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Tulum, Mexico

August 31, 2016 by Gina +

{ view at the tulum ruins }
{ view at the tulum ruins }

Tulum

In the beginning of July, I headed down to Tulum, Mexico for a week vacation.  Summer is generally my busy season and it is hard to take off a lot of time.  Last year I managed to swing a three week trip at the end of the summer, but this year I was I was too eager to get away.  An earlier trip meant shorter time which made us want to go somewhere and just relax.  I’m usually one to pack in as much as I can while visiting a number of spots.  After Tulum, I will definitely be doing more of the relax and stay put kind of vacation.

{ this . view . outside our room at my way boutique hotel }
{ this . view . outside our room at my way boutique hotel }

Tulum is such a picturesque place.  I have been to a number of gorgeous beaches on my travels, but this is definitely one of the most beautiful.  The water is so clear and so warm.  Even though the weather called for storms everyday, we got lucky with blue skies and hot sun each day.

Tulum

I absolutely fell in love with the vibe and the color of Tulum.  I must have told Robbie “these colors!!!!” about 50 times a day.  All shades of blue in the water.  White sand beaches.  Tropical green and sage colored plants.  Pops of color everywhere; the restaurants, hotels, shops.  I was IN. LOVE.

{ the colors }
{ the colors }

We were pleasantly surprised with how quaint Tulum felt.  Small, boutique hotels, no all inclusive massive resorts.  Beautiful restaurants which mostly serve fresh, local foods.  Each hotel seemed to have cozy loungers, many with palapas or something of the sort to give shade.

Here’s a breakdown of places to eat, where we stayed, and what to do:

Stay :

My Way Boutique Hotel  – This place is wonderful.  Only 7 rooms and on the beach.  They have cozy loungers, towels, beach bag, and breakfast included.  It is somewhat unassuming from the beach which is nice because it keeps it quiet.  They have a bar and serve food for lunch with snacks.  It’s walking distance to lots of restaurants, bars, and shops.

{ top deck at  my way tulum }
{ top deck at my way tulum }
{ morning coffee on our patio }
{ morning coffee on our patio }
{ Cilantro's for lunch }
{ Cilantro’s for lunch }
{ private jacuzzi on our deck at my way hotel }
{ private jacuzzi on our deck at my way hotel }

Also, we stayed in the Horizen suite which we thought was the best.  Other rooms might have been larger but this was the closest to the beach, felt very private, and had the most amazing top level with jacuzzi and unobstructed beach view.

Eat / Drink :

  • My Way Boutique for lunches and fresh mojitos
  • Posada Margherita : the view, the decor, and obviously the food
  • Puro Corazon : the drinks! great food, live music, shrimp
  • el Tabano : Tacos!!
  • La Zebra : great view, drinks, and food
  • Restaurare Vegan Cuisine : the curry was amazing as was the lettuce wrap starter.  Not a fan of the mole sadly
  • Coco Tulum : drinks on the beach!
  • Piedra Escondida : on the beach, great fish tacos, great place to chill and have an afternoon cocktail
  • Cilantro’s : on the beach, fresh seafood, amazing view
  • Juanita Diavola : great pizza and casual.
{ apps at posada margherita }
{ apps at posada margherita }
{ morning breakfast spread outside our room }
{ morning breakfast spread outside our room }
{ lobster ceviche at cilantro's }
{ lobster ceviche at cilantro’s }

Do :

  • Massage / Spa : we ordered massages through the hotel.  It was nice that they came to the room and we had them on the gorgeous deck, but it was far from my favorite massage.  Next time I will opt for more of a spa experience and do some research.  Tulum is full of amazing spas.
  • We did a fishing trip through Mexi Divers.  I would give it a better review but I got seasick.  Robbie on the other hand had a great time and caught 4 fish!
  • Take out some boards, a kayak, or a SUP.  The water is calm enough to really have fun
  • Relax, eat good food, have good drinks, and enjoy the gorgeousness that is TULUM
  • Take a day trip to the ruins and a cenote { fresh water swimmin hole with stalagmites }
{ beach side of the ruins }
{ beach side of the ruins }
{ ruins }
{ ruins }
{ cenote }
{ cenote }

 

I loved Tulum.  It was clean, beautiful, safe, has friendly people, amazing food, and I will definitely return.

Tulum Tulum

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: beach, drink, eat, guide, mexico, my way boutique hotel, snaps, things to do, travel, tropical, tulum, vacation, what to do

The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house loves

Make sure you’re following @gina_gibson_cooks for easy healthier recipes and save this one. I promise you’ll love it. 

They’re packed with protein from eggs, sausage, cottage cheese, and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage
4 eggs (scrambled)
1 egg (mixed in)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt + pepper

Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet until browned. Push to one side and scramble 4 eggs.

