How I #ChooseTheTable with Dietz & Watson

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Dietz & Watson. The opinions and text are all mine.

I'm so proud to be partnering with Dietz & Watson to share how I make time for the people I love over something as simple as sharing a meal. D&W's quality meats and cheeses are perfect for bringing family and friends around the table, which is what I did this past weekend by creating a charcuterie board with my sister, brother-in-law, and fiancé!

My sister and her husband had gotten some beautiful charcuterie boards and knives for their baby shower the week before, and it was the perfect occasion for the first use! It was a group effort setting everything up, and the best part was eating all of it! And everything was sooo good.

After our afternoon snacking, we went back inside with happy bellies to chat, watch football, and play with their dog. It was the perfect evening! How do you #ChooseTheTable with your friends and loved ones? Share your own images on Instagram and be sure to use the hashtag and tag @DietzAndWatson!

Also, until December 1, you can enter for a chance to win a private chef's dinner with local Dallas celebrity chef Stephan Pyles! 

Matcha Protein Pancakes with Vital Proteins

I've partnered with Vital Proteins to create a matcha protein pancake recipe! A lot of you may be familiar with whey protein already, but what is collagen peptide? According to Vital Proteins, "collagen peptides supply amino acids that are needed to build new collagen." It supports healthy nails, hair, skin, and helps maintain and restore the protein content of muscle. You can read more about it here!

As for the recipe, I used their Vanilla & Coconut Water Collagen Peptide and Unflavored Organic Whey Protein. Here is the ingredient list and easy step-by-step recipe:

Yields ten 4-inch pancakes

Pancake Batter:
3 eggs
1 cup almond milk
6 tbsp coconut flour
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 scoop collagen peptides
2 scoops whey protein
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp matcha powder

Toppings:
2% fat Greek yogurt
Granola
Raspberries
Honey

Directions:
1. Whisk eggs until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, mix matcha powder, coconut flour, peptides, protein, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt.
3. Stir in eggs and almond milk until smooth. 
4. Heat skillet to medium and coat with coconut oil.
5. Drop spoonfuls of batter (I made 4" pancakes) and flip after 1 minute (or until underside is lightly browned).
6. Top with Greek yogurt, granola, raspberries, and drizzle with honey.

Enjoy!

Hong Kong: Part II

One of my favorite parts about Hong Kong are the cha chaan teng, or tea restaurants, which are the local diners with all the great comfort foods. I first experienced them in Seattle and Vancouver's Chinatowns, and I've been craving pineapple buns and yinyeung (coffee milk tea) ever since... so only for about the past 2 years until now. Yeah, living in Dallas is SAD.

Breakfast at a cha chaan teng

My favorite cha chaan teng we visited is Kam Wah Cafe, known for their award winning pineapple buns. Huge, buttery buns with a crunchy top. Paired nicely with an iced milk tea or hot coffee milk tea. When my mom first introduced me to pineapple buns, I thought, "Great. I hate pineapples." But no, they're just fantastic buns with a slice of butter, or made into pork sandwiches! They're called pineapple buns because of their texture (which I still don't think looks like pineapples, but whatever). I thought I'd mention it since so many people saw my Snapchat story and thought pineapple buns were pineapple flavored!

Another must try dish is siu yuk, or crispy roasted pork belly. Again, the first time I had it was in Vancouver, and I've been craving great quality siu yuk ever since... Unfortunately, we waited until the last night/day and didn't get to go to some acclaimed restaurants, but we did find a place before we left for the states! The skin is super crispy but the meat is still very tender and juicy... ahhhh drooling.

Roasted pig.... mmmmm.

Above pig sliced into pieces for our consumption. Photo credit: Jean Roasa

Dessert was also on point... We didn't visit any traditional dessert places, but we did go to Via Tokyo, a Japanese ice cream shop. We actually went 3 times total... Their menu is pretty extensive for having a few basic flavors, but the flavors are... amazing. My favorite is the Hokkaido milk.

Matcha and Hokkaido milk ice cream with a side of kuromitsu (sugar syrup). Photo credit: Jean Roasa

That kuromitsu... it tasted like a sugary honey. Pour that s$%^ on everything.

Shaved ice. Photo credit: Jean Roasa

Besides eating all the things, we, of course, had to visit Victoria Peak. We took the bus instead of the tram/hiking it, but the journey was still breathtaking if you sit on the upper deck. You're surrounded by trees, but when there's a gap, you can see how far up you've been driving, with the city beneath you. I almost liked it better than Victoria Peak because you got to see how humongous the city is but with a more intimate view.

If you're into coffee, Hong Kong has a great coffee culture. We went to several coffee shops that we visited multiple times (or tried to... we never learned our lesson when it came to looking up opening/closing times). Some shops I suggest are the Cupping Room, Hazel & Hershey, and Coffee Academics. 

The Cupping Room - great coffee with a nice place to relax upstairs. There are multiple locations, but we went to the Wan Chai one.

The Cupping Room from upstairs

Hazel & Hershey - Great foam on espresso drinks and scenic alleyway seating.

The Coffee Academics - We went to the flagship location, right by Times Square. I was so impressed with their decor and menu, which has different coffees from across the globe.

That interior...

Last but not least, I want to talk about Macau. We decided to just do a day trip and hit up coffee shops, casinos, and local food. The ferry ride is only about an hour long - not bad at all!

View from Mount Fortress

I loved the motorcyle culture in Macau. Motorcycles everywhere!

The coffee shops in Asia are so much prettier than the ones in the states... I've seen so many photos of ones in China, Indonesia, and Malaysia with concrete and wood interiors. Terra Coffee House reminded me of those! It's an aesthetic shop that opens entirely on one side to face the alleyway.

We walked around Grand Lisboa, not for the casino, but for this gorgeous wall.

Thanks for taking this photo, Jean!

Then we headed to the Venetian... again, not to gamble, but for po tat!!! These Portuguese egg tarts are the best! They taste like a super fluffy egg tart with a crispy sugary top and flaky crust. To be honest, I actually hate egg tarts... but Portuguese egg tarts are on another level. 

The main reason to go to Macau...

And with that, I will abruptly end Hong Kong: Part II. I mainly wanted to ramble about food :)