Date Ideas Perfect for your Favorite Foodie

One of the greatest parts of working and living in Sonoma Valley is the exceptional food and wine- and we have rounded up the perfect date ideas for your favorite foodie. Whether you are spending Valentine's day with your partner, your best gal pals, or just family and friends, any of these events and workshops are the perfect gift for the foodie in your life! We've rounded up a few of our favorites here for you from across Sonoma Valley.

Our first pick is a classic Sonoma foodie experience- a cooking class at Ramekins Culinary School. These classes are hands on, educational, but a fun and casual experience that is perfect to gift to any aspiring chef, or just someone with an appreciation for good food! Not only will you walk away having learned new techniques, recipes, and chef-worthy tricks, but you also get to enjoy some fabulous Sonoma wine and a great meal that you help to prepare. Some upcoming classes are home baked bread 101, Spanish seafood specialties, and perfecting pizza. Click here to sign up!

We have all dreamed about what it might be like to make our own wine, and Raymond Vineyards will let you be a wine maker for the day! Learn the winemaker’s art while blending your own red wine from Napa’s esteemed appellations. Following the blending session, take home a bottle of your own special blend that same day featuring your own custom label; order cases of your personally-crafted wine to share with friends and family at any time! A great experiential gift for your beloved wine-o. Click here to purchase the experience and start your wine making journey!

If you and your valentine aren't the do it yourself types, these options might be more your style.

First, check out this Valentines Weekend Mushroom Bisque and Truffle Wine Pairing from Family Wineries Dry Creek. Enjoy the pleasures of Wild Mushroom Bisque and a Chocolate Truffle with the Family Wineries Dry Creek collective. Glenn's 5th year preparing his own special recipe of Wild Mushrooms including Black Trumpets, Yellow Foot, Chantrelles, Porcini and Crimini in a vegetable stock puree. And a scrumptous little truffle bite. Complimentary for Family Wineries Wine Club Members Exclusive Benefit, $25 for General Public. Click here to reserve your spot!

If your true love comes in the form of a great steak and glass of red wine, then the ranch to table winemaker dinner featuring Balletto vineyards and grounded grassfed ribeye might be for you! This unique dining experience will feature wines from winemaker Anthony Beckman at Balletto Vineyards & Winery (Russian River AVA) paired with grassfed Ribeye steaks sourced from Byron Palmer & Nate Chisholm of Grounded Grassfed (Petaluma) with courses prepared by Executive Chef Joe Farinacci at the historic Wild Oak Saddle Club. Click here for more information!

While you can't go wrong with any of these options, we hope you pick the perfect pairing for your Valentine's day this year! We think these date ideas are perfect for your favorite foodie and showcase all that Sonoma Valley has to offer.

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A Valentine's Day Sonoma "Staycation" with K Concierge

We know not everyone can take a full vacation for Valentine's Day so we teamed up with K Concierge to bring you a Sonoma Staycation itinerary that can't be beat! K Concierge is a branch of the K Group, and they specialize in off the beaten path activities here in wine country. They represent exclusive accommodations, little known wineries, and incredible cuisine related experiences. They know it all from top to bottom and there is no one we would trust more to plan an amazing romantic getaway for Valentine's Day! Everything you see in this post can be booked through K Concierge, so all you have to do is show up. Some of the experiences are exclusive to K Concierge so make sure to inquire with them about all bookings.

It wouldn't be a wine country Valentine's day without some world-renound wine tasting. K Concierge will create a completely personalized experience for your afternoon of exploring the vineyards, either by bike or private luxury vehicle. Start the day being picked up by an extremely qualified ambassador or wine connoisseur to host your tour.

Once K Concierge has finalized your form of transportation, they will also set up all of your winery appointments for you. Their expertise of the area aides in finding the most unique and exquisite winery experiences in the valley.

A first stop could be the Tuscan style winery Petroni Vineyards. Enjoy stunning views of Brunello grapes as they turn bright yellow or sneak into the wine cave for an indoor taste. From the moment you arrive at Petroni Vineyards, you know that this winery is special.

Rebecca Gosselin Photography

Next, enjoy the beauty that is Hamel Family Wines for a food & wine pairing for two. This experience features seasonal dishes with their delicious wines. 

Finally, a stop into the small, family owned winery, La Rochelle. They are home of the Ultimate Pinot Noir Experience. Enjoy small-lot, single vineyard Pinot Noir & Chardonnay.

After a long day of wine tasting, you'll definitely need a fabulous dinner. Though you really can't go wrong in wine country, K Concierge recommends the newly renovated Salt and Stone which Sonoma-style American fare plus local craft beers & wine in rustic, family-friendly surroundings. They offer a large oyster selection (Valentine’s aphrodisiac?) and have a great happy hour!

Perhaps some of the most exclusive features through K Concierge are the accommodations they have access to. Properties like this beautiful private estate overlooking the vineyards are just a few of the options they offer. This villa is the perfect spot for a romantic Valentine's day overnight for two.

