just like that you have some delicious coconut water to enjoy. It tastes so fresh, and crisp compared to what you buy back home. It’s the perfect perk up after a long afternoon in the sun. I always start by eating the little bit of coconut meat on the “lid” of the coconut, and then dive into the water.

So at this point, sit back, relax, and enjoy, but don’t go far! There is more fun to be had!

Lots of people will just throw the coconut out once they’ve finished the water, but if you are looking for a little snack, and some healthy fats, the coconut meat is a great snack.

The machete is wielded once again.

Head back to your pipa vendor, and he/she will help you out!

First they cut one of the hard ends off. This will become the spoon. Then they give the centre of the coconut one big schwack with their machete. Using a baton, they continue to hit the blade until it breaks the coconut in half. It is a violent process, and an impressive feat.

Perfect afternoon snack!

Using the little spoon they created at the start, they scrape the meat loose from both sides of your coconut, and pour it all into one of the halves.

And just like that, you have a beautiful little treat for your afternoon!

Pipa’s are one of the many things I have found during my travels that feel like a treat, but still keep me healthy. And at $1 a pop, you just can’t go wrong! Just remember, they will always taste best when consumed while enjoying the view of the beach!

beach view!

Do you like coconut water? Have you tried fresh coconut?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Who knew Costa Rican fruit would be this funny.

Posted on January 5, 2014 by katez

Have you ever done a wine tasting?

You sit, sip wine, and try and figure out what it tastes like.

Well that is how we approached our tropical fruit tasting earlier this week.

Whitney and I had bought three kinds of fruit from the farmers market, and based on yesterday’s post, you can imagine how excited I was to try them.

We gathered together in the kitchen with a pad of paper, and got ready to write our “tasting notes”

Guava, Guanabana, and Passion Fruit

We had three contenders, Passion Fruit, Guava, and Guanabana. First up PassionFruit.

The Passion Fruit

Whitney: Looks like frog eggs, and a booger. It’s kind of sweet, and the seeds are crunchy but sour. All in all not a fantastic consistency

Kate: Starts out good, get bad. Tastes like citrus, and papaya with an after taste of grass. Chewing the seeds actually makes it taste a little better.

Uni: Meh, like a sweet citrusy oyster.

Brad: Something stinks

A fine review if I do say so myself, next up, Guava

Guava time!

Whit: Looks like an apple on steroids. Tastes like a pear with pesky annoying hard seeds. Would be good with no seeds, all in all, okay.

Kate: Hard, seedy, like a woody apple. Tastes like something unripe that my Mom would tell me I’d get the runs from if I ate to much. Probably would be good as a jam

Smit: Yup, that’s guava

Labour intensive!

Well said, well said. And finally, the moment of truth, my beautiful Guanabana. I took my time with this one, carefully cutting it open as per the youtube tutorial. It was much more challenging then I thought. The skin peeled right off, but the seeds were embedded deep in the pulpy meat. I spent quite a bit of time pushing the seeds out of the meat, and still missed a couple.

As I dissected the mass, everyone gathered around, expressing their clear disgust of the mound of white gunk I was about to force them to eat.

The infamous Guanabana

Whitney: Looks like terrible tastes like terrible, I just couldn’t keep it down. (note: Whitney spat hers out)

Kate: Looks like sheep intestines, cud, or cooked mushy watery white fish. Tastes like citrus, strawberries, and passion fruit. I love it!

Smit: It’s like sushi

Uni: It’s the chewing tobacco of fruit.

Shaun: Looks like white vomit that is all stuck together. Surprisingly citrusy considering it’s bland appearance.

The tasting in progress.

So there you have it, the epic fruit taste test. A wonderful way to end the year.

Some were more successful then others. I’ll certainly be buying Guanabana again in the future!

And even with everyone’s mixed opinions, once we threw everything in the blender, and added vodka and ice, we gave everything rave reviews!

SOOO good!

What kind of crazy fruit have you tried? Ever had guanabana?

Pura Vida!

Kate

Follow me on Twitter: @caketress

Our first Mandarina (of many!)

Posted on December 7, 2013 by katez

For those of you who read our Must Sees, you know that Mandarina was an important one!)

I didn’t get one on our first day, because wobbly pops appeared to be a priority. I actually had intentions of waiting until later of the week. I figured it would give me a little adventure to look forward to! Well, that thought process, lasted less then 24 hours. Shaun, and I were poking around on day 2, and I simply couldn’t resist.

The first Mandarina (of many!!)

Shaun and I split this one. Pineapple, Passionfruit, and Banana, with water and no sugar..My mouth is watering just typing this.

Waiting patiently for our first sip (some of us are waiting more patiently then others)

I was obviously in my happy place.

Smoothie Lover!