Add sausage + eggs to a bowl with 1 more egg, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Scoop with a 2 tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375°F for about 18 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 15 biscuits.
A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco s A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco skillet. Made with simple ingredients you probably already have. It bakes in the oven for an easy, hands-off dinner and comes together in under 40 minutes.

1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup blended cottage cheese
1 (15 oz) jar salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar or taco cheese blend
1 package taco seasoning
*chips, sour cream, avocado for topping and scooping

Preheat oven to 375°F. In an oven-safe skillet, cook ground beef and onion on medium heat until beef is browned.

Stir in taco seasoning. Add salsa, cottage cheese, the rice, then 1/2 cup water. Mix well.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove from oven, top with cheese. Serve with sour cream, avocado, and plenty of chips for scooping

Save this for your next quick dinner night.
2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners — mashed potato 2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners — mashed potatoes the first night sandwiches after that

The sauce is the real star here. Savory, rich, and packed with flavor from the miso, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger.

2 lb chuck roast
Salt + pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups beef broth
1 tsp sesame 

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Season the chuck roast well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pan and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned.

In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, beef broth, and sesame.

Pour the sauce over the roast, cover, and braise at 300°F for about 3 to 3½ hours until the beef is fall apart tender.

Remove the meat and shred or slice it. Simmer the sauce on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes until thickened and glossy.

Serve over mashed potatoes and spoon all that sauce right on top.
Unlocking summer. I’m so ready and these @bloomsup Unlocking summer. I’m so ready and these @bloomsupps Ricket blasts are getting us there. Limited time. What’s your fave poolside or beach bev?!

#giftedbyoom
#bloompop
Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice 🍤

This might be one of my favorite easy dinners lately. The buttery garlic shrimp, blistered tomatoes, cilantro lime rice, and salty feta all work so well together

You’ll need 
1 pound shrimp
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
crumbled feta for topping 
salt, and pepper.

Cook the rice and mix with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a little salt. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and cook the cherry tomatoes until blistered and softened. Push the tomatoes to the side of the skillet, then add butter, garlic, and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp are pink and lightly golden. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix everything together with the tomatoes. Spoon over the cilantro lime rice and top with feta.

Save this for an easy weeknight dinner and follow @gina_gibson_cooks for more easy family meals and Dinner Diaries 🍽️
DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11 Bringing back this series DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11

Bringing back this series to help you with easy dinners. 

This week’s lineup:
✨ Cheeseburger Sheet Pan Fries
✨ Chicken Caesar Smash Burger Tacos
✨ Crispy Chicken Protein Mac & Cheese

we reused ingredients across multiple meals to keep grocery waste low 🙌

The crispy chicken on the protein mac & cheese might be one of my favorite dinners I’ve made in a while 

Comment DINNER and I’ll send you all 3 recipes + the grocery list
The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house loves

Make sure you’re following @gina_gibson_cooks for easy healthier recipes and save this one. I promise you’ll love it. 

They’re packed with protein from eggs, sausage, cottage cheese, and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage
4 eggs (scrambled)
1 egg (mixed in)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt + pepper

Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet until browned. Push to one side and scramble 4 eggs.

Add sausage + eggs to a bowl with 1 more egg, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Scoop with a 2 tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375°F for about 18 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 15 biscuits.
A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco s A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco skillet. Made with simple ingredients you probably already have. It bakes in the oven for an easy, hands-off dinner and comes together in under 40 minutes.

1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup blended cottage cheese
1 (15 oz) jar salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar or taco cheese blend
1 package taco seasoning
*chips, sour cream, avocado for topping and scooping

Preheat oven to 375°F. In an oven-safe skillet, cook ground beef and onion on medium heat until beef is browned.

Stir in taco seasoning. Add salsa, cottage cheese, the rice, then 1/2 cup water. Mix well.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove from oven, top with cheese. Serve with sour cream, avocado, and plenty of chips for scooping

Save this for your next quick dinner night.
2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners — mashed potato 2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners — mashed potatoes the first night sandwiches after that

The sauce is the real star here. Savory, rich, and packed with flavor from the miso, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger.

2 lb chuck roast
Salt + pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups beef broth
1 tsp sesame 

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Season the chuck roast well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pan and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned.

In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, beef broth, and sesame.

Pour the sauce over the roast, cover, and braise at 300°F for about 3 to 3½ hours until the beef is fall apart tender.

Remove the meat and shred or slice it. Simmer the sauce on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes until thickened and glossy.

Serve over mashed potatoes and spoon all that sauce right on top.
Unlocking summer. I’m so ready and these @bloomsup Unlocking summer. I’m so ready and these @bloomsupps Ricket blasts are getting us there. Limited time. What’s your fave poolside or beach bev?!

