Traveling Blog: A Galápagos adventure

Friday, May 6, 2022

A Galápagos adventure

Photo Credit: Wondercade

So, in case you missed it, the one and only Neil Patrick Harris and his fam went on a cool sojourn to the Galápagos Islands. Where are the Galápagos Islands you may ask?

They're actually a remote group of islands off the coast of mainland Ecuador filled to the brim with diverse fauna and animals that you won't find anywhere else. From marine iguanas to blue-footed boobies, there are all sorts of critters that are endemic in these faraway islands!

Why should you care might you ask? Well, we're partnering with him to offer you a chance to win that same Galápagos trip: a 9-day In Darwin's Footsteps odyssey (7 days on the ship + 2 days in Quito, Ecuador) — PLUS airfare from anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

For FREE.

That's worth over $17,500 for you and your guest that you won't have to fork out! For full contest deets, check out this page here!

P.S. Make sure to check out our round-up of recipes below to get your wanderlust going!

https://tasty.co/recipe/siga-tibs-and-ethiopian-salad

Okay, so here's the thing: this dish isn't 100% of Malaysian origin. It's just a version of a perennial favorite pork belly dish that is extremely popular in Asia. Origin notwithstanding, it's such a gem of a plate thanks to the melt-in-your-mouth pork infused with a potpourri of sauces (think: cooking wine, oyster sauce, five spice seasoning, and sugar). If it's a weeknight, and you're lazy AF, this dish is hands-down a great crowd-pleaser!

Skip the line at Chipotle and whip up this version of carnitas that is arguably way better than anything you've tried before. Infused with Mexican style soda, bay leaves, orange juice, avocado leaves, milk, and more, the pork shoulder in this version of the recipe is fall-apart tender, thanks in no part to the cola that helps with the caramelizing.

P.S. Make sure that you use Mexican Coke (which is made out of real cane sugar) instead of the high-fructose stuff for this one-of-a-kind recipe :)

https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahloewentheil/home-cooks-sharing-favorite-secret-ingredients

There are two parts to this super fun recipe: the Ethiopian salad and the siga tibs. If you've never tried siga tibs, it's a hybrid stir fry that comes together in an instant, and is meaty, rich, and can be spicy AF! It's great to be served with bread, rice, and in this case, salad!

This dish, hailing from the African sub-continent has the coolest mix of ingredients including harissa paste, paprika, cumin, turmeric, and more! Just chuck that and a few eggs and tomato paste in a large cast-iron skillet, and you've got a delish and flavorful brekky ready yours for the taking!

No, H&M isn't the only Swedish export worth copping. They're also famous for their delish meatball subs. The best has to be their secret Worcestershire / dijon mustard sauce and lingonberry jam. Yes, you read that right: jam in a meatball sub.

Inasal, or inihaw, is a style of Filipino barbecue that features pork, chicken, or beef marinated in cane vinegar, soy sauce, calamansi, and other cool ingredients!

Okay, I admit it. I am biased here! I am obsessed with this chicken & rice dish. Hailing from Asia, this clean, but flavorful dish is super popular and a great take from those who just don't want any more insipid baked chicken breasts that one might more accustomed too. The secret to this recipe seems to be how the chicken is slowly poached, thus retaining a ton of the juices and flavors.

This Peruvian-inspired dish is made with juicy sirloin steak, veggies, and delish concoction of sauce & seasonings. Simply delish and filling!

You NEED to make this cake, not just because of the unique flavor profile, but the texture and THAT color. Known for its "honeycomb" crumb, this airy and light creation has the perfect balance of coconut and pandan flavors!