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North Shore: Teaching Food as Medicine

North Shore Kauai: Food As Medicine Tour

 

Traditional Diet

Traditional Hawaiian diets are considered to be some of the healthiest in the world. Living on a protein, vitamin and mineral rich diet that consisted mainly of poi (pounded taro root), fresh fish along with fruits and vegetables such as banana, coconut, breadfruit and sweet potato made for a clean and nourishing foundation. Even Hawaiian sea salt that was harvested in large amounts held minerals and rich health benefits. We aim to teach you about a variety of the beautiful canoe crops that the Polynesians brought to the Hawaiian islands over 1,000 years ago and how they are still being used today. 

Modern Food Practices

Fast forward to modern day Hawaii – you do not see this traditional health based diet by any means. Yes, you can still find fresh poi and poke with a variety of local fish, but much of the vegetable and fruit base has changed to fried food, rice and less healthy starches than taro or breadfruit. Of course, with modern influences come imports of all kinds of foods. We do have a beautiful and intricate cuisine here that has been influenced through the Plantation Era by Chinese, Japanese, Okinawan and Filipino food culture. Through all of these cultural influences, we want to share with you the foods with the best health benefits for your body, mind and spirit.

Balance the Ancient with the Modern

Here at Tasting Kauai we want to honor the healthy traditional foods and practices, while also sharing with you the modern health foods and techniques that locals are using to make new traditions here on our beautiful island. Come with us to a medicinal herb farm, visit a local juice company to try fresh fruits in a new way and to learn about and try for yourself some of the traditional Polynesian foods still being utilized in modern Hawaii. Let us share the education and fresh flavors of Kauai with you on our Food as Medicine Tour! And don’t worry, we still sneak in a few decadent tastings for all of your hard work learning.  We can promise that you will not leave hungry 🙂 Life is after all, about balance. 

Hualani’s at Timbers Kauai – A Multi Sensory Experience

The Spot

We here at Tasting Kauai are always delighted when a new spot opens up for us to explore and taste test. This is especially true when it is a breathtaking oceanfront dining location with fabulous food. I have been hearing from friends all over the island for weeks, that we must go and try out Kauai’s newest spot. Eventually, we made it and we were not disappointed!

The Cuisine

My husband and I recently had the chance to visit Hualani’s on a Sunday evening. We arrived in time to catch sunset and enjoy the beautiful view. Ha’upu Mountain Range & Kauai’s southeast coast with historic Ninini Lighthouse (built 1906!) bookend your splendid view. Even as island locals, we were feeling 100% on vacation here.

Executive Chef Jafet Tellez has a different take on how to use local ingredients.  Before coming to the island of Kauai to head up the team at Hualani’s, he was working in Dubai and calls Mexico City home. You see these touches pop up in their hyper local, farm driven menu. This makes for some exciting and exotic flavor profiles you won’t find at just any Kauai joint. Menu items are still focused on embodying Hawaii regional cuisine, just with a little added flair!

Sunday nights they are offering a fun special for visitors and locals alike – Pineapple Marinated Fried Chicken with Chili-koi (yes that’s spicy AND lilikoi) sauce and jalapeno, bacon and cheddar waffles for just $7. For a price that wouldn’t even buy you a beer in a lot of Hawaii locales you get a full plate of food to grind on. Go with a friend or spouse and you can have one chicken plate and one beautiful seafood or local meat entrée to share and have the perfect, affordable oceanfront meal! We had the delicate Hamachi sashimi and a local shrimp salad with watermelon, napa cabbage and house ‘fire and ice’ dressing to start. For entrees we tried the Sunday Special (of course!) as well as the Catch of the Day with avocado poblano puree and yucca frites. Yum!

Farm Fresh

Hokuala has a farm on site that is still a young project, but will most certainly continue to crank out more food in the coming months and years. Farmer Cody who runs the food growth magic going on over there is working alongside the protected bird species there, working with the land and the animals who call the natural habitat home. Permaculture style growing is utilized and every week brings new crops and exciting projects. As we focus on island food production and sustainability through Tasting Kauai we are very stoked this is all going on here. Be sure not to miss out on their Thursday Farm Dinner menu – $40 for multiple courses of fresh, local garden to table food either from their farm, or nearby farms on the island!

All of the staff here takes such great care of you, with the true spirit of effortless Aloha. Delicious farm fresh food, beautiful Pacific Ocean and historic lighthouse views and wildlife conservation area are just a few of the reasons you should not miss out on Kauai’s newest, relaxed fine dining locale. Next time you are passing through Lihue, make a pit stop to see the crew at Hualani’s, you will not regret it!

Check out their website for monthly specials and book your reservation here

Thank you to the Timbers team for a couple of high res photos above, as mine did not do your space full justice!

Travel Expert Kendra Thornton’s Seared Ahi

Kendra Thornton's Maui Onion and Sesame Seed Crusted and Seared Ahi. Kendra Thornton photo.

Kendra Thornton’s Maui Onion and Sesame Seed Crusted and Seared Ahi. Kendra Thornton photo.

Kendra Thornton is the former director of communications for Orbitz. The long time travel expert has been traveling the world since she was three months old. “My passion for travel is only eclipsed by my passion for my three beautiful children,” she says. She’s been lucky to combine the two, and is often featured as an expert in family, luxury and adventure travel for FOX News, ABC, CBS, NBC, and CW networks.

Thornton has been to 28 countries on six continents, and has been quoted in the news about seasonal travel trends and destinations all over the United States. Now stepping out of the corporate spotlight she’s taking on her role of being a mother and wife where she mixes her passion for travel with the taste of authentic cuisine. After a vacation to Hawaii, Thornton was inspired to create this recipe, which she has generously shared with Tasting Kauai. Continue Reading →

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