The Burrito Bowl, things to do in Ogden UT 3

i’m floored

I’ve never had my name attached to something so tightly. This is IT, this is an event I created for a brand I created serving food I made myself and it’s ALL ON ME. It’s an honor, it’s terrifying, it’s at least 20 different emotions all across the spectrum.

Over the weekend, I held my very first event called The Burrito Bowl. It’s been on my heart this year to share my food at a live event. I had to. Deep inside me, this is one of the best ways I know how to express love: this whole blog is a labor of love. I also understand after blogging for a couple years that many of my followers live in Northern Utah just like me. I had to do it!

I chose Mexican food for many reasons, but mostly because it’s the perfect cuisine for meal prep. Here’s why:

Everything tastes great piled on top of everything (hence, why I love burrito bowls so much!)
When you reel in the portion sizes, Mexican food’s incredibly balanced. It’s chock full of fiber from vegetables, beans, and corn AND you can liven up boring protein (i.e. chicken, ground turkey, etc) using Mexican spices.
Mexican protein staples keep great in the fridge during the week and they freeze well too!
Finally, Mexican food doesn’t feel like punishment to eat. Pairing acidity with heat, roasting with creamy, a fresh crunch with an umami base… all that diverse flavor/texture pairing makes life interesting.

I’m blessed that, through FOOD, I’ve been able to cultivate a community of radiant and supportive friends. It’s always been a goal of mine to foster a community, not just a social media account. I love hearing the stories and walks of life my friends come from and how cool is it that we are united by a love of healthy food?

Then there’s

salsa Queen

Salsa Queen’s story inspires the hell out of me and her positive spirit lights up the whole room. She is a Salt Lake City native who immigrated to the US from Mexico. She began selling salsa at farmers markets to support her family of SEVEN kids. She had her whole family on board making salsa in the beginning. Jar upon jar, people caught onto how delicious the salsa and sauces were and she eventually built an empire that’s now stocked on shelves inside Smiths, Fresh Market, and other grocery stores. Her spirit of hard work, perseverance, and ASKING for what she wants lights me up inside. Sharing this event with her was a true privilege.

THANK YOU to everyone who made it out to my hometown over the weekend (and those who sent well wishes!) Thank you to The Argo House for hosting us inside this beautiful space. Thank you to my family who helped behind the scenes in every way, from taking these photos to showing up early and setting up tables and chairs.

I could never fill you guys up as much as you fill me up (but I’ll sure try!)