Waitressing With A Fitbit

I treated myself this week to a FitBit Surge and I am in love. Seriously, I talk about it all the time and I am constantly checking my activity. I love it. It was a tough decision but I am very happy with my choice.

One of the main reasons I wanted a fitness tracker that could monitor heart rate etc. is because on top of my new marketing gig I am still waitressing. I was always interested to see how much activity I did in a day and how my heart rate was affected. I can now say that I just finished my first full day shirt with it and I am no longer surprised that I have had put on a little weight since starting my day job.

While working today I took about 13,300 steps, traveled about 9.5km and burned around 2,100 calories. That does not include my activity before and after work (so far). It is very fair to say when you wait tables you work your butt off, no wonder mine is a little bigger now that I sit on it all day! I still go to the gym everyday, but before I would work 6 out of 7 days of the week at the restaurant and go to the gym 6 days of the week.

I am so excited to take my Fitbit on adventure, Monday we leave for California. I really wish I would have had it for our Disneyworld trip… we may just have to pop in a quick visit to Disneyland to see our park Fitbit stats!

I bought myself a little treat today:) #fitfam #fitness #treatyoself

A photo posted by Kate Bruce (@kategbruce) on Feb 23, 2015 at 6:32pm PST

The Best Salad I Have Ever Had at The Wooden Spoon Grand Forks

If you read my blog you know it is not a common occurrence for me to order a salad at restaurants. Today I am getting straight to the point of this blog and it is the Wooden Spoon in Grand Forks’ “Grand Chicken” salad. I had the “Grand Chicken” for the first time Family Day weekend when I was in town for the Chamber of Commerce’s big Family Day celebrations. Everyone in town raved to me about the amazing food at the Wooden Spoon so I drug my boyfriend to the hot spot for lunch.

As you can see the salad is huge. So my boyfriend had his panini and then helped me devour my salad. He instantly wanted to order a second one to have a full “Grand Chicken” to himself. The salad has a base of mixed greens with roasted pumpkin, candied chili, roasted almonds and topped off with chicken and feta.

I was finally back in Grand Forks for another great event and had to take our Street Teamer to the Wooden Spoon for another salad.  She picked the “Grand Chicken” salad as well and loved it too! Thank goodness they had not changed their menu; I had been thinking about the salad for months. When I mentioned to my boyfriend that I went back to the Wooden Spoon for the salad he was so jealous. They don’t make food like that at Basic Military Training!

He was also very jealous of the desserts that I brought home with me. I could not pick just one so I brought home a slice of the Ponderosa banana cake and a slice of the lemon yogurt berry cake.  Both of the desserts were amazing! You can see them pictured here in the display window. I would recommend splitting them both with a friend.

If I had to choose just one I would go with the Ponderosa banana cake. It was divine. The chocolate chips on the top of moist, dense banana cake were perfection. Both desserts were amazing! I imagine the lemon yogurt berry cake would be even more amazing with ice cream… yum!

The next time you drop by Grand Forks stop into the Wooden Spoon and enjoy an amazing lunch (or breakfast… yes they are open for breakfast too)!

The Wooden Spoon is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8am until 3pm for breakfast and lunch. You can visit the Wooden Spoon on 3^rd Street, Grand Forks. They also have a patio; it is the perfect spot to have a sunny lunch while in beautiful Grand Forks!

I hope to try the breakfast menu the next time I visit. The homemade cornbread with spinach, bacon, poached eggs and maple syrup sounds amazing; I am a sucker for cornbread!

You can "like" the Wooden Spoon on Facebook here.

Trying Crocodile For The First Time!

Quick foodie note here:

I tried crocodile last night for the first time at the Element Club Bar and Grill in Castlegar and it was absolutely amazing. It actually reminded me a lot of chicken. I had totally overlooked it on the feature menu during Mardi Gras and I am so happy that it was brought back!

Yes, mom I had crocodile sirloin (you read that right). It is a great light dinner or appetizer option with rice and banana pepper aioli! 

Mexican Fiesta All May at the Element!

If you have read this blog you have noticed that I am a massive fan of food. I hate the foodie label, but it is pretty appropriate. I have been off the restaurant blogs lately because there has been so much going on lately, but I could not resist a trip the Element for Mexican Fiesta. All May the Element is celebrating one of the most fun ethnic cuisine's with an entire menu of Mexican treats.

The fish tacos are my go to on the Element's standard menu so I branched out and was a little more adventurous and had the handmade braised pork corn tamales. I had never had tamales before and this was the perfect first occasion. Two salsas topped the tamales, one red (roja) and the other was my favourite... salsa verde . So good! If you are wondering what the tamales are photo’d sitting in that is a steamed corn husk. The team at the Element really does pay attention to detail and go out of the way to make every meal an experience.

