Mango, Pineapple & Papaya Salsa

One of the many things we constantly miss from Kauai was the abundance of fresh tropical fruits readily available. They are far fresher and more succulent that you will ever find here. Mangoes, pineapples, and papayas are easily three of our favourite fruits and we simply couldn’t devour enough of them in Kauai. If you’ve never had a Hawaiian papaya, I strongly urge you to try it -- it will change your life. I’m not a fan of the Mexican papayas you find here, but the Hawaiian kinds are so different -- they are insanely sweet and flavourful. If you live in Toronto, you can find them at Pusateri’s. They are a bit pricey but worth every juicy bite.

We bought a bunch of tropical fruits over our Kauai weekend, used some to make a smoothie and saved the rest in this fruit salsa. It is super easy to make and was the perfect accompaniment to our Hawaiian dish, which I will be posting the recipe for next week.

Fresh coconut water

We made a smoothie with dragon fruit. Check out this recipe here

Hawaiian papaya

Mango, Pineapple & Papaya Salsa

Ingredients:

1/2 pineapple

3 mangoes

1 Hawaiian papaya (or Mexican if you like)

1/2 red onion

1 lime

A good handful of cilantro and mint (you can omit either if you like but the combination of the two makes it extra fresh)
Salt + pepper

 

Directions:

1. Chop the pineapple, mangoes, and papaya into small cubes.

2. Dice the red onion finely.

3. Roughly chop the cilantro and mint.

4. Place all ingredients in a bowl, squeeze in a lime, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix together.  

Aloha Kauai

My favourite sunset at Tunnels Beach

As some of you may already know, the boyfriend and I took our first trip to the beautiful island of Kauai in Hawaii this time last year. We fell in love with everything the island had to offer and since our return, we have been dreaming of the day we can revisit and relive the most magical experience. To commemorate this anniversary, we decided to bring Kauai to us and have a fun-filled weekend with Hawaiian food and drinks, music, hikes, and watching surfing documentaries and The Descendants (the movie was filmed in Kauai and Oahu but who needs an excuse to watch George Clooney?) Over the next few weeks, I will be dedicating my posts to all things Hawaiian inspired so be sure to check back often. For now, here's a glimpse of what our extraordinary trip consisted of.

Aloha! 

Boat Tour to the Na Pali Coast

Taro fields in Hanalei Valley (the quaint town we stayed in)

One of the best dinners we've made: grilled opah with mango/pineapple/papaya salsa

Gorgeous view of Na Pali Coast

A Jurassic Park view on our hike

Poke: A raw fish salad that is a traditional and delicious Hawaiian dish 

The boyfriend and I at Waimea Canyon (The Grand Canyon of the Pacific)

Dining at the Grand Hyatt on our last night

Doors Off Helicopter Tour -- one of the most surreal experiences

Cotton candy clouds

Colour Trend: Oxblood

This fall, one of the most stunning colour trends is also the most horrid sounding: oxblood. Despite its gag-inducing name, this deeply rich colour (a slightly moodier burgundy but with an edge) is not only sexy, luxurious and sophisticated, but is incredibly versatile and looks beautiful against any skin tone. I've been finding many leather pieces in oxblood, and the combination of the two is purely magnetic. This is definitely a favourite colour obsession right now and I am already on the prowl for some beloved pieces.

1.  Topshop Oxblood Pleated Dip Hem Skirt 2. McQ by Alexander McQueen Burlesque Pumps 3. Essie 'Skirting the Issue' 4. AllSaints Wasson Pullover 5. Tory Burch Ballerina Ciliegia 6. H&M Dress 7. AllSaints Oxblood Biker Jacket 8. Victoria Beckham Leather Leggings 9. Sandro Oxblood Leather Belt 10. Cambridge Oxblood Patent Satchel 11. McQ by Alexander McQueen Leather Mini Skirt

White Washed

I have never abided by the rule of “No White After Labour Day." Some fashion rules are just begging to be broken and this old adage is definitely one of them. White is not only appropriate any time of the year, but as fall is nearly upon us, it's a chic, refreshing welcome to the season's cooler climate. I don’t usually do head-to-toe black, but there’s something about an all-white outfit that’s crisp, sophisticated and simply sexy. 

H&M top | Mango jeans (similar ones here) | Aldo shoes | Zara belt | Armani sunglasses | Club Monaco necklace | Nine West bag

Shrimp, Tomato & Avocado Baguette

I love avocado toast. Crunchy from the thick bread, creamy and buttery from the avocado, this luscious gem is so ridiculously easy to make and is easily one of my favourite breakfast, brunch, or snack foods. Over the Labour Day weekend, we decided to take this tasty little treat and turn it up a notch by adding a tomato and green onion salsa and topping it with paprika shrimp and basil. Each bite was so succulent and full of fresh flavour -- it made for an incredibly satisfying meal. We used a multigrain baguette (love the texture) and had a bit of leftover shrimp, salsa and an extra avocado, so we toasted a few slices of bread and happily devoured it for brunch the next day.

Pablo, our first basil plant. Yes, we named it.

Shrimp,Tomato and Avocado Baguette (serves 2 as a main or 4 as an appetizer)

Ingredients:

1 multigrain baguette

2 ripe avocados (firm with a slight give)

1 lb fresh or frozen large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tomatoes of any kind, diced (we used tomatoes-on-the-vine)

2 green onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves (1 minced; 1 whole, cut in half)

1 lime or lemon

1 tsp smoked paprika

Olive oil

Sea salt + pepper

A handful of basil, ripped into small pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Tomato + Green Onion Salsa

1. Dice the tomatoes into small chunks and chop the green onions thinly. Mix them in a bowl and set aside. 

Baguette

1. Slice the baguette lengthwise and cut into 5-6 inch slices (3-4 inches for smaller pieces).

2. Place on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil, and lightly brush each slice with olive oil.

3. Toast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until lightly golden brown on top. 

4. Remove from oven and while still hot, rub a clove of garlic (cut side) on each piece. This gives the bread a hint of garlic flavour without being overpowering.

Shrimp

1. If using frozen shrimp, let it thaw out first. Heat a large pan on medium low heat. 

2. When the pan is hot, drizzle a good amount of olive oil in and add the minced garlic clove and smoked paprika. 

3. Stir it into the oil for about a minute, then turn up the heat to medium high and add the shrimp. 

4. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute, then flip them over and cook for another minute until shrimp is pink. Be sure to not overcook the shrimp! 

5. Transfer to a plate and squeeze half a lime or lemon over them.

Avocado

1. In a bowl, mash the avocados with a fork until smooth and creamy. 

2. Squeeze half a lime or lemon in and mix. 

3. Spread a nice, thick layer on the bread, and drizzle a bit of olive oil over it. Sprinkle some sea salt and black pepper on top.

Scoop the tomato and green onion mixture on the avocado baguette, then top with shrimp and basil.