#giftedbyoom
#bloompop
Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice 🍤

This might be one of my favorite easy dinners lately. The buttery garlic shrimp, blistered tomatoes, cilantro lime rice, and salty feta all work so well together

You’ll need 
1 pound shrimp
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
crumbled feta for topping 
salt, and pepper.

Cook the rice and mix with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a little salt. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and cook the cherry tomatoes until blistered and softened. Push the tomatoes to the side of the skillet, then add butter, garlic, and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp are pink and lightly golden. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix everything together with the tomatoes. Spoon over the cilantro lime rice and top with feta.

Save this for an easy weeknight dinner and follow @gina_gibson_cooks for more easy family meals and Dinner Diaries 🍽️
DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11 Bringing back this series DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11

Bringing back this series to help you with easy dinners. 

This week’s lineup:
✨ Cheeseburger Sheet Pan Fries
✨ Chicken Caesar Smash Burger Tacos
✨ Crispy Chicken Protein Mac & Cheese

we reused ingredients across multiple meals to keep grocery waste low 🙌

The crispy chicken on the protein mac & cheese might be one of my favorite dinners I’ve made in a while 

Comment DINNER and I’ll send you all 3 recipes + the grocery list
The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house The higher protein breakfast everyone in my house loves

Make sure you’re following @gina_gibson_cooks for easy healthier recipes and save this one. I promise you’ll love it. 

They’re packed with protein from eggs, sausage, cottage cheese, and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 lb breakfast sausage
4 eggs (scrambled)
1 egg (mixed in)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt + pepper

Cook the breakfast sausage in a skillet until browned. Push to one side and scramble 4 eggs.

Add sausage + eggs to a bowl with 1 more egg, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.

Scoop with a 2 tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 375°F for about 18 minutes, or until golden. Makes about 15 biscuits.
A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco s A cheesy, hearty, high protein taco skillet taco skillet. Made with simple ingredients you probably already have. It bakes in the oven for an easy, hands-off dinner and comes together in under 40 minutes.

1 lb ground beef
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup blended cottage cheese
1 (15 oz) jar salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar or taco cheese blend
1 package taco seasoning
*chips, sour cream, avocado for topping and scooping

Preheat oven to 375°F. In an oven-safe skillet, cook ground beef and onion on medium heat until beef is browned.

Stir in taco seasoning. Add salsa, cottage cheese, the rice, then 1/2 cup water. Mix well.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes

Remove from oven, top with cheese. Serve with sour cream, avocado, and plenty of chips for scooping

Save this for your next quick dinner night.
2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners — mashed potato 2 lb chuck roast, multiple dinners — mashed potatoes the first night sandwiches after that

The sauce is the real star here. Savory, rich, and packed with flavor from the miso, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger.

2 lb chuck roast
Salt + pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups beef broth
1 tsp sesame 

Mashed potatoes, for serving

Season the chuck roast well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pan and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned.

In a bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, beef broth, and sesame.

Pour the sauce over the roast, cover, and braise at 300°F for about 3 to 3½ hours until the beef is fall apart tender.

Remove the meat and shred or slice it. Simmer the sauce on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes until thickened and glossy.

Serve over mashed potatoes and spoon all that sauce right on top.
Unlocking summer. I’m so ready and these @bloomsup Unlocking summer. I’m so ready and these @bloomsupps Ricket blasts are getting us there. Limited time. What’s your fave poolside or beach bev?!

#giftedbyoom
#bloompop
Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice Lemon Butter Shrimp Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice 🍤

This might be one of my favorite easy dinners lately. The buttery garlic shrimp, blistered tomatoes, cilantro lime rice, and salty feta all work so well together

You’ll need 
1 pound shrimp
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
crumbled feta for topping 
salt, and pepper.

Cook the rice and mix with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and a little salt. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and cook the cherry tomatoes until blistered and softened. Push the tomatoes to the side of the skillet, then add butter, garlic, and shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp are pink and lightly golden. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix everything together with the tomatoes. Spoon over the cilantro lime rice and top with feta.

Save this for an easy weeknight dinner and follow @gina_gibson_cooks for more easy family meals and Dinner Diaries 🍽️
DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11 Bringing back this series DINNER DIARIES WEEK 11

Bringing back this series to help you with easy dinners. 

This week’s lineup:
✨ Cheeseburger Sheet Pan Fries
✨ Chicken Caesar Smash Burger Tacos
✨ Crispy Chicken Protein Mac & Cheese

we reused ingredients across multiple meals to keep grocery waste low 🙌

The crispy chicken on the protein mac & cheese might be one of my favorite dinners I’ve made in a while 

Comment DINNER and I’ll send you all 3 recipes + the grocery list

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