Before leaving beautiful wine country, indulge in a couple’s massage at the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, rated among Travel + Leisure’s top 25 spas. Historically revered by Native Americans for its healing power, the elegant Spanish mission–style inn boasts an enviable location atop an ancient thermal mineral spring, flowing from 1,100 feet below the surface. The tranquility and beauty of this environment is echoed throughout the 40,000-square-foot spa, which offers endless opportunities to find your energy or relax. Whether it’s relaxing by the inviting fireplace, soaking in their mineral baths and Watsu® pool, or indulging in one of their signature treatments.

For one final stop, enjoy a lovely breakfast at local favorite Sunflower Caffé. They are located on the historic Sonoma Plaza and their food is simple, locally sourced and delicious. Share a table for two and sip a mocha or mimosa on their outdoor patio or enjoy a waffle in their cozy restaurant.

There is no better way to plan your Valentine's Staycation in Sonoma than with K Concierge. Their expertise and knowledge of the area is unparalleled and they take all the work off your hands so all you have to do is enjoy! Contact them for details on any of the experiences you see above, and so much more.

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5 Tips on How to Meal Plan Healthy Food with Molly Molofsky

Molly Molofsky, a certified nutritionist and personal chef (who also happens to be from Sonoma), is bringing you 5 tips on how to meal plan healthy food! Meal planning is a great way to ensure that you have healthy food accessible and ready to go at all times so that it is actually easier to eat healthy than eat junk food. Molly studied holistic nutrition at Bauman College and her recipes have been featured in Athleta, The Body Book, The Chalkboard and PopSugar! She is an expert at all things health and wellness related when it comes to nutrition, so without further ado, here are your five tips from Molly.

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Are your New Year's resolutions to step up your health already a little blurred?

You’re not alone if you’re feeling the motivation that came with first weeks of January start to wear off.

But often, it’s not lack of motivation that will deter you from your healthy habits. It’s the lack of the right tools and support.

Good news: there’s one tool that only takes 15 minutes per week and can keep your healthy eating game on point all year long.

Meal planning.

And we don’t mean the “meal prep” that makes you think of 15 identical tupperwares filled with diet food. Or planning out your entire months of food in one sitting. There isn’t a right or wrong way to meal plan. It doesn’t have to mean a diet scheme or an unbendable set of rules. Rather, it’s a sustainable tool to help design a lasting healthy lifestyle for you.

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Here’s 5 steps to use meal planning to help you stay on track in only 15 minutes per week:

Step 1: Write it down.

Use an online meal planner (I love mealplannerpro or pepperplate) to mix and match recipes from week to week. That way you don’t waste time racking your brain of what to make every week. The dishes you’ve made in the past are all right there in front of you. You could also use a Google Doc or Evernote to record your meals and grocery lists. Even an old notebook or day planner works great. The point is, taking the couple minutes to jot down your meals and grocery lists for the week will save you so much time and brain power when you’re exhausted after work and trying to think of what to make.

Step 2: Use your calendar.

When making your meal plan, look at your work/social calendars at the same time. Take into consideration days you have plans or might get home late from work - maybe that’s a good day for the quick 1 skillet meal, or crock pot recipe. Plus, you’ll reduce waste by only planning meals and getting groceries for nights you’re home. Nothing is worse than stocking your fridge with healthy food you love and forgetting you have 3 nights of dinner plans that week.

Step 3: Consider your goals.

Before you set off to the store with your list, consider your goals. Take a step back and make sure the meals you have planned are in line with those intentions you set in January. For example, are you trying to eat more vegetables and less meat? Swap your tuesday taco night for a black bean version. Looking to cut back on pasta? Keep wednesday's marinara but serve it over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead. The beauty of taking this time to plan your meals is that your giving yourself the opportunity to make mindful choices.

Step 4: Add a to-do section.

When thinking about what meals you’ll be making, also think about what prep needs to be done to make the meal. Do those beans have to be soaked? Does a whole chicken need to roast for 3 hours? Does a piece of meat need to marinate? We suggest tackling all the prep you can in one big batch cook day. For example, every sunday you can do all the prep for your recipes for the week. You can cook the grains, make a marinade, or cook your proteins. If that doesn’t work for you and your lifestyle, don’t worry - you’re not doing it wrong. You just need to make sure all your recipes can be made in the amount of time you’ll realistically want to spend in the kitchen on weeknights. Having a to list for recipes that have multiple steps takes the stress out of weeknight cooking.

Step 5: Stay inspired:

If you need inspiration on what to make - look in your pantry. Do you have a bag of lentils or jar of marinara that’s been on  the shelf for weeks? Maybe you can look up a recipe to use them up. Not only will the help you think of what to make, it will save on that grocery bill!

While it is definitely useful to repeat meals, don’t forget to have a little fun with this. Use the seasons to try new vegetables. Leave 1 night per week to try a new recipe. Meal plan with a friend or family member who cooks and eats like you to exchange recipe ideas. Keep this weekly task enjoyable and your much more likely to stick to it long terms.

That’s it! Now, it’s your turn to get to action.

Follow the 5 steps above to create a healthy meal plan this week.

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Looking for more helpful meal planning and healthy cooking tips? Check out Molly’s online course, The Home Chef Project, planned to launch in early Spring 2018.

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