I figured this would be a once a week treat, as we have a pretty strict budget, but to my delight, a small smoothie is only 1000 colones or 2 bucks! Such a good deal in fact…

Round 2!

We went again the next day!! (Pineapple, Passionfruit, and strawberry in case you were wondering ;))!

What other smoothie combinations should we try! They have so much variety!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Healthy Hostel Meals Part 2

Posted on December 5, 2013 by katez

Today in the Healthy Hostel Meal series, I’m going to run down our very first hostel meal of the trip! It’s evident we have a little bit of learning to do, but regardless, it turned out pretty darn good!

Master Chef Shaun!

If you’ve read the first post in the Healthy Hostel Meals series, you are already familiar with what we picked up at the store.

Our very simple ingredient list!

Tonight’s menu was stir fried vegetables with rice and beans. We started the meal early, since we figured the brown rice would take forever. Shaun was on rice duty, because I am forever lacking in that area. I was on veggie duty!

Angry little gaffer isn’t he.

There were so many cool looking veggies in the little pack we got. First off, let’s take a moment to appreciate how angry this little sourpuss of a squash looks. I’ve seen these in the store before, but have never cooked with one before. There were also teeny tiny patty-pan squash as well. I chopped a bunch of them up, as well as some mini carrots, cabbage and mini zucchini. (side note, it’s telling me that zucchini is spelled incorrectly, I beg to differ)

Curious??

Next up were these little corn husks. This picture doesn’t do it justice because that is actually a really small cutting board. These things were probably the size of an iphone, and super duper light. I could’t imagine there being anything inside.

Ta da!

Well who’da thunk it. Inside teeny tiny corn is teeny tiny corn cobs! These are like those corn bits you get in deli salads, but so much tastier because they are fresh, and aren’t covered in oil. Shaun agreed that they were tasty, but didn’t share the same level of excitement regarding the discovery lol

Once the rice was boiled, beans added, and veggies stir-fried. We were done, and voila!

Our first hostel cooked meal!T

Again, my food photography skills are lacking, and it didn’t help that it was night time in our outdoor kitchen! This meal was great. We made a full cup of rice, which not only lasted us for another full dinner, but we also were able to add it a couple lunches as well. Tonight we’re tackling chicken tacos!

What else should we make for hostel meals? Send us your ideas/recipes!

Pura Vida!

Kate

Healthy Hostel Meals Part 1

Posted on December 1, 2013 by katez

I’ve decided to start a series of posts dedicated to healthy hostel meals, because let me tell you, it’s going to be a work in progress. I look forward to looking back on this post months from now, and laughing at how ridiculous some of my meals have been. It’s going to be an awesome learning process.

As soon as Shaun and I checked in, we decided are best bet was to do a grocery shop. The fact that I was borderline hangry, and he needed a beer may have helped drive us to the store. Luckily, there is a SuperCompro right next store to our hostel, so off we went! Here is what we ended up with.

Our first grocery run!

Rice- brown, much to my insistence, and Shaun’s dismay. Not a time saver in the least, but so much better for you. I kept telling Shaun, we’ve got no where to be!
Instant Noodles- You can guess who those are for!
A pineapple-You can bet this will be the first of many!
Cervasa- Of course
Laundry Soap
Can of black beans
Head of cabbage
Salad Dressing
Eggs
Bananas
Mixed Veggies (more on those in a later post!)
Tortillas
Apples

I had a couple strategies for our shopping. First, find things that had protein that would have some staying power, but that won’t go bad right away (eggs, beans). Second- look for ingredients that we could make mass amounts of and keep in the fridge, (rice, beans, boiled eggs). Third, keep in cheap! Getting cereal and milk would be easy, but its expensive, goes quickly and doesn’t have staying power. Fourth and the most challenging is fresh veggies. We have made a pact that every dinner will include veggies (and in my case lunches too!). I can tell already this will be challenging, but it’s so worth it. It’s amazing how much better you feel when you’ve got veggies in your system!

As soon as we got home with our grocery goodies this happened:

Let me tell you, with my hangry hovering at a dangerous level, this meal was amazing. Banana, almond butter (brought from home) on a mini tortilla. A quick protein burst to get us through to the evening. A perfect start to our Costa Rican hostel dining experience!

Any tips for eating healthy while living in a hostel?

Pura Vida

Kate

Hostels and Hot Rollers

Living Healthy, and Loving Life as we Backpack through Costa Rica

Tag Archives: Healthy Eating

Healthy Hostel Meals Part 5- My Favourite Healthy Costa Rican Snacks

Our Favourite Places in Bocas Town, Panama

Our Favourite Places in Mal Pais, Costa Rica

Una Pipa Porfavor

Who knew Costa Rican fruit would be this funny.

Our first Mandarina (of many!)

Healthy Hostel Meals Part 2

Healthy Hostel Meals Part 1

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