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running on a country road near sewickley pa
August 19, 2020

Back in NoVA

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We’re back in northern Virginia after a great 3 (!!) weeks in Sewickley, PA (outside Pittsburgh) with Matt’s parents!

It was so nice to have such an extended stay with them. We were sad to say goodbye but it’s good to be home, especially as the weather is starting to cool down a little bit. I LOVE fall in the DC area and I’m pumped for September weather to arrive! 

We had a few more good meals before leaving Pittsburgh – one of which was some really good authentic Greek salads.

Matt’s dad makes a really awesome Greek salad (I added the broccoli and lemon, which are not part of the authentic experience) and we had them for lunch a couple days last week. So delicious, especially with super ripe farmers’ market tomatoes. I usually had toast or crackers or something on the side as well. 

greek salad with broccoli

Did you know that an authentic Greek salad apparently doesn’t contain lettuce, but rather just sliced tomato, cucumber, green pepper, olives, a hunk of feta cheese, oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil? Such a delicious combo! The key is really good tomato because the acidity of the juicy, fresh tomato is what tastes really good mixed with the olive oil as the “sauce”.

Riese really liked it, too – she loves olives randomly.

I’m hoping I can get my hands on some more good tomatoes at our local farmers’ market this coming weekend because check out our basil plant! It got MASSIVE while we were gone and some caprese salads (<- my fave variation with peaches) are definitely in order.

massive basil plant

I might also make some pesto for my Pesto Baked Salmon and then freeze the rest of the pesto for later.

Any other creative ideas for how to use up a ton of basil?

Anyway, back to Pittsburgh meals! Have you guys ever tried cooking corn on the grill like this, with the husk flipped up? We removed the silky part of the inner husk, but left the rest of it. My father-in-law tied up the husks with string, then brushed the corn with some garlicky butter and placed it right on the grill. He kept rotating it and brushing it with the butter until it was evenly-ish charred.

corn on the grill with the husks flipped up

It came out really delicious – it was a very interesting different flavor vs. boiled or steamed corn! More smoky but still a bit sweet. Highly recommend! 

We had the corn with a fajita feast.

all the fixings for fajita night

I went back for one more fajita! The chicken and the steak were both cooked on the grill, coated in Mexican seasonings and lime juice. 

beef fajita plus grilled corn

Our last Pittsburgh meal was brunch before we hit the road on Sunday. Matt’s dad made Greek frittatas with spinach, olives, and feta, and we had it with fruit, English muffins, and sausage. 

greek frittata with sausage, english muffin, and fruit

Matt and I went out for one last run date Sunday morning before the brunch + long drive, which was a really nice treat as always. It was especially great because the weather was amazing – in the low 60’s when we started and nice and sunny. 

running on a country road near sewickley pa

We did our favorite 3 mile loop and ended at Adesso Cafe in town for iced lattes. 

sunny morning in sewickley pa

I hope you guys are having a nice week and that my sweet potato breakfast recipes post on Monday gave you some yummy ideas to try soon! I’ll be back on Friday to share a round up of all the best fiction books I’ve read recently (non-fiction round up coming in mid September)!

p.s. I feel like it’s my duty to tell you that Nordstrom is having their big anniversary sale online right now, and this is important because my favorite faux leather leggings are part of the sale! They are comfy and go along well with the “I never wear anything but leggings anymore” life we are all living but I like that they look more fun and dressy. Perfect for fall with a cozy sweater! Nordstrom also has really nice North Face baby, toddler, and kid winter jackets on sale among a million other things… this is the jacket we have for Riese (in blue though) and love. I’m hoping it will last one more season because it was a little big on her last year, but we’ll see! (affiliate links)

- anne
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14 comments
  • Roadrunner August 19, 2020 · 12:25PM:
    It sounds like you need to recruit Matt's dad to be your co-chef at the Bed and Breakfast I keep suggesting you open, Anne (once travel and tourism are OK again)! Looks like you guys had a lovely visit, with great weather, nice family time, and terrific food. But, as you note, it is always good to get home. Here's hoping that fall arrives early for all of us and that the heat of summer is receding!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 19, 2020 · 2:56PM:
      Haha I'd rather be a guest at a B&B than the owner! :)
      Reply
  • Emma August 19, 2020 · 12:52PM:
    Gin Basil Smash!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 19, 2020 · 2:55PM:
      Oh yum that sounds super good
      Reply
  • Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
    August 19, 2020 · 1:00PM:
    Welcome back! I'm glad you were able to escape the heat/humidity of NVA and experience some more mild temps! Humidity is just the worst. It was so humid here in July but this week it's perfect outside so I hope this weather sticks around! Our son also likes olives, but only black ones! I tried giving him green and kalamata ones and he spit them out! I guess they were too briny for him.
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 19, 2020 · 2:56PM:
      Riese seems to love all the olives... makes sense because I was an olive fan as a kid too :) Enjoy that nice weather!
      Reply
  • Jen August 19, 2020 · 1:27PM:
    Soooo making that Greek salad this week, thanks for the inspiration :)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 19, 2020 · 2:56PM:
      It's so good - enjoy!
      Reply
  • Maxine Isaacs August 19, 2020 · 4:24PM:
    Thanks for letting us know that Andora has an outdooor patio. It is one of our "go to" restaurants for family get togethers. We still will not eat inside any venue and are observing social distancing. When things get better, I'd love to have Glenn give some cooking lessons to some of the men. He is so creative!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 19, 2020 · 7:26PM:
      He really is creative! I hope you enjoy Andora - the patio was lovely, and we agree we aren't comfortable with indoor dining so are enjoying those places that have patios and ample space for distancing!
      Reply
  • Gilly August 19, 2020 · 10:59PM:
    Gorgeous photo of your run! We made this last weekend and it was a hit - https://minimalistbaker.com/pea-pesto-pasta-with-sun-dried-tomatoes-arugula-vegan-gf/ - loads of basil! Perhaps a hit as we added bacon ;)
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 20, 2020 · 1:33PM:
      I like the bacon addition idea... sounds super good! Thanks for sharing :)
      Reply
  • Marta white August 21, 2020 · 3:17PM:
    I really like the blue and white plates with the “cafe” menu!! Awesome! I love eating off of special plates. Yes! Father in law that cook’s . Win win!!
    Reply
    • Anne
      August 23, 2020 · 5:21PM:
      I know, I love those plates!
      Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

When I’m not writing or cooking for fannetastic food, you can find me running, coaching nutrition clients, or on an adventure with my family. Feel free to reach out - I'd love to hear from you!

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