Flax and Kale Barcelona melange of culinary invention and feel good food

      Travel requires so much energy and enthusiasm and it can't be done without some good food. To be precise without a great and scrumptious breakfast no travel day is complete. While traveling, it is not easy to eat healthy all the time, yet we always try to make sure that we stay on the route of eating healthy.

      Flax and Kale, the name says it all. Is it?  All the superfood that we need to nurture the temple called the body and soul.  In preparing for one of the long sightseeing days in Barcelona, we wanted great breakfast that's not just scrumptious but healthy too and that brought us to Flax and Kale. A wide open and transparent kitchen, one can actually see the food while cooking and an ambiance that every foodie thrives for serving lunch and dinner as well as gluten-free and raw foods. An innovation and healthy take personified menu had a lot to choose from.

      While going through the menu, I couldn't resist when I saw a doughnut on the menu with a healthy take. First thing first, I ordered the decadent maple glazed doughnut. A non-fried almond flour doughnut glazed with maple syrup. It was one of the best doughnuts I have ever tried guilt free. Soft and succulent and light inside and sweet outside. If mom can eat a doughnut, how can daughter resist eating a cookie? My daughter had a vegan chocolate chip house-made cookie.

      Then I had Scandal Scramble, scrambled free-range eggs, assorted mushrooms, spinach, tomato,  green garlic, feta cheese, carrots and came with 6 cereal whole wheat bread. As the name holds so much, I expected a little more innovation but nevertheless, it was delectable with juicy veggies almost gave you a homey taste. There was no denying their food personifies the freshness.

      My husband got  Classic Avocado Toast, a whole wheat sliced bread with avocado, lemon, cayenne pepper, flax and chia seeds. When a simple food gets a culinary makeover, then this is it. The presentation and the taste took it to another level and yet keep the clean eating real and simple and sustainable.

      My kids love waffle and here they were happy to get their favorite breakfast, a sweet waffle topped with chocolate ice cream, kiwi, and strawberry. They were in their dominion of deliciousness without knowing that was superlatively healthy.

      We ended our breakfast and moved along for the long day with no guilty but a fabulous feeling.

Why you must visit Gypsy quarter in Sacramento, Granada

      In this world, difference and uniqueness always make marks in life. Uniqueness not just breaks down the monotonousness, but expands the horizon of ones life. Perhaps that is the reason people often run for unknown and wonder about in uniqueness.

      Sacromonte (“The Sacred Mount”), with the rolling hills in a bit distance and the alluring alley of narrow cobblestone roads, whitewashed buildings with Moorish character and the grand view of enchanting Alhambra, the medieval quarters of the Moorish era is this eclectic and beyond picture perfect town. Small shops and eateries surrounding this place, Albayzin flamenco and perfect mileage of cultural tidbits, history, and heritage give you a different insight of Spain.

      Everywhere you look, a magnificent view unfolds for you, and your fantasy is on your foot as you walk a bit in the narrow and seep lanes. With the changing time, some houses turned into hotels and restaurants, yet these medieval quarters still shelter the ancient architecture that makes you even more interested in visiting as you sense the era gone by is still present. This whimsical settlement of Spanish gypsies (the Gitanos) settled here from 15th to 18th century.  Picturesque little cozy houses, alluring architecture, artfully hanging ceramics and flowery courtyard depicts one of the prettiest pictures of Idyllic Granada. The raving part is quarter still retains authenticity and intriguing without being touristy.
Whether you are just for a day or a laid-back traveler, you stay for a few days and stop for a few hours Gypsy Quarter intrigue you and let you experience the world of uniqueness and charm.

Sanissimo , Madrid aesthetically vegan

Food has a very interesting and important place in my heart. My major liking on a place often relies on the food of the place. While traveling and exploring new places, food memories stay with me quite well. Madrid is one of the places with so many factors to love about, food being certainly one of them. I am in Love with it forever and surely inspires me to come back pretty soon. I can’t believe how many healthy or vegan restaurant options Madrid has. 

One of our beautiful evenings in Madrid, we stumbled upon a vegan and vegetarian place called Sanissimo. Beautiful wall paintings, bird cases and lovely decor make this cozy place an inviting one. The Greek and Spanish inspired menu has so many options to chose from. 

For our starter, we had spinach and ricotta pastry and beetroot hummus with focaccia bread. I love the crunchy base on the Riccota cheese pastry and spinach goes so well with it. Love the facaddia bread with olives and hummus. Flowery hummus and bread presentation definitely create a lovely culinary aesthetic. As much as I love the bread, I wish I got the same punch and flavor in the hummus. It was a little blend. 

For the mains I got eggplant lasagna, it was succulent lasagna and at the same time, they were able to retain the natural flavor. Also, it came with Mexican green rice and a little bowl of red savory lentils, that perfectly balance the distinctive lasagna. Then my husband got chickpeas to wrap. A delicate, warm wrap with veggies was very filling and delicious. But, if you are in favor of flavorful food you might find it little blend. Nevertheless the less we ended the day without dessert as it was quite generous when it comes to portion. A quick and attentive service with culinary aesthetics will remain one of my favorite part of Madrid memory.

A little guide to Travelling fun for kids

I love to travel, and I love to travel even more after having kids.  Though sometimes traveling with kids is not an easy task as you have to consider so many things like their health, safety, security and many more. Yet going with tiny tinnies make my traveling horizon boarder and sometimes enjoy the destination with their perspective adds a new meaning to my life.

1. Get them ready... After you decide the destination, let kids know so that they have a hint of the place. More they hear about it, the more they can imagine. My kids are in elementary school, my older one makes his list of what to see. When we decided to go to Washington DC last month, he wanted to visit Space and science museum. As he knew a few things earlier he was really excited to see them in real. You can also educate them about the little culture of the destination or what food they are going expect. That makes them excited about the destination.
2. Make them Feel as part of the plan... Let them carry their own bags, it will not only make feel them responsible but also important. Choosing and packing clothes, hats sunglasses and taking care of their little things gives them immense please for their upcoming trip.
3. Make them feel at home... I always pack my kid's favorite toys or stuffy, games, bedtime books that make them relax and feel at ease at a new place.
   
   
4. A playtime... Even though my kids love traveling kids are kids, they often get bored in between. I always make sure to plan some time for their activities. Give a little time to play like going to the swimming pool at the hotel. Also, stopping by for a snack or ice cream social can instantly boost their mood.
   
   
5. Comfort... I can't stretch enough, how essential it is to make them wear comfortable shoes. No matter what, most traveling requires walking, and comfortable shoes make it more fun along with packing the right clothes for the weather of the destination.

Lastly, traveling is not just about sightseeing but also preserving and curating memories for life!