Yesterday we finally had a break from the heat and humidity, and I was able to step outside without feeling like I had entered a sauna! It's those days that you really have to take advantage of in the incredibly humid summers of St. Louis, so I took the time to drink my coffee outside with a good book. In the summer time, I love making refreshing dinners that don't take too much time so that I can spend my time engaging in summer activities! I recently had lemon garlic shrimp at BARcelona tapas restaurant, and I figured that such a refreshing and simple dish would be easy to recreate--and I was right!
Ingredients
Olive oil
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
6-8 oz pre-cooked shrimp (it was about a half a bag of frozen shrimp for me)
Chopped parsley for garnish
1/2 a lemon
Procedure
1. Heat a bit of your olive oil in a frying pan with minced garlic. Stir the garlic around until you smell its aroma.
2. Add the shrimp and heat it on both sides for two minutes each.
3. Squeeze your lemon into the frying pan and stir the shrimp around to ensure it gains its flavor.
Add parsley for garnish and voila! you've got your lemon garlic shrimp. You can add this to rice or pasta, or you can just have it as an appetizer. Either way, this refreshing dish won't make you break too much of a sweat in the summer heat!
I recently went on vacation to Norway, exploring several different cities and visiting family. The scenery in Norway is incredible, and you can often find a body of water every five minutes. For someone who lives in the midwest, I always look forward to sitting by the ocean and hiking in the mountains. Check out an overview of my trip here:
I had an awesome time working at Quality Hotel and Resort in Kristiansand two years ago (you can read more about how I was a princess and a pirate here), so I decided I needed to visit to see how everything was two years later. They were recently acquired by Scandic, and the interior looks so cozy! I definitely felt some nostalgia as I walked through the front doors, and it felt incredible when I was greeted by friendly faces. They offer a complementary breakfast to guests, and when I went downstairs to check out their gluten-free options I was blown away.
They have expanded their selection of gluten-free options to include different kinds of breads, muffins, cookies, and if requested they have a designated toaster! The chefs are well versed in offering safe options for gluten-free guests, which makes traveling there a lot easier. Eating a delicious breakfast ensures that you'll be able to explore the beautiful town of Kristiansand without going hungry!
Over the summer, Scandic Sørlandet becomes a children's hotel, offering guests a variety of children's activities. That was actually my job when I worked at that hotel, and nothing brought me more joy than seeing how excited the kids got when the princesses and pirates showed up. They also have a play room in the basement that the kids can look forward to (my brother was definitely excited to check it out). This hotel gives off such friendly vibes, so I will definitely visit again when I'm in Kristiansand!