The legendary fish tacos

My friend had the fish tacos by my recommendation and was not disappointed. As I have said before on the blog, the Element's fish tacos rival the best fish tacos I have had in Southern California. Try the lobster option too, they are my absolute favourite! Every Tuesday I have to fight the urge to go to Taco Tuesday--- they are just $2.99 on Tuesdays!

Make it a Mexican date night with the fajita for two special and have it all served up in front of you hot and ready for you to customize yourself! Take your pick steak between certified angus steak, chicken or jumbo black tiger prawns and get ready to fight over the last fajita with whoever you are sharing with!

After we sipped our afternoon mojitos that were on special and then topped it all off with two amazing desserts including the feature Mexican crème brûlée with tequila and lime. It was divine; you have got to feed your sweet tooth if you are visiting the Element for the May-long Mexican Fiesta.

My amazing crème brûlée! 

I am excited to take Jenny Fines for her birthday girl date to the Element to try the feature Mexican drink the "Spicy Jalisco Heat" made with reposado tequila, lime, muddled cucumber and jalapeños! I tried a Caesar for the first time on my birthday at the Element so I think I will continue down the spicy path for her birthday! Maybe we will skip lunch and go for supper for the more appropriate tequila taster plank to drink that is right up our alley and sounds like a fun decision.

I can’t wait to go back and be faced with the dilemma of what to order from the Mexican May menu again! I’m already thinking about the Cabo Mussels from PEI with coconut milk, tequila, lime and garlic toast. Maybe some Mexican bacon chips and dip too!

Check it out this weekend and get a seat on the patio, it is the perfect way to celebrate May long weekend! Make your reservation now by visiting www.clubelement.ca! 

To check out our last trip to the Element for Lobsterfest click here.

Lobster Fest at the Element Club Bar and Grill

UPDATE: Jenny and I totally went back to the Element for "Lobster Fest" today for lunch, it was an amazing pre-birthday post-radio show lunch. This time I tried the lobster mac and cheese and Jenny had the lobster club. They were amazing, if you are going I think my favourites are still the lobster poutine and the lobster tacos. I also tried something new today, a Caesar! It has been a great birthday weekend Friday!

The Element Club Bar and Grill is one of my favourite places to eat in the Kootenays. If you haven't heard, I am a huge fan of food and fun. That pretty much explains my love for the Element. It is the first restaurant I visited when I moved here and it was the source for my delicious lunch today. I just couldn’t wait until my birthday and the 31^st because the Element is hosting “Lobster Fest” right now and I couldn't wait another day.

Nova Scotia lobster for a Nova Scotian girl (a Nova Scotian girl who hadn't really had lobster until she was 24), the Element definitely made my Thursday! On top of the Element’s stellar normal menu there is a full second menu right now (until the end March) that features lots lobster dishes. I love the Element’s special menus, so of course everything I ordered came from the Lobster Fest menu. Kevin of course had his favourite, panko breaded chicken strips with sweet potato fries.

We shared an order of lobster poutine to start. It was amazing! I love all poutine, but this was very special. Lobster chucks smother a bed of crisp French fries with Quebecois cheese curds. I was so excited for this; I love new twists on traditional poutine. The lobster gravy is so rich and creamy you will want to scrap every last bit of it from our plate onto the fries.

The Element's Lobster Poutine

For my main course of lunch I stuck with the “Lobster Fest” menu, tempura lobster tacos. I love the Element’s fish tacos (they are on par or better than SoCal fish tacos), so I knew I would love the lobster tacos. Unfortunately I knew two would do the trick for lil’ole me after the poutine, you can totally order three tacos too.

I love the Element fish tacos, I normally don’t eat so many vegetables with my tacos but the Element manages to inspire my inner-veggie lover and eat all of them. With a little slaw, guac and tempura lobster these tacos are full of taste and incredibly filling. Be careful, the tacos are pretty full.  Good news though, it is totally acceptable to break out a fork and finish the innards.

The Element's Lobster Tacos

On top of the lobster dishes I tried today for lunch there are more traditional lobster dinners and steak + lobster dishes. Lobster lasagna, bisque, mac & cheese and a rice bowl Lobster mac & cheese is one of the most comforting dishes on earth, a solid lunch choice as well.  

Every time we leave the Element we leave happy. Not only does the Element host great events, they make some of the best food in the Kootenays. I take everyone to the Element when they make their first trip here. Seriously, come to the Kootenays and have lunch with me.

On a side note, if you ever seen the “Notorious P.I.G.” on the menu you need to order it with sweet potato fries on the side. It is one of the best things you will ever eat, ever.

Also, it is important to note the impeccable service at the Element. The entire wait staff is incredible and they truly take good care of you when they are serving you.

For more about the Element Club Bar and Grill click here to visit their site.

Nom Nom Nom… I think I may have to head back for my birthday on the last day of “Lobster Fest”.